The fire department is proposing a budget for lnext year of 20.6 million dollars which is up just a bit from this year.
The review of the core city services is recommending the fire department not respond to emergency medical calls in the rural outskirts of the city.
Fire Chief Kevin Clifford warns, from his own first hand experience, you have to be careful about doing that. The Chief lives near the airport and he knows of three people living close by who called for medical assistance and the fire department was first to arrive.
Chief Clifford was asked what would he do if the fire department got 18 million dollars in 2013, instead of what was requested, and replied he would have to close a fire station.
He says the number of firefighters has been reduced from 161 to 145 in anticipation of the arbitration decision.
