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Leave for NA chief
BY AMY DeMELIA SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Thursday, June 18, 2009 9:06 AM EDT


North Attleboro Fire Chief Peter Lamb is on voluntary paid leave as the fire commission investigates complaints about the chief's management style.




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NORTH ATTLEBORO - Fire Chief Peter Lamb is on voluntary paid leave as the fire commission investigates complaints about the chief's management style and other problems leveled by firefighters in a series of letters to town hall.

Lamb volunteered to take the leave of absence Tuesday during a closed-door meeting with the commission, and it was accepted, commission Chairwoman Valerie Hickey said.

Hickey said the fire commission is taking the complaints seriously and is investigating issues raised in the firefighter letters.

"It's not a comfortable situation. We're aware of the issues, and we're working to get to the bottom of them," she said. "Right now, we're investigating the concerns raised and we're looking at setting up a meeting to discuss them.

"We're going to move as quickly as we can to try and get this resolved by following the proper procedures."
Hickey declined to go into specifics about issues raised in the complaint letters, which were delivered to town hall in recent weeks.

The fire commission will hold another meeting within the next 10 days to review the matter, she said.

Lamb said Tuesday that five letters had been received.

While he declined to go into specifics about the letters, he said the complaints focused on his managerial style and operational issues within the department.

Lamb also said there was "heightened tension" in the department because of several recent developments, including a change in the way staffing is handled for the town's second ambulance, which was moved from the Allen Avenue Fire Station and the Kelley Boulevard Fire Station.

In addition, he said a proposal to require annual physicals for firefighters has been met with resistance.

The layoff of three firefighters because of the town's tight budget has also created discord in the department, he said.

Lamb did not return a phone call requesting comment on Wednesday.
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cutthefat wrote on Jul 9, 2009 7:46 AM:

" looks like the bofc has done what they do best. so much dirt under one rug. so much audacity under one board. no wonder the letter writters went around the bofc and straight to the selectmen, they knew what they would get with the bofc. now the selectmen and townspeople know what the firefighters have known for years. "

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sparky wrote on Jul 1, 2009 1:25 PM:

" Hearing Chief Lamb back on the radio today. Hope it all works out. "

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sparky wrote on Jun 30, 2009 2:30 PM:

" iamwatching, no nerves to hit here. I do know about Chief Lambs career. I had a lot of respect for Chief Lamb through out his career. His website offers some of the best fire ground officer training scenarios out there.

My point is that there seems to be no potential for in house growth within the NAFD. The BoFC has gone outside the department to name the last 2 Chiefs. Why is that? What is lacking in their Officer development program? Why do we keep grooming people for jobs in other towns? "

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cutthefat wrote on Jun 29, 2009 10:49 PM:

" ok, was a college degree required for this position, and did chief lamb have one when he was hired? "

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iamwatching wrote on Jun 29, 2009 10:25 PM:

" nice reply sparky , must have hit a nerve with that comment. are you a wanna be fire guy or are you one of the guys who i am talking about. I think my point is right on the money.looking at all your comments seems like you follow mr. lamb's carreer. "

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stopthehate wrote on Jun 29, 2009 10:23 PM:

" we're not looking for greener grass, we just don't want so many weeds. and what it sounds like to you and what it is are 2 different things. what it is, is you know very little about this matter. "

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sparky wrote on Jun 29, 2009 5:51 PM:

" iamwatching, go back to what ever you were watching on the cartoon network. You don't have a clue about this subject. "

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iamwatching wrote on Jun 29, 2009 4:56 PM:

" you know what this sounds like the good old boy network of north attleboro does not like it when a outsider comes in and makes changes. we are in a time where we need some changes from management to prosper. sounds like somebody did not like his politics so they called their buddy at the chronicle to make a story. i hope the fellas who did not agree with his management know that the grass is not always greener on the other side! "

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sparky wrote on Jun 29, 2009 3:57 PM:

" " did this lamb have all the qualifications for the job that were required? " Lamb was the Chief in Coventry, RI and Tiverton, RI before heading to the MA Fire Academy.

