Update:

By Mollie Gray, March 9, 2009

CLIFTON – The City’s fire union is asking the public to them in a rally against layoffs in the Fire Department and closing of Fire Station 2 on Dumont Avenue.

The event is scheduled for tomorrow, Mar. 7 at 7:45 a.m. on the grounds of the firehouse at 7 Dumont Avenue.

The announcement, posted on the Web site for the Clifton Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association (FMBA), www.fmba21.org, reads: “The City Council has chosen to go forth with the layoffs and closing of Fire Station #2. Although this is occurring in the City of Clifton, this also affects the residents of surrounding communities in which we provide mutual aid. Please show up and show your support for our firefighters and prove that Clifton is still the city that cares???”

The fire department stands to loose 16 firefighter jobs, the number needed to fully-staff an engine, and an administrative position today if the City Council decides to act on their plan to layoff more than 50 workers. City officials were still working with employee unions to reach a settlement by the end of the workday on Friday to save as many jobs as possible.

Meanwhile, fire department personnel were hoping for good news and bracing for the bad news.

“As far as my plans are for right now, I have to go forward with the plan that the station will close at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning,” said Acting Fire Chief Joseph Verderosa.  “If not, I have people that I can just send into Fire Station 2 and continue with business as usual.”

“It’s an unfortunate thing. I wish it didn’t have to happen. I feel terrible for any employee that is loosing their job in this type of climate. It’s just a terrible thing,” he added.

Last month, Verderosa told City officials he was out of alternatives to shutting down a fire company and closing Fire Station 2 would have the least impact on emergency response. The company also provides mutual aid runs to Montclair and Paterson.

Earlier this week, the City Council turned down an offer from the fire union, which proposed working two weeks without pay to save $600,000, a contract extension to 2012 and assurances there would be no future layoffs. The fire union was resubmitting another contract proposal Friday, an FMBA spokesperson said.