| City restores 2 jobs at fire academy | ||
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| NEW HAVEN — The Fire Department has reinstated two positions at the city’s fire training academy, a few weeks after firefighters and union officials publicly questioned the level of training at the department. The two firefighters had previously served as assistant drillmasters in the training division. Their positions had been eliminated last year in what city officials described as an effort to save money. "Budget cuts had made it difficult to continue the amount of training that we wanted to occur," said Assistant Fire Chief Ron Dumas. He said the decision to restore the positions came "now that the financial picture has become slightly better." "It’s important because there is certain mandated training that the department must be able to do." He added that officers in firehouses had been asked to shoulder some additional training duties. Firefighters Rene Cordova and Greg Liggins were sent back to the training division this week. Karen DuBois-Walton, the city’s chief administrative officer, said the administration would work with the Board of Aldermen to officially restore the assistant drillmaster positions in the 2004-05 budget. As recently as three years ago, there had been six instructors assigned to the academy, which is located on Ella T. Grasso Boulevard. A drillmaster job had been vacant since 2002 and two assistant drillmasters were promoted to other positions. Cordova and Liggins, two other assistant drillmasters, were transferred last year. DuBois-Walton said the two transfers, and others from office of the fire marshal, were made to address skyrocketing overtime costs in the department. Most of the overtime came from staffing firehouses. "The department was struggling to eliminate a significant deficit," she said, forcing a decision to shift personnel to the suppression side of the department. "We’re at a point that due to strong fiscal management, we’re in a much better financial state and can take another look" at training. Questions about training had been raised in the midst of an ongoing controversy about two promotional tests in the department. When preliminary scores were released for the fire captain and lieutenant exams, 14 of the 15 people in line for promotion were white. The city has investigated the legality of throwing out the tests and some other options. During hearings, union officials and some firefighters remarked on inadequate training for firefighters because of budget cuts by City Hall. The positions were reinstated within two weeks. Late last month, Cordova filed a complaint with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities alleging racial discrimination. Cordova is Hispanic. Liggins is black. Cordova alleged that the transfer, which he said amounted to a demotion, violated federal and state civil rights laws. William Kaempffer can be reached at wkaempffer@nhregister.com , or at 789-5727. |
| İNew Haven Register 2004 |