Mayor Stothert vows to appeal after arbitrator backs Omaha fire union on response times
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http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/mayor-stothert-vows-to-appeal-after-arbitrator-backs-omaha-fire/article_26107ea8-3d25-11e4-85c2-001a4bcf6878.html
POSTED: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 5:12 PM
By Roseann Moring / World-Herald staff writer
The Omaha Fire Department is not responding to emergencies fast enough, and the City of Omaha must address that, an arbitrator ruled last week in response to a complaint filed by the firefighters union.
John F. Sass of Golden, Colorado, ordered the city to put an additional fire engine, truck or medic unit into service, as well as to publish a more detailed report about bringing response times to national standards.
He also ordered the city to keep in service a medic unit stationed at 16th and Spring Streets and to work diligently to solve problems with response time data collection.
The Professional Fire Fighters Association of Omaha filed a grievance against the city in July 2013, arguing that the city violated its contract with the union. It argued that the city violated a provision of its contract saying that Omaha should strive to meet national standards for response times.
FULL story at link.