FLINT -- It's being called a bizarre request. Flint firefighters union president Trent Farnsworth has asked Flint's Emergency Financial Manager Mike Brown to pink slip half of the fire department.
Farnsworth said he has a good reason for the request. He is trying to renew a federal grant that currently covers the wages of approximately 39 officers. In order for the city to qualify for the SAFER grant, firefighters must be in a "pending layoff situation."
The nearly $7 million grant expires in June. The application deadline for renewal is Feb. 24.
"We could lose a good portion of our personnel," said Farnsworth.
"I was already laid off once for about year and now I'm facing the chance of getting laid off again," said Flint firefighter Frank McLain.
He's one of the firefigthers that could lose his job if the grant is not renewed.
"It gets stressful. You just got to go in and focus on the job."
McLain says he is favor the union president's bold move.
"It's an eye opener to the city and the community. We can't play games. We can't wait to the very end to try and do something, We got to do something now," said McLain.
Even those not on the chopping block are in favor of the move.
"The people that will be left will be older people in their late 40's and 50's doing a young man's job. We're supposed to replace them during a fire and also teach them how to fight fires, " said firefighter Tim Van Raemdomck.
Farnsworth says he doesn't really want anyone to lose their job.
He's asking for a layoff notification period of 90 to 120 days and says hopefully in that time the grant would already be renewed.
If it's not renewed the department would be left with only 46 firefighters.
Flint Emergency Manager Mike Brown did not return our calls for comment.
