Firefighters and Fire Departments across the country are often the hardest hit when local governments slash their budgets or do not allocate enough resources to meet growing demand. Firefighters across this nation are done a disservice when we cannot provide them the tools to do their jobs safely and effectively. Poor funding and reduced budgets lead to unsafe working environments, layoffs, and equipment shortages which all create adverse results for the safety of our communities. As we have previously covered, over 50% of firehouses in the US do not meet safety standards. This is just one troubling reality of the budget crisis affecting firefighters in America. While the population of the United States continues to grow year after year, fire department budgets seem to be shrinking. That is why we asked you to take a stand.
When we launched our Petition to Stop Fire Department Budget Cuts we stated the following:
“…it’s time for ordinary citizens, like you, that respect and appreciate our first responders and believe in the important services they provide to stand up for our fire departments. Firefighters and Emergency Responders will do everything they can to arrive first for you and your family when you need them most, now is the time for all of us to repay the debt.
If you support your local fire department, now is the time to stand with them and show your support. Help end the fire department budget cuts that are killing America’s local fire departments.”
And stand with them you did! To date we have over 3,000 signatures from concerned citizens across the country who want to put an end to the financial burdens being placed on fire departments in our communities.
While this initiative has been a success, we must continue to stand up for the firefighters who put their lives on the line to keep our cities and towns safe in emergencies.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, fire departments around the country were struggling at varying degrees to provide essential emergency services 7 days a week, let alone 24 hours a day. Some departments had reduced availability in order to protect their budgets.
