By Julie Wernau
Published on 1/4/2007 in TheDay.com

Groton— Groton City firefighters, hoping to avoid months of arbitration in their fight with Mayor Dennis L. Popp for an additional paid firefighter, are planning an informational rally later this month and plan to pack the next City Council meeting.

Daniel D. Tompkins, president of the Groton firefighters union, said Tuesday the union is hoping the public will turn out in support of a proposal that would add one firefighter so that staffing can be set at a minimum of four firefighters on duty at all times. The cost would be approximately $50,000 and bring minimum staffing levels in line with federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations.

“Our hope is enough residents will learn the facts about it, and let their officials know they want it to change,” Tompkins said.

The fire department is a combination of paid and volunteer firefighters, and Tompkins has said that in recent years fewer volunteers are arriving at fires: no volunteers responded to 44 percent of the department's calls in 2005.

In two recent fires, Tompkins said, only three firefighters were immediately available on the scene, fewer than is needed to go into a burning structure.

“Had there been four people, it would have given us other options,” he said.

No one was injured in either fire, but both structures were mostly destroyed.

The city's contract with the firefighter's union expired June 30 and has been referred to the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration. Tompkins said this week the union is hoping to settle the matter without the need to go to five arbitration hearings scheduled through April.

Tompkins said that shortly after the union came out in the newspaper about staffing issues, the mayor hired a secretary for the fire department rather than hire another firefighter.

Tompkins said he thinks the city is putting the public at risk.

“We've reached a point where we've collectively said we're not going to sit back one more day and not let the people know,” he said. “... They think if they call, the firetrucks will come, and people will jump off them, and that's just not the case.”

Firefighters will be handing out informational fliers at city hall Jan. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. A rally will be held at 6:30 p.m. to gather supporters from the public and area departments, Tompkins said, who will go in together to the 7:30 p.m. City Council meeting.

Popp said Wednesday he will not comment while the city is still in negotiations with the union.