A firestorm of huge proportions is about to engulf the Hartford Fire Department. The firestorm is coming in the form of massive retirements by key people eligible for retirement. As of yesterday, the number given to me by a well placed, knowledgeable source within the Hartford Fire Department could possibly be 85 to 90 retirements, made up mostly of high level Deputy Chiefs, District Chiefs, Captains and Lieutenants
These numbers would decimate the leadership ranks of the Hartford Fire Department as they try to rebuild under recently Chief Reggie Freeman.
The unfortunate part is that many of these firefighters had no intention of leaving until Mayor Bronin's budget was released. Many of the potential retirees have the required 20 years on the job for the 80% pension requirements, but are short of the 25 years for the full 100% retirement payout. They are choosing to go now because of the uncertainty of the City's status financially.
I have spoken to several firefighters that are making the choice to leave and they have all told me that the lack of information and transparency by both the City and their Union, IAFF Local 760. are forcing them to retire while they know what they are getting
This is sad because we as a city are losing almost one third of our Fire Department over gossip and rumor and no one seems to be stepping up to quell that misinformation pipeline. The Union should be asking their attorneys to advise them on best and worse case scenarios. What could the City actually do if they were forced into bankruptcy and what would the pension impact be? Is there a possibility that the City could take away their paid insurance benefit? Let's put the facts out there and make reasonable decisions instead of running scared of the unknown.
It might be also to be reasonable to ask why the Union Presidents hasn't put in his retirement papers yet? If things are as bad as he is telling his membership, why isn't he retiring to protect his pensions and benefits also.
Someone I spoke with yesterday from City Hall mentioned that the retirements might be a bluff to put the Union in a better bargaining position during their contract negotiations. Let us not gamble on the fire safety of our City by calling their bluff. I personally don't think it is a bluff. 5 or 10 retirements might be a bluff, 85 or 90 is a mass exodus , and not a bluff.
I have told Mayor Bronin personally that I can understand and fully appreciate the theory of what he is trying to do. He inherited a mess after years of inefficiency and incompetent management and now in the position of Mayor and the future of Hartford requires that he deals with the mess. What I do have a problem with is the implementation.
Mayor Bronin is an intelligent person, Quite possibly light years ahead of his predecessor when it comes to management and intelligence skills. Where he lacks is the communications of his message. I am sure that Mayor Bronin has a pretty good plan in place and he knows why he is doing what he thinks he needs to do. The challenge is conveying that message to his other partners, and that is what they need to be treated as if the solution is going to work, partners. And that goes across the board , whether it is City employees,- Police , Fire, DPW or even residents Lay it all on the table and explain what needs to be done and why. Lay out the facts and the documents for all to see
These are adults, and they can make informed decisions based on the facts, not rumor and gossip. This is not the military where you follow orders blindly. Leadership requires building consensus, not shoving plans down the throats of those affected by those plans
Calmer heads need to prevail based on factual and informed decisions. If not, it may be too late to find out it wasn't a bluff after all.
Sounds to me like a bluff. And when you ask for folks not to play games with po ole Hartford, you are barking up the wrong tree, Kevin. It's all a game. Get the most money then get out of Dodge ASAP.
ReplyDeleteFace it, everything always comes down to money MONEY FRICKEN MONEY. GIMMIE SOME MONEY, YO.
If this is a bluff by the union, it is the silliest bluff I can think of.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Mayor Bronin is light years ahead of Pedro and Perez but that doesn't say much.
Bronin has only been in office for five months. We need to give him a bit more time to deal with all the crises (Yard Goats, predator in the school system, fiscal, etc).
I promise you it's not a bluff. Better to retire with guaranteed pension and health benefits than to trust the Mayor, who's plan is to close several firehouses and extend the work week by 14 hours for zero additional pay, than to risk taking a huge financial loss and stay.
ReplyDeleteYou'd leave too if those were your only options.
Most of them have never seen smoke besides a few kitchen fires. Close a few fire houses
ReplyDeleteThis isn't a bluff at least 25 people of that number already out there papers in and its official. Bronin wants this so he can cut the minimum staffing and go to a 56 hour work week 3 shifts and only pay the guys for forty hours. If this goes threw then why should teachers get paid for the summer. Bronin was the lawyer for the state when they laid off the state troopers. Guys retired and they were hired back and he then fought and won to lower there minimal staffing. This isn't a joke you fireman haters can say what you want this is real.
