Rockland Firefighters to Oppose Creation of New Public Safety Director

Press Conference Details:

Monday, June 15, 2009

5:45 pm

Rockland Fire Station

360 Union Street, Rockland MA

The Rockland Firefighters, along with members of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, will hold a press conference, Monday, June 15, to discuss their opposition to the town’s creation of a Public Safety Director. The matter is expected to be taken up, and possibly voted on, at the regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen on Monday evening.

“The Board of Selectmen are attempting to circumvent the Town Charter by creating a Public Safety Director instead of a Fire Chief,” said union president Tom Henderson. “The Rockland Firefighters position is that we need an experienced firefighter as Fire Chief and Head of the Department. This individual needs to have knowledge and experience of our department, and be able to make sound decisions that relate to firefighter safety and accountability, fire behavior, building construction and emergency medical needs, all critical decisions that will ultimately contribute to the safety of this community.”

“The Selectmen need to understand that the Rockland Fire Department is more than just a budget,” Henderson continued.

Rockland has always had a Fire Chief, up until recently when the Chief retired. Since then, the Deputy Fire Chief has been acting as the Department Head.  At the June 1 Board of Selectmen’s meeting the Selectmen chose to focus on the creation of a Public Safety Director instead of searching for a qualified firefighter from within the fire service to serve as Fire Chief.

The Rockland Firefighters Local 1602 position of the need for a fire chief is supported by professional organizations of the fire service including the International Association of Firefighter, International Association of Fire Chief’s, National Fire Protection Association, and the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts.

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