SAGINAW, MI (WNEM) -
It's no secret the Saginaw Fire Department is shrinking, cut almost 50 percent compared to 10 years ago. But city leaders insist the cuts will not have an impact on public safety.
In the last week, Saginaw firefighters have responded to 13 fires - three alone in the last 24 hours.
The rash of fires comes right on the heels of news that the department has been turned down for a grant to hire additional firefighters. Its bad news for a firefighting force already stretched thin.
To make matters worse: on July 1, the department lost six firefighters after city council cut back on public safety. Those positions were eliminated through retirement, not layoffs.
For the last 10 years, the department has been shrinking. In 2002 it had 91 firefighters; now it's left with just 51.
To increase those numbers, the city had applied for a federal grant called the Safer Grant. It would have allowed the city to hire seven more firefighters, but the grant was denied.
City officials, including Public Safety Director Phil Ludos, insist you are safe and that the loss of the grant won't cut their response times to put out fires in our neighborhoods.
But firefighters tell a different tale. They say the cuts are hurting and the loss of the grant is a big deal. They say when a fire breaks out, they don't have any backup.
Fire fighters and the city have both told TV5 that they are going to apply for another grant and this time, they have rewritten and highlighted the need for the additional firefighters. They think this time they will be successful.
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