By Natasha Lee
Staff Writer
December 30, 2007
STAMFORD - Elapsed training, dwindling volunteer membership and poor response from volunteer firefighters spawned a heated debate among the city, the fire union and three volunteer fire departments over whether the city has adequate protection.
Volunteer firehouses rely heavily on paid firefighters to respond to emergency calls, but in recent years have struggled to increase their volunteer membership. Volunteer fire chiefs also have failed to provide the city with updated records of certification and training among the volunteers.
In June, the city unveiled a plan to improve fire coverage by restructuring the current system. The plan would move Stamford Fire & Rescue paid firefighters into Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River volunteer fire departments to beef up staffing, and unite paid firefighters under one labor contract.
Mayor Dannel Malloy and public safety director William Callion touted the plan as a cost-effective move to cut down on spiraling overtime costs: The three volunteer departments spent $700,000 on overtime in the 2006 fiscal year, and the restructuring plan was expected to save the city more than $500,000.
Volunteer chiefs said the city was trying to destroy its system and argued they were autonomous under the city Charter. The city funds all of its five volunteer fire departments, but the Charter gives volunteer chiefs the authority to operate and manage their firehouses.
City officials also announced in June plans to cancel management agreements with the three departments Dec. 4. The agreements determine how firehouses are staffed and operated.
All volunteer firehouses are staffed with paid firefighters to respond to emergency calls, particularly during the day, when volunteers are not readily available.
City officials said to maintain spending, volunteer firehouses had to agree to the plan, or else they would have to dismiss paid firefighters to meet their budget.
The city's plan sparked a battle of control for the volunteer firehouses, eventually leading to layoffs, lawsuits, counter proposals and public animosity.
Belltown and Glenbrook initially agreed to participate in the city's restructuring plan, but later reneged after its volunteer membership voted against it. Turn of River was successful in getting an injunction to block layoffs at its department, arguing the move was a violation of its management agreement with the city.
Belltown and Glenbrook lost their court battles.
Five paid firefighters at Belltown and Glenbrook were laid off in July after the firehouses failed to reach an agreement. The loss cut Belltown's nine-member staff and Glenbrook's nine paid firefighters each by a third.
The Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association joined the fight, citing statistics of poor response times from volunteers and arguing for a more uniform fire system. Statistics supplied to The Advocate for July showed that, on average, fewer than one Glenbrook volunteer firefighter responded to emergency calls; one Belltown volunteer firefighter responded in that district.
Volunteer chiefs did not dispute the numbers. The union filed complaints against the departments alleging unfair labor practices and unsafe working environments.
In September, the union filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration when a Glenbrook paid firefighter suffered an eye injury after he battled an attic fire alone for several minutes until backup firefighters arrived. The fire department was later fined $1,260 for violating a federal safety standard.
City Board of Representatives remained quiet about the city's plan, voicing opinions only during a review of the plan last month.
As the deadline for the management agreement approached, Glenbrook Fire Department agreed in October to join the plan. The city later extended its management agreement until Dec. 21.
By Dec. 21, the city had reached an agreement with Glenbrook to staff its firehouse with Stamford Fire & Rescue firefighters. The paid fire union also voted to unify all paid firefighters at the three firehouses under one labor contract.
The new agreement is pending approval from the city's Board of Representatives and Board of Finance.
Under the new contract, the 34 paid firefighters will report to downtown Fire Chief Robert McGrath and boost staff at Stamford Fire & Rescue to about 272 firefighters. Termination of the management agreements with the departments also relinquishes total oversight over paid firefighters to the city.
City and fire officials said the new arrangement will increase fire protection in the volunteer districts by sending more downtown paid firefighters into Belltown, Glenbrook and Turn of River to respond to emergency calls. Staffing will be increased from one or two paid firefighters per shift, to three or four.
Belltown and Turn of River, however, have never agreed to the city's plan. Belltown will lose its paid staff Wednesday, and be fully staffed by volunteers. Turn of River continues to file motions against the city to block any intervention of management or operational control.
Stamford Fire & Rescue will continue to supply automatic aid to the districts, but it remains to be seen how all departments will handle the change.
Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.