SAN DIEGO -- Family members of a Mira Mesa toddler who died after choking on a gumball are calling on San Diego city leaders to change the way rescue crews operate.

Crews at a Mira Mesa-area fire station would have responded to the Do family's 911 call had it not been affected by city imposed brown outs. The station sits about a half-mile away from where 2-year-old Bentley Do lived, and family members said firefighters should have been at their home sooner.

Ryan Le, Bentley's cousin, said he is calling on city leaders to make changes.

"When we called 911 they told us, 'Just stay at home and wait for the ambulance cars,'" said Le.

Le said his family tried frantically to save Bentley's life while waiting nearly 10 minutes for firefighters to arrive -- double the target response time.

10News learned the fire engine that would have responded from Station 38 in Mira Mesa was busy filling in for another station whose firefighter crew was unavailable as part of the city's effort to save money.

"Accidents happen; you have to come fast," said Le.

Le told 10News the cutbacks are not working and wants city leaders to find a better solution that doesn't jeopardize safety.

The brownouts were imposed earlier this year to help close the city's $180 million shortfall, and next week, the City Council is set to consider whether a proposed sales tax hike should be put on the November ballot. Revenue from that would go, in part, to staffing fire stations across the city.

Last week, 10News asked San Diegans if they would support the half-cent tax increase, and 60 percent in the scientific poll said they would not support it.

On Thursday, San Diegans were asked if they would support the sales tax increase if the revenue went toward fire and police services. According to the scientific poll, 52 percent supported the increase. Click To View 10News Poll

10News tried contacting Mayor Jerry Sanders and City Council members to ask if the toddler's death would affect their vote and if a tax increase was the only option. However, they said they had no comment.

Under the current brownout plan, eight of San Diego's fire stations sit unavailable every day.

Councilman Urges Sanders To End Brownouts

Councilman Tony Young sent a memo to Sanders late Thursday, asking him to immediately end emergency services cuts that may have played a role in the death of a Bentley Do.

Young said he was "deeply disturbed" about comments attributed to San Diego fire officials that fire engine brownouts may have contributed to the child's death.

"Having read these statements, I cannot in good conscience stand by and not ask you to end the 'brownouts' in the San Diego Fire Department immediately," Young wrote.

San Diego's brownout program, which leaves fire engines companies in certain parts of the city idle on a rotating basis, was instituted by Sanders last winter due to budget constraints. The program saves the city about $11.5 million.

Young urged the mayor to consider using general fund reserves, a .5 percent to 1 percent reduction in all non-public safety department budgets or cuts to services and supplies to restore funding for the SDFRD.

Councilwoman Marti Emerald has also been vocal in calling for an end to the fire engine brownouts. So far, she has been unable to identify funding.