AKRON, Ohio — Akron City Council recently approved the 2026 operating budget at $785.2 million, a $13.4 million reduction from last year. Firefighters warn that fewer resources could make it harder to respond to simultaneous emergencies.
“With the current staffing that we have, and no additional overtime monies or anything to try and supplement the staffing, we’re going to have to combo companies,” said Kevin Gostkowski, president of the Akron Firefighters Association.
Combo companies mean fewer firefighters on individual trucks or medical units, forcing crews to split attention between emergencies…