Making the cuts based on seniority and rank was discussed but not approved until Nov. 27, a little more than 12 hours before the layoffs were to go into effect.

Several firefighters who were expecting to be among the list of those let go had already started looking elsewhere for employment.

Five former Avra Valley employees have been hired by the Golder Ranch Fire District, which offered them 90-day contracts that began Wednesday.

"They all were extremely thankful," Golder Ranch Chief John Fink said. "Most of them are also going to be putting in applications for our academy that starts in March."

Fink said the academy, which will have room for 20 firefighters, is to help fill the positions needed for a new station set to open in August in the SaddleBrooke Ranch senior development north of Oracle Junction.

Other former Avra Valley employees are attempting to be hired by the Tohono O'odham Nation Fire District, which is looking to fill 18 openings, while Southwest Ambulance announced Monday it was offering part-time positions to laid-off Avra Valley personnel.

Those people hired by Southwest Ambulance could end up working within Avra Valley's borders, as Southwest was recently awarded a 90- day emergency certificate of necessity to provide ambulance service within Avra Valley's coverage area.

For firefighter Chris Christensen, looking elsewhere for work is bittersweet because he had the opportunity to take a position with another area fire department in February but turned down that job because, he said, he was assured by then-Fire Chief Barry Gerber that Avra Valley was in good shape.

"Me and all the other personnel were told by chief that things were getting better, that it wasn't that bad," Christensen said. "Obviously, that wasn't the case."