Warren to lay off 6 firefighters when grant expires

WARREN — The Warren Fire Department has been denied a replacement Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant and is making plans to have six fewer firefighters starting May 27, when the current grant expires.

That will mean one to two fewer firefighters per shift but not the closure of any of the three fire stations, officials said today during a Warren City Council committee meeting.

That should not result in “any change in service,” fire Chief Ken Nussle said. One reason is the department will soon put into service a new all-purpose fire truck that can fight fires and handle other emergencies with just three people instead of the two trucks and six firefighters that are dispatched to most calls now.

The department has 61 firefighters but will drop to 55 May 27. That is still four more than the department had in 2009, when it was first approved for the SAFER grant.

The grant was used in 2010 to pay the salary and benefits of 10 firefighters laid off in 2009 and hire 13 new ones. The department had not used all of the grant as of 2012, so it got a one-year extension, ending May 26, 2014.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com