Firefighters protest at Youngstown council; worker raises granted

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown firefighters walked from the downtown fire station with firefighters from nine other area departments to a city council meeting to protest Youngstown’s plan to reduce its ranks.

Mayor John A. McNally said the city will take a fire truck off the road, starting in January, and not replace eight firefighters who will leave through retirement. It’s a key component of his plan to save the city $1 million annually.

Dave Cook, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 312, said the walk Wednesday was “to bring more awareness and express our displeasure with the disturbing decision to close a fire truck. Why would you shut down a fire truck in the city with the highest arson rate in Ohio?”

Removing the truck will impact response time to fires, and puts firefighters and residents in dangerous situations, he said.

Bill Gadd, a Warren firefighter, said his city went through a similar situation years ago with disastrous results.

Youngstown is facing a $2.5 million to $2.8 million deficit in January 2016, and cuts need to be made now, McNally said.

“If we wait until 2016, we’ll have to close one station, two trucks and lay off 20 people,” he said. “This department hasn’t seen a staffing cut since 2002.”

The department currently has 138 on staff.

Fire Chief John J. O’Neill Jr., who helped formulate the plan with McNally, said, “When you reduce staff, there is always safety concerns. But we believe this is the most effective way to save money while keeping firefighters and citizens safe.”

Read more about the dispute and raises granted to city workers in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.