LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The Los Angeles City Fire Department could lower response times with the help of the City Council by bringing back cut services.

According to Pat McOsker, president of United Firefighters of Los Angeles, the chief administrative officer has grown the fire department reserve fund to five percent of the budget, KNX’s 1070′s John Brooks reports.

Fire commissioners in Los Angeles agree that the City Council could order to lower response times by bringing back cut engines, paramedic ambulances, and the people who operate them.

McOsker told the board president Genethia Hutley-Hayes, the extra money in reserve is only there to get a better rate for borrowing.

“Is that a better thing than getting paramedics on scene within five minutes when somebody’s struggling for air, when somebody’s dying?” he said. “I don’t think so.”

The board of fire commissioners supports full restoration of fire department services.