Geppetto

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Belltown becomes all-volunteer unit By Donna Porstner Staff Writer January 3, 2008 STAMFORD - The Belltown Fire Department began a new era yesterday as a strictly volunteer department after refusing to cede control of its paid firefighters to Stamford Fire & Rescue. Eight of Belltown's nine paid firefighters reported for duty at Stamford Fire & Rescue headquarters yesterday morning, seven months after Mayor Dannel Malloy proposed merging the Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River volunteer departments with the paid downtown departments to have more staffing flexibility and reduce overtime costs. The ninth Belltown firefighter retired. "As far as I know, it's a permanent situation," Belltown Fire Chief John Didelot said. The city decided to pull the paid firefighters from the Dorlen Road station last month after Belltown's management agreement with the city expired. The 34 paid firefighters assigned to Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River voted for a new labor contract that makes them employees of Stamford Fire & Rescue. They were city employees assigned to the volunteer houses and represented by the same union as Stamford Fire & Rescue but were under a separate labor contract. Yesterday, Stamford Fire & Rescue moved an engine into the Glenbrook firehouse on Arthur Place, bringing the total paid staff there to 16, up from nine. "They are up and running with four-man staffing, 24-seven, up from one or two," said Stamford Fire & Rescue Chief Robert McGrath, who now commands the entire Glenbrook staff. Stamford Fire & Rescue wanted to put paid firefighters in Belltown, too, but McGrath said the department's board of directors wouldn't allow the paid firefighters or apparatus in the building. "They chose to operate as a volunteer fire company," he said. Didelot said his department offered an alternative plan, but the city was not willing to negotiate. Until yesterday, the paid firefighters working in Belltown and Glenbrook reported to the volunteer chiefs in those districts. Stamford's volunteer firehouses are autonomous under the city Charter but rely on city funding and employees to operate. Volunteer firefighters still report to the volunteer chiefs in their districts. The new arrangement is modeled after the Springdale Fire Co., which has been staffed by Stamford Fire & Rescue employees since 1997. The 16 paid firefighters who work in Springdale report to McGrath and volunteers report to Springdale Chief Shawn Fahan. The reshuffling will allow for a more efficient use of manpower, saving more than $500,000 a year in salary and overtime costs, city administrators said. Malloy targeted the volunteer departments for cost savings after elected officials cut the public safety budget last spring. Director of Public Safety, Health and Welfare William Callion said calls in Belltown now are handled by the closest paid firefighters working out of the Springdale, Glenbrook, Turn of River and Stamford Fire & Rescue firehouses. Response times will not suffer, he said. He could not predict how long it will take paid firefighters to arrive because it will depend where in the district the emergency occurs, Callion said. "As far as I am concerned, we are covering it very well," he said. Didelot said he's worried the wrong firehouse might be dispatched initially. "The only thing I'm concerned about is that they enter the right stuff into the 911 system so that the right units respond," he said. McGrath said three fire captains spent the last week re-entering data into the computerized dispatch system to reflect the changes. There were no problems with the two calls Belltown responded to yesterday, but Didelot said time will tell whether there are bugs to be worked out. Police Capt. Gregory Tomlin, who oversees the 911 center, did not return a phone call yesterday. Didelot said that, as long as there are no computer glitches, the only noticeable difference should be that an additional truck will respond to Belltown calls in case volunteers don't show up. In the past, two fire companies typically responded to calls - Belltown and the nearest department - for a total of four to 10 paid firefighters on every scene, Didelot said. Now a typical response for all non-medical calls will require 14 firefighters - two engines, a ladder truck, as well as a deputy chief or assistant chief, McGrath said. City officials have said paid firefighters are more reliable. They have long criticized volunteer firehouses' declining membership, spiraling overtime costs, lapsed training records and poor response to emergency calls. Exact numbers of volunteers, and certification and training records from volunteer departments have been hard to pin down, city officials have said. Belltown has 20 active volunteers, Didelot said. Volunteers at the firehouse waiting to respond to calls yesterday morning said sending 14 paid firefighters on every call is a waste of taxpayers' money. "They are counting on us failing. It ain't going to happen," said Tom Alessi, a Belltown volunteer of 32 years. "Even when there were paid guys here, we had two or three guys hanging around." Volunteers said taxpayers will feel the pinch. "It's going to incur more expenses," said Alan Shaw, a Belltown volunteer for 11 years. According to the city's Office of Policy and Management, the merger costs taxpayers in the CS tax district an additional 50 cents for every $1,000 of assessed property value - $250 a year on a home assessed at $500,000. Callion said there will not be a noticeable increase in taxes next year because the increased cost was built into this year's tax rates. Alessi said he continued volunteering in Belltown after he moved to Darien six years ago because he's trying to keep taxes down for his parents, who live in the district. The fire union approved the merger because most of the paid firefighters do not live in Stamford and a fully paid system ensures job security, he said. "Most of the people employed live out of town, so what do they have to lose if taxes go up?" Alessi asked. Callion said sending 14 men on a call is "standard protocol all over the world." Waiting to send units could cost lives, he said. When four new hires enter the fire academy in February, there will be 278 paid firefighters in Stamford, including the 17 at Turn of River - down from 285 positions in this year's budget, McGrath said. Whether the number of Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters changes will depend on the results of a study the city plans to do later this year, he said. The city selected a firm but has not yet signed a contract, Callion said. The results of the study likely won't be ready until after next year's budget is set is May, but officials might have preliminary information that will help them make spending decisions, Callion said. Callion said he's confident the staffing changes will reduce the $700,000 Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River spent on overtime last year. "We've got six months to prove that, don't we?" he said. Copyright © 2008, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...9/1224/NEWS0210 GOOD LUCK!

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...0,4307186.story Volunteer firefighting dispute still smolders By Natasha Lee Staff Writer December 30, 2007 STAMFORD -Lapsed training, dwindling volunteer membership and poor response from volunteer firefighters spawned a heated debate among the city, the fire union and three volunteer fire departments over whether the city has adequate protection. Volunteer firehouses rely heavily on paid firefighters to respond to emergency calls, but in recent years have struggled to increase their volunteer membership. Volunteer fire chiefs also have failed to provide the city with updated records of certification and training among the volunteers. In June, the city unveiled a plan to improve fire coverage by restructuring the current system. The plan would move Stamford Fire & Rescue paid firefighters into Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River volunteer fire departments to beef up staffing, and unite paid firefighters under one labor contract. Mayor Dannel Malloy and public safety director William Callion touted the plan as a cost-effective move to cut down on spiraling overtime costs: The three volunteer departments spent $700,000 on overtime in the 2006 fiscal year, and the restructuring plan was expected to save the city more than $500,000. Volunteer chiefs said the city was trying to destroy its system and argued they were autonomous under the city Charter. The city funds all of its five volunteer fire departments, but the Charter gives volunteer chiefs the authority to operate and manage their firehouses. City officials also announced in June plans to cancel management agreements with the three departments Dec. 4. The agreements determine how firehouses are staffed and operated. All volunteer firehouses are staffed with paid firefighters to respond to emergency calls, particularly during the day, when volunteers are not readily available. City officials said to maintain spending, volunteer firehouses had to agree to the plan, or else they would have to dismiss paid firefighters to meet their budget. The city's plan sparked a battle of control for the volunteer firehouses, eventually leading to layoffs, lawsuits, counter proposals and public animosity. Belltown and Glenbrook initially agreed to participate in the city's restructuring plan, but later reneged after its volunteer membership voted against it. Turn of River was successful in getting an injunction to block layoffs at its department, arguing the move was a violation of its management agreement with the city. Belltown and Glenbrook lost their court battles. Five paid firefighters at Belltown and Glenbrook were laid off in July after the firehouses failed to reach an agreement. The loss cut Belltown's nine-member staff and Glenbrook's nine paid firefighters each by a third. The Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association joined the fight, citing statistics of poor response times from volunteers and arguing for a more uniform fire system. Statistics supplied to The Advocate for July showed that, on average, fewer than one Glenbrook volunteer firefighter responded to emergency calls; one Belltown volunteer firefighter responded in that district. Volunteer chiefs did not dispute the numbers. The union filed complaints against the departments alleging unfair labor practices and unsafe working environments. In September, the union filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration when a Glenbrook paid firefighter suffered an eye injury after he battled an attic fire alone for several minutes until backup firefighters arrived. The fire department was later fined $1,260 for violating a federal safety standard. City Board of Representatives remained quiet about the city's plan, voicing opinions only during a review of the plan last month. As the deadline for the management agreement approached, Glenbrook Fire Department agreed in October to join the plan. The city later extended its management agreement until Dec. 21. By Dec. 21, the city had reached an agreement with Glenbrook to staff its firehouse with Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters. The paid fire union also voted to unify all paid firefighters at the three firehouses under one labor contract. The new agreement is pending approval from the city's Board of Representatives and Board of Finance. Under the new contract, the 34 paid firefighters will report to downtown Fire Chief Robert McGrath and boost staff at Stamford Fire & Rescue to about 272 firefighters. Termination of the management agreements with the departments also relinquishes total oversight over paid firefighters to the city. City and fire officials said the new arrangement will increase fire protection in the volunteer districts by sending more downtown paid firefighters into Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River to respond to emergency calls. Staffing will be increased from one or two paid firefighters per shift, to three or four. Belltown and Turn of River, however, have never agreed to the city's plan. Belltown will lose its paid staff Wednesday, and be fully staffed by volunteers. Turn of River continues to file motions against the city to block any intervention of management or operational control. Stamford Fire & Rescue will continue to supply automatic aid to the districts, but it remains to be seen how all departments will handle the change. