Michigan House Committee Considers Two-Hatter Protection Bill

Via the NVFC

On September 12, the Michigan House of Representatives Local Government Committee heard testimony on HB 4624, legislation introduced by Representative Joseph Haveman that would guarantee that, “Collective bargaining between a public employer and a bargaining representative of its employees shall not include the subject of a prohibition on an employee volunteering for or obtaining employment with another fire department.”

Representative Haveman testified at the hearing that he introduced HB 4624 in response to the city of Grand Rapids barring career firefighters employed by the city from volunteering during off-duty hours. Several individuals testified in support of HB 4624, including Chief Michael Keefe with the Allendale Fire Department and George Scrimger, a past-President of the Michigan State Firemen’s Association. Mark Docherty, the President of the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union, spoke in opposition to HB 4624.

Four Firefighters Hurt in Fire in Abandoned Harlem (NY) Building

Four firefighters were injured battling a massive fire that tore through an abandoned Harlem building where jazz icon Billie Holiday reportedly once lived.