ReplyDeleteWell I have some bad news for 4;19pm, Mr. Patel and the ignorance of Billy Goat. This is no bluff. I will repeat it for the hard of hearing, THIS IS NO BLUFF. What you will be witnessing over the course of the 4 to 6 weeks, is the destruction of the Hartford Fire Department by Mayor Bronin.
ReplyDeleteThe mayor is demanding 15 million dollars in labor concessions just from the fire department. Instead of sitting down with all the labor unions, just not Fire, but all of them and attempt to negotiate a workable long range solution to the fiscal problems that plague our city, he has made a list of totally unreasonable and in some cases outrageous demands. He has created a hostile relationship between employer and employee. Simply put, the mayor has shown his disdain towards all city firefighters. His message of hate and disrespect can no longer be hidden from his usual bag of quotes to the media such as " dire fiscal situation " or " structural changes ".
Hey Mr. Mayor, these problems weren't created overnight and the solution can't be brought about that way either. So my message to the Mayor and people like Billy Goat is this.....you can hate us, you can disrespect us and you can blame us all you want....but in 6 weeks there will be 80 less firefighters to kick around. All the leadership will be gone and people and firefighters are going be injured and or killed. The blood will be on the hands of Luke Bronin and no one else.
Mark your calendar in 4 to 6 weeks.
This is no bluff....just the awful sad reality.
What do you expect from a rookie mayor other than an amateur hour performance?
ReplyDelete.
I don't see this as such a bad thing. Yes alot of experience walks out the door but it provides opportunities that wouldn't otherwise be possible. Wouldn'have to lay anyone off, maybe be able to consider better more efficient deployment of resources, and yes (gasp) consider closing a firehouse if needed. Does every higher up need a driver? That seems to be a luxury not needed. Plus it gives the new chief a chance to implement some ideas he may have and make lemonade out of lemons.
ReplyDelete11:25 am
ReplyDeleteI am all for making lemonade out of lemons, but not when it endangers lives. The retirements are more because of misinformation , or a lack of information. A little communication in this matter would go a long way. And yes, the pensions are lucrative but money is not the only reason our Police Officers and Firefighters choose to serve our City. Most of them love their jobs and what they do. I am also pretty confident if we sat down and dealt with them in good faith, most firefighters would agree to a 50 hour work week (similar to other cities already doing it)with assurances of no layoffs or house closures, it would be approved by them to protect their fellow firefighters and the department.
We need to be able to talk and communicate like adults before we reach the point of no return.
ReplyDeleteScrew your 50 hour work week Brookman... were not your slaves...the schedule and manning remain the same or we refuse in mass. What is Bronin going to do? Fire us all?
At this point I don't really care. I am one of many HFD guys that is highly employable. Why doesn't Bronin offer an incentive for every officer to leave? That would surely finish the process of dumbing the HFD down.
12;03 PM
ReplyDeleteGood attitude, take care of yourself and the hell with everyone else. Hopefully you are low enough in seniority you would be one of those laid off as the result of greed. And if you are highly employable, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, we don't need your infectious attitude.
I appreciate what we have here, but we also need to be able to adapt to make it work and live within our means
No Brookman, not low on senority or rank. In fact I'll probably get a promotion or two out of this madness which you seem to support. What I am worried about is how dangerous the job will become for both firefighters and civilians.
ReplyDelete@12:03
ReplyDeleteWhy are you so angry? Is it because things broke down in the department so long ago?
So let me get this straight Kevin. You're in favor of the city requiring firefighters to work an additional 728 hours a year in addition to the nearly 2200 hours they work now without any compensation. That's what a 56 hour work week translates into. You mention other cities that require a 56 hour week but few if any have the workload that HFD has.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that no other division in the city, none, are asked to to work 30+ percent more hours to do their part in saving the city. Maybe you can ask your friends in HPD or DPW what their feelings would be if that were the case. In fact try The Travelers or maybe Aetna Insurance employees to see if the want to work 10 hours Mon-Fri and throw in a half a day on Saturday for the same annual salary.
This has nothing to do with saving any individual but the organization as a whole. Almost every study on the effects of fatigue equate it to being impaired. I believe the job requires sound rational decisions because of the serious consequences of our actions. So if working 224 a month in a physically and mentally demanding job when most of America sits at a desk for 40 hours a week is going to be the new normal every single firefighter out there should ask themselves if this is what they want for themselves and their family.
