Akron Fire Department Faces Staffing Crisis
Cleveland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · The Daily News Now!
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Akron Fire Department Faces Staffing Crisis: Slower Response Times, Overtime Strain, and Budget Woes
The Akron Fire Department is grappling with severe staffing shortages, leading to potential delays in emergency responses. The department hasnt hired new personnel in two years and hasnt conducted recruitment tests in four years. To manage, theyre using combo units, which can cause issues when teams are already engaged. The city has relied heavily on overtime, exceeding the budget by $6.5 million last year and facing further increases this year. Union leaders acknowledge the challenges but emphasize the commitment to community service. City officials acknowledge the unsustainability of overtime and are working on balancing the budget without compromising response capabilities. The department is currently short 25 firefighters and anticipates this number to rise. Mayor Shammas Malik announced plans to start a recruit class with 25 new hires in September. As the city budget is due at the end of the month, the firefighters union is advocating for increased funding during upcoming negotiations to ensure adequate staffing.
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