The mayor and fire chief met privately with firefighter union officials to discuss ways to come up with the $285,000 needed for upgrading the department’s radio equipment, but didn’t come up with any solutions.
Fire Chief Barry Finley had proposed July 24 the elimination of two of the department’s six battalion chiefs through attrition with the money saved to be used to improve the radio system. He said at the time that the reduction wouldn’t impact the safety of firefighters or the public.
But on Aug. 5, Finley completely changed directions and said he wouldn’t follow through with the plan, citing risks to firefighter lives and public safety.
Finley and Mayor Jamael Tito Brown met Thursday with leaders of the firefighters union behind closed doors to further discuss the issue.