Vienna Township trustees command fire department to reduce staffing

Trustees in Vienna Township have instructed the fire chief, Richard Brannon, to have only two emergency responders on staff during 12-hour shifts.

Moreover, full-time employees will not be allowed to acquire overtime during their shifts. 

This new directive drastically reduces the number of emergency responders at the fire station during its 24 hours of operation. 

Brannon voiced his apprehension about these cuts and the potential impact on the community. He expressed concerns about delayed response times because of a shorter staff.  He said the department will have to ask neighboring fire departments, like Brookfield or Howland, for assistance during emergencies when personnel is unavailable.

According to Brannon, the number of emergencies the Vienna fire department responds to has been increasing every month. 

"On average, we [respond to] about 90 calls a month," Brannon said.

Before the staffing cuts, four firefighters were on staff during the day shift from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

It is unclear why trustees decided to reduce the number of emergency personnel at the fire station. 

21 News has reached out to three trustees, Phill Pegg, Richard Dascenzo, and Robert Root for a comment, but the township's leaders have not responded.

The mandate was announced Monday morning by Trustee Robert Root.

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