Aurora, IL – A public dispute intensified today in Aurora after Firefighters Local 99 issued a strongly worded statement opposing planned staffing reductions proposed by Mayor Richard Irvin Laesch and Fire Chief McCabe. The union says the cuts pose immediate and measurable risks to residents across Kane County and the greater Aurora region.
According to Local 99, the proposed plan includes eliminating 18 firefighters, three battalion chiefs, one training officer, and two fire trucks. In the statement released Wednesday, the union argued that reducing personnel and equipment “will not” preserve the same level of emergency response capability, calling the city’s public assurances “misleading and factually inaccurate.”
The union said the administration has framed the reduction as a cost-saving measure, but firefighters argue the opposite is true. According to the statement, cuts would increase overtime expenses, injury leave, workers’ compensation cases, and the likelihood of preventable operational failures.
Local 99 also accused city leadership of downplaying the risks to both firefighters and residents. “There is no scenario where fewer firefighters, less training support, fewer officers, and fewer trucks on the street equates to the same level of safety,” the union wrote, calling the assertion “irresponsible.”
The firefighters stressed that morale and dedication should not be used as justification for operating with fewer staff than required for effective emergency response. The union said it is not opposed to responsible budgeting but strongly opposes “decisions that compromise safety while being presented to the public as harmless.”
Local 99 urged aldermen and residents citywide to oppose the cuts as discussions continue.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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