Geppetto
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Valentine condemns 'threats' from fire union members
Jeff Morganteen
Stamford Advocate
September 24, 2010
STAMFORD -- Bobby Valentine lashed out at the local professional firefighters' union for what he called threats made toward him before the former Major League Baseball manager met with city representatives Thursday night.
"When I entered the room tonight I had two union members treat me in a way that no one ever treats me," Valentine said during a outburst that capped off an otherwise uneventful meeting of the Board of Representatives' Public Safety and Health Committee.
"I'm saying this publicly because the next time somebody says something I might end up in front of a judge," Valentine said....
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Valentine-condemns-threats-from-fire-union-672894.php
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THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
Sept. 24, 2010
IRVINE – Volunteer firefighters asked the Orange County Fire Authority board to spare the reserve program, and one attorney warned the board could be in breach of its contract, but county officials decided to slash the volunteer program in half, cutting 245 reserve positions by the end of Thursday night.The decision came at the end of a four-hour meeting by the 24-member board of directors, held in a hall packed with reserve firefighters in OCFA headquarters. Supporters of the program asked board members to spare the program, suggesting that it was management of the volunteer program that had allowed it to languish. Critics of the program pointed to a six-month evaluation of the stations, which showed that nearly half those facing elimination were unable to respond to a quarter of the calls to which they were dispatched....
http://www.ocregister.com/news/reserve-267933-county-board.html
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Volunteer firefighters offer alternative fire service plan
09/23/2010
By TOM EVANS
Stamford Times
STAMFORD -- With Mayor Michael Pavia's proposed plan to realign the fire protection system for the city beginning its journey through the approval process, the union representing Stamford's professional firefighters presented an alternative to the Board of Representative's Public Safety & Health Committee on Thursday night....
..."The plan that has been proposed is a hybrid created in the mayor's office," said Bobby Valentine, fire task force chairman. "We kept trying to figure out the best plan. I want to be buried in the dirt here, but I don't want to be buried prematurely. If (fire protection) continued as it is, we're only asking for disaster."
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Accord puts eight Lawrence firefighters back on job
By Jill Harmacinski
Eagle-Tribune
Sep 22, 2010
LAWRENCE - Eight of 24 city firefighters laid off in July are being rehired immediately after Mayor William Lantigua and Lawrence firefighters came to a long-awaited cost-savings agreement yesterday.The Lawrence firefighters' union voted 57 to 7 to make $241,000 in contract concessions, which include each firefighter working 24 hours overtime for free and giving up a week's vacation. Firefighters voted on the contract concessions in meetings Monday night and yesterday afternoon....
http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x180463174/Accord-puts-eight-Lawrence-firefighters-back-on-job
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By Michael Randall
Times Herald-Record
09/22/10
CITY OF NEWBURGH — City Council members said Tuesday that they'd rather not lay off anybody, but they might not have a choice if they want a smaller tax rate hike in the city's 2011 budget."There is no department that is immune (to cuts)," said Mayor Nick Valentine....
...Among 34.5 jobs proposed for elimination through layoffs are eight part-time civilian crossing guards in the police department, 12 firefighters, four in code compliance and six in the public works department. The other jobs would be cut through attrition....
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100922/NEWS/9220361
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City of Canandaigua to fight firefighters ruling
By Melissa Daniels, staff writer
GateHouse News Service
Sep 17, 2010
C
anandaigua, N.Y. — City officials will appeal a judge’s ruling ordering them to reinstate laid-off firefighters.The city violated the Public Employees Fair Employment Act when it transferred work from the firefighters to the volunteers without negotiation, said Matt Fusco, the attorney who represented the firefighters’ union.
“We have said from the beginning that the city has ignored our contract, that the city has ignored our rights under the law,” Fusco said, “and this just confirms it.”
As part of the decision, the city must cease and desist from transferring duties of the paid firefighters to other parties. Additionally, the firefighters will receive compensation for lost wages and benefits, with interest, beginning from the time they were laid off until they can be reinstated....
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New Haven Register
September 17, 2010
NEW HAVEN — Firefighter union President Patrick Egan has been selected as the department’s new assistant chief of administration, the second highest position in the fire service.......He was chosen over four captains, two lieutenants and three other firefighters.
The administration post is appointed and not civil service and the fire chief selects his second-in-command with the approval of the mayor.
