Geppetto

While you're on this subject - The Westchester County Fire Chief's Emergency Plan - which became the Westchester County Fire Chief's Association, was one of the first of its kind in the country. It began as a mutual aid system in the Larchmont-Mamaroneck area and grew countywide. Since we've been doing it longer than most, you would think that we would have most of the problems solved by now! LOL

Connecticut Department Implements New Wellness Program LAUREN GARRISON Courtesy of The Norwalk Citizen-News NORWALK, Conn.-- The Fire Department, which has seen its fair share of job-related injuries, is in the midst of implementing a new wellness program for its firefighters. In a recent interview, Fire Chief Denis McCarthy said he expects the program to reduce the number of injuries and to lessen the severity of injuries and, consequently, the amount of time firefighters spend away from the job recovering. McCarthy noted that Westport, Wilton, Stratford and Bridgeport have all implemented similar programs with positive results. Researchers from Southern Connecticut State University evaluated Westport's program and found "the investment paid dividends back to the city in a safer work environment and reduction of loss of time," he said. Norwalk's firefighter wellness program is being funded by a $178,640 grant, of which 80 percent was supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and 20 percent by the city. The funds have been allocated among four components of the program. First, $23,630 was dedicated to immunizing firefighters against hepatitis B and tuberculosis. Next, physical examinations were provided for all firefighters, for a total cost of $43,090, and $73,000 was used to purchase new exercise equipment a "universal gym," a station with different weight training activities, and an elliptical machine for each of the five fire stations. Orders have been placed for this equipment. Finally, an exercise physiologist is to be hired for $38,920 to evaluate and work with each member of the department to develop a tailored fitness training program. Firefighters will be re-evaluated twice a year, at which time their training regimens will be adjusted to reflect their progress. A request for proposals from companies interested in conducting the training program was scheduled to go out this week. "Certainly firefighters have to have a very high level of fitness in order to do this type of work," said McCarthy. He spoke of a "culture of fitness in the Fire Department that has been here for quite some time" and noted that firefighters "contributed and purchased exercise equipment and the facilities are used on a regular basis." However, he said, not all firefighters are in peak physical condition. "There are some that spend quite a bit of effort maintaining good physical health. I think that for the middle group that works out occasionally, this [fitness program] will help support them. And it may motivate some firefighters who don't regularly participate in fitness to start," he said. "Our perspective is focusing on firefighters' safety," said McCarthy. However, he acknowledged, budgetary issues also play a role. "We can spend less money on other programs when as a department we're paying high workers' compensation claims," he said. "This [program] will take some of that pressure off our department so we can apply those funds in other areas that more directly provide service to the community." In an e-mail, Finance Director Thomas Hamilton described workers' compensation as including "payment for medical expenses for work-related injuries, compensation for periods of time that employees are unable to work due to temporary total disability (and sometimes permanent, total disability), and payments to compensate employees for permanent partial disabilities." According to Hamilton, the Fire Department's budget for 2007-08 includes $644,259 for workers' compensation. The prior fiscal year's budget dedicated $472,606 to workers' compensation, while the 2005-06 budget included $781,224. Hamilton explained that a department's claims experience determines its workers' compensation budget each year. "We use five years of claims experience to smooth out the ups and downs associated with a department having one good or one bad year," he said. "In the case of the Fire Department, they had improving claim experience (i.e., claim costs were going down), until fairly recently, when one large claim occurred which has had an impact on the department's overall claims experience that caused their allocation to increase in FY 2007-08." Hamilton noted, "Overall, considering the inherent dangers involved in fire fighting work, the NFD has a good track record with respect to workers' comp claims." McCarthy said the most common injuries among firefighters involve "strains and sprains, back injuries, shoulders and knees." He estimated that the department sees "a dozen or so serious injuries" a year and noted that "a number of employees have had to have back surgery." "There is a considerable impact on their lives when they get hurt at work," he said. "Our obligation is to provide them with all the tools and training, and fitness training is as important as any other training that we can provide." Beyond the injuries, firefighters also face a high risk of heart disease. "Nationwide, the highest firefighter fatalities come from heart attacks," said McCarthy. The phenomenon has struck locally as well: This past year, a Norwalk lieutenant in his late 30s was forced to retire after having a heart attack. "Fortunately he survived, but he was not medically cleared to return to work," McCarthy said, noting that the department's new program will include aerobic exercise as well as strength training to target firefighters' cardiovascular fitness. McCarthy attributed the high incidence of heart attacks among firefighters to several factors. "When firefighters respond to calls, the body is infused with adrenaline, and if it doesn't turn out to be an emergency where you can work off that adrenaline, there is a negative effect on the body. You have to absorb all that adrenaline. [There are also] high rates of dehydration during emergencies." The department has made attempts to combat these problems, such as providing fluids for firefighters at emergency scenes, but "we're not always completely successful at doing that," McCarthy said. The bottom line is that "the fitter you are, the better your body is able to react to those spikes in adrenaline and spikes in stress," he said. A recent study, "Emergency Duties and Deaths from Heart Disease Among Firefighters in the United States" by Stefanos N. Kales, M.D., M.P.H., Elpidoforos S. Soteriades, M.D., Sc.D., Costas A. Christophi, Ph.D., and David C. Christiani, M.D., M.P.H., which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on March 22, found that 39 percent of the 1,144 firefighter deaths reported to the U.S. Fire Administration between Jan. 1, 1994, and Dec. 31, 2004, were due to coronary heart disease. Of these deaths, 32 percent occurred during fire suppression, an activity that represents only 1 to 5 percent of firefighters' professional time, while 31 percent occurred during alarm response or return and the remaining 37 percent occurred during other duties. The study estimated that fire suppression "was associated with a risk of death from coronary heart disease that was approximately 10 to 100 times as high as the risk associated with nonemergency duties." The report concluded, "We think that the most likely explanation for these findings is the increased cardiovascular demand of fire suppression." Republished with permission of The Norwalk Citizen-News. Finally, somebody is spending some money on the most important part of firefighting - the firefighters!

