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STAMFORD, Conn. The following letters by former Stamford fire chiefs endorse Charter Question 2 pertaining to changes to the Stamford fire service. The Daily Voice will accept candidate endorsements and other election-related letters to the editor sent by Friday, Nov. 2. Letters can be emailed to reporter Anthony Buzzeo at tbuzzeo@DailyVoice.com.
To the editor,
Anyone who has served in the military or worked in a successful business organization knows that it is unmanageable to report to six different bosses, each with their own set of rules and protocols,
Fire Departments need to be organized with a clear, unquestionable set of guidelines, training requirements and procedures. Charter Item #2 accomplishes that by putting one single leader in charge of the fire service for all of Stamford. When innocent lives are on the line or when the home or business your family has worked a lifetime to build is being threatened in an emergency, every Stamford resident should expect nothing but the highest level of protection.
Chief Robert McGrath
(McGrath was a member of Stamford Fire & Rescue for 41 years. He served 11 years as chief until 2011.)
To the Editor,
Voters have the opportunity to finally correct these well-documented dangerous fire rescue safety issues in Stamford. The new fire rescue management system as detailed in the Charter change will strengthen and improve management for all fire rescue services citywide.
This change will also provide volunteer fire service leadership with the opportunity to build upon the current dedicated base of volunteer members with improved recruitment and retention efforts.
Chief Ron Graner
(Graner served as chief of Stamford Fire & Rescue from 1993 to 1998. Previously, he spent 26 years as a firefighter in Rochester, N.Y., rising to the rank of battalion chief.)
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