Fire Department Chaplain FIRED?

[NJFFSA16]

CINCINNATI (AP) - A fire department chaplain who said he was
trying to unify the predominantly white fire union and the black
firefighters' association has been fired from the volunteer
position.
The Rev. Mike Paraniuk, 52, was fired Thursday by Cincinnati
fire Chief Robert Wright, who said the volunteer chaplain's focus
on race relations had drawn complaints from some firefighters who
argued the priest was getting too involved in departmental matters.
The union and the black firefighters' association have been
divided for years over racial issues.
Paraniuk said Saturday that he had made it his goal to unify the
two groups after he saw a church filled with black and white
firefighters at the funeral of black firefighter Oscar Armstrong
III, who was killed on duty in March.
"When he thinks that he's going to be the peacemaker, I don't
need him to do that," Wright said. "That's my position, that he
should've stayed out of that."
Mayor Charlie Luken said Wright called him Friday to tell him
he'd removed Paraniuk. Luken said Wright told him the priest had
become a problem.
Wright also said some firefighters had complained of the amount
of time Paraniuk spent with them at the fire houses.
"This is a moral issue," Paraniuk said of the department's
racial divisions. "As the chaplain, I'm the spiritual leader and
it's my job to address the moral issues."
He said he would like to be reinstated as a volunteer, but
Wright said that won't happen.
"When you're a volunteer, you have to follow the directions of
the person that appointed you," Wright said. "He's supposed to be
helping me keep my firefighters whole."

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[Ohiovolffemtp]

There's more to this story than that. I posted a link to some local coverage in the main forum.

There is some level of racial tension inside Cincy FD. I'm not sure how much. I did 8 shifts there during medic school and didn't see anything, but that's no where near the same as working there. I do know that a number of years ago (perhaps 10) a number of black firefighters left the CFD IAFF local and formed their own organization: CAAFA - the Cincinnati African American Firefighters Assoc. There have been some efforts lately to reconcile the two groups. There are allegations that Cincinnati's chief has shown favoritism to CAAFA, in particular because several of his relatives hold leadership positions in it.

The local Cincy FD members message board largely supports the chaplain. There are also undertones of racial tension in some of the messages there. That is exactly what the chaplain was trying to heal. I've read his messages and they are not confrontational and urge people to work together.

[NJFFSA16]

Reinstated

CINCINNATI (AP) - A fire department chaplain who was fired after
a dispute over issues that included his efforts to unify two
firefighters organizations has been reinstated.
Firefighters Union Local 48, most of whose members are white,
and the Cincinnati African-American Firefighters Association have
been divided for years over racial issues.
City Manager Valerie Lemmie announced Wednesday that differences
over the Rev. Mike Paraniuk's role in the department have been
resolved and that he will resume the duties of volunteer chaplain.
She said Paraniuk will continue to wear a firefighter's patch
and uniform and will focus his ministry on the private spiritual
needs of firefighters and their families. She also said he will
maintain the confidentiality of his office and won't stay overnight
in firehouses.
Paraniuk, 52, was fired last week by Fire Chief Robert Wright,
who said the chaplain's focus on race relations had drawn
complaints from some firefighters who thought he was getting too
involved in departmental matters.
Paraniuk said then that he had made it his goal to unify the two
groups after he saw a church filled with black and white
firefighters at the funeral of Oscar Armstrong III, a black
firefighter who was killed on duty in March.
Wright had said that he didn't need Paraniuk to be a peacemaker.
He also said some firefighters had complained about the amount of
time Paraniuk spent at firehouses.
Wright said Wednesday that he is glad the dispute was resolved.
Paraniuk said he is looking forward to again helping
firefighters with their spiritual needs.
"This is a time of healing as we move forward," he said.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)