FIRE STATION STAFFING REDUCED

Escambia County Interim Fire Chief Paul Williams said five Escambia County fire stations will operate with reduced staffing as part of an effort to cut down on the amount of overtime. Only five months into its fiscal year, the fire department has used more than 50% of the overtime budget. The five stations – Bellview, Cantonment, Ferry Pass, Innerarity Point and West Pensacola – have gone from having four certified firefighters on shift to three. Other changes to the county’s fire rescue operations include reducing the number of people who can be on leave at any time, performing tests on fire engine pumps in-house and changing the criteria for when fire crews are dispatched to medical calls.