HARVEY, Ill. (WLS) — Just a couple of months back, Harvey boasted three fully functioning fire stations.
These days, firefighters report that if they’re lucky, two stations are operational. However, more often than not, they’re left with just one due to staffing challenges.
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Compounding these difficulties, the city has announced impending layoffs, heightening fears among Harvey’s fire department about what lies ahead.
“Joining the Harvey fire department was a dream come true. I even took a $60,000 salary cut to leave my previous job at the plant,” shared Preston Jackson, among the firefighters recently laid off.
By November, these layoffs became official. Facing a staggering $140 million debt, Harvey had no choice but to implement further reductions, leaving the fire department operating at under half its previous capacity.
“This situation drastically raises the risk of being unable to assist citizens when they need us most,” expressed Keith Freeman, a former lieutenant with the Harvey Fire Department, recently let go.
Freeman, part of the most recent layoffs, now fears for what is to come.
“A few weeks ago, there was a situation where we had a structure fire in the north side of town, and the station one here, on the south side of town, they were stuck in a train,” Freeman said.
The National Fire Protection Agency says 46% of home fires happen during the winter months and 53% of home structure deaths happened between November and March.
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In a statement, the city of Harvey called on the federal government and state for assistance, saying, in part, “Because of long-standing financial problems inherited from previous administrations, the City of Harvey has been forced to implement additional layoffs despite our best efforts to prevent them.”
“We’re all stuck wondering what’s our next move as far as coming back. We want to come back. We want to serve the residents of Harvey,” Jackson said.
The city says there is public safety continuity plan that includes neighboring fire departments coming to help. But firefighters say that is meant to supplement, not replace, Harvey’s fire department.
