EDITORIAL: Extinguish Hammond firefighters' protests

Hammond's firefighters have been showing their disgust with the city's decision to leave one of its ladder trucks unmanned. Fanning the flames of discontent, however, is unwarranted in this case.

"Public safety should be one of the last things cut on a budget," said Edward Lomeli, president of Hammond Professional Firefighters Association Local 556.

But is public safety really being cut? We don't think so.

Hammond can marshal a rapid response with the other three ladder trucks that will remain fully staffed. The city's Fire Department is, and will remain, one of the best around.

Look at the numbers. Even with one of its four ladder trucks unstaffed, Hammond maintains more aerial units than any other city in Northwest Indiana, Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said.

And while a number of other major cities in northern Indiana have had to lay off firefighters, Hammond's reduction has come through attrition.

It is difficult to balance manpower costs verus public safety benefits in determining the appropriate staffing levels for police and fire departments. But municipalities, no less than anyone else, must live within their means.

Eliminating full-time staffing for that ladder truck and sending the firefighters elsewhere will save the city about $1.2 million in built-in overtime. That's major savings that won't have any significant effect on public safety in Hammond.

The truck will remain available for use when the city has to call in additional firefighters for a major fire.

While Hammond's firefighters complain about the mayor's staffing decision, it's worth remembering that even after the cuts, the city will have more coverage than nearby cities.

Cutting the budget in this manner isn't jeopardizing public safety; it's a matter of staffing the department appropriately, of living within the city's means.

Besides, as other expenses rise and revenues continue to lag, spending cuts have to be made. The cut is sensible. We realize this is a painful reality for Hammond's firefighters, but it's still reality.