There have been many articles of late discussing the Chicago budget deficit and offering several areas that might produce savings or added revenues. An article from WBEZ.org mentions several items concerning the Chicago Fire Department as potential options.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago aldermen are having mixed reactions to the city watchdog’s ideas for balancing the budget.

Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson released a report late Monday outlining dozens of ideas to cut spending and raise revenue in order to deal with a projected budget deficit of more than $635 million for 2012. All told, Ferguson’s “budget options” could net the city about $2.8 billion, and they run the gamut from policies that have been seriously considered in the past, to long-shot revenue grabs.

The report also said Chicago could save millions of dollars by trimming back public safety budgets by reducing the number of firefighters who work on a truck, eliminating the police marine and helicopter unit and converting 1/5 of the city’s firefighting vehicles into ambulances.

Ald. Leslie Hairston, 5th, bristled at an idea to cut more than 700 fire department supervisors in an effort to trim middle management.

“When you have, you know, fire and burning buildings and maybe people trapped in there, those supervisors are important,” she said.

But public safety budgets could use some trimming, says Ald. Pat O’Connor (40th).

The complete article can be found HERE.