The Oklahoma City Fire Department has returned all of its rigs to full-time service after 13 months of cutbacks imposed to stave off a budget shortfall.
The department saved $2.6 million between October 2016 and this November by reducing overtime from "callbacks," when staffing falls below minimums.
In those situations, firefighters must be called in on overtime to keep trucks and stations fully staffed.
Layoffs were the only other way for the department to cut spending after a 1.25 percent midyear budget reduction was ordered in late 2016, said M.T. Berry, an assistant city manager.