D.C. Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe told city leaders on Wednesday that he wants to cut the number of city firefighters by nearly 30 percent in order to save the city potentially $32 million over the years.
Ellerbe said his goal is to reduce the firefighters from 2,200 to 1,600 total, but said there was no hard deadline yet to reach that staffing level. He said he hoped to achieve that throught the department’s attrition rate, which he said he did not have immediately available.
Ellerbe presented his plan, which would also call for a change to 12 hour shifts from 24-hour ones, to Mayor Vincent Gray earlier this month. The chief gave a presemtation to the full D.C. Council on Wednesday morning during the council and mayor’s monthly breakfast.
Gray said after the breakfast that nearly half of the city’s firefighters live more than 30 miles outside of the city, which can be a problem in times of emergency. He said although “we’re certainly not trying to push people out at this stage” the 12-hour shift schedule with more workdays “enhance public safety.”
Ellerbe said he expects pushback from the firefighters union and hopes to start bargaining on a new contract soon. The union has not had a new contract since 2007 and is operating under the former one.
