By Christine Show
The Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer
LEESBURG, Fla. — City officials debated this week whether firefighters returning from emergency calls should stop off at local eateries to pick up meals for themselves.
In a 3-2 decision, commissioners reverted to a former city policy, effectively allowing firefighters to use the department’s ladder trucks to stop for food during their shifts.
Late last year, City Manager Jay Evans changed the internal policy so that members of the department had to return the large trucks between calls and use a smaller vehicle to get food. Firefighters were not happy with his policy change and asked commissioners to allow them to use trucks to make food runs.
Commissioners, however, voiced a range of opinions about the policy.
Mayor Lewis Puckett, who voted against Monday’s measure, said he receives phone calls on a regular basis from residents complaining about the inconvenience of the trucks parked at local eateries. Some frustrated residents found their cars blocked in by the large trucks, he said.
“I get at least two calls a week about the firefighters,” he said. “I’m getting tired of hearing about it.”
Fire Chief Dennis Sargent told commissioners it was cheaper for the city to allow the firefighters to use the trucks on their way back from a call than to use smaller vehicles. Some firefighters attending the meeting pleaded with commissioners to allow them to use the trucks to travel for food. They cited their long shifts and the large amount of food they usually consume during their shifts.
But Commissioner Bill Polk, who also cast a dissenting vote, was not convinced.
“That’s ridiculous to drive a ladder truck from the fire station to Publix,” he said. “What happened to people wherever they work they bring their lunch to work?”
The department should use the trucks when appropriate — that is, for emergency calls — because of the expensive repair costs, Polk said.
“Those firetrucks require a lot of maintenance,” he said.
Other commissioners, though, defended the department’s ability to use the trucks to get food. Although it’s important to be financially conservative, the firefighters should be allowed to use the trucks to travel for meals between calls, Commissioner John Christian said.
“This is a perk that they’ve had,” he said. “The last thing I want to do is hurt the morale with the firefighters.”
By driving the trucks to local eateries after a call, the firefighters are getting hands-on practice driving, Commissioner David Knowles said.
“I think it’s prudent . . . for you to get practical experience driving in non-emergency situations so when the emergency situations do arrive, you can get there quickly,” Knowles said.
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