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines 4 fire recruits to join city force By Natasha Lee Staff Writer December 25, 2007 STAMFORD - Four Stamford Fire & Rescue candidates hired several months ago will be brought on board before the end of the month, city officials said Friday. The Fire Commission selected the candidates from the hiring list in September, but the city was unable to hire them until funding was available. The Office of Public Safety, Health & Welfare, which oversees the downtown fire department, was cut by $850,000 this fiscal year. City officials had hoped to hire the candidates by Dec. 31. Public Safety Director William Callion said the new hires will reduce overtime spending, which should cover the $539,000 needed to pay their salaries and benefits. Last week, paid firefighters who work at three volunteer fire departments joined a labor contract with Stamford Fire & Rescue. Under the new contract, 34 paid firefighters who worked at Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River volunteer departments will transfer to Stamford Fire & Rescue and will respond to calls in five districts. The new hires should bring the total number of downtown firefighters to about 276. The contract must be approved by the Board of Finance and Board of Representatives, which meets next month. City officials did not say whether the candidates were notified of their start dates. City Human Resources Director Dennis Murphy did not return two telephone calls. Callion said the department will meet the end-of-the-year hire deadline. "The more you have a full complement of people, the less overtime you're running, and a fuller staff will allow us to operate on a more normal basis," he said. The four candidates will join four recently rehired veteran firefighters to fill eight vacancies. In July, four paid firefighters at Belltown and Glenbrook volunteer fire departments were laid off after the departments refused a city plan to cut overtime spending and increase staffing in those districts. Because the city pays the salaries of career firefighters stationed in volunteer districts, they were placed on a mandatory re-employment list that gives them priority as positions become available. The veteran firefighters reported to Stamford Fire & Rescue on Thursday and are undergoing a week of refresher training, Chief Robert McGrath said. In February, the new hires will start a 14-week course at the state fire academy in Windsor Locks and must complete a two-week training course with Stamford Fire & Rescue before they can respond to emergency calls, McGrath said. The candidates are Christopher Brennan of Norwalk, son of former Fire Commissioner E. Gaynor Brennan Jr.; Paul Esposito of Stamford, son of city Rep. Paul Esposito, D-4; Dominick Errico of Stamford; and James Doherty of Fairfield. McGrath said the group was expected to join Stamford Fire & Rescue by mid-June. The rehired firefighters are three former Belltown paid firefighters - Fabio Basile and Paul Melchinonno, both of Stamford, and Michael Orawsky of Darien - and former Glenbrook paid firefighter Herman Naring of Norwalk. McGrath and Callion said they are waiting for approval to hire two additional firefighters in January to fill positions that opened because of retirements. "We'll always be a couple of firefighters short," McGrath said. The fire commission must reinterview candidates from the hiring list, which includes 120 candidates grouped by written test scores, McGrath said. The list expires in September. The commission's hiring practices have come under criticism in recent years. In 2005, the commission was accused of nepotism and unfair hiring practices after applicants with lower scores were offered jobs over those with higher scores. The controversy prompted the commission to change its hiring polices, for the first time adding a score. Starting salary for city firefighters is about $41,700. It increases to about $64,000 in five years. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

Interesting photos x152 - Considering the probale time span for the actual alarm, I would have to say that the Chief was looking for any excuse to promote the argument. Although, he obviously must have had enough time to move all that equipment in the time it took to E-7 to return to quarters. Premeditated? It's too bad they can't actually respond with some of it to alarms.

And in other news - http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Fire rift escalates as Springdale chief locks out four By Donna Porstner Staff Writer December 23, 2007 STAMFORD - Springdale Fire Chief Shawn Fahan locked paid firefighters out of the firehouse last night over a spat about which radio system to use. Fire Chief Robert McGrath said four of the paid firefighters assigned to that firehouse were returning from a call at about 6 p.m. when they found the entrance to the garage barricaded. "When they returned, Shawn Fahan pulled the ladder truck -the engine - and put his personal chief's truck where engine No. 7 would normally enter. When they asked what was going on, he told them they had to leave," said McGrath, who arrived on the scene after being summoned by Deputy Fire Chief David Jones. "Evidently, the fire chief (Fahan) and one of the captains . . . had a dispute over which of the radios they were using and locked our people out of the building," McGrath said in a telephone interview last night. Firefighters have two radio systems - an 800-megahertz system and a 154-megahertz system - because the radio coverage in Springdale can be spotty. "It was a miscommunication, actually," McGrath said. Fahan did not return phone calls at the firehouse seeking comment last night and no one answered the telephone at his home or his cell phone. Fire union Vice President David Davis, who had responded to the scene at the firehouse, said Fahan was the only one there when he arrived. The four paid firefighters had gone to the nearby Stamford Twin Rinks parking lot to wait for fire officials. Davis said Fahan was upset because the paid firefighters weren't using the 154-megahertz system used by the volunteers. Fahan said one paid firefighter, a captain, was disobeying his command to stay on the air as he responded to a routine alarm call in Glenbrook, Davis said. When responding to calls out of district, paid firefighters often press a button on a laptop computer connected to the dispatch center to keep radio traffic at a minimum, Davis said. "Chief Fahan basically said, 'If you cannot follow my directives, you will leave my firehouse,' " Davis said. Davis said a disagreement over whether all four were ordered to leave or just the captain was part of the confrontation. Police also were called to the scene. "It sounds like our involvement was quite limited," said police spokesman Lt. Sean Cooney, who was not present but was briefed on the incident. "I don't even know what the dispute was about or how it was resolved." Police Chief Brent Larrabee and city Director of Public Safety, Health and Welfare William Callion reportedly also were on scene but could not be reached for comment last night. For years, the city has staffed the Springdale firehouse with paid personnel who report to McGrath but take direction from top-ranking volunteers at fire scenes. The arrangement is a model Mayor Dannel Malloy is trying to emulate by making the paid firefighters at the Belltown, Glenbrook and the Turn of River fire departments employees of Stamford Fire and Rescue under McGrath's command. The Turn of River volunteer department is fighting the merger in court. Malloy could not be reached for comment last night. The Springdale firehouse is not part of the planned merger of the paid and volunteer fire systems but has a long history of tension between its members and the city's paid fire personnel. By the time McGrath left the firehouse last night, Fahan had allowed the paid firefighters back into the building, and McGrath said the dispute was resolved. McGrath said he other city officials plan to sit down with the Springdale volunteers and the fire union to address the dispute during a meeting the first week of January. "I'm hoping we can work things out with the volunteers to provide the fire protection in the district to keep everyone safe," McGrath said. There won't be any confusion over which radio system to use once the new radio system is up and running in the spring, he said. Davis said the dispute, which began at about 5:30 p.m., was over by about 8 p.m. "It was a least a two-hour ordeal," he said. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Firefighters joined by single contract By Natasha Lee Staff Writer December 21, 2007 STAMFORD -For the first time in more than 50 years, paid firefighters now at three volunteer firehouses and Stamford Fire & Rescue will be unified under one labor contract. Paid firefighters staffed at Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River volunteer fire departments voted earlier this week to join Stamford Fire & Rescue. Under the new contract, the 34 paid firefighters will report to downtown Fire Chief Robert McGrath and boost staff at Stamford Fire & Rescue to about 272 firefighters. Previously, the paid firefighters were hired, under a different labor contract with the city, to beef up the understaffed volunteer firehouses and follow the command of their respective fire chiefs. Stamford's volunteer firehouses are autonomous under the City Charter but rely on city funding and employees to operate. "We have historically changed how fire services will be delivered in Stamford," fire union president Brendan Keatley said. "It's a victory for the firefighters and citizens of Stamford." City and fire officials said the new arrangement will increase fire protection in the volunteer districts by sending more downtown paid firefighters into Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River to respond to emergency calls. Staffing will be increased from one or two paid firefighters per shift, to three or four. "There will be more paid and highly trained firefighters responding 24/7. We will be on one accord," McGrath said. The new contract also calls for four paid firefighters laid off at Belltown because of budget cuts to be rehired with Stamford Fire & Rescue, Keatley said. The contract is pending final approval from the city's Board of Finance and Board of Representatives, according to city Human Resources Director Dennis Murphy. After months of contentious battle for control over Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River volunteer fire departments, Stamford is inching closer toward implementing a uniformed standard of fire coverage. The termination of management agreements between the city and the Belltown and Glenbrook departments was the final hurdle the city needed to gain total oversight over paid firefighters in those districts. The agreements determined how the volunteer fire chiefs operated their firehouses and supervised the city-paid firefighters that staff their stations. The city officially terminated the agreements today. City and paid fire officials have long criticized volunteer firehouses' declining membership, spiraling overtime costs, lapsed training records and poor response to emergency calls. Exact numbers of volunteers, and adequate certification and training records from volunteer departments have been hard to pin down, city officials have said. In June, Mayor Dannel Malloy unveiled a plan to restructure the city's fire service by transferring Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters to the three volunteer stations. A similar model exists at Springdale Fire Co., which has been staffed with 16 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters since 1997. The city plan was announced, after an $850,000 cut to the Office of Public Safety, Health & Welfare, as a way to reduce overtime spending in the three districts that reached $700,000 last fiscal year. The city plan was met by opposition from volunteer chiefs who argued it would kill the volunteer system. Their resistance later resulted in layoffs and litigation. Glenbrook Fire Department is the only fire department to agree to the city's plan. Belltown has declined it, as has Turn of River, which has several ongoing lawsuits against the city, including a motion to stop termination of the management agreement. Through an injunction sought in July, Turn of River prevented layoffs at its department after it refused the city's plan. Under the new arrangement, Glenbrook will be the only station fully staffed with Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters. Additional paid firefighters are scheduled to move in there Jan. 2. Six paid firefighters now at Belltown will be removed from the firehouse and redistributed throughout downtown's five fire stations. Belltown Fire Chief John Didelot said yesterday his volunteer firefighters will be able to run the firehouse as a strictly volunteer unit. He declined to comment further. "It's too premature to be discussing this. We need to work our way through with how it's going to be taken care of," Didelot said. Paid firefighters are to be removed from Belltown on Jan. 2, McGrath said. There are about 12 active Belltown volunteers. Turn of River is set to have paid Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters move into its two North Stamford fire stations in July, Keatley said. But ongoing litigation may stall the plan. Turn of River attorney Mark Kovack said the department plans to file a lawsuit today to stop the implementation of the labor contract and the city's restructuring plan. Earlier this month, the department filed a complaint with the state labor board alleging the city and fire union, the Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association, excluded them from negotiations - violating their management agreement. A meeting with the state labor board is scheduled for the first week in January, Kovack said. "The city gave Turn of River that right to bargain collectively with the union for representing the paid firefighters, we were excluded," he said. City Public Safety Director William Callion said despite resistance from the two volunteer fire departments, Stamford Fire & Rescue will continue to provide automatic assistance in those districts to ensure consistent fire protection. Callion anticipates the city will see a decrease in overtime costs. "The whole purpose of this plan was to improve fiscal performance," he said. In Turn of River and Belltown, McGrath said residents still will receive fire protection and timely response from Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters. The city's five firehouses are about a half-mile to 1.5 miles away from the three volunteer districts and will respond within four minutes to calls. A national standard recommends a six-minute response, as a fire doubles in size every minute. All paid firefighters will receive the same training and certification, which will improve accountability standards for firefighters and record-keeping, McGrath said. Keatley said the restructured fire system will help cut down on worker safety complaints and ensure all fire departments are meeting national firefighting standards. "For the people that live there you'll get that level of protection you deserve and you're going to get if for the first time," Keatley said. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

