With the 2012 budget set in place, the long fight for the Johnstown Fire Department is over. Four of its members are working their last shifts this weekend.

The one word Union President Randy Novosel used to describe the layoffs was disappointment. They have had months to prepare, but he said, it doesn’t change what it could do to their services.

"Obviously it's disappointing. We've gone through this one time before already with the folks that had already been laid off, it's disappointing to have to go through it again," Novosel said.

The first round of layoffs was back in August. Now, with the start of the New Year, four more are out of a job. Johnstown Fire Department has been fighting for months to keep the remaining layoffs from happening by trying to work with council to fit them in their 2012 budget plan, but this is one fire they couldn’t put out.

"We got our message out to the public, got everyone informed on what was going on; we did get a lot of positive support for us, but at the end of the day the decision has already been made," Novosel said.

“No one wants to see anyone laid off. I don't want to see [no one] lose their job, but what do you do when you don't have the money?" Councilman William Gentile said.

A decision he believes will put the public’s safety at risk.

"We're still concerned and we have many concerns of what these cuts are going to do, not only for the safety of the citizens, but for the safety of our own firefighters," Novosel said.

Novosel said it’s increasing response times for their two remaining stations and extinguishing manpower.

"It's already a dangerous job that we have and this is just going to make it that much more difficult," Novosel said.

The fire department knows the decision is irreversible at this point, but is holding out hope for the future.

"We're hoping down the road there can be some change for the good. We hope that something in the future can change to get the folks back," Novosel said.

The city said the only way to keep the layoffs from happening would be to raise taxes, but that’s one aspect of their budget they’re proud of.