We already work a 48 hour work week and get paid for 42
ReplyDeleteCry and whine all you want. How many HFD members reside in Hartford? If they all did and paid property and car taxes and sent their children (if any) to city schools Hartford's tax income would be greater than it is today. Sorry, the city pays better than any Greater Hartford Fire Department.
ReplyDeleteMost of America dose not work a 40 hour week any more. Those days are over. Go to work for insurance, bank, department, grocery or outlet stores and many other places and check how many hours people work in 2016. Hours worked are either way over 40 or others have been reduced to part-time. Extra work is added to all levels of work today. Take it or leave it. No employer wants to give benefits. During the summer months teachers do not get paid. They might sign off on a 12 month pay system. Most classroom teachers work a summer job. I am not talking about school administrators. They are usually over paid.
ReplyDeleteEverybody who is in favor of HFD retirements, and thinks a 56 hour workweek for 40 hours is a great thing, you will soon be in for a surprise.
ReplyDeleteThe HFD is a Class 1 fire department, not everyone gets that rating and it's something to be proud of. This rating gives the residents of Hartford quite a break on the fire insurance portion of there bills. When these guys leave, that rating goes too. Your insurance will cost you more. You will not have the same services from HFD anymore. Fires will be much bigger, inside attacks will be toned down for safety reasons. There will be more vacant buildings and parking lots around the city. Unfortunately this means more people will be gettIng hurt, both firefighters and civilians.
This is similar to Hartfords bond rating getting reduced, it comes with penalties.
I am one of the firefighters who will be retiring. I don't want to go, I still love my job and would love to keep doing it. Unfortunately Mayor Bronin doesn't care about HFD or the city residents or the people who visit and travel through the Capitol City. He only cares about dollars and readying for his next job.
I have to make the decision that best helps myself and my family. All of you bashing us would make the same choice if you were in our boots. Deny this as much as you want, but you know damn well it's true.
I do my job to the best of my ability, and for 25 years I have risked my life to save yours and your families. It is now time I prioritize my needs and take care of my family and retire against my will.
My advice would be to protect your family because 90, 20 plus year, well experienced Deputy Chiefs, Captains, Lieutenants, Drivers, and some privates will no longer be ready to help you.
Mayor Bronin does not give a shit about us (HFD) or its residents. He is merely padding his resume for his next job.
Good luck everyone!
Listen to you ignorant fools talk about cry and whine and how the rest of America doesn't work a 40 hour work week. Ignorant fools !! Banks and department stores don't want to pay overtime. Most places are cutting hours. Many are trying to reduce hours so they don't fall into Obamacare rules. Ignorant fools. If all of us live in the city, it would be a tax reduced Utopia ?? Is that what you really believe ? Ignorant fools ! We don't live in the city because of crime and failing schools. Why don't you ask your illustrious mayor where his kids go to school. Ask your illustrious mayor where he really lives. His Elm St address is a sham. Like the other commentor stated. He's padding his resume for his next job in state government. He's a Malloy boy and he's taking all of you for a ride. He hates city employees and could care less about you residents. Just wait and see. He'll destroy the once proud Hartford Fire Department and then shrug his shoulders and say it wasn't his fault. Typical politician. Ignorant fools.
ReplyDelete......and this is why we don't live in the city !!
the ignorance here are the people that are whining and not doing what needs to be done. and let me jump to another of your points before I proceed with the rest of my rant, go after Mayor Bronin all you want, he ran for office and knew what he was getting into so he is fair game. DO NOT attempt to use his children as pawns in your fight, where they go to school is irrelevant and no parent who has the means available would choose a lesser or inferior education for their children. especially with all we know about the dysfunction we see with the BOE. You guys who are driven by the uncertainty of the current situation should be demanding answers from your Union Presidents and he should be demanding answers from the Mayor and Council.I think you might find it a tough sell to get much sympathy for the 48 hour week. Every firefighter has a tough job when called upon an I know most of us really do appreciate what you all do. Keep in mind that many families , including younger parents and even seniors are working two or three jobs and racking up well over 50 hours for close to minimum wage, many with no benefits and no pensions, just to survive, There is no lucrative retirement for many in Hartford at 65 0r 70 years old, never mind at 45 or 50 with full medical. So please try to keep this all in perspective and work on a solution instead of the rhetoric. And I do mean those comments with all due respect for what you do, but keep in mind the condition of the community you serve
ReplyDeleteComing from a guy that has never seen the inside of a burning building. These men and woman risk their lives day in and day out serving their community. No other job in the USA besides the police department and of course our men and woman serving the military see working conditions like the HFD does.