Why does this keep happening in North? When Colemen was named Chief they lost a Deputy who is now the Chief in Laconia, NH. With Lamb it was the now Plainville Chief.

Is the FD just like the PD in town? Do we spend our tax dollars to train public safety people for other communities?

Stop the madness. "

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cutthefat wrote on Jun 29, 2009 8:16 AM:

" if you think hiring an assesment company and paying them up to 12 thousand dollars is going to get you the best candidate, think again. you can't always judge a book by its cover. are you telling me someone from within the dept. was not qualified for this job. obviously someone was, and the town and dept. lost out. and i'm going to ask this a 3rd time, did this lamb have all the qualifications for the job that were required? shame on the board, looks like they got what they deserved. and is the chief back on the job while the investigation is still pending? WOW, how's that working out? and what a kick in the face to the guys that stuck their neck out to do the right thing. what happened to his "leave of absence"? how come the big shots are never held accountable? so many secrets, so many questions, it's sad. it's why every government dept. is messed up, politics takes presidence over right and wrong. admit you hired the wrong guy and move on to repair the damage that's been done. "

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NA CPA wrote on Jun 28, 2009 11:32 AM:

" It's too bad For the the Firefighters to have such a disgraceful so called leader! You would think the Fire Commissioners, TM, or whoever does the hiring would take a better look at the candidates they put in these Fire Chiefs positions. I guess these Fire Academy "Super lifers" aren't all they are cracked up to be. Maybe they should start there own private Fire Service, and then they can hire there own "cream of the crop, Fire academy know it alls!" Similar problems in Fall River Fire Dept (Chief), and Mansfield Fire Dept (Deputy Chief). They look good on paper, but dig deep and ask the guys that work for them, and you will get the real truth! "

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cutthefat wrote on Jun 20, 2009 9:06 AM:

" this kelley blvd thing you guys are argueing about isn't even one of the main issues of concern that were raised by the letters. it is a very small part of a much larger problem. and neither are physicals and layoffs. the guys understand that stuff. "

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stopthehate wrote on Jun 20, 2009 8:45 AM:

" herewegoagain, your last staement gets to the root of the whole problem. you said being the quietest district sta 2 is not unstaffed as much as you think. the problem is not the number of runs that R-2, is doing in their own district, because it IS the quietest district follow me here, the problem arises when the 2nd busiest truck on the dept. is pulled out of its district to cover calls in the 2 other busier districts, that there is an issue. also, your oakridge ave example is lame. R-1 from elm st. would normally respond to oakridge ave and arrive less than 2-3 mins after engine 1, yes, if R-1 was out already, then R-2 would be 7-9 mins out from allen ave. however, response records prove that this scenario is less likely to happen than an emergency closer to the center of town or south end. you could "what if" forever. we have to prioritize the more likely scenarios first and respond appropriatly. take that same oakridge ave resident, God forbid his house catches fire, and rescue 2 is at the mall with a twisted ankle. 10 mins. response time for a fire truck to get there from elm st, provided they are not busy on a call, if so,now you're talkin 15 mins. guess what, call the bulldozer and pray everybody got out in time. see, you could go on forever with "what ifs". prioritize the most likely scenarios according to real numbers. "

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stopthehate wrote on Jun 20, 2009 8:16 AM:

