Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Wow. How is it that one segment of an overall huge city expenditure is being asked to shoulder such devastating personal sacrafices? These cuts represents huge financial blows to the men an women dedicated to protecting this city while universities contribute nothing despite billions in endowments. Developers are given million dollar tax handouts but you want each firefighter to contribute what amounts to tens of thousands of dollars in personal financial sacrifice over the life of their careers? Sure they shoul shoulder some burden but it appears the mayor wants to throw everything in but the kitchen sink. I'd decline if it were me too.

a 2 percent raise,lose 6 months retro for that.now you know why it wasn't brought to the the rank and file and probably won't.

Why would the firefighters sign this contract? There is not one benefit in there for them. They loose vacation time, holiday pay, loose one firefighter per truck, loose pension benefits, and have a co-pay. Is the Mayor serious with this offer? They would have to be dopes to sign this contract. I don't blame them for rejecting this offer. Only a moron would accept it.

the mayor is still trying to pass the buck to buddy he has to stop it. he as been in "charge" now for tow terms and has done little or nothing for the city itself.

He created this mess no one else,

he as to go, the fire men and police have every right to complain note he mentions nothing about the police setting up pickets, witch is to bad. he wants to take away but dose not seek the seem on other department, maybe buddy and the mayor can sit down with the police and fire and do a deal wear everyone comes out a winner, the mayor can act as a middle man.

but judging by the mayors videos he should just stop using utube it makes him look like a lier,

I think this is a pretty generous contract. What entitles someone to a contract anyway? You would think they'd be happy to have well paying jobs. Many people who live in Providence have to work 2 or 3 jobs to put food on the table and pay the rent. The reason our state is in such a mess because of unions and their pensions. I've never been a fan of Cicilline but at least he's trying to do some good for the citizens of Providence. Has anyone broken out how much a firefighter makes per hour of actually putting out a file? I suspect its several hundreds an hour.

Mayor: If the Union says NO, fire the lot of them, alla The Great Communicator Ronald Reagan.

The firefighters think that they are heroes because they work 4 days on and have 4 days off. I think the whole bunch of them are underworked, overrested, overfed, misty-eyed pansies. I wish I had it so bad. They would never last in the private sector!

No? then they have to go and start all over again!!

We support you Mayor!!!!

Reducing the number of personnel on the engine companies seems like a big risk to take just to save a few dollars. By doing this Cicilline would be setting precedent for a city of this size in the northeast.

Sounds pretty fair, but I'm sure the firefighters will think it's horrible. Let's face it, the firefighters will never be happy.

Cicilline should be ashamed of himself. I'm not a Fire Fighter nor do I know any Fire Fighters, but this is not a fair contract. Why would any man or woman risk their life for other people and their property in a city that treats them so poorly and values them so little. I hope Cicilline's life never depends on a Fire Fighter. I will stand with the Fire Fighters and I'm a taxpayer.

what is wrong with this mayor? keep up the fight-his contract proposal is a joke.

Wow! I now understand why the Providence Fire and Police have a problem with Cicilline's contract proposals. They would have to be short a few bricks to sign on to anything like that. He is trying to strip some very important and hard won language and benefits.

Hey Mayor--get real! I would rather forgo a raise or two than sign on to that proposal.

How much does tha mayor pay for his heath care vs his salary? What does that equal in a pectange of his salary? So how is it fai he pays less than someone who make less than him. Also has he given up a week vacation, reduced his pension (10 years as mayor he gets one) Should he be 60 when he is elgible to collect. That's right the projo won't report on these because they are biased.

Give Cicilline greater flexibility in deployments, allowing, for example, the transfer of one firefighter from six engine companies to a rescue company.

It will be voted down for that reason alone, if no other.

A study was done with the Providence FD that Cicilline should read. It proved that having that 4th FF on an engine reduced lost time days by about 34%. So cutting back to 3 will only cost the city more money. This is a loser deal for everyone, not just the FFs.

BTW, "Kevin", most FFs have to work a 2nd job to pay the bills. Providence FD handles about 40,000 calls a year, each rescue does 15-20 runs a day. Go ahead and do the math. Base pay is in the 40s. I don't begrudge a FF who can make $75K with overtime included, because he's doing an 80-hr work week, missing holidays with family and often working 24 hours straight. People in private industry would never survive this schedule.

these guys make a very good salaries, overtime, benefits time too privitize mr. mayor good riddens everyone can be replaced!

I looked this up on the internet:
The NFPA 1500 standard is 4 people per truck and RI is a NFPA state.
I was told this by a FF:
Even the smallest "line" -1.25in-that can be used at a house fire,but they'd be there all day,requires 2 people to get it to the source of the fire,and once the water is turned on,even that small "line" requires 3 people to control it because of the weight of the gear the FFs wear,and the pressure the water exerts.
I don't think anyone wants only 3 people, w/the smallest "line" available, at their house when it is on fire.
With only 3 people on a truck ,even more trucks have to be sent to any given any house fire,because usually only "1.75in-3in" "lines" are used at house fires, and the bigger the diameter of the hose,the more men needed to get it into the house and direct it at "the source" of the fire.
Once that is done,some of the FFs fan out and look for occupants,because no one is believing any bystanders in that regard.
So far,this is all I know.I wish some FF would give us the whole story,in a succint,easy to understand ,manner.

Fair point about needing three firefighters just control a single line, but I've never seen a fire - even a small one - with only one truck responding.

their president said to the mayor "bring our(the ff's) proposal to the council.why won't he do it?what's he afraid of,the council might decide the ff's have a good proposal?
another arbitration to be heard and more taxpayer money to be wasted.

Here we are in a State that is on the verge of bankrupcy and in a city that has an opportunity to attract national attention and put their best foot forward and so what do we do? The firefighter's union delivers a really good message. We're a disfunctional State with the inability to work out our problems. Imagine making 80K in this economy with a pension and complete benefits package and what happens? We picket the Mayors Conference because we don't like the Mayor.

If I were the Mayor I'd pull a Ronald Reagan and fire the entire group and break the Union.