STLFF12's Blog

Over past decade or so, race relations at the City’s Fire Department have sometimes been heated. Some of the bad feelings have to do with historic grievances about the management of the Department under former chiefs; others are newer complaints having to do with some pending promotions to supervisory positions. Whatever the reasons, it is well past time for things to change. Firefighting is too dangerous – and too important – for the Department’s firehouses to be divided against themselves. In next year’s budget I will seek funding to help underwrite the expense of mandatory training in diversity issues and race relations for all St. Louis firefighters. And the City will ask FIRE and Local 73, the two firefighter organizations that represent most members of the fire service, to develop a plan together that will spell out concrete measures to improve relations between the two groups, and race relations within the Department. I will have more to say about the pending promotions next week.

What Slay needs to do is put pressure on the Chief to promote over two dozen captains and battalion chiefs (which had already been ordered by a federal judge), or make some major changes, or Slay needs to get him out.  The Chief is a member of the racial organization who is protesting the test results and holding up the process of promoting.  Coincidence?

No thanks to FOX2 for thier top notch reporting on the safety and well being of citizens in their city, let alone their own studio and reporters and editors. Leave it up to Channel 5 to make this a top priority news story. Maybe if someone was in need of aid at the FOX2 studio on Berthold, and "Acting" command personnel showed up, how would you feel to not have the most qualified people coming to your aid. People get put into those "Acting" positons by senority. If that person declines, it goes on down the line til someone takes it. In some cases, someone with 2 years experience in firefighting is making life or death situations. Its about as close as having someone who just graduated the police academy and responding to a shoot out on the north side. You can learn learn learn in the academy, but you will not be sharp until you get practical skills and you are seasoned.

Maybe I or FF33 will hear some comments after your life is already affected by under qualified responders. Now is the time for you to call city hall, join the protests and make your voices heard. It's time for change and the time is now.