Mayor clarifies statements about fire station
After several Uniontown volunteer firefighters expressed concern about comments made earlier this month by Uniontown Mayor Ed Fike regarding staffing the East End Fire Station, Fike has clarified his statements. In early October, Fike said that the East End Fire Station would not close down if he and City Council laid off paid Uniontown firefighters.
The city’s volunteer firefighters, who work with the full-time firemen, would staff the East End station if there were not enough full-time firemen to work there and at the Central Fire Station, Fike said.
Following Fike’s statements, multiple volunteer firefighters, including Alvin Sapp, president of the volunteer fire boosters, came forward, questioning Fike’s claims. They noted that they were not contacted formally or informally about staffing the station.
Sapp also said that even if Fike had contacted them, they are not trained to operate the station and would be unable to do so.
“We are not trained to run that equipment,” Sapp said. “We have never been approached to take that type of training. Don’t get me wrong; we have all kind of training, but our volunteers never drove the engines because we are not city employees.”
Fike said that he did not mean to imply that he had spoken with the volunteers about staffing the station but that should the station need additional staffing he would approach them.
“Nothing to this point has been satisfied,” Fike said Thursday. “If this has to be done, I will assure you that we will staff that station in some way. Whenever that becomes a necessity, I will meet with the volunteers and I will get their input.”
The contention regarding Fike’s comments began because firefighters have said laying off seven of the 13 full-time men would not leave the department with enough manpower to operate both stations, and the East End station would have to be closed.
Fike said any decision on operating the East End station is up to city administrators, not its employees.
He has proposed laying off at least 25 employees, including seven firemen, to avoid ending the year with a $220,700 deficit.
Wages and benefits for three firemen were not included in this year’s budget, Fike said.
The firefighters have said the administration cut the department’s budget this year, but increased all other department budgets.
They said the fire department provides many services, including code enforcement, to city residents cost effectively and should be a top priority in the budget.