STERLING, Illinois -
A half-dozen firefighters are ready to hang up their helmets on September 1. They have less than a week on the job after their union and the city couldn't come to terms on concessions that could keep them working.
As a dispatcher blares over the speaker on Tuesday, it's the sound of service in Sterling. But as firefighter Matt Laughlin makes the rounds, his days are numbered.
"We enjoy helping people," he said. "And now we've been stripped of that."
The local union president will lose his firefighting job on September 1 along with five others. And one of the fire stations will close as well.
"We feel this is some sort of vendetta against the IAFF Local 2301 here in Sterling," he said.
Firefighters will get a last-minute boost Thursday. That's when their Illinois union president will appear in Sterling to voice support for their plight.
While Sterling slices more than $750,000 from its budget, it blames the union for not accepting a wage freeze or furlough days.
"We're looking all around," said Sterling City Manager Scott Shumard. "We're seeing all these other departments helping out their cities. And for some reason, we can't get that level of cooperation here."
According to the city, Sterling firefighters earn between $37-57,000 a year. Sterling also invests approximately $29,000 per firefighter each year for pension and benefits.
"We're actually per firefighter one of the lowest fulltime fire departments in the state in terms of calls per firefighter," Shumard said.
While negotiations couldn't put out the flames between the fire department and city, there's concern now that public safety will suffer along with six families of displaced firefighters.
"We believe somebody will die once the city goes through with this," Laughlin said. "We don't know when or how long it will be."
As supportive signs dot Sterling neighborhoods, firefighters insist that a city surplus makes cuts unnecessary.
"We're calling them out," said displaced firefighter Phil Johannsen. "Saying, what you're doing is wrong. Don't do it."
And unpredictable times for firefighter Matt Laughlin in an uncertain economy.
"They're choosing dollars over lives," he concluded. "We feel they should be held accountable."
As a dispatcher blares over the speaker on Tuesday, it's the sound of service in Sterling. But as firefighter Matt Laughlin makes the rounds, his days are numbered.
"We enjoy helping people," he said. "And now we've been stripped of that."
The local union president will lose his firefighting job on September 1 along with five others. And one of the fire stations will close as well.
"We feel this is some sort of vendetta against the IAFF Local 2301 here in Sterling," he said.
Firefighters will get a last-minute boost Thursday. That's when their Illinois union president will appear in Sterling to voice support for their plight.
While Sterling slices more than $750,000 from its budget, it blames the union for not accepting a wage freeze or furlough days.
"We're looking all around," said Sterling City Manager Scott Shumard. "We're seeing all these other departments helping out their cities. And for some reason, we can't get that level of cooperation here."
According to the city, Sterling firefighters earn between $37-57,000 a year. Sterling also invests approximately $29,000 per firefighter each year for pension and benefits.
"We're actually per firefighter one of the lowest fulltime fire departments in the state in terms of calls per firefighter," Shumard said.
While negotiations couldn't put out the flames between the fire department and city, there's concern now that public safety will suffer along with six families of displaced firefighters.
"We believe somebody will die once the city goes through with this," Laughlin said. "We don't know when or how long it will be."
As supportive signs dot Sterling neighborhoods, firefighters insist that a city surplus makes cuts unnecessary.
"We're calling them out," said displaced firefighter Phil Johannsen. "Saying, what you're doing is wrong. Don't do it."
And unpredictable times for firefighter Matt Laughlin in an uncertain economy.
"They're choosing dollars over lives," he concluded. "We feel they should be held accountable."
