Fire department ‘brownouts’ could become budget-cutting strategy

Some Clark County fire crews could take turns shutting down for 24 hours in what are known as “brownouts” to help offset the county’s lingering budget shortfall.

Having one less fire station on a given day would slow firefighters’ response time to some areas, leading to what officials say are uncertain consequences.

The Clark County Fire Department is considering brownouts to meet the county manager’s edict that all departments cut costs by 5 percent to plug the $11 million budget hole caused by the state’s revenue grab.

A brownout could add more than three minutes to the normal four- to seven-minute response time in areas where a station is closed that day, said Fire Department spokesman Scott Allison.

“In a life-threatening situation, that’s a lot,” Allison said. “Seconds count, let alone minutes.”

Brownouts have become common nationally as fire departments struggle with strained budgets in the bad economy, he noted.

County leaders failed to persuade the International Association of Firefighters Local 1908 to reduce cost-of-living raises by 2 percentage points, a sacrifice similar to that made by the county’s other union employees.

“We’re looking for the same from everyone,” county spokesman Erik Pappa said. “It’s important that all employees do their part … and firefighters are no exception.”

Ryan Beaman, president of the local firefighters union, couldn’t be reached Monday.

A typical brownout calls for pulling a fire engine for a day and using the crew to fill in at other stations where firefighters are sick or on vacation. Firefighters filling in are paid straight time instead of overtime, saving money.

Fire engines would be idled in turns to avoid depriving a single neighborhood of full service for too long.

Fire Chief Steve Smith met with Assistant County Manager Phil Rosenquist last week and discussed brownouts as a possible stopgap remedy. Smith was unavailable to comment Monday and Rosenquist declined to comment.

Erik Pappa said even if fire crews are cut back, paramedics with the area’s ambulance service would rush to emergency medical calls in their normal time.

“We have a dual response system in which the fire department and ambulance company respond to emergencies,” Pappa said.

Chief Smith will decide whether to include brownouts in his plan to reduce costs by 5 percent, Pappa said.

Smith and other department heads have until July 10 to craft the cost-cutting plans, which will be submitted to the County Commission on July 21.

A few area insurance agents said a slower response by fire crews could cause homeowners’ premiums to go up. However, they weren’t sure whether having intermittent delays would have an impact.

A 2004 brownout in Cincinnati stirred a debate about whether a slower response to an adult group-home fire contributed to a fatality. In Alameda, Calif., regular brownouts have led to 47 delays, according to a firefighters’ union that seeks to ban the practice.

Commissioner Tom Collins said the county should shut down parks or other amenities before crimping fire service.

“That would almost be like closing the jail once a week,” Collins said.

He questioned whether the proposed brownouts were more dart-throwing between county management and the firefighters’ union.

Commissioner Steve Sisolak said he would vote to impose brownouts if the fire chief recommended them. They would be an alternative to cutting the department’s support staff, he said.

“I think as a last resort, it’s something we have to consider,” Sisolak said. “It’s just one of those things. We’re short of money.”

Contact reporter Scott Wyland at swyland@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.