On Wednesday morning, a vocal critic of the fire department filed a request for public information.
On Wednesday afternoon, the same critic, Ken Block, heard a knock at the door and learned that the Fire Department would inspect his business, Simpatico Software, which is among three businesses operating in a building at 20 Altieri Way.
Block says the person doing the inspection told him, “the pretext was they received an anonymous complaint about emergency lighting.”
Block was immediately suspicious that the inspection was a way of retaliating against him for the watchdog-style criticism he has focused on Warwick firefighters’ use of sick-time benefits.
The firefighters’ union president, Michael Carreiro, flatly denied that assertion Thursday, saying that the inspection was necessary and in line with protocol.
The timing of the inspection at the premises of a loud fire department critic drew additional attention to the sick-time issue; Block immediately telephoned broadcasters at WPRO radio.