Watch story on the inspections of Boston’s fleet performed by Ralph Craven
The Boston Globe, at its Boston.com website, reports there is now confirmation that Ladder 26′s brakes failed in the crash that killed Lt. Kevin M. Kelley. Here are excerpts from today’s story by John C. Drake and Donovan Slack:
A detailed inspection of Ladder 26, the Boston firetruck that crashed into an apartment building and killed a firefighter this month, appears to confirm what fire officials suspected: The brakes failed as the truck barreled down a street in Mission Hill.
The findings, described by a high-ranking official briefed on the results of the inspection, were made by a mechanical specialist hired by the Suffolk district attorney’s office.
Jake Wark, a spokesman for the district attorney, declined to release the review results yesterday, saying the investigation is ongoing. He did say that another specialist retained by the Boston Firefighters Union was allowed to observe the examination of the truck.
The union said it supports Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s decision last week to hire licensed mechanics to maintain the city’s firetrucks. But the union said it wants those mechanics to be members, setting up a possible conflict with the mayor.
“It’s long overdue,” Edward A. Kelly, president of the Firefighters Union, said in a telephone interview. “We’ll welcome those mechanics to our union, and we welcome them to our department, because our fleet is in deplorable condition.”
Last week, the mayor ordered the hiring of four licensed mechanics to service firetrucks, including a professional fleet manager, following the Jan. 9 crash.
Those hires would fill vacant positions previously filled by Local 718 firefighters who are not mechanics. A Menino administration official said yesterday that it is unclear which union will represent the mechanics.
“The most important thing is to get the people with the necessary qualifications into the positions,” said John Dunlap, the city’s director of labor relations. “We welcome the fact that the fire union has said they won’t oppose that.”
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Seems like a common theme here is how they have to be "Union" workers. Obviously the current Union workers have not done a very good job. Quit worry about the union and worry about lives!