The word on the street is that Stamford re-hired it's firefighters who were laid-off. Any confirmation on this? And if it's true - Merry Christmas and welcome back.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Glenbrook department fined for safety, training lapses By Natasha Lee Staff Writer December 12, 2007 STAMFORD -The volunteer Glenbrook Fire Department recently paid a $1,260 fine for violating worker safety standards and failing to complete firefighter training. The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration found the department failed to meet a federal safety standard, and that firefighters lacked quarterly interior structure firefighting training and yearly fire hose testing. OSHA fined the department $420 for each violation and deemed all three serious, meaning they could threaten the lives and safety of firefighters. According to OSHA rules, a fire department does not have to turn in records of training and certification unless a complaint is filed. The city's paid fire union filed a complaint against the department and the city in September after a paid firefighter was injured during an attic fire he fought alone until backup arrived. A federal safety standard known as "two-in, two-out" requires two equally trained and equipped firefighters at the scene for every two who enter a burning building or other hazardous situation. The city funds the independent volunteer fire department and provides them with city-paid firefighters to respond to emergency calls. Glenbrook paid firefighter James Fountain suffered an eye injury on Sept. 9 as he battled an attic fire on Courtland Avenue for at least four minutes inside while a second paid firefighter manned equipment outside. According to the union, at least four minutes passed until additional firefighters from Stamford Fire & Rescue, Belltown Fire Department and Springdale Fire Company responded. Glenbrook Volunteer Fire Chief Frank Passero said his department's 12 volunteers and seven paid firefighters have received the required training and testing since the OSHA complaint was made, and that a recent agreement involving the city's paid fire department will help improve staffing. Layoffs in July cut the nine paid firefighter staff by one-third, and limited volunteer responses have hindered the department's response to calls. One firefighter was later rehired to fill a vacancy caused by retirement. Passero said he assumed weekly drills at the fire department were sufficient to meet OSHA training and testing standards, and was unaware the department was violating standards. A call to the state agency yesterday was not returned. "I guess nobody just thought of it. We thought the current training would satisfy," Passero said. Passero said the fine was reduced from $3,500 after he met with an OSHA employee in October and agreed to correct the violations. The report was issued last month. "We took care of what we needed to take care of. We're in good shape," he said. Union president Brendan Keatley said the reported deficiencies are further evidence of the city's troubled volunteer fire system. "It verifies what the union has been alleging about these departments for a long time. They do have deficiencies in training and record-keeping which is one of the reasons we're trying to reach an agreement," Keatley said. The union, city and three of the city's five volunteer fire departments have been fighting for control over the autonomous firehouses since June. Union and city officials have said low volunteer turnout to calls, diminishing volunteer membership and gaps in training are jeopardizing public safety. The city reached an agreement with Glenbrook in October to increase paid staff at the fire station with Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters. Similar agreements offered to Belltown and Turn of River volunteer fire departments were rejected, resulting in layoffs and legal battles. No agreements have been reached yet with those departments. City Risk Manager Anne Marie Mones said the city's safety and training officer, Phillip Cundiff, worked with Glenbrook to resolve the violations and continues to ensure the department meets safety standards. Keatley said the city was named in the complaint as a procedure because Stamford pays the salaries and benefits of paid firefighters. This is the second time a volunteer fire company has been cited by the state within the year. In February, Long Ridge Fire Co. was fined more than $1,000 for failing to provide hazardous material training and test firefighters for use of breathing masks. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...0,5140741.story Stamford extends fire contract as talks continue By Natasha Lee Staff Writer December 5, 2007 STAMFORD - Management agreements between the city and two volunteer fire departments that would have expired yesterday were extended two weeks as city officials continue to hash out plans to restructure the city's fire service. In June, city officials announced they would cancel the agreements as part of a plan to increase staffing and reduce overtime spending in Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River volunteer fire departments. City and paid fire officials criticized declining volunteer membership and poor response to emergency calls. The agreements outline how the volunteer fire chiefs operate their firehouses and supervise the city-paid firefighters that staff their stations. Last week, the city offered to extend parts of the contract until Dec. 21 to ensure city-paid firefighters continue to staff the departments until a plan is implemented. Otherwise, terminating the agreement would mean reassigning city-paid firefighters in volunteer stations to Stamford Fire & Rescue firehouses. The city is negotiating a labor contract with the paid fire union and developing a plan for fire protection, Public Safety Director William Callion said. "We're still working on a plan, and we need time to transition," Callion said. Turn of River Fire Department declined the city's offer and filed a motion to stop termination of the agreement. Turn of River attorney Mark Kovack said the fire department and the city must agree to a termination or violate the agreement. In July, Turn of River used a similar argument to successfully prevent layoffs after it refused to sign on to the city's plan. "The city is taking the position that it's above the law, and they can just breach the agreement at will," Kovack said. Turn of River also plans to file a complaint with the state labor board alleging the city and paid fire union failed to include them in negotiations, Kovack said. "The city has excluded us from that entire process," he said. The city notified the departments of the extension by e-mail and a letter mailed Friday. In a copy of the e-mail obtained by The Advocate, the city said the extension was to "assure uninterrupted emergency service protection" and could be "subject to possible further extension upon agreement of the parties." Stamford's volunteer firehouses are autonomous under the city Charter but rely on city-paid firefighters and city funding to operate. Belltown Fire Chief John Didelot said that the firehouse agreed to the extension in the interest of the department and public safety. The firehouse lost three of its nine paid firefighters in July, when the city laid them off after the department refused to accept the city's plan. "I'm OK with this if we need time to work it out," Didelot said. City, union and fire officials have been trying to work out a plan for six months. Mayor Dannel Malloy announced the plan after a $850,000 cut to the Office of Public Safety, Health & Welfare as a way to reduce overtime spending and increase manpower at the understaffed volunteer firehouses. City officials said overtime costs in the three districts reached $700,000 last fiscal year. Under the plan, 21 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters would be relocated to the volunteer firehouses, doubling the paid staffing. The plan called for canceling the management agreements and uniting the 34 city-paid firefighters in volunteer firehouses and the 272 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters under one labor contract. But conflicts with the volunteer fire departments led to legal battles and the layoffs of four paid firefighters. Glenbrook Fire Department was the only department to join the city's plan. Belltown rejected the plan. Ongoing litigation with Turn of River has delayed further negotiations. Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association President Brendan Keatley said an agreement has been reached on a tentative labor contract for all city-paid firefighters. If approved, the contract calls for re-hiring the four firefighters laid off in July, Keatley said, and Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters would staff Glenbrook fire station, because it agreed to the plan. Meetings will be held next week for union employees to review the contract. The union is expected to vote the following week, he said. "I think the city and us both compromised, but I think we came out of it with something that is reasonable. I think it's going to be better for fire protection and public safety," Keatley said. Whether city-paid firefighters will remain at the volunteer firehouses after Dec. 21 remains to be determined and is a concern for volunteer chiefs. "It's more of a case of the unknown. The city needs to communicate to the other departments what they're going to do," Didelot said. "I'm still hoping we can find a middle ground on this." Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines City's pact with volunteer fire departments to expire By Natasha Lee Staff Writer November 30, 2007 STAMFORD - Just days before agreements between the city and three volunteer fire departments expire Tuesday, city officials - who in June announced plans to terminate the agreements as part of a restructuring - were unclear about city-paid firefighters staffing those departments after then. "I'm not sure how to technically answer your questions," city Public Safety Director William Callion said when asked what will happen after the agreements expire Tuesday. Volunteer chiefs said they're in the dark. "The city hasn't said anything. We know the agreement is void at that point, but what that means, nobody is telling," Belltown Fire Chief John Didelot said. The management agreements cover how Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River volunteer firehouses are maintained, along with command and control of city-paid firefighters assigned there. If the city terminates the agreements after Tuesday, it could mean the 31 city-paid firefighters who staff Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River volunteer fire departments could be reassigned to Stamford Fire & Rescue firehouses, city Director of Legal Affairs Tom Cassone said. "But the city is mindful for the need of fire service, we are continuing to explore how we can optimize fire service," he said. Mayor Dannel Malloy, noting that he does not want to "prejudge" what will happen after Dec. 4, said city officials and the paid firefighters' union are working on an agreement to improve staffing and fire coverage in the three districts. "Let me assure you that there are going to be changes brought about in the month of December," Malloy said. The mayor said the city decided to end the agreements to control overtime spending in the volunteer firehouses and increase manpower at the understaffed departments. The city's five volunteer fire departments rely heavily on city funding and city-paid firefighters to respond