Two fire stations in Oakland set to close, residents react
OAKLAND, Calif. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Neighbors in California's Oakland Hills are frustrated and concerned with two of their local fire stations set to close.
The closure is supposed to be temporary, only for six months, and the goal is to help with the city budget deficit, but residents worry even a temporary closure could have dangerous ramifications.
In Oakland's Grass Valley neighborhood, more than a dozen people showed up sunday to oppose their local fire station temporarily closing Monday.
"I can say, [the] station has been [in the area] ever since I went to Grass Valley Elementary School and when my grandmother had a heart attack in 2014, this station was the first to respond," said Maya Spencer, a Grass Valley resident.
"If they close [the] station, it's going to be a delayed response, considerably," said William King, another Grass Valley resident.
Station 28 will be closed for six months as part of the contingency budget adopted by Oakland City Council to help address a $129 million budget deficit. Station 25, near Joaquin Miller Park, will also be temporarily closed.
"I just made some phone calls, about it and we're gonna fight to get this back open," said Ken Houston, Oakland City Councilmember-Elect for District 7.
Houston, who will be inaugurated Monday as the city council member representing Grass Valley, says it's his priority to get Station 28 back open as soon as possible, something neighbors urgently want to see.
