RI State Assoc. of Fire Fighters: Middletown is in a“public safety crisis”

RISAFF response to Council President Robert Sylvia’s comments in the Newport Daily News Article published on January 14, 2020

“One would think at this point in the public safety crisis in Middletown, that Council President Sylvia would try to focus his energy and efforts on fixing the problem at hand. Instead, Mr. Sylvia rather keep his obtuse denial of this situation as his priority.

The recent actions taken by the Town Council demonstrates the gravity of the inadequate fire and rescue protection that currently exist in the Town. If a crisis didn’t truly exist, why did the Town Council terminate their long-standing relationship with their labor attorney? Why did the Town Council remove the Town Manager from all negotiations with the Fire Department? Negotiating and providing adequate public safety is one of the core essential duties of a Town Manager. Why did the Fire Chief abruptly resign and state that he felt ineffective to continue to lead the Department?

Council President Sylvia’s leadership on this subject matter seems to be like a boat adrift at sea. His comment citing that “our town is as safe as any town can be, without putting a firefighter and a police officer on every corner” shows how this crisis is beyond his skill set. There isn’t any reputable and credentialed public safety professional that would come to the conclusion that fire protection in Middletown is adequate. To the contrary, there are numerous safety standards that the Town doesn’t come close to meeting, there are studies that prove the staffing of the Fire Department is inadequate. The Town Council has not only created an unsafe environment in Middletown, it is creating an unsafe environment on all of Aquidneck Island, they are intentionally bleeding all the public safety resources of the neighboring communities. It is only a matter of time before the residents of the neighboring communities of Portsmouth and Newport will say enough is enough.

Lastly, the most disturbing comment of all is when Council President Sylvia stated “they have used scare tactics, and have created panic”. My question to Mr. Sylvia is, I wonder if the residents who waited a prolonged period of time for a fire engine to show up at that horrific fire on New Year’s Eve were scared or felt panic? I wonder if that father who had to go in and save his daughter was scared or felt panic? The Town Council should be scared over the current situation and they should be in a panic to correct the problem, but THEY ARE NOT. The Fire Fighters in Middletown will continue to do the very best they can to protect the people of Middletown, the people of Middletown deserve better.

The Fire Department is truly understaffed and unfortunately the people of Middletown are underrepresented by this Town Council.”

Joseph A. Andriole, President

Rhode Island State Association of Fire Fighters