To the editor:

In the July 8 Journal-World, the article “Firefighters say proposed cuts are cause for concern” is an understatement. Cuts by the current city administration to the fire department are unfortunate. It seems clear the decision maker(s) do not have the slightest idea of what they are proposing. With the numbers of incidents increasing each year how does it make sense to propose cuts? The fire department is not pulling figures out of a hat. Both national as well as international organizations and associations spent many years, multiple thousands of hours on scenarios and evolutions to find out the most effective, efficient and safest way to handle an incident.

It isn’t just the money that is being slashed, it is the safety of men and women on the department and ultimately your safety as a citizen. There are times throughout the year where the fire department is at status zero? A condition where no personnel or equipment is available to respond. Take a number and have a seat, citizen.

Maybe we should be looking at the way City Hall has been conducting business over the past several years and see where they need to be re-evaluated and start the cut backs at the top. What a sad state of affairs. Let’s hear it for the new city of Lawrence motto, “Doing less with less.” Oh so very proud.

M.D. Biggerstaff,

Lawrence