Even though Egan, a career private, had no supervisory experience in the firehouse, he has extensive managerial experience as head of the union, Grant noted....
http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2010/09/17/news/new_haven/doc4c93715d36f2d402900946.txt
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The Day
09/09/2010
Groton - The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to move forward on a study of the city's fire department, which says it is understaffed. But Mayor Dennis Popp argued he had the right to vote on the resolution and declared the result a tie....http://www.theday.com/article/20100909/NWS01/309099424/-1/zip06&town=Groton&template=zip06art
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David Andreatta
Democrat and Chronicle
September 3, 2010
The Rochester firefighters union has sued the city seeking nearly $600,000 it claims rightfully belongs to the union.Filed in state Supreme Court this week, the lawsuit is the latest salvo in a bitter, eight-year legal back-and-forth between the union and the city over the use of so-called 2-percent funds from the state Insurance Commission....
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September 02, 2010
Susan Misur
New Haven Register
WEST HAVEN — "Tens of thousands of gallons" of a flame-suppressing chemical foam is believed to have spread from a broken pipe fitting at Yale University's West Campus into the Oyster River, authorities said this morning.The foam is not harmful to people, officials said, but fish die off has been reported....
http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2010/09/02/news/doc4c7dcbacdb2c6425853077.txt
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Safety Committee examines another fire response
09/01/2010
By TOM EVANS
Stamford Times
STAMFORD -- A response to a fire alarm on Middle Patent Road on July 24 has again raised the issue of fire department protocol, and a public hearing before the Board of Representatives' Public Health and Safety Committee last week began to address those concerns....
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Another Long Ridge Fire response scrutinized
Jeff Morganteen, Stamford Advocate
August 27, 2010
...Last month, the department was roundly criticized for calling off backup units before arriving at the scene of a chimney fire that threatened to consume a home on Deep Valley Trail. Chief Robert Bennett vowed to legislators then that his firefighters would not call off units without first being at the scene of an emergency call.
On Thursday, lawmakers' reactions were mixed toward another Long Ridge Fire Co. decision made before it arrived at a scene in its district, this one to cancel responding units and allow a nearby New York state firehouse to handle a false alarm call....
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Another-Long-Ridge-Fire-response-scrutinized-635106.php
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For those who are unaware - This department went from primarily career to primarily volunteer, a major change for the trend of things...
Guest essay: Chief, firefighters doing what they were asked, doing it well
Kay James
Messenger Post
Aug 19, 2010
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Sounds like a hostile workplace to me
Mayor recruits volunteers to spy on firefighters
Eagle-Tribune
August 13, 2010
LAWRENCE — Mayor William Lantigua has enlisted a volunteer corps of film crews to chase firefighters and record their actions at the scenes of accidents, fires and other calls they respond to.Lantigua says he has received several complaints from citizens concerned about "slow response" times by firefighters and questioning whether the jakes' actions are driven by last month's layoff of 23 from the department. The mayor said some of those callers have volunteered to follow firefighters, video them on the job, and turn over the tapes to City Hall....
http://www.eagletribune.com/latestnews/x960348430/Mayor-recruits-volunteers-to-spy-on-firefighters
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By David Abel
Boston Globe
August 12, 2010
LAWRENCE — The Fire Department in this financially battered city has closed half its fire stations over the last five weeks, seen response times more than double, and relied increasingly on neighboring communities to douse fires.There are now just 13 to 15 firefighters per shift in a city of about 80,000 people, less than half the number of firefighters per shift in 2009....
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From WUSA9.com:
"“I heard five big booms. It sounded like an explosion,” said John Mason who lives near Fairfax County’s new Crosspointe fire station where a dangerous mistake could have been deadly.“We don’t like that this happened, especially to us, but thankfully, nobody was seriously injured,” said Dan Schmidt, a spokesperson for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.
Ironically, the accident happened during a routine safety check at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday. Schmidt says a firefighter on the ladder truck was raising and moving the ladder when it hit the 230,000 volt transmission line above...."
