The proposed acquisition of a quint truck faced stiff opposition from firefighters, while Mayor Bob O’Dekirk said the city needs to do something about “obscene” amounts of overtime spent in the department.
Firefighters at a City Council workshop meeting Monday said putting a quint, a dual-purpose truck, in downtown Station 1 would threaten public safety in the older section of the city. The truck also would allow the department to cut back on staff and save on overtime spending.
“This isn’t about manning. This isn’t about overtime. This is about public safety,” firefighter Scott Shear told the council. “Don’t take away our tools for doing the job.”