DeleteBoy, you work in Hartford yet do not have a nice thing to say about the capitol city. Please do not tell me that you work to many hours. Again, go work some where else and live there too. How dare you say that Mayor Bronin dose not live in Hartford. Listen, go whine and dine in another job. Then you will see if the grass is greener there.
ReplyDeleteHeres an idea, let them retire, contract with neighboring towns for coverage at a lower cost. First step towards regionalization. Embrace change!
ReplyDeleteWhen the fire folks leave, Mayor Bronin has already solved the problem. Every citizen will be issued 2 buckets of water and will be expected to put out their own fire.
ReplyDeleteBeing the wife of a firefighter I would not be thrilled for a 56 hour work week. If it had to be, then we would deal with it, but I don't think it is safe or healthy for anyone involved. The point that doesn't seem to be taken into consideration here is they expect them to work 14 more hours per week and not pay them any more money. Not only that, they want them to get paid less by taking away there last two pay raises. How does this make sense to anyone?
ReplyDeleteWhy not eliminate the HFD altogether, and make it a volunteer department. If nobody cares what happens to the firefighters, then go volunteer. See how much you appreciate what you had then.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous 6:31AM - In regards to your fairness statement, not everybody in the City gets lifetime healthcare benefits and large pensions in their union agreements. Some would say that they're overpaid to begin with and the pay needs to be scaled back to get back in line with other Greater Hartford fire departments. I totally respect the work of a firefighter, but we live in a time where healthcare is totally out of control (blame Obama and insurance companies) and pensions are skyrocketing (mainly due to public safety contracts). We can't be mortgaging our kids future by laying off teachers so our kids aren't getting the best education possible. We can't be downsizing our Public Works and L&I departments or we'll have more blighted properties and trash in the streets. There has to be some common sense reform and the bulk of the dollars are with Police and Fire (just look at the budget). We need to come to an agreement that's fair for the taxpayers, yet also reward those who put their lives on the line on a daily basis.
ReplyDelete6:31am
ReplyDeleteAs the wife of a firefighter, if you have been around long enough, I am sure you have seen the good and the bad of City employment. I am pretty sure you have seen and heard the reasons first hand from your husband over the years, We are now feeling the results of years of the "bad". The bills need to be paid and before you dig your heels in with the "hell no" attitude, ask yourself, are we willing to accept a little less of something before many city employees, including firefighters, are forced to accept a whole lot of nothing if additional layoffs and job cuts become a reality. That is the reality, either be part of the solution and work with what's happening or be forced to become part of the problem and potentially be totally without a paycheck once the unemployment runs out. And thanks for being the spouse of a public servant and dealing with this nonsense created by short sighted elected officials for years, but the time has now come that we are forced to deal with it. I doubt you will see Pedro Segarra worrying about putting food on the table, but he has taken very good care of himself at the expense of the people who really do care and serve Hartford
The exodus of 85 very experienced officers and men(women) from the Hartford Fire
ReplyDeleteDepartment with a collective total of 2000 years of organizational knowledge and talent, due to a lack of information to make an informed decision is a catastrophic loss to all parties involved. Gambling with the life and safety of city employee's and the people said employee's have sworn an oath to protect is extremely unsound and unsafe public policy.
Mr. Brookman is correct in his statement that the lack of knowledge and information is fueling this exit. If no information is generated by the factions with the ability to do so, every one loses civilian and uniformed.
Being a pawn in a very poorly played game of chess is not an enviable position, any reasonable person forced into this position would, I hope, make the sound decision to protect what is most valuable to them, their family, however it is defined.
Our esteemed Mayor, Mr. Bronin needs to think rationally about the ramifications of the City's proposals and lack of transparency in this matter. I assure you the resulting costs will be unreasonably and extraordinarily high.
In closing, if this impasse continues may I be so bold to suggest an additional line in the City if Hartford's projected budget;
BODY BAG- adult- child_ civilian/ uniformed, unit cost and quantity determined by city proposal and policy implementation.
