Firefighting groups call for greater US funding

WASHINGTON -- In a rare show of unity by fire chiefs and firefighters, a coalition of national fire organizations called on Congress and the Bush administration yesterday to increase funding and respect for America's fire service.

Fire departments across the country have been closing fire stations and laying off thousands of firefighters because of budget cuts. In Massachusetts alone, more than 800 positions have been cut since Sept. 11, 2001.

Congress has cut funding for fire training. And the fire chiefs said that firefighters have been given short shrift since the US Fire Administration was folded into the Department of Homeland Security.

''The fire services is really kind of lost, way down the food chain in an organization that is top-heavy with law enforcement types," said Robert DiPoli, former fire chief in Needham and president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. ''We're viewed as not involved in prevention, but as cleaning up the mess afterwards."

The fire chiefs were joined by volunteer and union firefighters and several fire training groups in calling for fire officials to be given key positions within Homeland Security; for the fire administration to be fully funded with an additional $10 million; and for the fire administration and its National Fire Academy to be designated as ''homeland security critical," which would protect them from budget cuts.

The new secretary of homeland security, Michael Chertoff, telephoned DiPoli during the meeting to express his willingness to hear their concerns.

The Bush administration has argued that fire departments do not need more bodies, just training and equipment. But Congress included $65 million in this year's budget to help communities hire firefighters. The proposed Bush budget for 2006 would cut that to zero.