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TAKEN OFF LINE SO THEY COULD BE
BROUGHT IN.
SEVERAL FIRST RESPONDERS
TO CLOSE.
THE FIRE STATION IN QUESTION IS
LOCATED AT 59TH AND LEE.
24 HOUR NEWS 8'S JULIAN GRACE IS
LIVE FROM LAWRENCE WITH THE
STORY ON THIS.
Reporter: THIS APPEARS TO BE
BUDGET-RELATED.
YOU MAY RECALL MAYOR JESSOP LAID
OFF 24 EMT WORKERS.
TODAY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THEIR
LAST DAY ON THE JOB, HOWEVER
SOME CALLED IN SICK.
A TOTAL OF SICK WORKERS CALLED
IN SICK.
FIVE FROM EMT WORKERS AND ONE
WAS A FIREFIGHTER.
THE MOVE TODAY LEFT THE FIRE
ENGINE WITH TWO FIREFIGHTERS TO
RESPOND TO CALLS AND OPERATE
TRUCKS, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A
HAZARD.
WE LEARNED STARTING MONDAY THIS
FIRE STATION WILL NO LONGER BE
USED TO RESPOND TO FIRES.
INSTEAD FIREFIGHTERS STATIONED
HERE WILL ONLY RESPOND TO 911
CALLS FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES FOR
THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
THE BATTALION CHIEF WAS NOT
WILLING TO SAY IF TODAY'S SICK
CALLS WERE IN RESPONSE TO THE
LAYOFFS.
THE INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T
CALL IN SICK ALL THE TIME, SO I
VALUE.
I HAVE TO TAKE IT AT THAT THAT
THEY'RE ILL TODAY.
Reporter: WE DID DO A SEARCH,
AND WE FOUND OUT THE NEAREST
FIRE STATION FROM THIS FIRE
STATION IS FOUR MILES AWAY.
COMING UP AT 6:00 WE HAVE NEW
INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH YOU.
ONE OF THOSE EMT WORKERS WHO GOT
LAID OFF, HE WAS ON THE JOB
US.
WE'LL HAVE HIS INTERVIEW WITH
YOU.
IT'S VERY CANDIDATE ALL KNEE AT
6:00.
Eric: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME
LAWRENCE HAS HAD TO SHUT DOWN A
FIRE STATION BECAUSE OF LACK OF
WORKERS, HAS THAT EVER HAPPENED.
Reporter: THAT WAS A QUESTION
EARLIER TODAY.
HE DIDN'T HAVE AN EXACT ANSWER,
BUT HE SAID HE HAS BEEN ON THE
DEPARTMENT SINCE 1988 AND HE
CAN'T RECALL EVER SHUTTING DOWN
A FIRE STATION BECAUSE PEOPLE
DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR WORK.
THAT IS A LITTLE HISTORY, BUT IT