Dozens of firefighters attended the Newport News City Council meeting on Tuesday hoping to be heard. Donnie Lewis, President of the Newport News Firefighter's Association, says a mandatory overtime policy is exhausting city firefighters.
“Our firefighters are the best in the world, I think. They do a great job…but there’s a limit," said Lewis.
That limit is now, Lewis says, after a mandatory overtime policy came into play a couple months ago, exhausting himself and others.
“Our firefighters are medics and they’re riding on the medic trucks a lot. They’re responsible for your life. If I’ve been up for three days straight, how good am I?," he asks.
That's what he told the Newport News City Council.