NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Officials ruled against a new program that would require all firefighters to receive an annual medical evaluation at a hospital.
The Providence Journal reported that Rhode Island law requires firefighters to receive an annual medial evaluation. Judge Luis M. Matos said the “mechanism by which the physical are to occur is not as clearly defined.”
The North Providence Fire Department adopted the program in 2013 to comply with national standards that calls for firefighters to see a physician annually for evaluation.
The town set up the program at a local hospital to take advantage of the its capabilities and provide a more comprehensive annual checkup, according to Fire Chief Leonard Albanese Jr.
Firefighters and their union argued that the town’s program violated the law by imposing the requirement outside a collective bargaining process, according to the report.
Chief Albanese said the department did not force firefighters to comply.
“We’re going to go forward with the program as best we can,” Chief Albanese said.
The town will now require firefighters to have their chosen doctors provide annual medical evaluations.