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Dear Mr. Kenney,

For someone who has 35 years of experience in the fire industry, you clearly have written a letter based on false figures and non fact. The facts are that Warwick Firefighters DO NOT work 42 hours in a week. They work 48 hours. They work two 10 hour days followed by two 14 hour nights followed by 4 days off. Because your initial foundation basis of your letter to the editor contains wrong numbers, your letter is clearly debunked without credibility. One would think that with 35 years of experience that you would know that and not misconstrue the actual numbers. One would think that you are also aware that state law allows for municipalities to work fire fighters for 53 hours prior to overtime. One would think.

As a retired Fire Captain in Providence, you above all people should know about the fraud, waste, scams, fake injuries, and 2/3rds claims that have gone on in PVD for years, even decades, including a retired chief. Under Cianci, more 2/3rds claims took place than ever in PVD history. Which is why the PVD fire pension is

Having said the obvious, the fact of the matter is that something needs to be done to dramatically change the way fire services are contracted in RI.

First problem is that no department should advance a chief from within the department. Case and point. Warwick just retired Chief Jim Mcglaughlin at age 51. His pension is $100,800 with a 3% annual cola. According to the mortality rates, that makes his penison (- healthcare) worth $4 million dollars. Not withstanding if his wife outlives him.

Warwick is rotating chiefs out every 18 - 24 months. If we go out of department and contracted chiefs to work until 65 with a salary bump and no pension, in the 14 years that a chief would have been in and not retiring at age 51, the city saves $28 million dollars, not including healthcare costs. Wow, there is the debt service to new schools. (as a side bar, Corrente could never figure that out)

Obviously, as a firefighter, no one wants that scenario because pension spiking, promotions just one year before retirement etc... , are incestuous. Clearly you can see how badly the PVD fire department pension plan is funded. Are you proficient in simple math? It simply is not sustainable. The reason why we can no longer promote chiefs from within is that they have all been beneficiaries to the numerous schemes for decades and it now has to stop.

I have many dear friends that are fire fighters and share information with me. Would you like to know about the incident that rendered the PVD chief out on 2/3rds when he was driving the tiller from Broad St. 25 years ago? Its just time to stop with the hero banter. This is a conversation about finances, affordability, and sustainability. Not Emotion! Obviously, no local chief has ever been able to come in under budget due to the numerous opportunities for scams. Maybe its time for a educated administrator as opposed to a incestuous scammer.

Here is another incorrect quote - Block and Cote claim that swapping shifts with another firefighter (a common practice) results in an overtime shift paid at 1½ times base hourly wage.

That is not what we are saying. Our argument, the one I have made for 3 years, is that swapping shifts instead of taking a sick day or using a vacation day, preserves vacation and sick days to be monetized at a later date for higher wage. Those are facts. Its simple. In no other industry can this type of activity be done. That activity has a cost to the taxpayer. In Warwick last year, if vacation days were taken off the books instead of shift swapping, and if floaters were used as the chief stated they were used (to cover 100% of vacation time) $560,000 would have come off the books. Maybe you should read a bit about what is happening around the country pertaining to this activity. Here is some reading material for you to rebuke:

http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article192624069.html

http://archive.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/01/30/system_that_lets_boston_firefighters_swap_shifts_a_costly_free_for_all/

And to the most important point - The reason the debacle that took place in providence happened was because, when over 100 fire fighters knew that the gig was up, they all retired at the same time, sabotaging the department and the community and once again proving, that at the end of the day, they are only concerned with contract language and end of year salary.

Do you actually think that the taxpayers of PVD will ever be able to pay the bill of the department? honestly?

Lets see if you can keep the conversation to the fiscal end of things and not the emotional. Lets also see of you have any statistics or facts on Warwick. Clearly your 42 hr work week claim just put your argument in the toilet, but I'll give you another shot at it.

AS far as Corrente is concerned. DUH