Firefighters await Kansas City Mayor Sly James' budget to see if it includes cuts to department

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - With one Kansas City leader's proposed budget slashing firefighters from the department, we’ll hear Thursday if mayor Sly James is proposing the same fate.

The big question is if James’ budget will include the same cuts to the Kansas City Fire Department – 105 firefighters – that were proposed in the city manager’s proposed budget.

Those cuts would save the city more than $7 million.

When firefighters go to fight a fire, there are four people on the truck - two to go inside the burning building and two to team up on the outside.

That's in line with a national firefighting standard to which almost all of the country's 50 biggest cities adhere.

The 100-plus proposed cuts would mean only three firefighters on each pumper truck and that would mean if only one truck arrives on scene first, they have to wait before going in to find anyone trapped in that fire.

The risk is part of the debate.

"We've got to have the resources to do our job,” Local #42 Firefighters Union President Mike Cammbiano said. “A firefighter's not going to watch a person in a window. We don't do that."

But Kansas City councilman Michael Brooks says the reality is the city has a tough budget situation it must deal with.

“And if it's not the fire department,” Brooks says, “where is the money going to come from?”

The final decision on the city budget won’t happen until March, and any cuts wouldn’t take effect until May.

Both the fire chief and the union president spoke to the City Council Wednesday in front of a chamber packed with firefighters.

Some City Council members are skeptical of the cuts.

"I’m not saying any department should be a sacred cow,” Councilman John Sharp said. “I'm saying this is the worst possible way to save money."

James is slated to present his budget at a 1 p.m. meeting at City Hall. 41 Action News will be there and provide updates on this story here on KSHB.com and on later editions of 41 Action News.