Members of the public are invited to attend a Long Beach City Council budget meeting that will focus on cuts slated for the Long Beach Fire Department, including the partial closure of two fire stations.
The meeting, scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers, 333 W. Ocean Blvd., will include plans for the closure of Fire Station 18, located on Palo Verde Avenue near Wardlow Road, and Fire Station 1, located on Magnolia Avenue between Ocean Boulevard and Broadway in the heart of Downtown. The plan calls for the closure of Station 1's operations at night and to close Station 18 during the day. The stations would share a single fire engine, reducing the department's budget by $1.6 million.
The meeting, scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers, 333 W. Ocean Blvd., will include plans for the closure of Fire Station 18, located on Palo Verde Avenue near Wardlow Road, and Fire Station 1, located on Magnolia Avenue between Ocean Boulevard and Broadway in the heart of Downtown. The plan calls for the closure of Station 1's operations at night and to close Station 18 during the day. The stations would share a single fire engine, reducing the department's budget by $1.6 million.
Another measure will reduce two fire crews at Station 14, located on Elliot Avenue near Appian Way in the Belmont Shore/Belmont Heights area, to a single, five-man crew to cut another $1.2 million. Those firefighters will operate an engine and a ladder truck, which will respond to calls as a single unit, rather than conducting separate operations as they often do now.
In all, the Fire Department is slashing $3.2 million, or 4.4 percent, from its budget to help with the city's projected deficit of nearly $40 million.
Fire Station 18 located on Palo Verde has given all the residents within the area a feeling of safety and security. Since I have lived there my whole 50 years it has played an important part of my growing up. They have helped numerous times with situations pertaining to friends and family members and I believe they should be able to remain open for what ever type of emergency should arise. The area is growing with new homes and more children since I was small and I am now raising my daughter and would still like to know that they are there if we need them. As I'm sure others will support this request. I remember when we had the hospital right behind it and that has since left along with the local movie theater and the bowling alley. Let's keep our little area safe and keep Fire Station 18 active in our lives. Thank you hearing my request.