By Kate Ramunni
Connecticut Post Online (Bridgeport, Connecticut)
Copyright 2006 MediaNews Group, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
SHELTON, Conn. — Training exercises that simulate real-life fires are the latest casualty in the ongoing turmoil between the city’s Fire Department and Mayor Mark A. Lauretti.
The Board of Fire Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously agreed to scrap the scheduling of any more so-called “live-burn” exercises, which offer firefighters realistic on-the-job training. Often, residents donate old cars or even buildings slated for demolition to be set on fire and put out by department members.
“We just don’t have the personnel to do it,” said Commissioner David Sekelsky, adding that without a training coordinator, such events are difficult to do.
The lack of personnel is due in part to a number of appointments that expired this summer. The board is locked in a political standoff with Lauretti, who has refused to sign off on the reappointments until the board agrees to change the job descriptions of several positions in the department, including fire chief.
Commissioner Justin Sabatino asked the board to send letters to the captains of the four fire companies informing them that the department’s two assistant chiefs will be in charge of the department until further notice.
Sekelsky said the written notification is needed so everyone knows what is going on. “It would be a major legal issue if something were to go wrong,” he said. “We need to have it in writing.”
In the meantime, the commission will hold workshops to discuss possible changes to the job descriptions, commission Chairman Bob Araujo said.
There shouldn’t be any changes to the descriptions of the department’s top two positions, Sekelsky said, adding: “I don’t think we should change the chief’s or the assistant chief’s description.”
Lauretti has said he won’t approve any appointments until changes are made to the chief’s position that make it less reliant on the will of the commission.
Sabatino also proposed approaching Lauretti about finding some permanent offices for the department. Its offices are now run out of a room at City Hall that is becoming increasingly tight and has no room for training, he said.