to emergency calls, but under the City Charter, each operate independently. "We are going to bring about savings, which is why we terminated the agreements and there will be changes that we hope to do as a result of discussion," Malloy said. "We're going to save money and make people feel safer." But halfway through the fiscal year the city has spent $17,000 more on overtime costs at the volunteer houses than it did last year. And Glenbrook and Belltown have each lost nearly a third of its paid staff to layoffs. The Turn of River Fire Department filed a motion at state Superior Court in Stamford on Wednesday to stop termination of its management agreement, arguing the move violates its agreement. The Turn of River department recently won a lawsuit against the city to prevent layoffs imposed after it refused to join the city plan to improve staffing. Turn of River attorney Mark Kovack said the agreement can't be canceled unless consent is mutual. "It's clearly under the language of the contract, they don't have the right to cancel, which makes it unique among the other management agreements. But I wouldn't be surprised if the city takes a different view," he said. Malloy targeted the three volunteer fire departments for savings after the Board of Finance cut $850,000 from the Department of Public Safety, Health & Welfare's budget this fiscal year. In June, he introduced a cost-saving plan that would decrease overtime spending and increase staff at Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River by moving 21 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into the stations. The moves would beef up the number of paid firefighters per shift from one or two to four. The plan also would end the management agreements and unite all paid firefighters under one labor contract. City officials said overtime costs in the three fire districts had spiraled, totaling $700,000 last fiscal year. Malloy and Callion have said fire coverage would improve under the plan because paid firefighters would be distributed more effectively. The plan also would cut eight vacant Stamford Fire & Rescue jobs, saving the city $545,876 in salaries. But when the plan failed after volunteer fire departments did not approve it, the city said it was forced to lay off five firefighters. A Glenbrook firefighter was later rehired to fill a post vacated by retirement. Callion said the salary savings of the four laid-off firefighters has been about $4,400 per week since July. From July to November, overtime spending in the three firehouses has reached $213,000, with Turn of River having the highest costs, at $100,000. For the same period last year, overtime for the three was $196,000, Callion said. Callion said overtime would have been stayed within budgetary limits if the volunteer firehouses had agreed to the city's plan. The city did not have an alternative if three departments failed to agree, and the city rejected at least three alternative proposals offered by the volunteer departments. Callion could not say whether his department was on target to meet its budget. "The Plan B was the original plan. Just one plan. In six weeks, you don't come up with three other plans. In six weeks, we came up with one plan," he said, referring to the weeks after the public safety department's budget was cut. Glenbrook is the only fire department to join the plan, but ongoing labor discussions between the fire union and city continue to postpone a final agreement. Belltown is no longer negotiating with the city; ongoing litigation between Turn of River and the city has prevented further discussions. Springdale and Long Ridge fire departments were not part of the city's savings plan. Springdale is staffed with 16 paid Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters and Long Ridge operates under a different agreement with the city. Stamford Fire Fighters Association President Brendan Keatley said a labor agreement with the city won't be reached by Tuesday, but the union is working on a new agreement with the city that will create one contract for all paid firefighters in those districts and bring back the laid-off firefighters. "If our proposal is agreed upon by the city and enacted, the residents of Stamford would enjoy a higher level of service and safety having crews with four people than two," he said. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

Old news already - Computer was down for a couple of days - http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...98.story?page=2 City works to put new fire plan in place By Natasha Lee Staff Writer November 16, 2007 STAMFORD - Two weeks before a management agreement between the city and three volunteer firehouses expires, it remains unclear how those districts will be covered and what will happen to the city-paid firefighters that staff them. Public Safety Director William Callion told city representatives last night that his department will craft a plan before Dec. 4 when city contracts end with the Belltown, Turn of River and Glenbrook volunteer fire departments. "We have thoughts, but we don't have solid plans," he said. Callion and volunteer chiefs from Belltown, Turn of River and Glenbrook fielded questions and concerns from city lawmakers during a Board of Representatives' Public Safety Committee meeting at the Stamford Government Center. The meeting gave representatives the opportunity to review the city's plan to transfer 21 paid Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into the three understaffed volunteer firehouses. Committee members were not asked to vote on the plan and do not have any decision-making authority on implementing it. Callion said that five months into the fiscal year, his department has already overspent by $100,000. If an agreement is not reached soon, Callion said there will be "dramatic" layoffs, but did not specify how many. The city introduced the plan in June after an $850,000 cut to the Department of Public Safety, Health & Welfare. City officials said they needed to save money and cut down on high overtime spending in three volunteer departments, which spent $700,000 in overtime last fiscal year. Stamford has five volunteer firehouses that operate independently of the city, but rely heavily on city funding and city-paid firefighters. Under pressure to meet its budget, the city laid off five firefighters at Belltown and Glenbrook fire departments in July after the two departments refused the plan. Since then, a Glenbrook firefighter was rehired to fill a retirement. Last month, Glenbrook signed onto the city's staffing plan, but labor discussions between the city and fire union have stalled the agreement. Negotiations between the city and Belltown have ceased. Turn of River took the city to court to avoid layoffs at its department and won. Despite being ordered to mediate with the volunteer fire department, the city filed an appeal and is awaiting judgment. City Rep. Joseph Coppola, R-15, a 47-year veteran of the Belltown volunteer department, said the city should rehire the laid off firefighters and try to work with volunteers to find a solution. "If we can't find the money to put four firefighters back, then what the hell good are we? There's got to be a better way. The public deserves better," Coppola said. "But to lay the blame solely on volunteer chiefs and volunteers is not fair and it's not right." According to the fire union, the termination of the management agreement at Belltown and Glenbrook fire departments could mean the loss of its paid firefighters. Once the agreement is terminated, paid firefighters that staff the two volunteer fire departments could become employed with Stamford Fire & Rescue or be laid off. Turn of River Fire Department operates under a different management agreement with the city. Stamford Fire Fighters Association President Brendan Keatley said the city has not been clear on what the loss of the management agreement means and said that's unsettling. "I have four people laid off and six more vulnerable in Belltown. The city hasn't said what will happen," he said. Two calls to city Human Resources Director Dennis Murphy, who handles contract negotiations, were not returned. City Rep. Scott Mirkin, R-13, said the city's approach to improving fire protection is perceived as a takeover of the volunteer system. Input from volunteers should be included in the plan, he said. "It's the perception that the city has a desire, one way or another, of doing away with the volunteer departments altogether," Mirkin said. Under the city's plan, the additional staffing in the volunteer houses would boost manpower from one or two per shift, to three or four paid firefighters on duty 24 hours a day. The plan would also cut eight vacant Stamford Fire & Rescue jobs, saving the city $545,876 in salaries. Callion said his department reached out to the volunteer chiefs unsuccessfully. "This plan was not the original plan. We had a very short window to execute and to meet the fiscal date 2007-2008," he said. But volunteer chiefs maintained their stance that the city excluded them and rejected alternative proposals. Still, some volunteer chiefs, like Belltown Chief John Didelot, say their departments need help but want the city to work with them. "Do we want to have a full compliment of firefighters? Yes. It's the method and means by which we get there," Didelot told representatives last night. The standing-room only meeting attracted more than 40 paid and volunteer firefighters representing all five volunteer districts and Stamford Fire & Rescue. City Rep. Rich Lyons II, D-1, chairman of the board's Public Safety Committee, said volunteer chiefs and city officials should consider the city's economic outlook. "The city is not in a good financial picture and '08-'09 may be worse," he said. City representatives asked the city and volunteer chiefs to provide them with copies of their proposals, records of meetings and discussions, and certification, training and response times. Lyons said the committee would meet again next year to review the material again. City Rep. Mark Larobina, R-18, urged volunteer chiefs to look past issues of control and focus on public safety. "I'm asking you to please get past this and please save lives," he said. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Legislators disagree on effectiveness of fire system By Natasha Lee Staff Writer November 5, 2007 STAMFORD - A shortage of volunteers, lax training, poor organization and layoffs of paid firefighters have not convinced some city representatives that Stamford's complex fire system needs work. Some representatives said the city should back off its plan to move paid firefighters into volunteer fire stations. Others said they want more proof that the volunteer system has to be improved, and still others said more firefighters are needed but they're not sure the city's plan is best. In Stamford, five volunteer firehouses operate independently of the city but do not have enough volunteers to operate without city-paid firefighters. Since May, the city and volunteer chiefs of the Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River fire companies have been fighting for control of the firehouses. Management agreements between the volunteers and the city expire Dec. 4. Mayor Dannel Malloy and Director of Public Safety William Callion have said the patchwork system of paid and volunteer firefighters - worsened by gaps in volunteer response to calls - jeopardizes lives. Volunteer chiefs have not given the city information to refute statistics provided by the paid firefighters union that volunteers do not show up for calls or keep up with training. City Rep. Robert "Gabe" DeLuca, R-14, whose district covers Turn of River and parts of Belltown, said he remains confident in the volunteer system. "I don't like to make noise. A lot of times I just like to sit back," DeLuca said. "Just because I don't come out and voice my opinion to the paper doesn't mean I don't support them. I support them in the background." Residents have not complained to him, DeLuca said, and volunteer chiefs have assured him they are doing a good job. "Until I see there's been a drastic safety issue involving a house burned to the ground or people were killed - I haven't heard any stories like that, and therefore, I feel the system is working," he said. City Rep. Carl Franzetti, R-14, who represents Belltown and parts of Turn of River, said he didn't have enough information to comment on the city's plan. He also would not comment on public safety concerns but said volunteers are valuable. "Over the years, this has been going on back and forth," Franzetti said. "The volunteers do a great job and let me leave it at that." On Nov. 15, seven months after the city announced its plan to move paid firefighters into volunteer firehouses, the Board of Representatives' Public Safety Committee will review it. But it's not being asked to vote on the plan. Like DeLuca, city Rep. Arthur Layton, R-17, whose district covers Springdale and a portion of Glenbrook, said that sometimes it takes a tragedy for people to pay attention. He cited police training in the use of heart defibrillators as an example. Nearly eight years after a police sergeant died