This absolutely sucks - Jody deserved it!

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Attorney in fire dispute gets a pass By Natasha Lee Staff Writer August 4, 2007 STAMFORD - An attorney for Belltown and Glenbrook volunteer fire departments will not have to testify in a hearing involving layoffs at the two fire departments. Judge Edward Karazin withdrew a subpoena for attorney Pat McHale yesterday, McHale said. The volunteer departments filed an injunction against the city last month, after five firefighters were laid off when the departments pulled out of a city plan to merge them with Stamford Fire & Rescue. The city had called on McHale to speak about labor negotiations and his involvement in drafting management agreements between the departments and Stamford. The city plans to terminate those agreements with the two departments and the Turn of River volunteer fire department Dec. 4. The management agreements, originally drafted in 1995, determine staffing and duties of the city and volunteer fire departments. On Thursday, attorneys for McHale's firm, Kainen, Escalera & McHale, argued during the hearing that McHale's testimony would infringe on client-attorney privilege. With no additional testimonies, the hearing concluded Thursday. Attorneys for the fire departments and the city must submit briefs by Tuesday for Karazin to make a decision. The fire departments are trying to retain autonomy at their firehouses, which operate independently of the city but receive city funding. The merger was supposed to cut down on high overtime costs at the three understaffed volunteer departments and increase fire coverage by shifting 32 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into the stations. Last fiscal year, Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River fire departments spent $700,000 in overtime. Volunteer departments that did not participate in the merger suffered layoffs. The city said layoffs were the only way to save the $560,000 needed in the aftermath of budget cuts. Turn of River Fire Department, which did not enter the merger, sought an injunction to block layoffs at its department and succeeded. After a hearing two weeks ago, Karazin ruled Monday that the injunction stands until the city and Turn of River undergo mediation. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

I'm sure laying off personnel in the SFRD is going to leave a long-lasting, endearing, and nurturing impression of the volunteer companies to SFRD personnel. As reported, NO ONE was to be laid-off when Belltown and Glenbrook were to sign. (Disregarding TOR) It seems an awful amount of resources are being used up for what? So a volunteer officer has control of paid staff? What patch a guy wears? As observers, remember there are unfortunately real guys out of work. Maybe Malloy should have laid off Dispatchers or PD personnel. Perhaps then some of these realisms would strike home. Some of us are old enough to remember when FDNY, New Rochelle and yes, even Stamford had previous lay-offs. It ain't pretty. And I'm sorry but, reinstated personnel just don't react the same way after being out of work. Regardless of where the lay-offs are, those unfortunates will never have the same view of the system, and those parties that let them down. Paid or volunteer! It's like the old bumper sticker - Pray for peace, prepare for war!

