Tacoma firefighters held a press conference to share a grim reality of emergency services in the city on Monday.
Firefighter/Union President Allyson Hinzman said “Our firefighters are failing. We’re at that critical breaking point.” Hinzman added that “because of funding shortages, our best-performing equipment is failing us."
Hinzman said they cannot afford any budget cuts. They are already spread too thin. They believe issues with equipment and their facilities will worsen if they receive less money.
Firefighters in Tacoma are also trying to meet a growing call volume, an increasing population, medical calls, overdoses, and calls to help homeless individuals have squeezed the department.
Response times are affected by all of this. On Monday, Hinzman said the industry standard is to have an emergency response time within 4 minutes, 90% of the time. The Tacoma Fire Department's response time is now within 10 minutes on average.
Hinzman said there are only 450 firefighters in the department and they do not have money allocated to hire more. In addition to Tacoma, they are also expected to respond to emergencies in Fife, Fircrest, and at the port.
Last month, voters rejected a levy that would have increased taxes but also would’ve helped fund the fire department. But this problem doesn’t just come down to a vote.
The big picture: the city is facing money troubles.
Tacoma officials are projecting a $24 million dollar deficit. The fire department is $3.5 million over budget. Hinzman said, “The city has kicked the can so far down the road with the budget.”
Now, action must be taken. One idea is to end the fire department’s "rover program," which allows firefighters to fill in for colleagues who take unplanned leave. Without that program, firefighters believe even more money would be spent in overtime trying to fill the temporary vacancies at fire stations.
In a statement to KOMO News, Councilmember Joe Bushnell said, "The proposed biennial budget I saw on October 1 demonstrates the City’s unwavering commitment to public safety. Despite the impacts of rising inflation and a contracting economy that have tipped our finances out of balance in a long-term way, approximately two-thirds of our $641 million General Fund budget is dedicated to keeping our community safe. The proposal even increases Fire Department funding by $13 million in the General Fund.”
Bushnell said the city must make tough choices, while also investing in priorities like public safety. “I am committed to responsible spending that serves our community today and safeguards our future," he said.
Hinzman also said, “The city has a spending problem, not a funding problem.”
Hinzman suggested the fire department could break off from the city’s budget and control their own finances, as some other departments already have, but it is yet to be seen if this will occur.
The IAFF Local 31 Union, which represents every firefighter in Tacoma, said they have started a petition for the community to sign ahead of the council vote. That petition is found on their Facebook page.
A spokesperson for the fire department told KOMO News the department would make a statement after the council members decide on the firefighting budget.
On Tuesday, council members will discuss the proposals for the firefighting budget. During next Tuesday’s council meeting, they are expected to take a final vote.