Arizona firefighter union unanimously votes disapproval of fire chief over misconduct

PHOENIX — The International Association of Fire Fighters has voted unanimously to censure fire chief of the Central Arizona Fire & Medical Authority Scott Freitag for misconduct.

By a vote of 2,520 to 0, the IAFF voted to censure Freitag over his failure to implement cancer prevention improvements, establishing a four-person minimum per engine staffing and bullying of CAFMA fire fighters and paramedics, according to a news release.

“At every turn, Chief Freitag has failed to protect his community and the firefighters of the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority,” IAFF President Edward Kelly said in the release. “Respect is the cornerstone of a healthy labor-management relationship. His unanimous censure by delegates to the IAFF’s 57th Convention sends a strong message: conduct like Freitag’s has no place in Prescott Valley.”

Freitag becomes the first Arizona fire chief to be censured by the organization since 1990.

Vice President of the IAFF’s 10th District Stephen Gilman said in the release that the vote was not taken lightly.

“Taking a formal action like this only happens when the behavior – the ignorance regarding safety measures and the intimidation of employees – is simply egregious,” Gilman said.

“There are hundreds of fire districts and fire departments across Arizona. Scott Freitag’s disgraceful conduct puts him in a class by himself. It hurts the public and it hurts the men and women held hostage to his ego and vindictiveness.”

Freitag was appointed Fire Chief of the Chino Valley Fire District in August 2013. He became chief of the Central Yavapai Fire District and the Chino Valley Fire District under a joint management agreement between the two agencies in July 2014.

In June, attorneys for the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona sent Freitag a cease and desist letter requesting that he refrain from making false attacks against the organization. The letter detailed Freitag’s attacks, including calling the PFFA a “criminal organization” and accusing the firefighters association of “performing insurance fraud.”

“Fighting fires and working to save the lives of car crash victims and people suffering medical emergencies is a tough job,” President of the PFFA Don Jongewaard said. “Working for a fire chief who makes that job exponentially tougher while frittering away taxpayer resources is simply unacceptable.”