RI Residents Cool Down But Firefighter Staffing Still Hot Issue

It was a more cordial atmosphere during Monday night's meeting of the Middletown Town Council as President Robert Sylvia allowed a number of speakers during the public comment period to address the Middletown Fire Department staffing issue. Sylvia said he wanted to "give our firefighters and those who want to talk an opportunity," something that didn't happen during the council's last meeting.

Kevin Kosinski, the second speaker in line, told the council the department has seen an increase in the volume in calls as the town's population has dwindled. His reasoning was a growing population of elders and the rise in hotel rooms and tourism. Kosinski also mentioned the number of instances Middletown has received mutual aid compared to its neighbors.

"How long do you think the town can get away operating like this?" he asked. "This excessive, irresponsible reliance on mutual aid will not go away until we add more firefighters."

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John Jordan, the president of the Local 1933 union, said the responsibilities of firefighters in the town have increased as protocols have changed. He also pointed to a report written by retiring Chief Peter Faerber titled "Critical Staffing Concerns of the Middletown Fire Department." Jordan said the report was completed in 2006 after the town took over a large portion of Navy property.

Jordan urged the council to "come work this out and let's make the town safer and let's make us safer."

Joseph Andriole, president of the Rhode Island State Association of Fire Fighters, thanked the council for giving people a chance to speak and said he wants the encounters between the department and the Town Council to be "less divisive." He then said that if the department was given just "one additional spot, we can open up another piece of apparatus and the safety level will be increased dramatically."

Sylvia followed Andriole by saying the council is looking at the negotiations "optimistically" before assuring those in attendance that "nobody has questioned the loyalty the job the Middletown firefighters do."

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