The state's plan to cutback on the number of firefighters that worked in the Atlantic City Fire Department hit a setback Friday.
In a ruling released Friday, Judge Julio Mendez blocked the state's efforts to reduce the number of firefighters from 198 to 148. The state, who took over control of Atlantic City in November, has been trying to find ways to cut costs in the resort town. Officials originally planned to move the department to a less expensive health plan and reduce staffing in the department from 225 firefighters to 125 in February. "The court holds that the (fire department's union) have established by clear and convincing evidence that Defendants' proposal to reduce the size of the Atlantic City Fire Department to 148 firefighters will cause irreparable harm in that it compromises the public safety of Atlantic City's residents and visitors," Judge Mendez wrote in his opinion.