Firefighters picket in Battle Creek

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Firefighters in Battle Creek were out picketing in front of City Hall again on Monday.

The firefighters are upset that the City of Battle Creek laid off nine of their fellow firefighters. Those layoffs occurred after the union rejected a three-day furlough plan.

Firefighters say the city's latest move is putting lives at risk.

With less people on the job, there aren't enough people to run the city's fire trucks, and firefighters say that alone could compromise the public's safety.

The announcement to layoff the nine firefighters was made on Friday. The City of Battle Creek says the layoffs are necessary to save money, but the new staffing problems are bringing other troubles with them.

“The ladder truck is the most expensive piece of equipment we have,” said Lt. Chris Love of the Battle Creek Fire Department, “it's sitting empty.”

“We are doing it for financial reasons,” said Battle Creek City Manager Ken Tsuchiyama.

Battle Creek's one and only ladder truck was idle Monday, and how much money the layoffs will save Battle Creek in the long run is still unclear, but out on the picket line, the general feeling was that it isn't about the city's bottom line, it's about the city putting people's lives at risk.

“It's dangerous,” said Lt. Love.

The city, however, disagrees.

“We have not compromised the public's safety,” said Tsuchiyama. “If we do need a piece of equipment, we do have a back-up for aerial fires.”