The Philadelphia Firefighters Union says it plans to let neighborhood residents know when their local station is closed due to cost-saving "brownouts."
Starting Monday, fire officials plan to close three stations per shift across Philadelphia each day to cut down on overtime hours.
"That'll be three on the day work, three on the night work and we will look at that process over a period of time," said Fire Comm. Lloyd Ayres early last week.
The stations affected would typically be taking part in training exercises or neighborhood outreach, Comm. Ayres says.
Fire officials say temporary closures will not compromise the department's emergency response time, but the union disagrees.
"Common sense will tell you it's gonna affect response time," union president Bill Gault told NBC Philadelphia. "The geography of the city hasn't changed."
Gault says seven companies closed in similar cost saving measures over the past year and a half only adds to the problem.
"We're shocked and we're scared," Gault said.
The commissioner says the brownouts will prevent the need for future layoffs or pay cuts.
In an effort to fight the brownouts, the Firefighters Union plans to get the public involved.
The union says it will be posting signs at each closed firehouse each day station explaining why the station is dark.
The signs will also have numbers to Mayor Michael Nutter's office and a web address to the union's website.
The fire department was unavailable for comment on the union's planned poster campaign.
The Philadelphia Fire Department has to cut $3.8 million from its upcoming budget. Comm. Ayers says the brownouts will save around $2.8 million.
