Austin's budget plans include reducing firefighter staffing from four to three on fire trucks to save about $8.3 million. While City Manager T.C. Broadnax emphasizes the need to cut overtime costs, union president Bob Nicks warns of increased risks associated with lower staffing, including higher injury and death rates. The change contravenes existing city ordinances and studies supporting four-person teams for safety. Nicks stresses the need for more firefighters and cautions that compromising safety standards is not the solution for budgetary issues.
"So they're calling people back, which doesn't give time for people to actually rest and actually recharge their battery."
"Four people staffing has been proven by national studies [to keep everyone safe], proven by studies in Austin itself that have been validated by these national studies."
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