CINCINNATI (AP) - A southwest Ohio city says more firefighters and continued spending for overtime should end frequent brownouts, or temporary reductions of service.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports (https://cin.ci/1gcrRom ) that Mayor John Cranley and other city officials detailed plans Sunday to essentially end the practice in which fire units are taken out of service to stretch resources. The department has been averaging five brownouts a day.
City officials say the brownouts can add to response times for fires and medical emergencies.
A recruit class of 41 firefighters that graduated Friday started work Sunday, adding 14 firefighters a shift. The city is also spending $2.5 million a year on overtime, and Cranley said Cincinnati doesn’t plan to cut overtime just because of the new recruits.
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