LOS ANGELES -- Fire officials in Los Angeles plan to cut the number of firefighters and paramedics on city streets by 87 positions to help cover a $39 million budget deficit.
The cutbacks, called "brownouts," will remove 28 fire department workers from the current roster of 1,017, a cut of three percent. Fifteen fire trucks, nine transportation ambulances, three paramedic support teams and one battalion chief will also be removed.
However, no fire stations will be closed, and all paramedic ambulances will be maintained, according to deputy fire chief Emilio Mack.
Union officials have blasted the cutbacks, saying extended response times will hurt civilians.
Similar brownouts that were tried in 1991 nearly killed at least one woman in Hollywood who had to wait for paramedics, according to Pat McOsker, head of United Firefighters of Los Angeles.
Mack told the city council last week that the fire department would rotate the service reductions around the city according to need, and would be able to adequately staff stations in brushfire-prone areas as needed.
The firefighters union and city are in the midst of negotiations for a new contract, after newspapers reported that the average L.A. firefighter earns $36,500 in overtime pay on top of salaries that start at $41,000 per year.
The cutbacks, called "brownouts," will remove 28 fire department workers from the current roster of 1,017, a cut of three percent. Fifteen fire trucks, nine transportation ambulances, three paramedic support teams and one battalion chief will also be removed.
However, no fire stations will be closed, and all paramedic ambulances will be maintained, according to deputy fire chief Emilio Mack.
Union officials have blasted the cutbacks, saying extended response times will hurt civilians.
Similar brownouts that were tried in 1991 nearly killed at least one woman in Hollywood who had to wait for paramedics, according to Pat McOsker, head of United Firefighters of Los Angeles.
Mack told the city council last week that the fire department would rotate the service reductions around the city according to need, and would be able to adequately staff stations in brushfire-prone areas as needed.
The firefighters union and city are in the midst of negotiations for a new contract, after newspapers reported that the average L.A. firefighter earns $36,500 in overtime pay on top of salaries that start at $41,000 per year.
