AKRON — Firefighters in Akron are sounding the alarm.
If you call 911 for help, crews might not get to you as quickly as you’d expect. Staffing shortages and looming budget decisions are straining fire crews in Akron.
The Akron Firefighters Association Local 330 said the department has not hired any new staff in the past two years or held a test for new firefighters in the past four years. To keep up with demand, crews have started “combo" units, meaning the same team is responsible for both a fire engine and a medic unit.
Union leaders say that creates challenges when crews are already tied up on a call and unable to respond to the next emergency.
To fill the gaps, the department is relying heavily on overtime. According to the city, the fire department went $6.5 million over budget in 2025. The union says overtime costs are already climbing into the double digits again this year.
“Everybody here loves their job, they love doing what they do, they want to serve the community. We’re on our way, sometimes it’s just going to take a little longer to get there based on staffing,” said Kevin Gostkowski, President, Akron Firefighters Association Local 330.
City leaders acknowledge the staffing challenges as they work to balance the budget. However, union officials worry that potential cuts, especially efforts to reduce overtime, could make it even harder for crews to do their jobs.
“The overtime levels that we are seeing are unsustainable for our budget,” said Akron Mayor Shammas Malik. “ARPA and safety forces grants masked that, so we really have to control these costs.”
We asked the city about staffing, overtime, and resident safety. Akron Fire Chief Leon Henderson sent several detailed responses.
On staffing challenges:
"We are ensuring coverage by continuously evaluating staffing levels, deployment patterns, and unit availability across the city. When necessary, we make operational adjustments, including the use of combed units, to preserve emergency response capability with the staffing resources we currently have. These decisions are made strategically to keep service delivery in place and to make sure we are continuing to meet the needs of the community."
On Local 330's concern about response time and resident safety:
"I understand those concerns. My goal remains the same: to provide the best possible emergency service to the residents of Akron while ensuring our firefighters and paramedics are rested, prepared, and able to perform their duties safely. We are actively managing staffing and deployment every day to maintain service, and we will continue working toward long-term solutions that improve sustainability for both our workforce and our community."
On overtime use:
"Overtime has played a major role in helping us maintain staffing and coverage, so any effort to reduce overtime has to be carefully balanced against operational needs. Our focus is to reduce excessive overtime in a responsible way that improves firefighter wellness and reduces fatigue, while still maintaining dependable emergency response for Akron residents."
Malik said the city is looking to add 25 firefighters to a recruit class this September.
Local 330 said the department is currently down 25 firefighters, and expects the number to rise.
The city's budget is due at the end of this month. Local 330 hopes to meet again with city leaders to ask for a little more funding in the budget to get the job done.
