Posts tagged volunteer fire departments
Hartford Fire Department puts controversial policy on hold
December 5, 2024 // The chief cited a clause in the union contract that took effect all the way back in 2008. It said paid members of the Hartford Fire Department cannot work for other departments at the same time, whether paid or unpaid.
COMMENTARY: Overregulating Local Firefighters Could Leave Us All Burned
October 29, 2024 // The proposed rule is yet another example of administrative overreach, spanning approximately 83 pages and incorporating an additional 2,552 pages of ever-changing industry “consensus standards” from the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). It is worth noting that the NFPA is a captured third-party organization heavily influenced by manufacturers and the International Association of Fire Fighters union. Mandating these standards is also flawed because the term “consensus standard” is misleading at best. NFPA standards, which are incorporated as “minimums,” are aspirational goals. In Connecticut, no fire department — whether career, volunteer, or combination — is 100 percent compliant with these standards. This discrepancy is not unique to Connecticut; rather, it reflects the reality across the nation.