AARON LEO aleo@ctpost.com
Article Last Updated: 12/19/2007 11:07:00 PM EST
BRIDGEPORT — Dominick Carfi finally got the job that he's been doing for 2 years.
He was among six who were sworn in as assistant chiefs Wednesday night in a ceremony at Fire Department Headquarters on Congress Street.
But he's been doing that job on a provisional basis, without having taken a promotional exam, as were three of his colleagues who took the oath Wednesday.
"I'm satisfied and happy that I passed the exam and proved to my peers that I can do the job," Carfi said. "I couldn't be more proud.'
The exam, said Fire Chief Brian Rooney, required a lot of studying and took away more family time for the firefighters. It was held earlier this year.
"To get to this position is remarkable," Rooney said. "These men have been on the job for 30 years."
So has Rooney, a 36-year veteran who took the chief's oath in May 2006. He also took the previous assistant chief exam, in the mid-1990s.
The assistant chief coordinates and oversees firefighters at emergency scenes.
The other provisionals made bona fide were Christopher Martin, provisional for 2 years; Thomas Connor, for six years; and Ismael Pomales, for seven years. Two captains, Ivan Fossesigurani and Keith Wallace, were also promoted.
Connor, acting deputy chief in charge of operations, will retain that title. A deputy chief is higher in rank than assistant chief.
Mayor Bill Finch said has fond memories of the Fire Department.
"I have seen our firefighters respond to everything since I was young," he said.
He added that when he sees a firetruck responding to a call, "I am never so proud of my city."
"They're always there for us," Finch said.
The latest promotions bring the number of assistant chiefs in the department to 10, all bona fide, Rooney said.
In July, John Currivan and James Grace III, each with more than nine years doing the assistant chief's job, and Bruce Elander, with 5 years, were made bona fide.
"We've waited for 10 years to have bona fide assistant chiefs," said Stuart Rosenberg, president of the city's Board of Fire Commissioners and a member for more than 20 years.
Provisional status has been a thorn in the department for years. The term means they were appointed for no more than 120 days to fill vacancies until a promotion exam could be held.
But no exams were held for many years because of lawsuits and other court challenges, and many provisionals went on to serve for years. Rooney was a provisional deputy chief for seven years before his predecessor left to head the Waterbury Fire Department.
The Bridgeport Fire Department has 322 firefighters, with a new class of 29 rookies who recently started training.
New assistant fire chiefs, from left, Ismael Pomales, Christopher Martin, Ivan Fossesigurani, Thomas Connor, Keith Wallace and Dominick Carfi are sworn in at the Board of Fire Commissioners meeting Wednesday at Bridgeport Fire Headquarters. (Brian A. Pounds/Connecticut Post)