Conn. Firefighters Lack Federal Money, Resources, Training
By Paul Ziobro
WASHINGTON – Connecticut firefighters said Wednesday they are frustrated with the lack of money, equipment and training coming from the federal government, especially in light of war with Iraq, which will mean an increased demand for first responders.
About 40 members of the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, a group of unionized fire departments, expressed their concerns during a breakfast meeting here with five of the seven members of the state’s congressional delegation.
“Firefighters as a whole are frustrated that at a time like this, where we can assume an escalated need for action at home, we have yet to see any federal dollars come in,” said Michael Palmer, President of Stamford Fire Fighters Local 786.
Lieutenant Michael Michelsen of the Wilton Fire Department said fire departments in the state need to improve communication and coordination among themselves. Doing so, he said, would allow departments to pool their resources.
“We need to get politicians to embrace these concepts of working together and implement them to make this happen,” Michelsen said
Bridgeport firefighter Michael Donovan expressed concern about firefighters’ receiving compensation if they miss work because of side effects from smallpox shots. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4, agreed with his worry and said he would work closely with the firefighters to deal with their concerns.
“It’s wise not to take these shots unless there’s protection to you and your family, and, frankly, I wouldn’t either,” Shays said.
Among other issues the lawmakers discussed with the firefighters was the right of firefighters to bargain collectively, their lack of new equipment and training and the need for more federal money for fire departments.
Several lawmakers said they were working to increase the money available for training and equipment that the Federal Emergency Management Agency can give to fire departments under last year’s Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act.
“We authorized $900 million, (the Bush administration) only put in $750 million, so we’ve still got some work to do,” Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., said.
Last week, Dodd reintroduced legislation that would provide funds to increase firefighting forces nationwide by 75,000 over the next seven years. The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Act of 2003 aims to fill the two-thirds of fire departments nationwide that operate with inadequate staffing, according to Dodd’s office.
Shays said that while he supports collective bargaining and the SAFER Act, he wants to reconsider a proposal to compensate firefighters who contract lung disease, heart disease or cancer or suffer heart attacks while on the job. He said he wants to make sure the proposal distinguished firefighters more prone to such illnesses, such as smokers, from others.
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., said the federal government must devote more of its resources to fire departments that provide the first line of security for Americans.
“There’s no liberty without security, and that’s what you are all about,” Lieberman said.
Reps. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, and Rob Simmons, R-2, also attended the breakfast, which was the Connecticut group’s last event during the International Association of Firefighters’ national conference.
Published in The Hour, in Connecticut.
