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September 28, 2007

Update: Firefighters will participate in Sunday's drill

The Providence firefighters will be participating in Sunday's Homeland Security drill at the Rhode Island Convention Center, apparently meaning that the statewide drill will go forward as planned.

The Providence firefighters, who have been working without a contract, had planned to picket the drill, leading firefighters from other departments to say they would not cross the picket lines.

That plan was met with fierce objections by city and state officials.

Their Providence Fire Department's union president said in a statement, "It never was our intention to negatively impact the drill."

Anyone who asserts that it was, union president Paul A. Doughty added, "is either misinformed or is consciously misinforming the public."

The statement also says the Providence firefighters union has contacted all other Rhode Island fire departments to assure them their participation "will be as welcome as it is necessary."

Firefighters will stage a "teach-in" on the steps of City Hall after the drill is finished, according to a statement from the firefighters' union. Doughty's statement said the subject of the teach-in is that "Providence is alone among Rhode Island municipalities in its unwillingness to conform to state law regarding cancer benefits for firefighters."

He added that "in Providence, the city charter provides a legal loophole that allows the city to ignore the state law ... So our argument is not legal in nature. It's about morality. It's about right and wrong."

"Providence firefighters will proudly join colleagues from the other 38 cities and towns of Rhode Island and participate in a preparedness exercise of immense importance to the safety of our state," Doughty said.

Doughty was scheduled to give a news conference beginning at 3 p.m. today.

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 3:19 PM | Permalink

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