TL;DR (generated · confidence: high)

Portland Fire & Rescue's package 23,763 requests additional resources to maintain current service levels. If denied and forced to absorb an 8% budget cut, the Bureau would eliminate two additional rescue engines and redeploy 6 FTE per engine to a travelers' pool, saving approximately $4.2M. Further cuts would require closing three to five fire stations, reducing on-duty suppression staff from 171 to 149, increasing response times by 20–40% based on historical analysis and disproportionately impacting low-income neighborhoods.

Key points (each cites a PDF page):

Package 23,763 status: Not Recommended for additional funding. (p. 1075)
To reach full 8% cut, Bureau would eliminate two additional rescue engines and redeploy 6 FTE per engine to travelers' pool, saving approximately $4.2M. (p. 1075)
Recommended Personnel expense: $0; Recommended Revenue: $0; General Fund Discretionary: $0. (p. 1075)
Without additional funding above CAL, Bureau would reduce on-duty emergency response personnel, increasing response times with life and death consequences. (p. 1075)
If required to make cuts, Bureau would eliminate three to five fire stations and reduce daily on-duty suppression staff from 171 to 149. (p. 1075)
Historical 2019–2020 analysis found that closing a fire station increased response times in that station's service area by 20% to 40%. (p. 1075)
Station closures would disproportionately affect low-income neighborhoods and marginalized populations already facing barriers to timely emergency services. (p. 1075)

💰 $4.2M · 👥 6 FTE · 171 · 149 · 📋 PF&R Additional 3% Reduction · rescue engines · travelers' pool · 🏛️ Portland Fire & Rescue

23,763

Source: PDF p. 1075 · raw: 1075

Breadcrumb: 5 ps › Pub-SAFETY-DPs › Package Details › 23,763

23,763 - PF&R Additional 3% Reduction Service Area Public Safety DCA Mike Myers Bureau Name Portland Fire & Rescue Director Ryan Gillespie Funding Type Name Reduction Status: Not Recommended Package Desc Expense Recommended Total Portland Fire & Rescue requested additional resources to maintain its current level of service. If the Personnel $0 Bureau does not receive those resources and is instead required to make an 8% cut, there would be $0 a reduction in the level of service. To reach the full 8% cut, the Bureau would need to eliminate two additional Engines. The estimated reductions are assuming the staff would be redeployed into the Revenue Recommended Total travelers’ pool and offset backfill overtime; no layoffs would be required. General Fund Discretionary $0 Service Impacts $0 If the bureau does not receive funding above CAL, it would need to make cuts to its on-duty emergency response personnel. Any reduction to on-duty emergency response resources will increase response time and reduce effectiveness of providing rapid emergency response throughout Portland when timely response has life and death consequences. Eliminating two rescues would save approximately $4.2M by redeploying the 6 FTE currently working to staff each of the two rescues to the Traveler’s Pool to reduce overtime for emergency operations. If the Fire Bureau is required to make cuts, it would eliminate three to five fire stations and reduce daily on-duty suppression staff from 171 to 149. This would increase response times, property loss, and risk to life. The Bureau has not had adequate time to study which stations would be best to cut. However, a similar exercise performed in 2019–2020 found that closing a station increased response times within that station’s former service area by 20% to 40%. This would also place further strain on neighboring stations, as they would need to fill the gap in service caused by the closures. Equity Impacts Closures of fire stations will increase response times, disproportionately affecting low-income neighborhoods and marginalized populations who may already face barriers to timely emergency services. As a result, the risk of severe damage or loss of life in emergencies, such as fires or medical crises, escalates, exacerbating existing inequalities.

Parent: Package Details · PDF: p. 1075