Bristol, Virginia council members have agreed to cut 10 firefighter positions during a budget workshop tonight.
The council has discussed cutting positions from the Bristol Virginia Fire Department in recent months. On Thursday night, they agreed to cut the 10 positions.
The decision will move forward for final vote.
"It's a sad day. It's the city's future," Councilman Kevin Mumpower said. Officials had been considering massive cuts to Fire Department staffing — perhaps as much as 35 percent of the current level of 43 full-time equivalent positions — and significantly reducing funding to some agencies in an effort to reduce costs to the city. Mumpower said the city should have about 30 firefighters, based on a National Fire Protection Association study.