Firefighting equipment is expected to be a hot topic at Fredericton city hall tonight.

The firefighters union says plans to take a tanker truck out of service will put lives and property at risk.

“Its been switched out with a rescue truck that doesn’t carry firefighting equipment, it doesn’t have water, it doesn’t have a pump, it doesn’t carry hose,” says Blair Sullivan, of the Fredericton Firefighters Association.       

The firefighters union says the entire capital region will be affected by the decision.

“We’re going to end up drawing apparatus from other stations to do fire protection,” says Sullivan,

Several stations responded to a fire outside of city limits on Saturday in Hanwell, N.B.

Tanker trucks were needed to bring water to the site, because there were no fire hydrants nearby.

Taking the one tanker out of service will save city hall about $14,000, but the city's mayor says it’s a decision that neither he, nor council made.

“We hire people that are professionals and pay them money to make these kinds of decisions,” says Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside. “It's not council sitting down saying, let’s take a truck out of there, lets add two here, and if that’s the way it worked, it wouldn’t be a good situation.”

Woodside says he trusts the decisions being made. But will be listening for details tonight.

Blair Sullivan says assessments should be made before changes take place.

“If the city is going to make cuts or any change to the fire service there should be an independent risk assessment of fire protection in the city of Fredericton.”

In an earlier statement, the fire department said this decision will increase its efficiency.

A spokesperson for the fire chief said he wouldn't be making any comments on the subject today until tonight's council meeting.

With files from CTV’s Nick Moore