Ayers: Brownouts Here To Stay, For Now
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Nutter Administration's controversial policy of temporary closures of fire stations isn't going away, much to the chagrin of City Council members.
At a hearing on the Fire Department's budget, several council members made crystal clear to Commissioner Lloyd Ayers that they object to the temporary closure policy, known as rolling brownouts.
Third District Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, said, "We continue to say to the administration, to the mayor, that we'd like to go back to the day when we don't have brownouts."
The brownouts were instituted to reduce fire department overtime (see related story). Commissioner Ayers told Council that, despite an increase of $2.5 million in overtime, the brownouts will continue, "We expect to staff using overtime, and we expect the brownouts to stay where they are right now."
Council asked Ayers for figures on firefighter injuries when responding to calls affected by the brownouts.
Reported by Mike Dunn, KYW Newsradio 1060
