Oil City Says Proposed Fire Company Cuts Are Necessary

| October 26, 2016

oil city firefightersOIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – Oil City’s continuing budget problems may result in three firefighters losing their jobs and the closure of the North Side Fire Station in less than two months.

(Pictured from left: Oil City Fire Captain Mark Hicks; IAAF Local 700 representative Dennis Alcorn; and firefighter Charlie Hobbler.)

Firefighters, who also serve as paramedics and emergency service technicians, are waging a campaign to stop the cuts, but the city says it’s a decision that has to be made.

According to one city council member (who spoke on the condition of anonymity), the city is facing a budget deficit of about $200,000.00 for 2017.

“We don’t want to do this, and we understand the firemen are upset, but other departments have had to take a hit, too,” he said. “So far this year, the department has responded to eight structure fires. They did have more than 1,000 advanced life support calls.”

OC North Side Fire Station

The firefighters are busy with a public fight to stop the cuts and closure. They have placed dozens of “No Fire Cuts” signs at area residences and businesses where they have been requested, according to department union representative Dennis Alcorn.

They are also circulating a petition opposing the cuts and have collected about 1,300 signatures.

The department has 15 full-time firefighters and five part-time employees. Of those 20 emergency responders, 10 are paramedics and 10 are EMTs. They are responsible for calls such as heart attacks, traffic accidents, and a myriad of related things.

The City had to cut positions from the Police and Public Works departments in 2016, so some saw this coming in the fire department, according to Alcorn.

“One of the biggest problems with closing the North Side Station is the increased response times,” Alcorn said. “We have an average response time of under two minutes.”

According to City Manager Mark Schroyer, one full-time position was cut from Police and two from Public Works.

oil city city hall

“We were able to bring back two people that had been left go because of retirements, but we are still down two positions, a full-time Public Works Administrator and a part-time Code Enforcement officer,” Schroyer said.

Also complicating matters is the fact that these cuts are planned in the middle of contract negotiations between the department and city.

The council member said the firefighters’ union, the Local 700 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, isn’t being accurate about the information it is putting out there.

“They have a list of 25 demands, and they haven’t given into anything. They say they aren’t asking for anything, but they are seeking five percent pay raises for each of the next five years, and they say they will shoulder most of the insurance costs, but that’s not true,” the council member said.

The fire department also has a plan to create an ambulance service.

“At Thursday’s council meeting, we are going to present a proposal for an ambulance company to better serve the residents and make money for the City,” Alcorn said.

The council member said he doesn’t see that as a solution.

“It doesn’t solve our budget problems, and it would probably take six months to get it started. It also could result in the one ambulance service we have closing,” the council member said.

Falling population and a decreasing tax base were also reasons given for the cuts.

Like many rural areas in Pennsylvania, the city’s population has been on the decline for several decades.

According to U.S. Census figures, Oil City’s population was at its height in 1930 at 22,075 residents. It has declined every decade since, falling to 10,557 in 2010.

City officials point to a 16 percent decline in population since 1990.

The next Oil City council meeting is set for 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at City Hall located at 21 Seneca Street.


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