"This is from a man who goes running into burning buildings," Conover told Syracuse's Common Council tonight. "The math just doesn’t work out. Combining two engines into one just doesn’t work."
About a dozen people spoke out against closing the East Fayette Street fire station during the public hearing tonight on the city's budget before the Common Council. Between 15 and 20 firefighters attended, many wearing shirts protesting the closures.
Mayor Stephanie Miner's budget calls forclosing the station and combining its fire engine with one from Station 6 on West Street Arterial. The combined engine would be stationed downtown.
The plan would also reduce the number of on-duty firefighters by four. All told, the cuts would save the cost of renovating a crumbling station and a projected $1.6 million a year in firefighter overtime.
Councilors pointed out afterwards that even if they add money to the budget to keep Station 7 open, the mayor could close it anyway. The council plans to vote on the mayor's budget May 8.
Fire Chief Paul Linnertz said that by reducing the number of medical calls by up to 5,000 a year and redeploying the department's resources, he doesn't think the department's response time to fires will suffer.
During the hearing, Tom Sexton, a retired firefighter, said the city is in danger of running out of firefighters on a busy night if the station closes.
Referring to the firefighters who spoke before him, Sexton added: “I’ve never heard a Syracuse firefighter say they were scared. You better listen to them.”
In addition to firefighters, several community leaders and residents protested the closure.
Longtime Green Party activist Howie Hawkins told the council not to be "pennywise and pound foolish" about the fire department. He then launched into remarks about the need to raise more revenue from the rich to pay for city services.
Syracuse United Neighbors Executive Director Rich Puchalski held a sign with the grim reaper. He noted that the city eliminated a fire engine downtown two years ago, and now were moving an engine out of the Near West Side.
“We depend on our fire department, and we deserve to have a fire department that is fully staffed," he said.
Firefighter Ted Ackerman said the plan just isn't safe. “We’re scared," he told councilors. "Somebody could get hurt, somebody could get killed. If it’s done, when it’s done, we’ll know who was a part of that decision.”
Outside the council chambers, the fire chief stood quietly in a stairwell. He accepted the job knowing that he would be forced to work with budget cuts.
"In my view, reducing the fire department is something the mayor feels is necessary," Linnertz said. "I don't believe closing Station 7 is going to change response time in the city of Syracuse."
Lonnie Johnson, president of Local 280 of the International Association of Firefighters, said that Linnertz is going to say it will work, because it's his plan.
"The question is, is it safe?" Johnson asked councilors. He implored them to restore funding for Station 7 and force the mayor to decide whether or not to follow council's wishes.
Linda Sexton, who is Tom's wife, told councilors her son is a current Syracuse firefighter. She worried about her son responding to a fire with fewer firefighters to back him up.
"For the first time, I don’t want to live in the city,” she told them. "And I love the city."
