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Firefighting cuts weighed Ashland council hears concerns By DANI DODGE ASHLAND -- A recommendation to reduce staffing in the Ashland Fire Department could be downright dangerous, according to one firefighter. "For me, financially it's great, because I'll get more overtime," said firefighter Derek Rosenlund. "But I know people will die." Rosenlund addressed the Ashland City Council Tuesday night with his concerns about a recommendation from a private consultant to reduce the fire department staff by three people. Firefighters have been told the reductions would come through attrition. Rosenlund pointed out the city has not filled the position of engineer Robb Robbins, who retired last month. But Mayor Cathy Shaw and City Manager Mike Freeman said the city has not yet determined whether the city will reduce the firefighting force. The city did commission a $5,000 study on how to save money in the fire department, but so far has not followed through on the recommendation. Freeman said he needs more information from the fire department before a decision will be made. "We are trying to evaluate if it's feasible or not," Freeman said. "There's not enough information yet." The fire department increased its staffing after it took over the ambulance service in the Ashland area in 1996. Currently, a minimum of seven firefighters are on shift at all times and a full shift is eight, Rosenlund said. The reduction would take the minimum number of firefighters down to six. But that could be dangerous, Rosenlund asserted. On Tuesday, for example, four ambulances were all out at the same time -- twice, Rosenlund said. At least two people are needed in each ambulance. "My biggest concern is response times for things like cardiac arrest," Rosenlund said. He said that one of the reasons extra firefighters were hired in 1998 was because so much money was being spent on overtime that it wasn't fiscally wise to keep staffing levels low. "But to me this is about public safety -- if it was bucks I wouldn't say a word," Rosenlund said. "The council made a commitment when they took over the ambulance service: to go backwards is wrong." "I know someone will suffer and I don't want them coming after me and saying `Why didn't you do something?' " Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA