Lexington Kentucky Professional Firefighters

MAYOR NEWBERRY REJECTS CHANCE TO AID IN INITIAL HAITI RELIEF EFFORT

Early this morning, Ohio Task Force 1 was deployed as part of our nation’s effort to provide relief to the people of Haiti. Ohio Task Force 1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team composed of approximately 60 organizations from this region of the country. It is comprised of highly-trained technicians specializing in the type of rescue and relief efforts currently on-going in Haiti.

LFUCG has a memorandum of understanding with FEMA that makes us a participating organization in the Task Force and the Lexington Fire Department has ten members who volunteer their time as Federal Rescue Specialists. They receive no compensation above their normal salary while on deployment and undertake training on a volunteer basis. While on deployment, the federal government reimburses municipalities for overtime costs incurred by the deployed members and also pays for employees to backfill the members’ vacated positions. In other words, municipalities are completely reimbursed for any costs incurred by deployment of Task Force members.

Despite this, Mayor Newberry refused to allow our ten firefighters to be deployed with the rest of the Task Force. Local 526 has requested an explanation from Mayor Newberry, however he has thus far declined to comply.

We find this action by the Mayor shocking, disappointing, and both ethically and morally abhorrent. During the hurricanes that struck the southeastern US in August of 2008, Ohio Task Force 1 was deployed and included members from the Lexington Fire Department. Lexington is well-represented by our members on this important Team and we are proud that they volunteer themselves above-and-beyond the call of duty to aid people from other communities when called upon. This action by Mayor Newberry is grossly irresponsible during a time of international response and an embarrassment to our community.

Mayor Newberry Rejects Local 526 Proposal to Save Money in the City Budget!!!!

December 22, 2009

Re: Lexington Professional Firefighters Concessions to the LFUCG

To the Citizens of Lexington,

In the past couple of years we have seen the affects of the financial downturn throughout the country and so far it had not hit Lexington as hard as most, but there is an increase in unemployment in Fayette County and which leads to decreased revenues for the city. Mayor Newberry called a meeting in his office last Monday, December 14, 2009 in his conference room. In that meeting he asked us to come up with contract concessions that would amount to $1.5 million. He stated in the meeting that this was for the last part of this fiscal year, but he also saw financial difficulties over the next 18 months.

After hard work by the Executive Board of the Local 526, we came up with a cost cutting plan and presented it to the Mayor this past Friday. The concession that was proposed was as follows:

1) To extend the current collective bargaining agreement end date from 2011 to 2012.

2) Defer a $25/ month increase for 18 months in our uniform allowance that was due to start in January 2010. This would save the city approximately $223,650.

3) The city would already get a savings from known retirements at the time of the proposal that would occur in January 2010. This saves the city approximately $511,209.

4) Finally we would defer the 3% cost of living raise in the Firefighter, Lieutenant and Captains contract and the 2.75% cost of living raise for Fire Majors that would be due in July 2010 and moving it to July 2011. This would not require any extra and no retro pay. This would save the city approximately $1.234 million in FY 2011.

In return for these concessions, the city would have to agree to:

1) No reduction in fire department personnel, this includes No Layoffs

2) The LFUCG shall not reduce the services currently provided by the LFD; No station closings, no brownouts of trucks and to maintain the minimum staffing on Emergency Care Units at three.

I regret to inform you that I received word yesterday that Mayor Newberry has decided to reject this proposal from the Local. We hoped that this would help lessen the burden on the city and help protect jobs not only in the Fire Department but city wide. This shows that the Mayor is interested in cutting the very high professional services provided by the Lexington Fire Department and is using a financial crisis to do so. The citizens deserve better.

Sincerely,

Chris Bartley

President Lexington Professional Firefighters Local 526

Closures and their Effects on the Citizens

The term Brown Out means the closure of a fire company.

Each company protects a district and this is done to have the quickest response to you in your time of need Read More...

What the Mayor says and the facts

Mayor Newberry says there are four other station within 1.6 miles of Station 4 and the public’s safety will not be compromised.

Here are the true facts by Google Maps Read More...

Informational handout Please Read and Distribute to your friends

Download:

L526 Flyer.pdf

Watch this video and see why seconds count in a fire!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqMVm72FMRk

Which companies were CLOSED by the Mayor to save money and when.
Read More...

Fire Chief Proposes Layoffs to Fulfill Mayor’s Directive

The Chief has been directed by the Mayor, through Public Safety Commissioner Tim Bennett, to cut $2.7 million from the fire department budget for the remainder of this fiscal year (ending June 30, 2010). This is not possible without cutting into personnel costs – there is not enough money in other areas of our budget. Therefore, the Chief has proposed that the 26 recruits currently in training be laid off. This proposal has been submitted to the Mayor for consideration with the proposals from all other LFUCG Divisions. Our response to this proposal can be found below.

Local 526 Response to Proposed Fire Department Layoffs

It is irresponsible and unacceptable to cut fire department personnel, considering that the most basic role of government is to provide for the safety and security of its citizens. Fire department layoffs will result in reduction of the services we provide. These include remediation of fire and emergency medical emergencies as well as responses to hazardous materials and special rescue incidents. Layoffs will lead directly to company and possibly station closures, which will increase response times to the affected areas and subject our firefighters and the citizens of Lexington to greater danger from fire and medical emergencies.

Brownouts Have Arrived
Brothers and Sisters,

It is with much disappointment and frustration that I report the Lexington Fire Department is to suffer its first "brownouts" of this recession. Station 4/Engine 4 is scheduled to be closed for 24 hrs. on Saturday, Dec. 19 (1st Platoon) due to lack of overtime funds Read More...