Firefighters hope for cool-down
Rensselaer volunteers want city officials to address their concerns
After a tumultuous week for the city’s fire department, including the sudden resignation of the chief, a meeting Wednesday extinguished at least some of the worries borne by volunteer firefighters.
The last month has seen a rift between volunteers and paid firefighters in the city department. It was fueled by a state Labor Department investigation based on a complaint to its Public Employees Safety and Health Bureau that alleged a lack of training.
Last week Chief Bill Hummel forbade volunteers from entering burning buildings.
Then Wednesday Hummel reportedly resigned, just hours before volunteers confronted city leaders over their training level.
Hummel could not be reached for comment. A city official said the restriction against volunteers
entering buildings has been reversed.
Volunteer firefighter Michael Stammel, who is also a Rensselaer County legislator, said at Wednesday’s meeting Hummel’s resignation was disappointing to volunteers.
Firefighters, both paid and unpaid, should receive training annually, but many have not, Stammel said.
“After that, the chief told us we are not allowed to step foot in any burning buildings,” Stammel said. “If a neighbor’s house is burning, you’re going to help no matter what the chief may say. It’s in our blood. It’s an obligation, not a job, to take care of our community.”
The restriction was put only on the volunteers and not on the 12 paid firefighters, Stammel said.
“The volunteer firefighters have been denied resources by the city, particularly state required training and medical examinations, firefighting gear and equipment, and access to the firehouses,” Stammel said in an earlier news release. “The city also made changes to the fire alarm and dispatching systems that have made it difficult for volunteers to be notified of emergency calls.”
Stammel said that the paid staff is trying to squeeze out the volunteers, an effort that escalated into a 2016 lawsuit filed by Rensselaer Professional Firefighters Local 2643 against the volunteers. The suit seeks to restore city funds to the paid staff that were for equipment and other things the volunteers needed.
“Rensselaer has been served by volunteer fire companies for well over 100 years,” Stammel said. “These volunteers have dedicated much of their lives to be prepared to serve their city. They remain ready to work with the city’s leadership to implement the changes necessary to bring back the first class fire protection the residents deserve and to restore the reputation of the fire department.”
Stammel said he walked into the Wednesday’s Common Council meeting feeling “discouraged and demoralized.” He said he and other volunteers spoke with council members,
who seemed to listen to volunteers’ concerns, and he left feeling positive that they were finally taking a “step in the right direction.”
“Let’s work together and take care of our volunteers,” Rensselaer Council President Richard Mooney said at the meeting, as a few dozen community members applauded.
Mooney said the council was “taken aback by the benching” of volunteer firefighters.
Mooney announced that the restriction made by the chief was lifted.
He said the city met with a training officer and will have an eight-hour refresher course for the volunteers this Saturday and next week.
“Going forward this council wants to work with the volunteers, we want to have monthly meetings with a group of volunteers, have workshops where you sit down and talk to us,” Mooney said. “We want to work with you guys.”