Crime & Safety

Stamford Firefighters Respond to Pavia's Fire Plan Push

SPFA has responded unfavorably to Mayor Michael Pavia's recent attempts to secure a passage of his Stamford Volunteer Fire Plan.

Despite a which caused Mayor Michael Pavia to his fire service plan to the Board of Representatives, The Stamford Professional Firefighters Association is , citing a lack of financial analysis and fire service reduction among many reasons.

"For the mayor to come out and say that this is a matter of public safety, I agree, but the mayor's plan reduces the quality of public safety," SPFA president Brendan Keatley told Patch. According to the SPFA, Saturday morning's 2 a.m. structural fire at 1156 Newfield Ave. served as an example of why Pavia's fire plan won't work.

From an SPFA press release:

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"If Mayor Pavia’s proposed plan had been in effect there would have been a maximum of 12-18 firefighters from the private fire company to fight that fire. The rest of North Stamford would have been totally dependent on volunteers for additional manpower and backups in case of a second fire or emergency."

"He hasn't answered a lot of financial questions," Keatley said.  Besides Pavia's fire plan, Keatley has other issues with the mayor's handling of Stamford fire matters, such as a permanent replacement for former fire chief Robert McGrath, who retired in July. "Why isn't there a chief in the Stamford Fire Department," Keatley said.

Find out what's happening in Stamfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Specifically, SPFA claims that Pavia's fire plan is flawed because it would involve hiring 117 firefighters to staff and equip the new Stamford Volunteer Fire Department, which would cost the city over $20 million. SPFA doesn't believe the prices and potential hardships involved are needed.

"The fact is that the SFRD is responding city wide now with its on duty complement of 52 fire fighters and fire officers," Keatley said.

According to SPFA, the Board of Representatives' request for a full financial analysis on the the Volunteer Fire Department Plan has been ignored since April.


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