Respectfully,
Thomas Dalton
Captain, Engine 16
Hartford Fire Department
Contract with neighboring towns, REALLY?? East and West Hartford have paid departments sure, but they need to cover their own towns first and foremost. Wethersfield Newington and Windsor are volunteer departments that have enough trouble getting volunteers to incidents in their own towns due to staffing. As a Class 1 FD Hartford are first responders, meaning they go out on EMS calls not just fires. Also, though there may not be fires everyday there have been several times when there were two or more fires at the SAME time; case in point the Hartford Hospital Fire in 1961 was the second major fire that day and crews were still at the first fire. I remember one summer night in the 80's when there were THREE major fires (I believe at least two of them were arsons) at the SAME time. THEN there are the conditions that they deal with at actual incidents; medical calls being bad enough with battling death, transporting heavy people/equipment up and down stairs, blood, vomit, violence. Fighting fires in extreme heat and/or cold, in the winter ice dangers, smoke, soot, falling, carrying people down ladders this is NOT a job many people can do. Accidents where they have to tear apart a car to get to someone that could be the same age as their kids or parents. 48 hours a week is more than enough of this, 56 is too much, they need rest to recover adequately for the very physical job they must be prepared to do. Also, they put their lives on the line EVERY SINGLE DAY, when they are confronted with more work for no more compensation, and with potentially losing benefits why shouldn't they put themselves and their families first. Don't forget that 343 FF's never went home after 9/11, and 6 Worcester FF's lost their lives looking for homeless people in an abandoned building which that city should have had torn down long before the fire. I have family and friends that are among those already and/or considering retiring because of this; they do love their jobs but it's time for them to go now before their safety is put at more risk. Oh yes, and they are highly employable because they have a strong work ethic, something lacking in the "political hires" that have definitely hurt the department. Good Luck Hartford, the residents elected and reelected incompetent, criminal mayors for years, it's your own damn fault!!
ReplyDeleteBronin won't lay out the documents because the crisis isn't as bad as he is making it. He just wants to be able to wipe the slate clean off of the backs of labor. That's his only plan. Other than that he has no clue. That is why no city projects have been stopped, because he wants to spend as much as possible to bankrupt the city. He doesn't care what shape he leaves HPD or HFD because he has no long term plans for Hartford in his future. You like everyone else Kevin drank his tasty cool-aid.
ReplyDeletewhere does it say that because your a municipal employee that you have to bend over and take it when someone tells you to bad work 56 hours. Most employees are protected under US labor law and work a 40 hr wk with anyting in excess paid at a rate of time and one half. working 42/48 with all extra hours paid in straight time is already quite enough, and enough is enough. Shove your 56 hour week for the same pay what next? 64, 72? where will that end. as far as the pensions, do not forget HFD member do not get Social Security in retirement due to having a MERF pension. In fact i'm not sure but if critically injured or due to illness could not finish their career may not be eligible for SS benefits either, not sure on that one but keep it in mind.
ReplyDeleteAs for the people working 3 jobs to get buy, well that's the situation you created for yourselves, should have thought more before having kids at a young age when you weren't ready emotionally, or financially, or not furthering your education formally or by work experience, being incarcerated , whatever what can I say. As far as HFD members pay levels don't compare to Windsor and Wethersfield, The proper comparison is to compare to cities with similar demographics, populations and work load, NY, Vegas, Buffalo, Philly and you will find in many cases HFD pay is in line or below the national averages. A recent look at salaries of Nevada Fire Captains was startling. And that health insurance, I just found out my wife has to buy medicare on top of what I am paying for "paid Up Medical" because she is "eligible" for medicare at 53 yrs old. a cost I did not expect for another 12 years down the line because CIGNA says so. point? benefits not always so lucrative.
you guys on the fence, Lying Luke has shown his cards and how low he will go, his word is worth nothing, Cash out , move on, let Lukey do drunks on sidewalk all hrs of the night and pick up pieces of people at car wrecks. If your around 50 you can work somewhere else where you are appreciated for a few years, hang out till 55-60 nobody is going to hire you. Choke on it Bronin, some leader, no positive ideas cut any and all, what will you have left in the end. When you are alone we will see how good you are. your home owners are paying way to little tax and your businesses are being strangled because your tax ratio or mill to % value is way out of wack.
You have the residents in arms because they have a high mill rate but only on 30% of the value of there property while state statute requires it to be 70%.