2 Oakland fire stations closed because of budget shortfall; firefighters warn of life-threatening delays
Oakland’s budget shortfall is now causing direct consequences for public safety with the temporary closure Monday morning of two fire stations.
The two fire stations in the Oakland Hills, Station No. 25 on Butters Drive and Station No. 28 on Grass Valley Road, will be closed for the next six months. The already-shuttered Station 10 on Santa Clara Avenue in the city’s Grand Lake neighborhood will also remain closed because of the cuts, while another four stations could close next month.
The closures prompted Oakland firefighters to rally in front of City Hall Monday before the first city council meeting of the year and call on councilmembers to reopen the closed stations even as the city is facing a $13 million budget deficit.
Members of Oakland Firefighters Local 55 said Monday that closing these stations means some residents could face emergency response times of more than 10 minutes, noting that brain damage from a loss of oxygen can start in 6 minutes, and a house fire can become life-threatening in 2 minutes.