of a heart attack while working at headquarters, the city last year bought defibrillators for the department and provided CPR training and recertification for officers, which had ended in 1988. Layton said efforts should be made to recruit more volunteer firefighters but said no safety problem exists. If more paid firefighters are moved into the volunteer firehouses, property taxes would go up, Layton said. City Rep. Rich Lyons, II, D-1, chairman of the board's Public Safety Committee, said that, as with the defibrillators, it would take a tragedy to fix the fire system. "That's going to be the trigger point. A needless tragedy comes and everyone says, 'We told you. We told you, and we didn't react.' That's where we're headed, and that's what we don't want to see," Lyons said. Two months ago, the paid firefighters union filed a complaint against the city and Glenbrook Fire Department after a Glenbrook firefighter injured his eye in a blaze. The firefighter battled an attic fire on Courtland Avenue alone for several minutes until volunteers and paid firefighters arrived. Lyons questioned whether fire coverage was adequate citywide and hoped the meeting this month would provide answers. Representatives have not put the plan on the agenda because of the litigation between the city and volunteer fire departments, he said. "I don't think now is the time for us to micromanage a 50-year battle between volunteer and paid firefighters," Lyons said. Belltown and Glenbrook took the city to court to reinstate five firefighters who were laid off in July, which cut the paid staff by a third. One Glenbrook firefighter was rehired to fill a retirement. Turn of River went to court to prevent layoffs and won; the city is appealing despite a judge's order to seek mediation. "If I lived in some of those districts, I wouldn't be satisfied with what I was getting with fire protection and fire coverage," said Lyons, who lives in the Cove. "I'm in the part of the city I would estimate responds in three and four minutes from the call to an engine on the scene. Other parts of the city, I'm not sure you get that." Under the city's plan, 21 paid Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters would be moved into Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River volunteer firehouses, increasing manpower to three or four paid firefighters per shift, up from one or two. Callion said the plan would cut overtime costs at the three volunteer firehouses, which spent $700,000 on overtime last fiscal year. The plan also would cut eight vacant Stamford Fire & Rescue jobs, saving the city $545,876 in salaries. The plan would provide better coverage because the paid firefighters would be distributed more effectively, Callion has said. The city came up with the plan after $850,000 was cut from the Department of Public Safety, Health & Welfare during budget season. Volunteer chiefs said the city is trying to destroy their system. They agreed, however, that a decline in volunteer membership and lapses in training put the public at risk. After first rejecting the plan, Glenbrook last month signed on. Former Glenbrook Fire President Edward Rondano said the department could not continue to operate with a diminished paid staff and low volunteer membership. Volunteer chiefs submitted alternative plans to the city that they say would save money and increase staffing, but the city rejected all three. Fire union President Brendan Keatley said budget cuts and politics have interfered with public safety. "We don't dispatch other first responders this way. We don't say there's a domestic violence call in North Stamford, we'll just send one cop," Keatley said. "The city likes to play fast and lose with public safety." Keatley has said standards for paid and volunteer responses should be the same. But the National Fire Protection Association sets faster response times for paid firefighters than for volunteers. Some city representatives said standards should vary. Under the union contract and in accordance with association standards, Stamford Fire & Rescue responds to medical and fire calls with a minimum of four people on an engine. Volunteer firehouses don't. City Rep. Joseph Coppola, R-15, a 47-year veteran of the Belltown volunteer department, said it is not necessary for four people to respond to a medical call, but said volunteers turn out in force for a structure fire. "When you have a medical call, that takes two men. It doesn't take five or six or seven volunteers," said Coppola, a member of the Public Safety Committee. "When there is a structure fire, you get seven or eight or 10 people." City Rep. Philip Berns, D-16, who represents Belltown and was a volunteer firefighter in Ithaca, N.Y., agreed that volunteers should be able to gauge their response based on the type of call. "I think it's OK to cherry-pick a response if there's a cardboard box on fire in the Dumpster. It's perfectly appropriate to have one volunteer show up for it," Berns said. The paid firefighters union has reported that, from July 11 to July 31, the Belltown fire district received 61 calls and an average of 1.3 volunteers responded per call. During that time, three of Belltown's seven volunteers had no medical training or expired credentials, the union reported. For the same period, Glenbrook responded to 55 calls and an average of 0.72 volunteers showed up per call, the union reported. Glenbrook and Belltown fire officials did not dispute the statistics, though last month Belltown placed a newspaper advertisement stating that an average of 6.5 volunteers responded per call from Aug. 12 to Oct. 5. It did not provide the number of calls for that period. It said an average of 10 volunteers responded to three fires in that time. Coppola said the number of volunteers isn't enough but said volunteers are necessary. "Am I going to make the volunteers look like heroes? No. The fact is this administration has had disdain for the volunteers from the day it took office. It's not a secret," Coppola said. "So now, because they think that we're weak, they're going to jump on us and stomp." City Rep. Michael Molgano, R-15, who has pleaded to save the volunteers, said the city's plan doesn't make sense. Molgano represents Belltown and parts of Glenbrook. "All I'm hearing is one-sided. It doesn't work. Even articles in the paper say it's going to save hundreds of thousands of dollars. How?" Molgano said. Board of Representatives President David Martin, D-19, said he was "not deeply concerned at the moment about public safety. But I see potential for risk and I see potential for a long-run increase in cost or a diminishment of safety." The city should not change the fire system until a study is complete, Martin said. In September, the city solicited bids for a consulting firm to analyze fire service. "I don't necessarily know what all the facts are because the situation is complex," he said. "Lots of people are making lots of points." Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Paid firefighters to staff Glenbrook volunteer station By Natasha Lee Staff Writer October 10, 2007 STAMFORD - Glenbrook Fire Department has agreed to allow paid firefighters to staff its struggling volunteer station after a six-month feud with the city over staffing and spending at volunteer firehouses. Under a city plan, eight Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters will relocate to the Glenbrook firehouse, doubling the number of paid firefighters serving the understaffed district. Facing budget cuts, the city presented a plan to Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River volunteer departments in May to merge their departments with Stamford Fire & Rescue. Officials said the reorganization would improve fire protection and save taxpayers more than a half-million dollars in salaries and hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime. The Glenbrook Fire Department announced its decision yesterday after volunteer members voted unanimously Monday to approve the merger. Officials said the agreement is pending final approval from the fire union and city's Board of Representatives. Stamford's five volunteer fire departments operate independently and autonomously under the city Charter but are funded by the city. They rely on paid firefighters to run their stations because of poor response by volunteers to emergency calls and a decline in membership. Springdale and Long Ridge volunteer fire departments were not included in the merger because they have different agreements with the city. Belltown Fire Department has not agreed to the merger but has said it is working with the city. Negotiations with Turn of River have stalled because of ongoing litigation. Glenbrook Fire President Edward Rondano said though he questioned the savings predicted in the city's plan, the agreement will increase staffing and training for volunteers. "It's a better agreement than to keep fighting," Rondano said. "If both sides have a mindset to make this work, it can work and it can make the volunteer system better." Under the agreement, the fire department will have four paid firefighters on duty around the clock - up from one paid firefighter working a 24-hour shift plus two paid firefighters during the day. The city laid off a firefighter in July after the fire department initially rejected its proposal. Rondano said the city has not determined whether it will rehire Herman Naring, a five-year veteran. Volunteer firefighters will train with Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters and ride with them to calls, Rondano said. District coverage is expected to improve particularly on the East Side, where response times are weak. "We're getting better training, much more thorough. The type of training we'll receive, you can't compare it to the volunteer system," Rondano said. Volunteer Chief Frank Passero will retain oversight of the volunteers, and paid staff will report to Stamford Fire & Rescue Chief Robert McGrath. Department Fire Marshal Ted Panagiotopoulos will manage the Glenbrook district but will work out of the Stamford Government Center and report to Chief Fire Marshal Barry Callahan. The Glenbrook department will still receive city funding. The volunteer department has 180 days to cancel the agreement, but that is unlikely, Rondano said. City Public Safety Director William Callion did not return two calls for comment yesterday. Now, the Glenbrook firehouse must make room for its additional paid staff by renovating parts of the firehouse to accommodate bunk beds, equipment and offices - which will cost money, instead of savings as the city has touted, Rondano said. "They're going to have to spend money, there's not a lot of available space," he said. A move-in date has not been set. Stamford Fire Fighters Association President Brendan Keatley said the agreement does not mirror the plan discussed in May, and neither the city nor Rondano consulted him about the changes in the agreement. Keatley said contractual issues such as vacation days, staffing of engines and how firefighters will be ranked need to be ironed out with the city. He also wants to know whether the laid-off firefighters will get their jobs back. Keatley said for the merger to work, all three volunteer departments need to sign on, a "piecemeal" approach doesn't support the union's career staff. "I have to serve all the members of the union in a fair and consistent manner. We're only addressing one-third of the problem," he said. "They've addressed the volunteer concerns and gotten volunteers to agree, now they have to sit down and address our concerns and have to get us to agree." He said at least seven major changes were made to the agreement first discussed in May. The initial city plan was to move 21 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into the three volunteer districts, increasing manpower to three or four paid firefighters per shift, up from one or two. The plan would relinquish control of the paid firefighters to a single paid chief. Savings would come from $545,876 in salaries and benefits from the elimination of eight Stamford Fire & Rescue jobs left vacant because of budget cuts. Callion has said the merger would save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime because paid firefighters would rotate among the three volunteer firehouses and five Stamford Fire & Rescue firehouses depending on where they were needed most. Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River together spent $700,000 on overtime last fiscal year. Glenbrook and Belltown initially signed on to the city's merger in June to avoid layoffs Mayor Dannel Malloy threatened to make to save money. The two departments later pulled out when volunteer firefighters and executive board members from their departments voted against it. The city then laid off five paid firefighters between Belltown and Glenbrook. A Glenbrook firefighter was later rehired after a firefighter there retired. In August, Glenbrook and Belltown sued the city over the layoffs and lost. Turn of River took the city to court over a similar issue and won; the city appealed and is awaiting judgment. Since last month, Glenbrook and the city have been hammering out details of staffing, equipment and firefighter responsibilities. Rondano told volunteers Monday he was stepping down after six years as president and 36 years as a volunteer firefighter. Rondano said he had planned to resign before next year's election, but wanted to ensure the department received a fair deal with the city. "I didn't want to leave in the middle of it when the fight was still going on," he said. Dennis Murphy, head of the city's Human Resources Department, said the city will continue to negotiate with the union to reach an agreement. Callion has said the public safety department may face a deficit next fiscal year if Belltown and Turn of River do not merge with Stamford Fire & Rescue, and more layoffs will follow. The city will terminate management agreements with each department as of Dec. 4, which will release paid firefighters from their working arrangements at their respective volunteer departments and assign them to Stamford Fire & Rescue. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

