City council in Union City votes to close neighborhood fire station

UNION CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- Fire station 30 on Eastin Court, in Union City, was quiet Thursday. According to city leaders-- that is how it normally is. Which is one reason why they say it needs to close.

Vice Mayor Gary Singh said, "We have 638 calls a year from that station versus the other three stations have about 2,100 calls."

Union City also has a $3.5 million budget deficit which Singh insists, will be helped by Station 30's closure.

But Alameda County's Fire Chief David Rocha says public safety will be at risk.

"It's going to change response times throughout the city and we're going from a response time travel time that should be under four minutes to up to six minutes."

Time made a world of difference for Prabha Mamidi last year. She thought she was having a heart attack.

"These people came within three to four minutes I think. They helped me a lot, gave me assurance, said don't worry we will be there in the hospital in no time."

Others living near station 30 have mixed reactions to the closure.

Shivam Patel lives a few feet away and says, "If it's saving taxpayer money then perhaps the city made the correct decision."

Shawn Chhugani disagrees. "I don't think it's a good idea. I think it's pretty useful here. It serves the nearby places."