Manpower and quick response times are two things Springfield Fire Chief Brandon Blough said make a successful fire department.
"We cover 124 square miles. We cover 150 percent more area than what Peoria covers," Blough said. "3.41 was our average response time over all calls."
But, those two things could be affected by budget cuts. The department came to city council with a proposed $41.5 million budget. Instead, their budget was burned by $1.4 million.
"It was a cut of about three percent of our total budget," Blough said. "Several of the aldermen said they were not going to be in favor of it but at the last minute, changed their minds." Alderwoman Erin Conley was among the four council members who voted against the cuts.
"I don't want to rely on cutting our way out of problems," Conley said. "I'd like to find other solutions that allow us to maintain a high level of service to our community."
Conley said these cuts will reduce basic services people require.