Lyndon, Ky -
By Janelle MacDonald - bio | email
LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Budget concerns caused Lyndon Fire and Rescue to shut down Station Number 2 Tuesday.
"I don't think anybody wants to see the firehouse closed," said Lyndon Captain Rich Bliven. "I don't think anybody wants to see a service reduction."
That's what Lyndon firefighters were forced to do: shut down one of two firehouses because the department simply doesn't have the money for overtime to fully staff Station 2.
"They may have already scheduled somebody off and dropped us down to three, which is our minimum," Bliven said. "If somebody calls in sick or somebody gets hurt on the job and has to go home, you can see what the problem is."
Bliven says thankfully, Tuesday was quiet but that doesn't quiet the mind of Betsy Malone, who lives in a neighborhood usually served by Station 2.
"If I had an emergency, it's obviously going to make my wait much longer," Malone said.
Bliven says it's possible that another shutdown will be coming in the future since attempts to get the General Assembly to raise property tax caps and generate more money have failed.
"This is not just a Lyndon problem," he said, adding that other Jefferson County firehouses are in the same predicament. "Each year it gets shot down. Nobody in that type of position wants to be the one that says, 'Well I had to raise taxes,' but that's what's going to have to happen."
Bliven says the department has already made cuts to try and save money. He says about 85-percent of the budget is firefighter salaries and benefits.
Malone says she would be willing to pay higher taxes as long as the firefighters could justify it and the firehouse stays open.
Copyright 2010 WAVE News. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2012 WorldNow and WAVE, a Raycom Media Station. 