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines More volunteer chiefs testify on behalf of firefighter jobs By Natasha Lee Staff Writer August 3, 2007 STAMFORD - Belltown and Glenbrook volunteer fire officials argued in court yesterday to save the jobs of five paid firefighters laid off last month after the departments reneged on a city plan to increase fire protection. Just two weeks earlier in the same courtroom, before the same judge, volunteer chiefs from Turn of River Fire Department challenged similar layoff attempts. Judge Edward Karazin ruled Monday that the city must hold off on layoffs at Turn of River until the parties seek mediation. The three volunteer departments have taken a unified stance against the city's plan to merge them with Stamford Fire & Rescue. The city threatened layoffs in the face of serious budget cuts if those three volunteer departments didn't merge. All three departments said the consolidation violates the city Charter and 1995 management agreements between the departments and the city. The city plans to terminate the management agreements, which determine paid staffing and operational duties at the volunteer departments, on Dec. 4. Belltown Fire Chief John Didelot said yesterday leadership at his department would be compromised under the city plan. The city plan called for shifting 32 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into the three departments to improve fire coverage and cut overtime costs generated by the understaffed volunteer departments. Paid firefighters at Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River departments would work for Stamford Fire & Rescue and would be represented under the same union contract as firefighters downtown. The volunteer chiefs would retain oversight of volunteers and continue to receive city funding for gasoline and other operating expenses. The paid firefighters would report to downtown Fire Chief Robert McGrath. Didelot said having two chains of command inside one fire department could lead to standoffs from paid firefighters refusing to take direction from high-ranking volunteer firefighters. "You can only have one boss," Didelot said. Yesterday's testimony from Belltown and Glenbrook volunteer fire officials that the loss of firefighters has hampered staffing and endangered public safety mirrored previous arguments from their Turn of River counterparts. Didelot and Glenbrook Fire Department President Edward Rondano said volunteer firefighters have been filling in the open shifts since July 11, but volunteers can't carry the burden long term. Belltown lost three of its nine firefighters and Glenbrook lost two of its nine firefighters, when the departments pulled out of the deal. Glenbrook paid firefighter David Francis, who was laid off last month, will resume his job today, Rondano said. The city hired Francis back after a veteran Glenbrook firefighter recently retired. Yesterday, Rondano and Didelot said volunteer firefighters and executive board members from their departments encouraged them to sign a tentative agreement in order to avoid layoffs. The agreements, which had to be approved by membership, were dropped after membership voted against them. But city attorney Ken Povodator argued there was no arm twisting when it came to signing the merger agreement. "Did the city try to force you to sign the agreement?" he asked Didelot yesterday. "You had options. The city has basically accepted your rejection." City officials say they have a right to lay off city employees in order to keep a balanced budget, and if the layoffs aren't from the volunteer fire department, they will come from other city departments. The Office of Public Safety, Health and Welfare's budget was cut $2.4 million this fiscal year. Mayor Dannel Malloy and Public Safety Director William Callion have criticized the high overtime spending by the volunteer departments. Last fiscal year, the three volunteer departments spent $700,000. The consolidation plan was expected to save the city $560,000 and increase staffing at the understaffed departments. Pat McHale, attorney for Belltown and Glenbrook, was subpoenaed by the city to testify and was absent from yesterday's hearing. Attorney Joseph McQuade of McHale's firm, Kainen, Escalera & McHalein Hartford, instead represented the volunteer departments. Karazin said he would rule today whether McHale and a former union negotiator for the city would be allowed to testify next week. McQuade argued McHale's testimony posed a conflict of interest and could interrupt client-attorney privileges. The hearing is scheduled to continue Tuesday. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc. The more things change - the more they stay the same.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/scn-sa-inj...m-top-headlines Firefighter layoffs stay on hold By Natasha Lee Staff Writer August 2, 2007 STAMFORD - A judge ruled Monday that an injunction blocking the city's plan to lay off five paid firefighters will remain in effect until the matter is resolved through mediation. The volunteer Turn of River Fire Department sought the injunction in June after it was threatened with layoffs for its refusal to participate in a city proposal to merge three volunteer companies and Stamford Fire & Rescue into a single paid system. The Turn of River company argued that the plan to shift 32 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into the Turn of River, Glenbrook and Belltown fire departments was a violation of the city Charter and a 1995 management agreement between the city and volunteer fire companies. Under the plan, the city also said it would end the agreement with each department Dec. 4. State Superior Court Judge Edward Karazin said the city wrongfully terminated the agreement and said the 30 percent cut to the 17-member paid staff would cause "irreparable harm" to residents and to the jobless firefighters. Karazin set a Sept. 17 deadline to resolve the dispute through mediation and, if that attempt is unsuccessful, through arbitration. City and fire officials have not set a date for mediation. Turn of River Fire Chief Frank Jacobellis said the ruling was a relief but said egos needed to be set aside to improve the system. "It's not like I'm going to pound my chest like we won. There's really no win. We have to improve the system," he said. "I think now we'll have a chance to sit down with the city and mediate and not have to worry about our firefighters getting laid off." Firefighters at Glenbrook and Belltown weren't so lucky. The city laid off five firefighters at the departments after volunteer firefighters and executive board members voted against the consolidation. The two departments had tentatively signed on to the change by the city-imposed July 1 deadline. A court hearing to reinstate the jobs of the laid off firefighters is scheduled before a state Superior Court judge today. Pat McHale, the attorney for Belltown and Glenbrook departments, said he's hopeful the Turn of River ruling would lead to an optimistic outcome for his clients. "Our case is essentially the same case. The judge has already made a decision, and the agreements speak for themselves," he said. Volunteer chiefs and the city clashed over how the firehouses would be staffed, managed and equipped. The volunteer departments receive city funding, but they operate and staff their firehouses independently. In Karazin's decision, it is unclear whether the city's Dec. 4 termination date for previous agreements with the fire departments still stands. The agreements determine paid staffing and operational duties at the volunteer departments. City attorney Tom Cassone said the city plans to ask Karazin for clarification on the decision, but he would not specify his concerns. After a $2.4 million budget cut to the Office of Public Safety, Health and Welfare, more layoffs are to be expected if an agreement can't be reached, Mayor Dannel Malloy said. So far, 28 city employees have been laid off since the budget cut. Malloy said officials are looking for other ways to save money, including removing an engine or truck from Stamford Fire & Rescue and perhaps laying off other staff. About 247 firefighters work for the department. "I didn't want any of this, but the budget was cut substantially, and we have to look for alternatives," Malloy said. The consolidation plan was expected to save the city $560,000, city officials said. Reassigning paid Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters at the volunteer firehouses was expected to improve fire coverage while cutting down on high overtime costs, city officials said. Last fiscal year, all three departments spent $700,000 on overtime. At the Belltown and Glenbrook companies, each of which now has nine paid firefighters assigned, volunteers have stepped in to fill the empty 24-hour work shifts, fire officials said. But Belltown Chief John Didelot said volunteers, who have day jobs and chose when to respond to calls, can't maintain the routine forever. "It's not something that can be ongoing on a permanent basis. These guys are sacrificing their time," Didelot said of the 10 volunteers taking additional shifts at the firehouse. Union President Brendan Keatley of the Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association, said he was pleased the firefighters would keep their jobs but was concerned about future layoffs. "I still realize there's a big hole in the city's budget, and I'm kind of wondering where the city is going to come up with those savings now," he said. "We don't want to see anybody lose their jobs." Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...0,6089579.story A main event Raging fire escalates call for water line extension By Neil Vigdor Staff Writer July 28, 2007 When flames engulfed a 19th-century barn on northwest King Street recently, officials said precious time was wasted while firefighters stretched a hose to the nearest water source, which was a pond nearly half a mile away. It took more than 2,000 feet of hose and three trucks to tie into the closest "dry" hydrant, which in this case was connected to a pond at Tamarack Country Club. Meanwhile, another group of firefighters battling the same blaze was forced to drive more than a mile to get to a water main where they could refill their tanker trucks, which, like dry hydrants, are used when there isn't a hydrant connected to municipal water nearby. It wasn't the most efficient way of doing the job, according to Assistant Fire Chief Peter Siecienski. "That is less than an ideal situation," Siecienski said, noting that the delays tapping into the water supply don't even include the initial response times to fire calls. Siecienski, who is taking over as chief on Aug. 1, is one of several public safety officials calling for the existing water line beneath King Street to be extended to serve northwest areas of town. "Any extension of that main cuts down the (response) time and improves the water supply to that area," Siecienski said. The project would extend an existing water main beneath King Street about eight-tenths of a mile north of its current terminus at Lincoln Avenue and bring service to a number of large properties along the busy northwest corridor, including two school campuses, the town golf course and a new fire station planned for the neighborhood. The property owners who would benefit from the extension would share the cost, which initial estimates put at $4 million. Had it already been installed, the water main extension would have helped prevent the spread of the fire from the barn at the 1415 King St. property to a nearby guest house, emergency management operations coordinator and former Fire Chief Daniel Warzoha said. "It wouldn't have saved the barn, but it could have protected the guest house," Warzoha said. "It certainly would have helped, no question about it." Fire officials are still determining the cause of the blaze, which burned so intensely that the heat from it set the guest house, 25 feet away, on fire. Firefighters were able to keep that fire to the exterior of the house, and only the siding and roof were damaged. A water main extension would guarantee adequate water pressure and volume for fighting fires, Warzoha