EDIT:
additional information on firefightersclose calls.com
http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/news/fullstory/newsid/114292
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Jeff Morganteen
Stamford Advocate
August 6, 2010
STAMFORD -- Police say a 19-year-old New Jersey man stole a ambulance from Stamford Hospital early Friday and was arrested after paramedics pulled him from the vehicle and held him until police arrived.... -
Westport Declines $1.2 Million Federal Grant for Firefighters
James Lomuscio
Westpost Now
08/05/10
Westport Fire Chief Christopher Ackley today informed federal officials the town is turning down a $1.2 million federal grant to hire eight new firefighters. He called it a disappointing, missed opportunity his department may never see again.... -
One-stop shopping for fire plan info
August 3, 2010
Stamford Advocate
Jeff Morganteen
Blog for running commentary and link to Stamford Board of Representatives site; You will find links to other other studies and plans regarding Stamford's fire protection.
http://blog.stamfordadvocate.com/stamford411/2010/08/03/one-stop-shopping-for-fire-plan-info/
PS28.011
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Threads update -
Stamford fire officials condemn Long Ridge fire response
Stamford Advocate 07/28/10
Canceled call has fire officials irked
Stamford Times 7/27/2010
http://www.thestamfordtimes.com/story/489499
Pavia pitches fire plan
Stamford Advocate
7/29/2010
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Pavia-pitches-fire-plan-595576.php
City Rep’s Hamas comment draws attention from NY Post
7/29/2010
Conn. fire dept. union demands pol resignation over 'Hamas' comment
NY Post - 7/29/2010
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/conn_fire_dept_union_demands_pol_rxJTpvDsbOVqTJI1rDp8cN
That'll keep you busy!
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Debra Friedman
Stamford Advocate
August 2, 2010
Whether battling a blaze, rescuing someone from a car crash, or just sitting around the fire house, Whitney Welch has proven she is tough enough to hang with the guys of the Greenwich Fire Department.
But it wasn't always that way.
For 21 years, Welch -- the only female career firefighter in the town's history -- has devoted her career to bettering the community and breaking down boundaries for other woman to come....
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The "Update on Stamford Merger" thread is locked due to the tragedy In Bridgeport and several frustrations being thrown into the mix. Several pertinent items have occurred since then (the locking that is) which will lose timeliness. Please add these to that thread when you think it appropriate. No disrespect to the fallen. RIP brothers.
Canceled call has fire officials irked
07/27/2010
By TOM EVANS
Stamford Times
STAMFORD -- Controversy is again swirling around the Long Ridge Fire Company, after a canceled fire call Saturday night left no apparatus responding to an alarm at 69 Middle Patent Road.
In an inter-office memo dated Monday, William J. Smith, deputy chief of Stamford Fire & Rescue, said that a chief from Banksville, N.Y. (just over the state line) was the only one on scene.
"A BVFD chief only responded to the alarm and reset the panel," Smith wrote. "There were no fire engines (or) trucks that actually made it to this alarm. I questioned dispatch to make sure that I understood (Long Ridge Fire Company Engine 71) canceling all units before any on-scene investigation had been conducted." ...
http://www.thestamfordtimes.com/story/489499
And
Fire plan splits task force
Jeff Morganteen, Stamford Advocate
July 26, 2010
...Among the task force members already affiliated with the career or volunteer fire service, reactions were split along party -- or department -- lines.
Stamford Fire & Rescue officials who served on the task force are among the plan's biggest critics. Former and current volunteer chiefs that were part of the task force were its biggest supporters.
The lack of a single chief has irked some civilian task force members.
"To me, the consolidation around leadership was the centerpiece of our recommendations," task force member and GE executive Dudley Williams said. "I really do think there needs to be one standard of fire protection for every citizen and household in Stamford. I don't see how we truly get there without there being one leader that everyone is accountable to."
Local attorney and task force member John Leydon was more supportive of the mayor's plan. He said going from six independent fire chiefs to two was an improvement.
"I understand that it's a fluid process and it's a very challenging one," Leydon said of the implementation of the mayor's plan....
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Fire-plan-splits-task-force-591189.php
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R.I.P. Brothers, and peace to their families.
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Fire on July 22, 2010
Articles ffrom Stamford Advocate & Stamford Times
&
in Westchester County Area Emergency Services News
Posted · Edited by Geppetto
Welcome to the Big Leagues. I guess people concerned about their livelihoods don't deserve a seat at the table. Just sit in the back and we'll call on you if we have any questions.
Buehler? Buehler? Anyone? Union?