Budget cuts could cost homes and lives

A fire doubles in size every minute. When less than four fire fighters respond to a fire, national standards mandate that they must wait for a second truck to arrive before beginning fire suppression.

Without enough trained paramedic/firefighters, you face longer waits for fire engines to arrive when your home is on fire and delays in a firefighter's ability to rescue you from a burning building.

Good outcomes from medical or traumatic emergencies are greatly influenced by rapid response. With inadequate staffing, you may have to wait for a medic unit to respond from a different town.

Yet the city of Whitefish wants to lay off one of our paramedic/firefighters. These cuts are dangerous for the people of Whitefish and its firefighters. You cannot put a price on safety — a balanced budget is not worth losing homes or lives.

Budget cuts are putting your lives at risk. Tell the Whitefish City Council that these cuts are unacceptable. Make public safety a top priority.

Whitefish professional fire fighters are asking for public support in opposing the city council's proposal to reduce fire department staffing from 15 to 14. Firefighters are concerned that these cuts will put public safety at risk in the event of a fire or medical emergency.

When less than four fire fighters respond to a fire, not only is it not safe for our citizens, it's not safe for the firefighters. National standards for safe fire fighting mandate that there must be at least four firefighters on the scene. If only two or three firefighters arrive in the first truck, they must wait for a second truck to arrive before beginning fire suppression.

These staffing cuts make it impossible for firefighters to safely and effectively protect the city. Taking away life-saving resources and balancing the budget on the backs of public safety is a dangerous and risky game. Times are tough. Whitefish has experienced a downturn just like everybody else. But public safety should be the last thing cut — not one of the first.

Whitefish professional fire fighters urge citizens to let the city council and mayor Jenson know that you don't agree with these cuts.

You cannot put a price on public safety — a balanced budget is not worth losing homes, and it's certainly not worth losing lives.

Scott Alexander is the president of International Association of Fire Fighters Local 3995.