said. Using dry hydrants such as the one at Tamarack Country Club was not the best practice, he said. "The best way to describe it is they're putting a straw in a glass of water and they're sucking it out," Warzoha said, adding that it takes fewer firefighters to set up a connection to a regular hydrant than a dry hydrant. Though this year's town budget has $100,000 in it for the design of the water main extension, the project isn't a sure thing. In addition to requiring coordination with Aquarion Water Co., which provides the town's municipal water, and the appropriations called for in the town's capital plan actually to come through. In 2008-09, the town capital plan calls for an additional $1 million to be appropriated for the town's share of the project and for $60,000 to be earmarked for the design of the new fire station. The town would spend another $2 million in 2009-10 on the actual construction of the firehouse. The figure does not include staffing or equipment costs for the new station. The project has the backing of First Selectman Jim Lash, who said the recent fire was a good illustration of the need for the water line extension. "Actually, we were lucky with that fire in the sense that the ground wasn't dry," Lash said. "Some of those embers were going up into the air and onto other people's properties. It would have been a lot better if we had a water line there." Fire officials said they aren't the only ones who recognize the problem with the lack of water. Siecienski said the rating used by insurance companies for determining fire risk and premium rates in the northwest part of town was more than double that of areas with water mains. Despite that, some neighborhood leaders are concerned that extending the water main will promote further development on King Street. They said the neighborhood has several tracts of vacant land that could be targeted for intense development if the extension is built, including 50 acres next to Harvest Time Assembly of God on King Street. "Extending the water main up King Street might, and might is in capital letters, might have made things better in that fire situation," said Joan Caldwell, chairman of the Representative Town Meeting District 10/Northwest delegation. "But we don't know. We do know that the existence of the (new) fire house is important and that the existence of the dry hydrants is important. That's where we should be focusing our efforts, on the certainties and not the mights." Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Feud over fire merger continues in court By Natasha Lee Staff Writer July 20, 2007 STAMFORD - Mayor Dannel Malloy said yesterday he believes volunteer firefighters and a $400,000 savings account would help Turn of River Fire Department survive layoffs if it refused a city plan to merge its department into Stamford Fire & Rescue. Malloy testified at state Superior Court yesterday during the final day of an injunction hearing to stop the layoffs of five paid Turn of River firefighters. The city and Turn of River have been at odds for nearly three months over the consolidation plan, which would shift 16 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into the department's two North Stamford fire stations. City officials say the plan would improve fire service and decrease spiraling overtime costs. But volunteer chiefs say it would do the opposite and instead create tensions between downtown paid firefighters and volunteers. Malloy said fundraising and membership drives by Turn of River should help cover additional overtime and operational expenses the department could accrue in the aftermath of layoffs. Malloy said the department has about $400,000 in its savings account, although the Turn of River volunteer fire chief said it was about $150,000. Emergency mutual aid from neighboring firehouses, like Springdale Fire Department and Stamford Fire & Rescue, also would provide enough fire coverage, he said. "I believe there's more than enough coverage for the people of Stamford," Malloy said. Volunteer departments typically raise funds throughout the year to supplement city allocations they receive for operational costs. Turn of River Fire will receive about $25,000 a month this fiscal year to run its firehouses. "It has money in the bank, it can raise money, it can bring in volunteers," Malloy said. In testimony earlier yesterday, volunteer Fire Chief Frank Jacobellis acknowledged that fundraising to pay staff salaries would be difficult. "It's just too much to ask," Jacobellis said. Overtime is needed to ensure that the department maintains a minimum of two firefighters per shift, Jacobellis said. In addition to its 17 paid firefighters, the department has about 30 trained and certified volunteers. At Wednesday's hearing, former volunteer Fire Chief Ray Whitbread could not provide an average of how many volunteers show up to weekly calls and said there was no guarantee volunteers could fill in. When city Attorney Ken Povodator asked whether Turn of River had a backup staffing plan in place should the department not agree to the merger and layoffs carried through, Jacobellis said there was no written plan, "just ideas on the table." Questions centered around staffing concerns, and labor and management agreements. Jacobellis said his department filed the injunction last month after city officials skirted around mediation to resolve their concerns. Jacobellis and Malloy testified they were still willing to reach an agreement. The merger also would include Glenbrook and Belltown volunteer fire departments and move an additional 16 firefighters into those firehouses. Belltown and Glenbrook fire departments signed onto the merger tentatively but pulled out last week after each department voted it down. The departments also are seeking injunctions. Jacobellis, along with the Belltown and Glenbrook fire chiefs, have said the volunteer fire system was unfairly targeted and the merger violates the city Charter and a 1995 management agreement between the three departments and the city. Malloy presented the merger as a way to save the city $560,000 a year after the Board of Finance and Board of Representatives cut his budget request by $12.5 million, including a $7.4 million reduction from the government side and a $5.1 million from schools. The city Office of Public Safety, Health & Welfare budget was cut by $2.4 million this fiscal year, which started July 1. Malloy said 28 city employees have been laid off since the cuts were announced. Malloy said that under the city Charter and state law he is responsible for ensuring the city stays within its budgets. "July 1 comes and you've got to have a budget that will close the year in black as opposed to red," Malloy said. Public Safety Director William Callion said the volunteer system was tapped for layoffs because of its high overtime account. Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River together spent $700,000 on overtime last fiscal year. "If overtime is unmanaged and unchecked, that's something that could spiral out of control," Callion said. Callion said Stamford Fire & Rescue avoided layoffs because retirements created eight job vacancies at the department. At the end of testimony yesterday, Judge Edward Karazin encouraged the city and Turn of River to resolve their feud. "Mayor Malloy said he's willing to negotiate and with all the firemen hanging around, you ought to try and work toward a resolution," he said. More than a dozen volunteer and paid firefighters from four of the volunteer fire departments sat in the courtroom over the last two days. Attorneys for the city and Turn of River Fire Department must submit briefs of findings and facts to Karazin by Tuesday morning. Another city attorney, Tom Cassone, said either party still could seek mediation after Karazin's ruling. The 1995 management agreement allows disputes to be resolved first by mediation and, if necessary, arbitration. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Former volunteer fire chief says city plan would hinder response By Natasha Lee Staff Writer July 19, 2007 STAMFORD - A court hearing on whether to uphold Turn of River Fire Department's injunction against the city's plan to lay off its paid firefighters continued yesterday, with a former volunteer fire chief saying the cuts would lead to delayed responses to calls and decreased fire service. Former Turn of River Chief Ray Whitbread said yesterday the potential loss of five paid firefighters would "seriously impact operations" and cut staffing from two firefighters riding on an engine to one. Whitbread testified for a second day in state Superior Court to help defend the department's stance against a city plan to merge three of the city's five volunteer departments with Stamford Fire & Rescue. The merger is supposed to save money and avoid layoffs in the aftermath of budget cuts. But the Turn of River Fire Department argues it violates the city Charter and a 1995 management agreement between the volunteer departments and the city. Judge John Downey, who ruled last week that the parties must seek mediation, recently revoked his decision and ordered a hearing. Downey, who was recently nominated to the Appellate Court, is on vacation. Judge Edward Karazinis is presiding over the case. The hearing began Tuesday. Downey's decision came after Glenbrook and Belltown volunteer fire departments pulled out of the merger last week. In response, the city laid off five firefighters at the departments. Glenbrook and Belltown are challenging the city's actions and seeking injunctions. Volunteer chiefs say their input was left out of the city plan. They said the merger means a loss of autonomy for the volunteer departments. The city Charter allows all five volunteer fire departments to receive city funding and have the right to operate their firehouses independently. Turn of River stands to lose a third of its 17 paid firefighters. Yesterday, Whitbread said the staff cuts would hinder response to medical emergencies, which make up 60 percent of department calls. One firefighter driving a truck to a scene would have difficulty setting up equipment or administering aid and would not be able to perform fire or rescue functions without the assistance of at least one other firefighter. Whitbread retired as chief in May after three years in the position. He joined the department in 1965 as a volunteer firefighter. "Ideally, it's a two-person operation," Whitbread said. Asked by city attorney Ken Povodator yesterday if Turn of River could rely on its volunteers to pick up the slack in the event of layoffs, Whitbread said, "Not at this time." Whitbread said Turn of River has 30 fully certified and trained volunteers, but could not provide an average of how many volunteers show up to weekly calls. "I would be guessing. I have no way of estimating that," he said. In desperate times, Whitbread said he would hire volunteer firefighters, including Belltown and Glenbrook volunteers, to fill in when the department was severely short-staffed because paid firefighters were out sick or on vacation. Whitbread was on the witness stand for nearly three hours yesterday. City officials said the merger would shift 32 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into the three volunteer firehouses to increase coverage in the understaffed volunteer departments and cut down on overtime. Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River together spent $700,000 on overtime in the last fiscal year, which ended June 30. Turn of River attorney Mark Kovack could not be reached yesterday for comment. City attorney Tom Cassone said the merger comes down to the city's budget, and in the aftermath of the cuts, it has no choice but to develop a cost-effective plan or lay off staff. The budget of the Office of Public Safety, Health and Welfare was cut by $850,000 for the present fiscal year, which started July 1. "It's about whether the city has the right to overspend its budget and it doesn't," Cassone said. Turn of River Fire Chief Frank Jacobellis, Mayor Dannel Malloy and the city's public safety director, William Callion are expected to take the stand when the hearing continues today. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

