Four of Austin’s part-time firefighters were busy Tuesday afternoon, but they weren’t answering fire calls or attending drills.

Wednesday, April 25, 2001

Four of Austin’s part-time firefighters were busy Tuesday afternoon, but they weren’t answering fire calls or attending drills. Instead, they were appearing before the Fire Civil Service Commission Board.

In closed hearings that lasted more than an hour, each of the four firefighters – Michael Diaz, Tom Hughes, Steve Moline and Ryan Qualey – were allowed to address the board on their own behalf regarding their alleged failure to meet requirements set for their positions.

According to the by-laws of the Austin Part-time Firefighters Relief Association, active service firefighters’ duties include "responding to at least 50 percent of all off-duty calls or pages during the year of service, and 80 percent of all training drills and classes as required by the Austin fire chief."

Qualey said he was at the hearing to respond to an allegation he did not meet the training requirement.

"It’s accurate," he said, but night school classes he is taking toward an electrician apprenticeship have kept him from the training sessions, which take place two Wednesdays in the month.

"We wouldn’t be here if we had not met the requirements or had a good reason for not meeting them," Hughes said.

"We do try to make our percentage and respond to every call we can, that we are available to respond to," Terry Hughes, president of the APFRA and brother to Tom Hughes, said.

Hughes would like to see the training requirement percentages remain the same and the fire call requirement lowered to 35 perecent to 40 percent. With several full-time firefighters retiring in one to five years, Hughes said the part-time firefighters would be responding to more and more calls.

"It will be a real burden on us," he said.

The board did not announce a decision, nor did they announce a future action. On Wednesday morning, City Attorney Dave Hoversten said once the process is completed, information will be released. One item, involving a requested leave of absence, may go before the City Council in the future.

"I think we’re close to a positive resolution," Hoversten said Tuesday.

If the board finds any of the firefighters did not meet the requirements, disciplinary action can include the prorating of pension benefits or dismissal, according to Hughes.

Hoversten confirmed that Moline resigned from his position on Tuesday.

Call Kevira Mertha at 434-2233 or e-mail her at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.