HFD Chief Pitches New Proposal To Reduce Prop B Layoffs

HOUSTON — Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena presented a plan to the Houston City Council on Tuesday that could save the jobs of some firefighters who are facing a potential layoff this year.

Pena’s plan calls for shifting existing personnel and scaling from four shifts to three over a 24-hour period.

Pena’s proposal would also avoid closing fire stations, but as many as 220 firefighters could still be laid off.

“We are looking at a reallocation of resources. We are not looking to close any fire stations.” - Sam Pena , Houston Fire Chief. @FireChiefofHFD pic.twitter.com/LivZaiMDBa
— Houston Fire Dept (@HoustonFire) April 9, 2019

Proposition B, which would put Houston Firefighters on a pay parity scale with Houston Police, called for a 29 percent pay increase.

In the weeks leading up to the election and eventual passage of Proposition B in November, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has warned that hundreds of firefighters and city staff could be laid off.

Last month, Turner announced that as many as 400 firefighters and city staff would be laid off, due to the implementation of Proposition B, and last week, 67 firefighter cadets who still had not been sworn in after completing the academy, were told they would be let go.

On Monday 47 city staffers were informed they were also losing their jobs.

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