As I see it - Consider some of the factions involved here - 1) The true volunteers in District 2 appear to not want to let go of their "fiefdoms." The true volunteers are the guys who do not collect salary. What is troubling here is that a deal was struck with the city for at least 2 of the companies; which was then, apparently, promptly re-voted on and cancelled. One could only surmise that some back-room trading went on, or perhaps not enough dinsoaurs were available for the first vote. 2) At least some of the paid personnel in District 2 do not want to come under control of District 1. This is probably due to 6 figure salaries, lack of supervision and possibly a disdain for firefighting with an adequate staff. Apparently, many of these employees perform so many functions for the volunteer companies that, that gives them additional sway over their employers. 3) Probably some membership from District 1 want nothing to do with District 2. Understandably so, because it also appears that District 1 has adequate staffing. And why would anyone want to work in what could be a very hostile workplace? 4) Politicians, as a whole, want nothing to do with this live grenade, especially those representatives, finance people and other bean counters who created this mess to start with. The bottom line here is that the city should probably look at how "countywide" services are run down south. Anne Arundel, Fairfax, Prince George's counties, ie. have systems which allow for career/volunteer systems to exist. Officers are required to meet performance objectives, so that when an order is given - paid or volunteer, there is a reasonable assurance that the person has some idea what's going on. That is not a quick fix, nor is it going to come without cost. I am aware that the city is looking for a consultant/study to try and see what really is necessary. Perhaps cooler heads will prevail and what is necessary - implemented. Let's hope for a positive outcome. I still stand by my earlier remark - "... the lawyers will eat every day..."

