Union Sues City After Seven Boston Firefighters Quit Over EMT Rule

September 24, 2011 2:37 PM

(Photo from BostonFire Twitter page)

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BOSTON (CBS) – The firefighters union is taking the city of Boston to court after seven newly-hired Boston firefighters resigned rather than be fired.

They stepped down after the city threatened to enforce a 15-year-old rule that requires new hires to become state EMT certified within their first year on the department.

Calling the lawsuit frivolous, Mayor Menino defended the city’s decision to enforce the rule.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe reports

“We’re just trying to protect the firefighters and protect the public,” Mayor Menino told WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s Kim Tunnicliffe. “It’d be a liability issue for the Fire Department and the city of Boston.”

The Firefighters Union is suing to get those firefighters back on the force. The union says the department has never before enforced the requirement.

Menino says the city will rehire those firefighters once they complete their certification.

Union Sues City After Seven Boston Firefighters Quit Over EMT Rule

Paul

Why should they be hired back? They quit!
Linda

I thought every Firefighter was a cerified EMT. It certainly should be a requirement for every fire department nationwide.

Vera Carroll

I totally agree

Ajay

Didn’t they know the job requirements before they were hired?
jaygee

If these guys want to quit a well paying job for something else then it’s a free country. I have a feeling that they will regret their decision and as Paul said, why would they be hired back if they quit.
alan

Part’s over, boys.
Linda

I should think any Firefighter would want to be a certified EMT, it would enhance the job of saving lives and would help in saving their own.
Elena Nikitas Dooley

Of course they should be certified!!!!! It’s their job for goodness sakes….I don’t even see why this would be an issue, period. All firefighters should be EMT certified, not just new hires. The firefighters union is being ridiculous. Shame on them.
Arthur R taylor

I don’t understand their rational. I am sure they knew before they applied that this was a requirment. If they choose to quit, then that is their prerogative and I think the city could offer them a job as trash collectors because that is what they are indulging in with this stupid law suit.

ART
Tom

If I was in trouble I wouldn’t want the firefighter who rescued me to look at me and say “Sorry, I can’t save your life because I’m not certified like the other guys are. Too bad, buddy. I guess it just isn’t your day.”

Anne

Yes, but it wasn’t an EMT that rescued you…it was a firefighter. This mandatory rule is outrageous, and I, for one, support these men for their courage in opening a debate on this issue.

tony

this training should be part of the training for the fire dept
JohnC

Isn’t this the same fire department that said (after two firefighters died while fighting a restaurant fire) that the cocaine in the system of one of the deceased, and the alcohol in the system of the other, had nothing to do with their deaths?

Ajay

Yes, but you should be glad to know that the two that were working while under the influance were qualified EMTs.

Dan

Get certified and they will hire you back. I don’t understand the issue. If you want your job, get certified. Simple as that. If I was a firefighter I would want to be certified so I could help as many people as I could. Even if it wasn’t required I would get it anyway to save as many lives as I could.

Boston Fire Fighters you make local Fire Fighters look bad with this kind of stuff.
Anne

Okay….let’s have EVERY EMT be certified as a firefighter….or better yet…let’s send all the EMT’s into burning buildings! Yeah…that’s the ticket!