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UNION CITY — A fire station that city leaders have called underutilized shuttered its doors Wednesday morning, despite the protests of some in the city who say the closure is a blow to public safety.
Alameda County Fire Station 30 located on Eastin Court closed for good at 8 a.m.
“We are indebted to the firefighters for keeping our residents safe during medical and fire emergencies,” Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci said in a statement. “However, the city council’s job is to be responsible fiscal agents of city resources. We have been examining all city services in the last year to understand where we can be more efficient.”
The decision to close the station came after analysis by the Center for Public Safety Management determined the station on the border of Union City and Fremont wasn’t needed. The center is a nationally recognized organization that helps local government agencies improve their public safety services.
The study showed that the station was handling an average of 1.7 calls per day at a total cost of $3.2 million per year, city spokeswoman Lauren Sugayan said. The study looked at all four stations in Union City.
“The reality is that Fire Station 30 was underutilized at a high cost to residents,” Dutra-Vernaci said in the statement. “We are confident that we made a decision that was in the community’s best interest.”
Not everybody feels that way. A firefighters union web site called keepunioncitysafe.com has voiced its concern, asking “who will respond” to the calls the station would’ve received?
“Response times can make the difference between life and death,” a statement on the site said. “The Union City (city) council has opted for slower emergency response by voting to close Fire Station 30.”
The city held more than 30 community presentations and meetings leading the city council’s unanimous 5-0 vote on Oct. 8, 2019, to close the station.