FDNY99 - From the gospel according to the Advocate - July 2, 2007 (Stamford Mayor Malloy Raises Taxes, to pay for merger) Posted on this site elsewhere - Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River combined spent $700,000 on overtime in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2006. Stamford Fire & Rescue spent nearly $1.9 million in the same period. (From the department website; stamfordfire.com - 238 personnel)

It seems that we are spending so much of our time trying to be PC (politically correct), that we are beginning to forget how to be just that, correct.

Disregard - I read it in today's Advocate, so it MUST be true! http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines 5 paid city firefighters are laid off By Natasha Lee Staff Writer July 12, 2007 STAMFORD - Five career firefighters lost their jobs this week, after two volunteer fire departments pulled out of a city plan to merge with Stamford Fire & Rescue and are battling against the city for control of their firehouses. Volunteer firefighters and executive board members for the Glenbrook and Belltown fire departments voted against a consolidation that would have shifted 32 Stamford Fire & Rescue paid firefighters into the departments, and joined career firefighters in three volunteer fire departments under the same labor contract as the downtown firefighters. City officials threatened layoffs if the deal was not reached by July 1 and said it was the last option to save the city $560,000 after budget cuts. The city's Board of Finance cut $850,000 from the Office of Public Safety, Health and Welfare this fiscal year, and officials have said the understaffed volunteer departments spend too much on overtime. The Turn of River Fire Department never agreed to the merger and filed an injunction against the city last month to block five layoffs at its department. On Monday, a state Superior Court judge in Stamford ordered the department and the city to mediation to resolve the dispute. Hartford attorney Pat McHale, who is representing the Belltown and Glenbrook departments, said he has sent the city several requests for mediation in hopes of avoiding legal action. If they are denied, the departments will seek an injunction, McHale said. In the meantime, firefighters say the city and volunteer chiefs are gambling with public safety. The layoffs of three career firefighters at Belltown Fire Department and two at Glenbrook Fire Department have reduced the staffs by 33 percent and 22 percent, respectively. Public Safety Director William Callion said he wasn't given a reason why the merger was rejected. The five firefighters were laid off between Tuesday and yesterday morning. "We had hoped to avert that by having the proposals in place. The proposal was rejected so we had no choice," he said. Callion deferred questions about resident safety to the volunteer chiefs. "They have decided they want to follow their plan, so they need to tell you how they plan to follow public safety. I made my effort," Callion said. Mayor Dannel Malloy, who announced the plan in June, did not return a call for comment yesterday. The loss of two paid firefighters leaves the Glenbrook firehouse, "not functionable," said volunteer firefighter Lt. Troy Jones, a six-year veteran. Down to seven career firefighters, only two will be on duty on daytime shifts, and one at night and on weekends, he said. Jones said having Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters would have increased manpower responding to emergency calls, especially during the day, when volunteers are scarce. "The numbers aren't there," he said. "You can't function with one guy on a rig. And in the daytime, you only get two or three people able to respond, versus 10 to 12." But Glenbrook Fire President Edward Rondano said the majority of the membership and seven-person executive board voted against the merger after issues like firefighter assignments and training - initially discussed and resolved verbally with the city - were left out of the written tentative agreement. The volunteer departments are autonomous under the city Charter; though funded by Stamford, they control and staff their own firehouses. Last month, Rondano and Belltown Fire Chief John Didelot signed tentative agreements before the deadline, pending necessary approval from volunteer membership. Rondano said the written agreement did not include that certified volunteers could work with downtown career firefighters and train with them. "Certain talks and discussions were left out of the agreement, and that did not sit well with the membership," he said. "All we're saying is let us have some input into how it's being done." Rondano insisted public safety was not in jeopardy. He said he did not plan to hire back paid firefighters because of overtime costs. Glenbrook, Belltown and Turn of River together spent $700,000 on overtime last fiscal year, which ended June 30. Volunteers would have to step up their response to calls to support the paid staff, and the department would still rely on neighboring volunteer Belltown and Springdale departments for help. "(Volunteers are) being told we're at a loss here, they have to step up to the plate and do what they have to do," Rondano said. Belltown Chief John Didelot deferred all comment to McHale. Glenbrook career firefighter Herman Naring, who was laid off Tuesday, said he was concerned about how he will support his wife, 16-year-old daughter, 11-year-old son and disabled father. He said the volunteer chief and executive board showed little compassion for his livelihood. Naring said the volunteers' disagreement with the city stemmed over "silly little issues" like what fire patch Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters assigned to the firehouse would wear and where paid firefighters would sleep. "You have five mouths you have to feed. It's a hardship, it really is," he said. "They didn't show any concern about my welfare or my family or anything else." Naring, a five-year veteran, also is concerned about public safety. He said the Glenbrook paid firefighters and volunteers have maintained an amicable relationship, but there are not enough qualified volunteers to support paid staff. "If it wasn't for the nine (career) guys there, there wouldn't be a department. We check the machines, we check the medical equipment, we do the payroll, we do everything," Naring said. "Everyone has their own spiel, but we really don't have that many volunteers to fight a fire right now. God forbid something happens, it's going to be a problem." McHale said Belltown and Glenbrook want the laid off firefighters rehired and hope to avoid costly litigation. Volunteer chiefs said legal fees are paid from the volunteer departments' fundraising budgets. "There is no reason we ought to be adversaries with the city," McHale said. "Where else do you find people this day and age willing to provide services for free?" But fire union President Brendan Keatley said volunteer fire service does cost taxpayers, and now residents aren't getting those services. "We're not against the volunteer system. When something happens we depend on them. But now what are we depending on? One guy coming down on a rig?" he said. Keatley said the union was working to help the laid-off firefighters. "We're pretty upset. We thought we had an agreement, then these small-minded, narrow-minded fire chiefs again stepped up," he said. "It's about control, and I don't think that's right." Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

