Firefighters in Fairfield County, Connecticut are calling for the resignation of Stamford City Representative Scott Mirkin for comparing professional firefighters to Hamas terrorists. Mirkin is quoted in the Stamford Advocate (Stamford Fire Officials Condemn Long Ridge Response, 7/29/10) likening criticism of a fire service proposal by Mayor Pavia to “the way Hamas lobs rockets into Israel.”
“I find it reprehensible that one of the city’s top elected officials would compare professional firefighters, who risk their own lives daily to save others to a terrorist organization that kills women and children indiscriminately,” said Brendan Keatley, president of the Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association. “This is particularly hurtful coming just days after two of our brother firefighters in Bridgeport died in the line of duty trying to protect innocent lives. Perhaps Representative Mirkin has already forgotten that 343 firefighters were killed by terrorists at the World Trade Center less than nine years ago, conducting the largest evacuation on American soil, as 25,000 innocent lives was saved.”
Stamford's professional fire chiefs and the Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association has raised numerous safety and fiscal questions about a scheme by Mayor Michael Pavia to launch a new fire tax at residents, through the creation of a second parallel paid fire department in the city. The second fire department would hire 61 firefighters and would be named the Stamford Volunteer Fire Department.
“Representative Mirkin’s comments display an utter lack of judgment and show him to be insensitive to both firefighters and the people of Israel who are innocent victims of Hamas rocket attacks. You have to wonder about the fitness of someone to hold public office who goes into a tirade merely because a tax and spend scheme proposed by one of his political allies is being discussed in a public forum," said Keatley.
"On behalf of the firefighters who risk their lives daily for the citizens of this and surrounding communities we think its time for Representative Mirkin to resign from the Stamford Board of Representatives.”
