There is a feeling of vulnerability in one part of Plano.

They were promised a shiny new fire station but it has become the latest casualty in the city's budget battle.

Construction should have started by now on station number 13 to relieve the strain but facing a budget crunch, Plano's been forced to put those plans on the back-burner.

Life seemed perfect in Kristian Hodge's new subdivision.

But the mother of three worries her new home may not be fully protected, since plans for a new $5 million fire station nearby, have been put on hold.

"I just can't imagine why something that concerns our safety can be put aside," Hodge said.

Plano says it simply can't afford the station right now.

Staffing and maintaining the building alone would cost nearly $2 million a year.

"You're going to have to bring on people, going to have some capital outlay concerns, going to have to pay for electricity, water and the fuel, everything that can go into a fire station," said Karen Rhodes, Plano budget director.

And every penny counts now.

Facing a $17 million deficit, Plano's been trimming costs.

It recently eliminated 43 positions in city government, including six firefighters.

"We see the benefit of having as many stations as we can get," said assistant fire chief of Plano Fire Department, Dan Thompson. Still, firefighters insist they can do the job without the extra station.

"Is it going to cause an immediate problem, from a public safety viewpoint? No I don't think so," Thompson said.

Still, the nearest station is about a 10-minute drive away.

Right now, the response time on average in Plano is about 5 minutes for crews to respond to an emergency.

But in the northwest part of Plano, it takes about 51 seconds longer, which worries homeowners like Christina Hodges.

"Every minute counts in an emergency like that, so it's important that somebody's close by," she said.

City leaders hope to start construction next year.

They worry without that extra protection, if it doesn't affect public safety, it will start impacting people's insurance rates.

E-mail jbetz@wfaa.com.