Union head says city to blame for absent firefighters

The head of Atlanta’s firefighter union on Monday defended his members against accusations that 27 of them purposely called in sick on Super Bowl Sunday, which forced the city to temporarily close five stations.

“We’ve been loyal to the city,” Atlanta fire Lt. Jim Daws, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 134, said in an interview Monday. “The city [government] hasn’t shown the same loyalty to us.”

John Spink / jspink@ajc.com

Atlanta firefighters were back on the job Monday just in time to fight a fire in the 900 block of Rebel Forest Drive in southeast Atlanta. The Cleveland Ave. fire station, which had been closed Sunday, responded to the call.

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Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran said Sunday that the 27 firefighters’ sick calls were more than double the number of sick calls on a normal day, causing “an extremely vulnerable situation.” Cochran said he did not know if the increase was some sort of “blue flu” or “political statement,” but said firefighters call in sick more often on a payday weekend with a holiday or a big event like the Super Bowl.

Daws and other union leaders have criticized city-mandated furloughs that began in late December and have cut work schedule and pay of firefighters by about 10 percent.

The Atlanta City Council is scheduled to vote today on a resolution to override Mayor Shirley Franklin and end furloughs on firefighters, police officers, 911 operators and corrections officers. The mayor has said the furloughs were necessary to keep the cash-strapped city government operating in a fiscally responsible manner. Some council members believe they are other ways to find money in the budget to restore the officers to their standard work shifts.

Daws said firefighters called in sick because they get “burned out” by working in more dangerous conditions — such as fewer firefighters working on each truck — that he says were created by the furloughs. Daws predicted that the city will see firefighters calling in sick more frequently.

“I think this is going to boil until there is an incident where someone dies or is seriously hurt,” he said.

Daws said there was no blue flu or Super Bowl-related goofing off.

“This is just a normal consequence of the budget cuts,” Daws said. “The conditions the city is asking firefighters to work under, plus an 18-percent pay cut, is adding to absenteeism. I’m not surprised absenteeism is up.”

He said the 18 percent is a combination of furloughs and overtime being cut.

“There is no buffer in the staffing scene,” he said. “We can expect more of this.”

Fire stations were closed Sunday in Bankhead, Buckhead, Candler Park, Cascade and in the Cleveland Avenue areas but reopened Monday, fire department officials said.

Firefighters from one of those firehouses, Station 30 on Cleveland Avenue, were kept busy Monday morning battling a blaze about two miles away on Rebel Forest Drive. No injuries were reported in the fire, which damaged a one story, brick house in a neighborhood off Forrest Park Road.

“Staffing levels are at a sufficient number today to prevent the closings of any trucks or stations,” May said.

Sunday’s absenteeism caused the department to shut down seven pieces of equipment and close five stations as it rearranged staffing to high-call and high-risk areas, Cochran said.

The normal citywide minimum staffing to operate is 147 firefighters, he said. That allows each truck to be manned by three firefighters. On Sunday, there were 131 firefighters on duty.

The budget cuts have caused the department to furlough employees, cut overtime and leave unfilled spots open. Two other firehouses were previously closed, one for the rest of the year and one permanently.

Candler Park Neighborhood Organization President Amy Stout said Sunday she was keeping her fingers crossed that a fire didn’t break out in her home.

“I don’t know what I’d do,” she said. “I do have some rain barrels.”

Fellow Candler Park resident Bill Murphy shared her frustration.

“I don’t see what we can do to get the city’s attention,” he said. “I just feel helpless…. We pay really heavy taxes and feel we deserve the same services as anyone.”

Murphy lives four houses from the closed Candler Park fire station.

Stout said the next nearest station is four miles away.

Murphy’s wife, Maureen Wilce, said the city isn’t taking the issue seriously enough. Wilce serves as the recording secretary for the Candler Park Neighborhood Organization.

“I am really distressed in general,” Wilce said. “The city has taken such a casual attitude. This is very, very upsetting. The in-town neighborhoods are just overlooked.”

She was especially concerned over a shortfall on Super Bowl Sunday, saying, “With all the parties, it’s going to be a busy evening for safety issues.”

Wilce said she doesn’t understand why public safety is always the first target during budget crunches.

“The sheer number of people who seem to have nothing to do in the planning department seems to me could be trimmed,” she said. “Administrative positions could be looked at.”

Stout agreed.

“I know there is no money,” Stout said. “And you can’t get blood from a turnip. But I’d rather see the city do something else than close our stations.”