In an unusual confluence of consultants’ reports, two studies of the Oak Park Fire Department – one funded by the firefighters labor union, the other by village hall – arrived at similar conclusions. The department is understaffed and morale is lower as a result.
The village-funded study said its survey of department staff made clear that firefighters feel overworked as service calls rise and overtime is necessary, that it wants more active leadership, and that nearly 70% of those surveyed believe low staffing levels are slowing response time on calls.
The study funded by the firefighters union echoed those concerns but was more specific in calling for village government to hire nine additional firefighters to increase the number of staff riding on fire trucks to calls.
Oak Park’s village board will review its consultants’ work later this month. Meanwhile, in an unusual public outreach, firefighters will hold their own town hall meeting this week at the main library.
Over recent years, attention at village hall has been on its inability to bring police staffing up to budgeted levels. This is a new and likely expensive front as the village balances tight finances with these calls to increase firefighter hiring.
Good that these two studies align as hard decisions need to be made.