DALLAS — Dallas residents are calling on firefighters and paramedics more often.
Call volume is up more than eight percent this year putting a strain on paramedics and firefighters.
"We are doing more with less," said Cristian Hinojosa, president of the Hispanic Firefighters Association.
This year, the department brought in 60 new paramedics, 27 of them have left for higher paying jobs in other cities.
"I don't understand the fiscal management going on," Hinojosa said. "It doesn't make sense. We are running out of people, running out of equipment, running out of safety. It doesn't make sense."
The fire department, just like the police department, is at the bottom when it comes to pay.
"And public safety spending is at a 10-year low," Hinojosa said.
And the department is having trouble keeping ambulances and fire trucks on the streets.
News 8 has learned for the second time in two weeks the fire engine at Station 11 in Oak Lawn is down for repairs.
The department is down nine mechanics so repairs can't be made fast enough. If a truck goes down there are no replacement fire trucks available, and the same goes for ambulances.
Councilwoman Sandy Greyson worries about ambulances in her district.
"We only have two ambulances in all of Far North Dallas, and that is the entire area of the city north of LBJ," she said.
She said the city needs to add more ambulances to cover the call loads but they're not in next year's budget.
“If there is any need for one and they are both busy we have to wait a very long time for an ambulance to come from another part of the city," Greyson said.
Critics say it's the citizens of Dallas who will suffer if more money isn't budgeted for public safety.