PEORIA Ill. – The Peoria Heights Fire Department will not be hiring any full-time firefighters.
Village leaders announced Tuesday – despite a debate with fire officials throughout the past year – Village trustees have voted to rescind a previous motion, to hire full-time employees.
The reason – growing concerns about finances, with village leaders stating the fire department’s budget deficit, which is already nearly $1million, would grow exponentially over the next three years, if they paid for the new positions.
Peoria Heights fire chief, Dan Decker, told 25News he has faith in the decision.
“I appreciate their conservative thinking, I appreciate the thought that ‘I don’t want to hire someone and then have to potentially lay them off,” Dan Decker said.
The department currently has 18 part-time firefighters.
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