By Fran Spielman
The Chicago Sun-Times
CHICAGO — Chicago Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff is drawing a line in the sand when it comes to closing firehouses or reducing the minimum staffing requirements on fire apparatus.
He’s dead-set against the idea. That’s even though his boss, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, is expected to take a hard line in negotiations with the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 when the contract expires June 30.
Inspector General Joe Ferguson has estimated that Chicago taxpayers could save $57 million a year by reducing — from five to four — the minimum number of employees required to staff every piece of fire apparatus.
That’s the issue that touched off the bitter 1980 firefighters strike.
Testifying Tuesday at City Council budget hearings, Hoff lashed out at Ferguson for daring to suggest staffing cuts.
“Not being a firefighter or paramedic, it’s easy to look from the outside in and say, ‘This is how we save money.’ But I, as fire commissioner, will be adamant when I say this. Any decrease in manning — any decrease in fire companies, ambulances or closing of firehouses — I am literally deathly against,” Hoff said.
“If you have a five-person fire company, you are 100 percent efficient when you pull up on the scene. Everyone has a task to perform. Going to four-person companies is 65 percent efficient.”
Hoff noted that, when he came on the job in 1976, civilian fire deaths were in the “triple-digits.” This year, it’s 17 because of the people the department puts on the street, he said.
“To go below the current amount we have would not be a safe act... Our fire deaths will go up,” he said.
“We’re here to save civilians’ lives, but I also have to think of the paramedics and firefighters. If a firefighter has to do a double-function on the fire ground, his life or her life is in danger.”
During a meeting this month with the Sun-Times editorial board, Emanuel hinted strongly that the upcoming contract talks would be contentious.
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