LINDEN -- Linden’s fire chief said that seven layoffs of firefighters that the city council is asking the state to approve would jeopardize public safety.
“All of my efforts are toward that goal: retain these people right now,” said Fire Chief Joseph Rizzo on Monday.
The council is hoping to save about $1.1 million with the cuts, which could take place as soon as January. The effort is meant to close a budget gap of between $8 million and $10 million that council members expect to see in next year’s budget.
In recent years, the department had as many as 126 employees. With the layoffs and other positions left vacant by retirees, the total would drop to 111, according to Mayor Richard Gerbounka.
Currently the department has four fire companies with assigned areas and one roaming engine that responds to almost every fire. The extra engine company would be cut under the layoff plan that was submitted to the state for approval last week.
“Whether you give me 100 people or one person, I will operate safely,” Rizzo said. “But if you have less firemen to respond, it’s more risk to the people (of Linden). It’s all about response times.”
Both council members and fire officials say that avoiding the cuts is still a possibility, but to do that, firemen will need to make concessions beyond their previous agreement to two years of wage freezes.
The concessions must be worth about $1.1 million, the amount the council hopes to save, according to personnel and finance committee chairman Gene Davis.