The grapevine says that personnel from 2 of the involved departments (Belltown and Glenbrook) have layed off personnel. Any truth to the matter? Buehler? Buehler? Anyone? Anyone?

Update - http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Judge orders Turn of River fire dispute to mediation By Natasha Lee Staff Writer July 10, 2007 STAMFORD - A judge ordered Turn of River Fire Department and the city to seek mediation yesterday to resolve a dispute over whether Turn of River must participate in a plan to consolidate three volunteer fire departments into Stamford Fire & Rescue. Turn of River filed an injunction against the city last month to stop the layoffs of five paid firefighters threatened if it didn't comply with the merger. Turn of River attorney Mark Kovack said the merger violates the city Charter and a 1995 management agreement between the fire department and the city. Kovack declined to comment on the judge's decision. But city officials said the merger is the only way to save money and avoid layoffs in the aftermath of budget cuts, particularly an $850,000 cut this fiscal year to the Office of Public Safety, Health and Welfare. Judge John Downey gave Turn of River and the city two weeks to find a mediator and ordered the fire department to pony up a $5,000 bond to cover the city's legal costs should mediation fall in the city's favor. Downey said it's not unusual for plaintiffs to submit bonds. City attorney Tom Cassone said the bond would cover costs the city would accrue by having to participate in unexpected legal action. "We're having to fund something that's not in the budget and it could drive the city into a deficit," Cassone said. Turn of River was given 45 days to respond to a motion filed by the city last week to dismiss the injunction. "I hope in the end good things will happen for the benefit of the people," Downey told the courtroom after his decision. In the meantime, the injunction stands and Turn of River could lose nearly 30 percent of its 17 paid firefighters, depending on the outcome of mediation. City officials said the plan will beef up fire coverage and cut overtime costs generated by the understaffed volunteer departments. Volunteer chiefs say their departments are autonomous under the city Charter and that they have the right to manage their own firehouses. Belltown and Glenbrook fire departments signed tentative agreements just before the July 1 deadline, giving the city permission to move 32 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters into their firehouses. The two departments stood to lose a total of five paid firefighters. Springdale Fire Company - which already is staffed with 16 Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters - and Long Ridge Fire Department - which operates under a separate agreement with the city - were exempt from the merger. Under the new plan, the 26 paid firefighters from both departments will report to Stamford Fire & Rescue Chief Robert McGrath for daily operations and assignments. The paid firefighters in the volunteer houses, who now operate under a separate labor contract, will be placed under the same contract as Stamford Fire & Rescue. The volunteer chiefs will retain authority over volunteers and continue to receive city funding for gasoline and other operating expenses. The merger slightly increased property tax fees in the three districts because they will have more paid firefighters. Depending on the district, taxpayers will pay 50 cents or $1.92 for every $1,000 of assessed property value - still less than the $3.10 paid by taxpayers in the district staffed entirely by paid firefighters. Cassone said Downey's decision yesterday follows the terms of the 1995 management agreement that allows disputes to be resolved first by mediation and, if necessary, arbitration. "We have to run a city and keep a fire service," Cassone said. "We submitted to the fire companies a proposal to manage the budget and improve fire service. Two went along and I'm pretty sure we'll be able to resolve this." Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

