Laid Off Hialeah Firefighters Deal With Unemployment
HIALEAH (CBS4) - Saturday 23 Hialeah Fire Fighters joined the ranks of the unemployed. The city is laying off a total of 105 fire fighters because of budget cuts. Richard Sans is one of those people. After two and half years working as a Hialeah fire fighter and paramedic Sans was laid off.
"I don't know what I'm gonna do," said Sans. "Very distraught, very distraught, I have my situation with my wife she got laid off last year, hasn't been able to find good employement."
The couple has two young children and wonder how they will provide for them.
"Its like food on the table or do I pay my property insurance," said Jeannie Sans, Richard's wife.
Hialeah cut a total of 35 positions effective Saturday. On December 1st it will cut another 35 and the final round of layoff will cut 35 positions on March 1st.
The total means a 40 percent reduction in force in the fire department. The mayor insists the service will remain the same. But many homeowners have their doubts and concerns.
Bobie Blakely has lived in her Hialeah home for 30 years. "Sure I'll be worried," she said. "Because I will have no place no place to go and who's gonna come and put it out? What I'm gonna do just stand back and look at it burn up?"
Meanwhile, Sans said he's going to have to do whatever it takes to find work. "I'm gonna have to go back to basics," he said. "Basically you know applying anywhere I can and trying to get a job even if it's bagging groceries... I need to put food on the table for my kids."
The fire fighters union Local 1102 will continue negotiations with the city of Hialeah hoping that some of its firefighters can go back to work.