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http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/opini...0,4849039.story Volunteer met requirement for two at fire scene October 2, 2007 To the editor: I write in defense of James Fountain, a career firefighter, who was cited in a union complaint for violating the "two in, two out" safety standard for fighting fires (Advocate news story, Sept. 26). I arrived at the scene of the Sept. 9 fire on Courtland Avenue as the career men from Engine 32 in Glenbrook were disembarking from their vehicle. I put on my gear, radioed dispatch of my arrival, was acknowledged and then reported to the leader-engine driver and pump operator, Rob Panapada, before heading to the house to aid Fountain. He entered the building first, but was aware of my arrival, and I was seconds behind him into the house. With Fountain at the nozzle and me behind him working the hose, we moved through the building together, ultimately to the attic area, to find the source of the fire. While inside, I heard Engine 32 report to dispatch that he had only one man inside. I obviously knew this to be false, but there was little I could do to correct it, as we were occupied fighting the fire. In retrospect, I regret not having the opportunity to do so, as it would have absolved firefighter Fountain from any appearance of violating the standards of operation of his fire house, and there would be no basis for a union complaint. What I don't understand is why a false incident report was filed. There is a procedure for accountability at all fire scenes; it does not matter if the men are under your direct command or not. In the case of the Glenbrook fire, reporting one man in the building when there was known to be two potentially endangered both lives. It would be unfortunate if this is another instance of the union trying to discredit the volunteer professionals. It's time for these divisive tactics to stop and for us to work together. Shawn P. Fahan Stamford The writer is chief of the Springdale Fire Co., a volunteer fire company. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc. I'm sure this is going to clear many things up - Accountability, Command issues, Radio performance, etc. - To quote Navin R. Johnson: "Good things are gonna start happening to me now."

Staffing shortage cited in fire union complaint By Natasha Lee Staff Writer September 26, 2007 STAMFORD - The fire union has filed a complaint against the city and the volunteer Glenbrook Fire Department after a paid firefighter had to battle an attic fire alone for several minutes until backup arrived. A federal safety standard called "two in, two out" requires two equally trained and equipped firefighters at a scene for every two who enter a burning building or other hazardous situation. But the union said the department did not do that Sept. 9, when paid Glenbrook firefighter James Fountain arrived at 171 Courtland Ave. and stretched a hose into the house to the attic while a second paid firefighter, not identified in the report, manned equipment outside. The complaint was filed Sept. 14 with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, in Wethersfield. According to the union, at least four minutes passed before enough properly equipped firefighters arrived. An incident report obtained by The Advocate shows Stamford Fire & Rescue, Belltown Fire Department and Springdale Fire Co. also responded. Smoke damaged the attic roof and second-floor wall of the three-story house. A Glenbrook fire marshal was investigating. Glenbrook Fire Department President Edward Rondano said he doesn't excuse Fountain's actions but said a recent layoff of paid firefighters and limited response from volunteers has forced firefighters to make difficult judgment calls in emergencies. Both Glenbrook paid firefighters are veterans and will not face disciplinary action, Rondano said. Since May, the union, the city and volunteers have battled over how to increase staffing and cut overtime spending at the Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River volunteer firehouses. "They're aware of the standard. But, again, having people laid off and short-handed, you're telling a firefighter to do his job or wait a few more minutes for a backup crew to be there," Rondano said. "That's what should have been done, but that's what's not been done. What he did was risk himself and he could have gotten hurt. But he did what most people would have done." The Glenbrook firehouse is down to seven career firefighters after a layoff and a retirement in the past two months. Firefighters were laid off at Glenbrook and Belltown after both firehouses rejected a city proposal to consolidate with Stamford Fire & Rescue under one labor contract. Turn of River Fire Department also rejected the offer but prevented layoffs after it won a lawsuit against the city. Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association President Brendan Keatley said Rondano was making excuses instead of providing public safety. "This is not a career issue or a volunteer issue. It's a staffing issue," Keatley said. "It's (Rondano's) job as president of the company to ensure an adequate number of people respond to calls. If they had certified volunteers there and could guarantee a level of four people on every call, this wouldn't be an issue. Ignorance is no excuse of the law." Because Stamford pays the salaries and benefits of paid firefighters, the city was included in the complaint. City Risk Manager Ann Marie Mones said she had not received the complaint. OSHA program manager Thomas Hozebin confirmed his department was investigating the complaint but declined to comment. Hozebin said the investigation could take a week to six months. Rondano said an OSHA investigator met with Fire Chief Frank Passero this week to review the department's "two in, two out" policy. The complaint was the second the union has filed in less than two weeks. Last week, the union filed a grievance with the state Labor Board accusing Turn of River Fire Department of hiring volunteer and less-senior paid firefighters over tenured paid firefighters for extra-duty assignments at St. Leo Church fair in August. Rondano said he wasn't surprised by the union's action. "The whole thing is sort of a union play. They're stressing the point if we had the four (paid) people in place, this wouldn't happen," he said. But Glenbrook is a volunteer firehouse supplemented by paid firefighters. Rondano and other volunteer fire officials have said they don't have enough volunteer firefighters to handle the calls but have not provided information about how many volunteers respond. Belltown Fire Department President Stephen Gladstone said union tactics are hindering volunteer response. Gladstone said Keatley instructed career firefighters who moonlight as Belltown volunteer firefighters to not respond to calls or participate in volunteer activities such as open houses and bingo. Gladstone said the union has sent letters to paid firefighters' employers saying those who volunteer could lose their jobs for doing so. Belltown has lost more than 10 volunteer firefighters, including five to six paid firefighters who volunteer there during off-duty hours, Gladstone said. "Now our numbers will look worse. We're covering for manpower we used to have," he said. The department has enlisted the help of its more inactive volunteers, Gladstone said. Keatley said the union's contract and federal law prohibit Stamford paid firefighters from volunteering at firehouses. Keatley said he has spoken with union members about it but did not send threatening letters. "It's a violation of our international union constitutional bylaws to serve as a volunteer firefighter in any capacity, anywhere," he said. "It's just one excuse after another for these people. Blame the union for not managing your department." Rondano said Glenbrook fire officials met with Public Safety Director William Callion and Stamford Fire & Rescue Fire Chief Robert McGrath this week to talk about reaching an agreement to improve fire protection before the end of the year. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

Stamford can't quite shake image of past Don Russell September 19, 2007 When I was a youngster but old enough to understand what was being discussed, I used to sit in the first landing of the stairway at my grandparents' house and listen to the discussions concerning the Stamford political scene - that was many years ago - and that level of interest continues. One of the expressions that came from that room is fixed in my mind, and it returns whenever I hear about what I perceive to be any shortcomings in the governance of Stamford. The expression is: "This is still a one-horse town." It was stated more often than not by family members who, to this day, I refer to as "the political roundtable." I was keenly interested in conversations concerning how a tax collector of years gone by fled the town with taxpayer money. He used the town's cash for his own personal pleasure. But I cannot recall the conclusion of that situation. Naturally, at the time it was the talk of the town. Surely, when the tax collector of any town can run away with taxpayer money it deserved the observation about a "one-horse town" - meaning that, despite the growth of Stamford, some politicians were acting as though it still had a post with the latest news tacked on it and a horse trough, instead of a new town hall, and a paucity of parking spaces for what were called motorcars. What brings "one-horse town" to mind are some of the deliberations in the city government, which in some ways acts that way. The progress that Stamford has made as a desirable place to both live and work is the envy of many cities in Connecticut. Corporate entities have chosen Stamford as the place for their world headquarters. New, high-end residential buildings are in the planning stages and under construction. At the same time, the long-neglected South End is being redeveloped. Housing for low, medium and high income is planned, along with retail space. The core downtown is as active as many cities much larger than Stamford. At the same time, the building of new homes is continuing in the desirable sections of the city, namely the areas north of the Merritt Parkway and close to the shoreline. These are hardly indications of a one-horse town. Unfortunately, there are some current examples that, in my opinion, fall into that category. The continuing saga of the volunteer firefighters situation is an example. The fact that the ever-growing status that Stamford is enjoying still depends on volunteer firefighters, and that their headquarters haven't been folded in to the central fire district, is difficult to understand. Certainly, the volunteerism is deeply appreciated, and some volunteers have performed heroic acts. And as first-responders in emergency situations, their record is excellent. But it is time that a more comprehensive fire protection plan is mandated. Some people remember when Stamford did fit the term "one-horse town," and there were more police officers on the street than the recent cut to approximately eight officers at any given time on any shift. Then there is the difficult-to-understand cutback in the detective bureau. How do you match a busy, growing city with the fact that suicides, some shootings and other crimes that need the investigative expertise of the detective bureau need to be put on hold because it is unmanned? Instead of getting out of the one-horse-town category, it is apparent that in some areas of government, there is reason to think not. No one should doubt that Stamford is growing in a well-planned manner. There are exceptions. While it is apparent that the city falls in the category of a burgeoning entity - and that is a compliment to the leadership in city hall - there is an apparent mind-set that certain elements of government are not matching the city's growth. That notion might put a demand on the proponents of charter revision. Don Russell is a columnist for The Advocate. His e-mail address is HvyWrtr@aol.com. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc. FYI - Don Russell is the "Big Gun" of the Advocate Editorial Staff.

