Houston officials have offered to raise firefighters’ base salaries, but not sufficiently to establish pay parity with police officers as approved by voters, city and firefighter union officials said Wednesday. “In my mind, the proposal makes no effort to implement Prop B,” union attorney Troy Blakeney said, referring to the ballot item reflecting a city charter amendment approved in a Nov.
- PUB DATE: 2/21/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Houston Chronicle

Baltimore City Council members on Tuesday questioned Fire Department officials about the agency’s aging vehicles and stations and demanded more information on staffing policies and overtime costs. The council members who sit on the public safety committee asked the department to provide them with data on its operations to help determine how best to allocate resources to improve response times, repair aging firehouses and vehicles, and provide proper overtime pay to employees.
- PUB DATE: 2/21/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Baltimore Sun - Metered Site

VIDEO: Springfield's Fire Chief says there is nothing he can do when it comes to recommending charges in fires caused as a result of drug production, so he is taking the fight to the capitol. The issue regards to two sections of the current state fire law-- which were written when focus was on methamphetamine.
- PUB DATE: 2/21/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: OzarksFirst.com

The city of Los Angeles will pay $800,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a veteran fire marshal who was transferred out of his job after he clashed with inspectors in his department and the fire union sought his removal. The City Council voted 10 to 0 without discussion Wednesday to approve the settlement payment.
- PUB DATE: 2/21/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Los Angeles Times - Metered Site

A spat between Cleveland and one of its labor unions over when firefighters should start work each day has escalated to a case before the Ohio Supreme Court over who should referee the fight. The high court this week ordered Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Margaret Russo to file a brief by Friday that explains why she should be allowed to have a part in the case.
- PUB DATE: 2/21/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Cleveland.com