FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Council is digging into the proposed 2015 City of Fort Wayne budget.

They'll spend the next few weeks going over department budgets. Tuesday night it was parks and recreation, communications and the fire department.

Fire Chief Eric Lahey is asking for $35.1 million. That's up about $2 million from the current allotment. He says the bulk of the increase is tied to an extra pay period.

The 27th pay period, happens about once every 11 years. Lahey also added that firefighters received a two percent raise.

He also says the department is using a new response strategy.  There are bumping the number of on-duty firefighters from 95 to 96 per day.

They'll continue to sift through other department budgets through the end of the month, including the police department next week.