All firefighters - career and volunteer should be familiar with self-rescuea and survival techniques. They should also be aware of the needs of the FAST team if you are not providing one yourselves.

Stamford Advocate Editorial http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/opini...0,2148184.story Reliable fire service must be ensured September 12, 2007 Efforts to modernize fire service in Stamford predate the Malloy administration and reflect a modern reality: Fewer volunteers have the time or opportunity to respond to calls for help that come in through neighborhood departments. Stamford has outgrown the model. That does not denigrate the service of volunteers who answer these calls, many of whom are conscientious and well-trained. But there just are not enough of them anymore. Stamford residents need to know that the response to a fire or medical emergency will be prompt and sufficient. But the men and women who respond to these calls also need assurance of sufficient help at the scene for the sake of their own safety. Stamford formally studied fire service in 1995 under the mayoralty of Republican Stanley Esposito, who himself expressed concerns that dwindling number of volunteers were responding to calls in the outlying fire districts. The numbers appear to have declined since then, to the point that no one disputes the difficulties some of these volunteer companies would have fulfilling their mission by themselves. Professional, paid municipal firefighters have been assigned to the volunteer companies under agreements with the city. But the volunteer departments retain their formal autonomy, with guarantees of city funding, under the City Charter. Mayor Dannel Malloy has proposed consolidating four of so-called Big Five volunteer departments with the Stamford Fire & Rescue Department, the paid agency that covers the rest of the city, to boost safety. The fifth company, at Long Ridge, has a separate agreement with Stamford. Surprisingly, the mayor claims the move would end up saving money - nearly $500,000 - because so much is spent on overtime for separate staff that is paid by the volunteer companies. The Springdale company agreed, and now is staffed by 16 firefighters. Agreements have yet to be reached with the remaining three - the Turn of River, Glenbrook and Belltown volunteer districts. To up the ante, some of the professional firefighters assigned to the volunteer companies have been laid off to satisfy a $545,000 cut to this year's fire budget. The mayor claims his choices were limited under the circumstances. Some members of the dissenting volunteer companies at Turn of River, Glenbrook and Belltown have likened the move to financial blackmail. Each of the three companies has taken the city to court, and the cases are making their way through the legal system. Leadership is the real issue here. The volunteer chiefs don't deny the need for paid firefighters - indeed, they are going to court in part to get them back. It's about who will supervise them and orchestrate response to local emergencies and at the scene. Under the proposed consolidation, the volunteer chiefs want to retain authority within their neighborhoods granted them through the charter. City officials say professional firefighters must report to professional fire staff. Some have talked in general terms about sharing responsibility, but it's not clear how or whether that would work. Emergency response needs to be well thought out, and the chain of command clearly defined. Meanwhile, paid and volunteer staffs are pointing fingers and charging each other with operating as if they were private clubs. Both sides have been guilty of that to some degree. Although no initial increase in paid fire staff is anticipated under the consolidation, the city would have to keep an eye on its size, and closely manage associated labor costs going forward in particular, if it is successful. The results could be very costly for the city. Command is not inconsequential to the homeowner who has a kitchen fire or calls for assistance when a spouse is injured in a fall. But it is much more important that the caller knows that trained help will respond, and in sufficient numbers to handle the emergency. If a volunteer company can't guarantee that, then the city has to assure it. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

Fake firefighter showed up at disasters Sat Sep 8, 3:59 PM ET HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - James Campbell seemed to relish being a firefighter, showing up in uniform at the World Trade Center, train wrecks, the aftermaths of hurricanes including Katrina and wildfires. He even posed for his driver's license photo in a Los Angeles County firefighter's uniform. The problem is, authorities say, he was never a firefighter. Police arrested Campbell on Friday on suspicion of impersonating a firefighter, possession of stolen property and being a felon in possession of firearms. Inside his apartment, officers said, they found a pile of official gear: dress uniform, flight suit, yellow firefighting suit, department patches, fire helmet, wallet badge and an L.A. County Fire Department radio. On Campbell's walls were hundreds of framed photos of him at disaster sites in uniform, authorities said. "This is a guy who really wanted to be a firefighter. He wanted to act as a hero," Orange County Deputy District Attorney Andre Manssourian said. Campbell even created a DVD of some of his firefighting excursions, which may have been used to promote his business, Frontline Safety Products, which sold safety equipment and taught first aid courses, mostly to construction companies and government agencies, Manssourian said. Despite his efforts, Campbell had no chance of being a real firefighter. While working as a paramedic in Arizona, he was convicted of credit card fraud in 1987. His paramedic's license was revoked and the felony would have prevented him from joining the Los Angeles County Fire Department, authorities said. "The public puts a lot of trust in firefighters," said Fire Department spokesman Sam Padilla. "People don't think twice about an unknown man with big baggy clothes or a uniform. It's a shame that someone is pretending to be a firefighter to take that trust and bend it, distort it."

