Details of the Closures

The affected fire stations are Station No. 25 on Butters Drive and Station No. 28 on Grass Valley Road. These stations will be closed for a duration of six months. Additionally, Station 10, located on Santa Clara Avenue in the Grand Lake area, will remain closed. Alarmingly, the city is contemplating further closures, with a potential shutdown of four more stations set to occur next month.

Concerns Raised by Firefighters

Members of the Oakland Firefighters Local 55 gathered in front of City Hall to protest these closures during the first city council meeting of the year. They voiced their concerns regarding the negative implications for emergency response times, highlighting that delays of more than 10 minutes could become a reality for local residents in need of assistance.

“The closure of three fire stations is problematic, but the city administrator’s proposal to close four more stations next month would be catastrophic,” said firefighter Chris Robinson. “It means nearly a 30% cut in emergency fire and health services for Oakland. The city administrator is gambling with the lives of Oakland residents.”

President of Firefighters Local 55, Seth Olyer, characterized the city administrator’s plan as “dangerous and reckless,” emphasizing the critical nature of timely emergency services. “The city manager and the budget director have decided that it’s okay for anyone who needs help and calls 911 can wait, and wait, and keep waiting for the help they so desperately need,” added Olyer.

Operational Impacts and Future Plans

Fire Chief Damon Covington stated that the closure of Stations 25 and 28 is expected to save the city approximately $5 million. However, he acknowledged uncertainty about how these closures would affect response times, citing various influencing factors.

“We’re going to get here as quickly as we can,” said Covington. “It doesn’t change how we operate, it changes the time it takes for us to get to that call. There are going to be delays in our delivery. But when you call 911, an engine is going to show up for sure.”

As part of the restructuring, the 24 firefighters stationed at the closed facilities will be redistributed to other operational units throughout the city. Covington expressed hope for reopening both fire stations by July, coinciding with the onset of wildfire season.

Community Campaigns and Awareness

In light of these developments, the Firefighters Local 55 has initiated a campaign titled “Fire Safe Oakland” to keep residents informed about the status of fire station operations and advocate for necessary resources to ensure public safety.