Later this week, Natomas residents will get their first taste of the city’s “brown out” budget cuts to the fire department. This Friday and Saturday, Fire Station 30 in North Natomas, located at Club Center and Danbrook, will be half staffed.
Normally there would be eight firefighters on duty to man the two fire vehicles (a truck and an engine) at that station. During the brown out, there will only be four firefighters on duty and they can only man one of the vehicles.
When a call comes in the Captain of that station will have to choose which vehicle to take.
There are three fire stations in north and south Natomas combined, but Station 30 is the only one with an engine — the other two have one truck each.
The “brown outs” are every nine days and are spread across the fire houses throughout the city that have both a truck and an engine. This Friday and Saturday will be our communities first turn at having the closure, which started earlier this week.
Note to NATOMAS BUZZ readers: Check out the Guest Column below by Fire Captain Jaymes Butler about our city’s level of public safety — or lack thereof.
I wouldn’t worry too much, fire dept. is already over staffed, it is pushed by a very powerful union, and their main goal is greed and heavy government spending. That said,fireman do a great job and comand respect, but look at Vallejo, the fire and police dept. is bankrupting the city, and it will happen in other cities. We need to live more within our means, and greedy fire unions need to back off a little.
Wow. Disagree completely. It’s obvious the above knows nothing about fair working conditions and wages for these guys. Shameful.
I knew my statement may irk someone, if you think fireman are underpaid or work in unfair conditions, you must work in the fire service or you yourself know nothing, it is no doubt a difficult and dangerous job, but the pay and benefits are excessive, look above, cities are struggling in many areas due to high pay. I am tired of arrogant fireman telling us they need more money.
I love how everyone comments anonymously.
Anyway, Buzz, nice reporting, as usual. This report, in tandem with the fire captain’s guest post and the letter to/from Mary Ellen with the Trethaway staffer paints a pretty clear picture of the state of affairs and how Natomas may be making some elective office changes very, very soon. Keep it up.
Readers,
As owner of this blog I would appreciate comments be limited to your own opinion ABOUT A POST and not that of another reader’s comments.
Thank you,
BUZZ
Usually jobs in that catagory involve a lot of personal as well as physical risk, so there are pay and benefits that support the positions, and attempt to keep people in these positons (to try to avoid burn out). The brownouts and cutting at the worker level to balance the budget sounds like some administrative decision by someone that doesn’t personally risk themselves to help others, and make ends meet daily. Again, it’s shameful.
I think it is time to have the Fire Chief or Gus Vina, a city manager weigh in on these matters, this site and Robslist has had pro union views heard, are we to now believe that our lives are in danger this Friday and Saturday due to the brownout and the city of Sac. is to be blamed for a death. When station 30 was being built, fire personnel were literally marching on the streets of Natomas claiming that people would die if more trucks and staff were not added, now that is what I call shameful. Why is a 150′ ladder truck in Natomas needed, how many times has it been used?? Maybe when they build 4 story apartments it is needed. Can an engine be used for life support and fire fighting. We all seemed to be OK for year’s before 30 was built. All sides should be shared before scare tactics are used.