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Despite offers, 8 must wait to become firefighters: Officials hope to get funds by end of year By Natasha Lee Staff Writer September 7, 2007 STAMFORD - A former fire commissioner's son and the son of a city representative were among eight new firefighters hired yesterday for positions to be filled when funding is available. The firefighters will join Stamford Fire & Rescue once the department is able to save $539,000 to pay for salaries and benefits. City officials hope to officially hire them by Dec. 31. The chosen included four recently laid-off firefighters who were given priority selection and four candidates taken from the city's hiring list. The Fire Commission called a special meeting yesterday to pick the new firefighters. The selection comes days before Wednesday's city deadline for choosing top-scoring candidates from the hiring list. After the deadline, selection could occur from the ranks of lower-scoring candidates. The list expires in September 2008. City officials say having the firefighters on standby before the list expires will reduce the time it takes the city and commission to develop a new hiring list. The hiring also follows citywide budget cuts and layoffs of 16 full-time city employees, including the four firefighters formerly employed at Belltown and Glenbrook volunteer fire departments. The four firefighters were laid off in an effort to reduce overtime costs at the two departments after both withdrew from a city plan to increase staffing and fire protection in those districts. The veteran firefighters were placed on a city mandatory re-employment list that allows them to be rehired as openings become available. The four are former Belltown paid firefighters Fabio Basile and Paul Melchinonno, both of Stamford, Michael Orawsky of Darien and former Glenbrook paid firefighter Herman Naring of Norwalk. The other four candidates - including Christopher Brennan, son of former Commissioner E. Gaynor Brennan Jr., and Paul Esposito, son of city Rep. Paul Esposito, D-4 - were selected from the hiring list. Commissioner Brennan stepped down in February after 20 years. The list includes 120 candidates grouped into three ranks based on their written test scores, though commissioners have said interviews are the most important hiring factor. None of the new hires selected from the list were ranked in the top tier. According to the list, Esposito and new hire Dominick Errico, both of Stamford, were in the second rank, the group that had average scores. New hire James Doherty of Fairfield, and Brennan, who lives in Norwalk, were in the third rank, the group that had the lowest scores of eligible candidates. The four fire commissioners, Chairman Richard Lyons, Donald Rozier, Leandro Rizzuto Jr. and Marilyn Dussault - the last of whom participated via speaker phone from Florida - voted in favor of hiring the selected personnel. "I remember all of those young men . . . and I'm very impressed," Dussault said just before the vote. "I have no problem with those recommendations. I think they're excellent." Fire Chief Robert McGrath told commissioners yesterday he recused himself from the selection process because of a conflict of interest stemming from 2005, when his son, Michael, took the firefighter exam. Michael McGrath was named an alternate hire and later declined a job offer. The fire chief told commissioners that though there was no current conflict of interest, he had not been present for any interviews and had turned over the duty of recommending candidates to Assistant Fire Chief John McCabe. McCabe told the commission the recommendations were based on the list which is compiled based on the written test score, interviews and physical testing. Yesterday's meeting lasted less than 10 minutes. This marks the third time Brennan has been offered work with Stamford Fire & Rescue. In 2005, he had two offers rescinded in a month. In 2005, the commission was accused of nepotism and unfair hiring practices after applicants with lower scores were offered jobs rather than those with higher scores. The commission changed its hiring policies and for the first time added a score to the procedures. According to an analysis of the scoring done by The Advocate this year, only five other applicants scored lower than Brennan on the written test; they averaged 55 out of a possible score of 93 and 4 out of 10 in the interview. In the same analysis, Errico was within the top five applicants in the second rank, with an average score of 73 on the written test, and a 5.8 on the interview. There were 18 applicants who ranked higher than Esposito but weren't offered jobs. In the analysis, Esposito scored a 4.3 on the interview and a 71 on the written test. Doherty ranks 17th within the third, or lowest rank, with a 58 on the written score and a 4.7 on the interview. Human resources generalist Felicia Wirzbicki, who oversees the hiring of city firefighters, said she plans to send job offer letters by today, but added there was no rush because there is no funding to pay the new employees. Stamford Fire & Rescue has to reduce its salary spending by more than $500,000 to fund the positions. The department was budgeted to hire four new firefighters this year, but officials can't spend the money because of budget cuts. The additional four positions resulted from retirements and a promotion this year. The job offer letters will not include a date of employment but will provide a pre-employment offer and a number that shows the order in which the recipient will be hired, with veteran firefighters given priority. Starting salary for city firefighters is about $41,700 and increases to about $64,000 in five years, Wirzbicki said. Once hired, the firefighters will complete a 16-week course at the state fire academy in Windsor Locks. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Panel set to list 8 firefighters for future posts By Natasha Lee Staff Writer September 6, 2007 STAMFORD - The city's Fire Commission called a special meeting for today to hire eight new firefighters although there is no funding for the positions. Stamford Fire & Rescue Department must save more than $500,000 through attrition before it can pay the new firefighters' salaries and benefits, city officials said. The newly hired personnel will be on standby until the money becomes available. Mayor Dannel Malloy said the posts could be filled by the year's end. "The commission wants to have candidates lined up. This is a queuing up of potential hiring; no one is being brought on," Malloy said. Stamford Fire & Rescue now has 243 firefighters. The "potential hiring" comes on the heels of citywide budget cuts and layoffs of 16 full-time city employees. The Board of Finance cut $300,000 from Stamford Fire & Rescue's budget this fiscal year. The department was budgeted for four new hires this year but can't spend the money because of budget cuts. It must reduce salary spending by $539,000 before it can officially hire anyone. The Fire Commission and Police Commission are the only city commissions that have hiring authority. The Fire Commission is facing pressure to hire the firefighters before Wednesday, when hiring procedures prevent selection from high-ranking candidates on the eligibility list. After that, selection would be taken from a tier of lower-scoring candidates, according to human resources generalist Felicia Wirzbicki, who oversees hiring of city firefighters. In 2005, the Fire Commission was scrutinized for controversial hiring practices. The eligibility list raised questions after a commissioner's son, the mayor's nephew and downtown fire chief's son were among candidates in line for jobs. The panel revamped hiring policies and added a hiring score to the procedures. The list expires in September 2008, when the commission and the city must start the process of advertising the openings. Keeping firefighters on standby will reduce the time it takes the city and commission to hire new firefighters, city Director of Administration Sandra Dennies said. "If we waited until the list goes away, we'd have to start the process from the beginning, which means advertising, having people apply, interviewing and making a final selection," she said. "I'd rather have people waiting on the sides." Four career firefighters from Belltown and Glenbrook volunteer departments, who were laid off in July, will be given priority selection, Wirzbicki said. The veteran firefighters were placed on a city mandatory re-employment list that gives back their jobs when an opening occurs. Initially, five firefighters were laid off between the two departments after the departments backed out of a city plan to move downtown firefighters into their firehouses. A Glenbrook paid firefighter, David Francis, was recently rehired after a veteran firefighter retired. The remaining four vacancies will be filled from the eligibility list, Wirzbicki said. The move to fill these positions comes almost a year after the city's Personnel Commission approved hiring four firefighters at Stamford Fire & Rescue to help reduce overtime costs. The positions, along with four others approved at Turn of River volunteer fire department, were created in October 2006 but were never filled or funded. The vacancies, along with the loss of four firefighters this year to retirements and a promotion, brought the department's openings to eight, Wirzbicki said. Starting salary for city firefighters is just over $41,700 and increases to about $64,000 over five years, according to the city's Human Resources Department. If hired, candidates would complete a 16-week course at the state fire academy in Windsor Locks sometime in the spring, Fire Chief Robert McGrath said. New hires are on probation for one year, he said. - Staff Writer Donna Porstner contributed to this story. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...0,7125348.story Judge rejects plea from volunteers By Natasha Lee Staff Writer August 23, 2007 STAMFORD - A judge has denied attempts by Belltown and Glenbrook volunteer fire departments to reinstate the jobs of five career firefighters laid off last month after the departments backed out of a city consolidation plan to cut overtime costs and beef up fire protection. The volunteers sought an injunction to dismiss the layoffs, saying the plan to shift 32 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into their departments violated the city Charter and a 1998 management agreement between them and the city. The five volunteer departments are funded by the city, but operate independently. State Superior Court Judge Edward Karazin ruled that the management agreements do not prohibit layoffs and the departments would not suffer from the loss of employees. The management agreements do not set staffing requirements that obligate the city to keep the number of paid firefighters at a minimum, Karazin said. The city plans to end the management agreements Dec. 4. Attorney Joseph McQuade of Kainen, Escalera & McHale, a Hartford law firm, said the departments are considering an appeal but would not comment further. Karazin said neither the city nor the volunteer departments are obligated to negotiate a new agreement. The city proposed the consolidation, which included volunteer Turn of River Fire Department, after substantial budget cuts. The Office of Public Safety, Health and Welfare's budget was cut $2.4 million this fiscal year. City officials said the consolidation would save the city $560,000 and departments that didn't merge faced layoffs. Belltown and Glenbrook signed on by the city's July 1 deadline, but pulled out when volunteer firefighters and executive board members from their departments voted against it. Under the city's plan, paid firefighters at Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River would work for Stamford Fire & Rescue under the same labor contract as the downtown firefighters. City officials said reassigning paid Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into the three volunteer firehouses would bolster the understaffed departments and cut high overtime costs. Last fiscal year, all three departments spent $700,000 on overtime. Volunteer chiefs said the plan would take away their autonomy. The city laid off three of Belltown's nine firefighters and Glenbrook lost two of its nine firefighters. Glenbrook paid-firefighter David Francis was rehired after a veteran firefighter retired. Belltown Chief John Didelot said yesterday he's disappointed at the judge's decision. "We're hoping to sit down with the mayor and come up with a reasonable solution," Didelot said. Belltown and Glenbrook departments hope to present a plan to Mayor Dannel Malloy, he said, but refused to elaborate. Volunteer departments have complained of dwindling membership for years. With the paid staff now decreasing, the safety of firefighters and residents is at risk, volunteer chiefs said. Ten Belltown volunteers have been covering the three open shifts, Didelot said. In his decision, Karazin said the departments have used volunteers to increase coverage "with substantial success." But Didelot said volunteers cannot continue to cover the open shifts. "So far we've been able to work around it, but it's not a permanent solution," Didelot said. Local 786 President Brendan Keatley said the union is setting aside $2,600 each week to assist the jobless firefighters and their families. "I'd love to have my guys come back to work. I definitely think it's a loss to the volunteer companies," Keatley said. "It really doesn't have a positive impact on anybody." Keatley said the union presented a proposal to the volunteer chiefs and the city that included oversight for training among paid and volunteer firefighters. Paid firefighters have long accused volunteers of not being up to date on training. "We were trying to make it more like a system so we have an idea of who these people are and what their level of training is," Keatley said. "We never came to the volunteers and said we want to dissolve you. We had a plan to make them a more viable department." A call to Glenbrook Fire Department president Edward Rondano was not returned yesterday. Turn of River Fire Department refused to participate in the merger and succeeded in blocking the layoffs of five firefighters. Earlier this month, a judge ordered the city and Turn of River to mediation. Unlike Glenbrook and Belltown, Turn of River has a management agreement with the city that stipulates a minimum staffing requirement for each of its two firehouses, which limits the city's ability to cut jobs. Turn of River attorney Mark Kovack said mediation was stalled after the city filed an appeal against the decision last week. Kovack said he is reviewing the appeal and determining whether to file a motion to dismiss it. Turn of River is still willing to mediate, he said. "Our objective is to sit down and have a frank discussion of all the issues, whatever it takes to resolve the issue," Kovack said. Malloy said he is willing to discuss concerns with the volunteer chiefs, but the city's original proposal stands. "I stand by a plan that substantially improves fire coverage in the district where we proposed it. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't," Malloy said. "I can't make them reach an agreement, so it's up to them." Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.