X152 - and what was old is new again!? http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...local-headlines Glenbrook to merge with city fire services By Natasha Lee Staff Writer June 29, 2007 STAMFORD - Faced with budget cuts and layoff notices, the volunteer Glenbrook Fire Department buckled yesterday and agreed to join in a city proposal to merge its department with Stamford Fire & Rescue. The plan, proposed by Mayor Dannel Malloy earlier this month, calls for consolidating three of the Big Five volunteer departments with the city's downtown fire department into one paid fire system. The plan is expected to avoid layoffs and save $560,000 next year, city officials said. Belltown Fire Department has until today to respond or risk losing 30 percent of its paid firefighters, city officials said. Turn of River Fire Department filed an injunction last week against the city to prevent losing five paid firefighters until a hearing July 9 at state Superior Court in Stamford. Turn of River Chief Frank Jacobellis deferred comment to attorney Mark Kovack, who could not be reached yesterday. A call to Belltown Chief John Didelot was not returned yesterday. Edward Rondano, Glenbrook department president, said he signed a tentative agreement yesterday after two of his nine firefighters were presented with layoff notices. "Either we spend a lot of money and get an injunction or sign the agreement. If we didn't get the agreement signed, Saturday they're laying off our guys, so we really had no choice," Rondano said. The nine Glenbrook firefighters, who now operate under a separate labor contract, will be placed under the same contract as Stamford Fire & Rescue. The merger will move additional Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters and an engine into the firehouse at 17 Arthur Place to help improve fire coverage in the district and cut overtime costs. The Glenbrook firehouse is staffed with nine paid firefighters and stood to lose two if it did not agree to the deal, Rondano said. Rondano said the agreement must be voted on by the department's seven-member executive board and volunteer membership before it is approved. If the department fails to approve the deal, layoffs will happen. The fire union and city Board of Representatives also must give final approval, he said. Stamford public safety Director William Callion said he was pleased with Rondano's decision and hopeful the remaining two departments would join the plan. "For the people who have rejected the plan, the ball is in their court," he said. Three layoffs at Belltown and five at Turn of River would cut staff at each department by 30 percent and put public safety in jeopardy, volunteer chiefs have argued. No changes were expected at Springdale Fire Company and Long Ridge Fire Department. The move will beef up Glenbrook firehouse apparatus from two paid firefighters riding to a call to four firefighters, and cut overtime, Rondano said. Malloy has said Glenbrook and the other two volunteer departments are costly because they heavily rely on overtime to cover co-workers on vacation or out sick. Initially, volunteer chiefs clashed with city officials and the fire union over how to manage the volunteer firehouses that operate under different safety and staffing standards from a career firehouse. The reorganized system will allow Glenbrook's volunteer Chief Frank Passero to maintain control over the volunteers and manage the firehouse, and paid firefighters will report to Stamford Fire & Rescue Chief Robert McGrath. Glenbrook's paid firefighters would be given seniority on assignments within the department which was a sticking point in previous negotiations, Rondano said. Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 786 President Brendan Keatley said he is satisfied with the agreement but worries about the pending layoffs of his union members. "Our plan is we will do what we legally can for our employees," he said. Rondano said it would have been difficult to operate the firehouse with two fewer firefighters because volunteers work during the day. " 'Volunteers' and 'guarantee' don't really go together. Having a set number of firefighters to respond to a call, you can't argue with that," he said. Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

Well, the lawyers will eat every day. Good luck to the pink slips -

Interesting how things are changing on a daily basis over there - The Advocate reported two weeks ago that Glenbrook was "on-board". Something doesn't add up- http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local...0,5557928.story

If only the newspapers would report the whole story.

cl117 Your best bet is to go to the top call OEMS at: Office of Emergency Medical Services Address: 410 Capital Avenue MS # 12 EMS, PO Box 340308, Hartford, CT 06134-0308 Telephone: 860/509-7975 Fax: 860/509-7987 Other than that - if you really want the job, you'll sit through the class. I know plenty of guys who've sat through FFI more than once as they've moved from department to department. It'll be boring but deal with it.

IzzyEng4 is correct with CT's regional approach. Original EMT's are given a state developed EMT test and could be granted reciprocity by NYS. However, each region has the ability to develop their own re-certifying tests and NYS does not necessarily accept certain regions for reciprocity. If you happen to recert in a region that either uses a CT developed test or an acceptable program, (and for example Southwest CT is NOT accepted), then NYS may grant reciprocity for the re-cert as well. As far as going from NY to CT, I am unaware of any NY State EMT being denied reciprocity by CT. However, at the paramedic level, I am aware of several individuals being initially denied their paramedic by CT (they were initially downgraded to EMT status) until they were able to prove regionally proficiency with various protocols.

Googled it - Interesting reading. http://www.answers.com/topic/collyer-brothers

I've been to several of these through the years. Does anybody know why they're called Collier's mansions though? I've never heard of any historical significance.

The reason you are supposed to turn-off the two-way radio is because if you transmit close enough to an "unsecured" blasting cap, you can detonate it. The leads that run from the cap can actually act as an antenna. Every radio antenna operates by creating a current which the receiver interprets as sound. Transmit close enough and BANG. So the issue for responders would be essentially not to transmit in the blasting area; relatively high power (like on apparatus) in a short distance could be a big problem. Curiously, with the proliferation of Nextel phones (which are always transmitting and receiving data); I am not sure how the industry is coping with these.