“The idea that Measure A was going to reopen and keep these firehouses open is exactly how I personally helped pass this measure,” he said. “Oaklanders deserve fully staffed open fire houses all around the city, and it doesn’t look like that’s what the city is proposing right now.”
At Friday’s press conference, Olyer struck a decidedly different tone.
“This is kind of how we get the job done from the labor side,” he said. “It’s constant pressure for what is right. And what is right are all of our fire stations open, all of our fire engines fully staffed and Oakland firefighters taken care of so they can do what they took a sworn oath to do, which is to serve the citizens of Oakland every day.”
“I’m just incredibly proud and ready to get to work Sunday morning,” he added.
Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, who represents District 4 in the hills near regional parks where fire risk is high, said the fire stations serve as a critical frontline defense against wildfires.
“The opening of these fire stations is not just for the benefit of these hills residents in our district,” she said. “The effects go throughout the city for a variety of communities, for a variety of resources.”
KQED’s Katie DeBenedetti contributed reporting.
