City Manager Jon Jennings has a tough enough job managing the city without have to put up with the bullying tactics used by firefighters union President Chris Thomson in regard to the removal of a piece of equipment from the Munjoy Hill station. As Mr. Jennings has stated, he has no issue with the rank and file but finds the union leadership to be a problem in the operation of city business.
Twice the membership has run the fireboat aground, in 2010 and 2011, both times being in a spot they had no business being in. The second time, it was documented in the Press Herald that the crew was out on a cruise with friends and family. The firefighters involved were suspended but got their back pay after a review, as there was nothing in the contract that said they could not take out their friends.
Fast forward a couple of years, and the ladder company in North Deering went out on a call and left the stove on, resulting in a fire and a very expensive rebuild of the station. Was anyone ever held responsible for these acts? Not that I am aware.
It is well documented that Portland has far more full-time firefighters than other New England cities its size and that the fire department could stand to have some of its rules regarding manning relaxed.
Mr. Thomson does a fine job for his membership. He should stick to those issues and let the city manager manage.
Scaring citizens into believing they are at risk from the decommissioning of Engine 1 is just like the schoolyard bully. I am glad Mr. Jennings is in charge and not Mr. Thomson. I wonder how many members of the Portland Fire Department actually live in Portland.
Dan Milligan
Portland
Send questions/comments to the editors.
-
Nation & World
Census Bureau director to resign over criticism of 2020 data
-
Business
Millions eligible for big Obamacare subsidies don’t claim them
-
Nation & World
Martin Luther King Day service calls for nonviolence amid turbulent times
-
Boston Bruins
Rask gets no support as Islanders blank Bruins, 1-0
-
Nation & World
Biden to propose immigration overhaul including path to citizenship
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi {SUB NAME}, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have one? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login to participate in the conversation. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.