MA Firefighters Delay Walk-Off; Department Audit Planned

ROCKPORT, MA—After a week of controversy, Rockport town officials are planning to conduct a third-party review of the Rockport Fire Department. As such, the mass walk-off threatened by volunteer firefighters for this Friday evening has been delayed.

Selectmen will discuss all Fire Department matters at their next meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. The scope of the discussion will be open-ended.

Capt. Frank Favaloro of Rockport's Pigeon Cove fire company said he'll be in attendance.

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"We're backing off temporarily until we are satisfied with the audit and their choice of an auditor," he said. "I believe we have this headed in the right direction."

The selection of the auditor will be at the full discretion of selectmen. The town will reportedly be seeking a fire chief with volunteer firefighter experience.

"We are going to make sure it will be someone that is well versed the nuances of a volunteer fire department," said Selectman Don Campbell.

Originally, the volunteer firefighters threatened to walk Friday at 6 p.m. unless Director of Emergency Services Mark Schmink and Assistant Fire Chief Steven Abell Jr. were relieved of their department leadership positions. That deadline has now been temporarily put on hold after Favaloro spoke with Campbell and Selectman Ross Brackett on the phone Friday morning. The three reportedly talked about the audit and Tuesday's meeting.

"We told him we are doing everything in our power to make sure their concerns are addressed," Campbell said of the conversation.

Despite the delay, Favoloro released a statement Friday morning, saying the department will continue "to keep pressure on the town to meet our expectations and follow through with this task."

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