ARLINGTON (WBAP/KLIF News) – A recent survey shows the morale at the Arlington Fire Department is at an all time low.
The Arlington Professional Firefighters Association’s David Crowe said negotiations over the implementation last fall of a voter-approved civil service act that dictates hiring, promotions and discipline have broken down.
According to the survey, which was conducted by Anderson Williams Research through Guardian Public Strategies and given to APFA members, the fire department morale rated 1.73 out of 10, fire department transparency rated 1.68 out of 10 and confidence in Fire Chief Don Crowson rated 2 out of 10.
Crowe said the survey speaks for itself.
“When you look at the survey and see such low approval ratings for the fire chief. For years, we’ve addressed the council and the city management that this is not the right direction for the fire department and the direction we need to go,” said Crowe.
He said since the act was last adopted last fall, the minimum staffing standards on fire trucks has been reduced.
“We believe that that is jeopardizing our safety and the citizens safety because you have less firefighters responding to the citizens and that’s certainly not what the voters voted for,” he said.
The group filed a lawsuit against the city last month and, in it, similar allegations were made.
In response, the City of Arlington said that while there may be fluctuation, staffing at all stations are adequate.
Crowe said that although APFA members want to both firefighters and management to reach some sort of agreement, they’re not backing down.
“If they don’t want to come to the table and sit down and come to a compromise with firefighters they need to follow the letter of the law,” he said.
The city also said that it has done its best to adopt the act as prescribed by law.
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