City officials planned a news conference for Wednesday morning in Lorain where they promise "big developments" about laid off firefighters.
Firefighters hope that means a federal grant will put them back to work.
Since Lorain laid off firefighters to deal with a budget crisis, there are only six fire fighters on duty at a time in this city of 65,000 people.
Other nearby cities like Elyria and Lakewood have at least 13 firefighters on duty and Parma has 23.
City leaders and union officials are hoping to get a federal safety grant any day, which would bring laid off firefighters back to work.
Lorain Mayor Chase Ritenauer welcomes a safer grant, but it’s only good for two years.
Ritenauer is looking for a long term solution.
Some ideas that will be discussed by council’s finance committee include joining the Regional Income Tax Agency and a fire levy on the November ballot.
“It would be about 1.7 mills for every $100,000 of a home’s valuation, it would be less than 5 bucks a month," Ritenauer said.
During an afternoon rally to support firefighters, union officials said they’ll support short and long term ideas as long as it puts fire fighters back to work. In the meantime they wonder how six firefighters could handle a big fire.
