Long Beach Press Telegram
LONG BEACH, Calif. — An effort to delay a plan to cut fire department costs by reducing the number of paramedics on ambulances fell short Tuesday night at City Hall.
The item requesting a delay until the plan can be discussed later this summer as part of next year’s budget talks failed after a 4-4 vote of the City Council. Vice Mayor Robert Garcia, a voting member of the council who will be sworn in as mayor July 15, was absent.
The plan involves dropping staffing requirements by 21 firefighter positions, or seven fewer firefighters on duty at any given time, leading to an estimated $1.8 million a year in savings, starting after the Fourth of July.
Read full story: Plan to cut Long Beach Fire Department costs by reducing paramedic staffing moves forward