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Deputy Chief Joseph Benoit has been appointed acting chief of the Greenwich Fire Department until further notice, according to First Selectman Jim Lash, who said Fire Chief Dan Warzoha is "away."
"For the near future Joseph Benoit is acting fire chief running the department," Lash said yesterday evening. "Chief Warzoha will be away for a while."
Benoit assumed the duties of acting chief at 9 a.m. Monday, Lash said. Fire Marshal George Hannigan has been appointed acting deputy chief.
Lash declined to comment on Warzoha's whereabouts or say whether his absence is related to charges made public last week by the town firefighters union. Union leaders told Lash in early January that the chief drank prior to assuming command of the Dec. 5 fire at 312 Davis Ave., in which three firefighters were seriously injured. The leaders demanded Warzoha be removed from his post.
In a letter to Greenwich Time, a lawyer representing Warzoha said the allegations are false.
Benoit said he is handling the day-to-day management of the department in place of Warzoha.
"For the time being, it will be me managing the department and all that entails," he said. "Essentially, Hannigan and I are minding the store."
Lash said Warzoha came to his office last week to inform him he would be absent for a period of time. He does not know the expected duration of Warzoha's absence, he said.
Lash said he anticipates Warzoha will return to take control of the fire department at some point. Upon his return, Warzoha will be authorized for all duties except for command at fire scenes.
"I don't have any particular expectation of when he'll be back," Lash said. "Dan will return and take over as chief."
After union officials made their complaint in early January, Lash relieved Warzoha of command over fire scenes and hired a lawyer to investigate. Lash said he would decide what action to take on the union's allegations after he receives two reports due later this month.
One report will address the fire department's response to the fire at 312 Davis Ave. The other will specifically address the union's allegation that Warzoha had been drinking before responding to the fire, a violation of department rules.
"Once I have the reports, it shouldn't take me very long," Lash said. "If there was no basis for the charges, he (Warzoha) will be returned to full duty."
Members of Greenwich Fire Fighters Association Local 1042 said last week that they told Lash in January that Warzoha drank at the Polish Club of Glenville before taking command of firefighting operations at the Davis Avenue blaze. Union members also alleged Warzoha was impaired while in command at two incidents in 2002.
The Davis Avenue Fire Incident Review Panel, made up of three Connecticut fire chiefs, is expected to submit an analysis of firefighting operations at the Davis Avenue fire by the middle of the month.
Milford Fire Chief Louis La Vecchia, a panel member, declined to comment on whether the drinking issue would be considered in their review.
"The three of us are taking care of different aspects of the review and will meet soon to discuss it," La Vecchia said.
The first selectman hired Louis Lustenberger, a Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., attorney, to investigate the drinking charges. Lash said he expects Lustenberger to file a final report around the same time as the Davis Avenue Fire Incident Review Panel. A draft report has already been filed, he said.
Greenwich Firefighter Association Vice President Bob Kick said the union wrote letters to Lash several days ago to ask for the chain of command in the fire department to be clarified.
"We wanted to know the exact status of Benoit and Hannigan to make the proper chain of command clear," Kick said.
The union is waiting for Lash's decision on their request that Warzoha not be allowed back as fire chief before deciding what further action to take, Kick said. Warzoha would have difficulty regaining the trust of paid firefighters, Kick said, if were to remain in charge of the department.
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