Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) met with members of the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut (UPFFA) today to discuss issues facing the state’s fire fighters. In attendance at the breakfast were UPFFA leaders and fire fighters representing Bridgeport, Danbury, East Hartford, Fairfield, Greenwich, Hamden, Hartford, Manchester, Stratford, and Waterbury, including UPFFA President Pete Carozza.
“Throughout my career, I have been honored to stand with our brave first responders and work to ensure that they have the resources they need to do the jobs they do so well,” said Dodd. “This year, I will continue to advocate for reauthorizing the FIRE and SAFER programs and increase their funding, so that fire fighters in Connecticut and all across the country have the equipment they need and the staff they need to do their job safely.”
“And though there’s a lot Congress has to get done this year, I won’t stop fighting to secure collective bargaining rights for public safety officers all over America, just like they have back home in Connecticut,” Dodd continued.
Dodd has a long history of advocating for fire safety. In 2000, Dodd authored the FIRE Act, which gives local fire departments the ability to purchase new equipment and initiate education and training programs. In 2003, Dodd authored the SAFER Act, which gives local fire departments the ability to alleviate critical shortfalls in professional and volunteer personnel.
Dodd is also the lead Democratic cosponsor of Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2009, a bill that would provide collective bargaining rights for public safety officers, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel.