" you are still manipulating the numbers and playing games. you are comparing apples to oranges and drawing conclusions. you claim to know an awful lot for just having some friends on the dept. the straight shooters on the dept. know the sta 2. issue is a disgrace and does not make sense. the chief took some of the youngest & most inexperienced firefighters (and guys on the promotional list, that would do anything he says, right or wrong)and put them on their own. his own little subarmy of lambchops. on the 2nd busiest truck in the dept. in the least busiest district", say no more, that does not make sense, keep your manipulated numbers, they have no purpose here. that statement is all you need to see the inefficiency the dept has become. and you're right the sta. should not be closed for training, especially the everyday nonsense that has become a laughing matter amoung the firefighters. nobody i know is opposed to good, useful training, but foolishness this guy has brought to the table has become another problem within the dept. this is not just 4 guys with a problem, it is a purposely divided dept. at the hands of a bad manager, that wants to reinvent the wheel just to say he did. the round wheel wasn't broken, but this square one obviously is. "

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herewegoagain wrote on Jun 19, 2009 11:03 PM:

" cont. from previous post....because E-5 went mutual aid somewhere and E-1 would have to go uptown to cover. There is many many times that the station is unstaffed due to many different circumstances. Your right it is the quietist district so maybe it isn't unstaffed as much as you may think. "

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herewegoagain wrote on Jun 19, 2009 11:01 PM:

" OK look at this way.....if R2 was in district 3 then R1 is doing all the calls in district 1 and 2 right?!! So R1 is still the busiest truck. How long would it take for R-2 to go from the south end of town to Oakridge Ave. You do the math. If R2 is at station 2 or 3 obviously it will take them to get to the opposite end of town, but not quite as long as waiting for mutual aid huh. And yes R2 was only staffed 35% of the time with overtime which means they had mutual aid come to town about 250times last year. How about this year....signigicantly less. OK lets put R2 at central hq's. So are they delaying repsonse to both ends of town? C'mon the station is unstaffed???? How many times is that station unstaffed because of training in the past. Let's not think about that. It's ok if E-1 was uptown for 2hrs a day for training but god forbid that the station is left empty because of a RESCUE run. I'm certainly not playing numbers games it's reality!! Maybe we should put staff just E-1 and let them do their 400runs and maybe with the way the economy is they should just close the station due to lack of funding and not justifying keeping the station open. Oh and not to mention how many times was the station not staffed "

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stopthehate wrote on Jun 19, 2009 10:30 PM:

" you're making up numbers and manipulating them. as someone else here said, the 2nd busiest truck is in the least busiest district. rescue 1 is doing all the calls that rescue 2 would normally be doing if they were at allen ave sta.in addition to district 1 call volume. when rescue 2 is out on a call i guess the west end of town doesn't deserve the fire protection the rest of town gets, not to mention the time it takes rescue 2 to reach the south end of town from kelly blvd. i hope that's not my mother waiting for the ambulance. the south end is much busier than the west end, no debate there. so go ahead and play your numbers games,but it doesn't add up to life safety and effeciency of staffing. yes rescue 2 does have als equipment, in fact, it would be better utilized in the busier district. and who told you rescue 2 was manned 35% of the time? let me guess. that's just wrong. if you want to crossman those trucks, it should both be done from a central location, elm st., not a remote station like kelly blvd. and herewegoagain, i know plenty of carpenters, so i guess i know how to build a house. and you forgot to mention how many times sta 2 went unstaffed. "

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herewegoagain wrote on Jun 19, 2009 8:48 PM:

" Ok, here we go again all of you assuming you know what you are talking about. I would like to know where stopthehate got his numbers about R-2. I know plenty of FF's and your right R-1 covers district 1 & 3. R-2 is now in service 98% of the time instead of 35% when it was @ station 3!!! Since the crossmanning the station has done more runs in 4 months than all of what E-1 did last year. Again you were right E-1 was staffed with EMS even Paramedics BUT with BLS equipment. Now you have a rescue there with 2 Paramedics and a rescue. They are also calling in less mutual aid than before which means more revenue for the dept. If you want to have it your way less just keep R-1 and assume Plainville, Attleboro, Mansfield are available when your loved one is having a heart attack and they have to possibly wait 15-20min for the next rescue to come in....or they can keep it staffed and have prompt ALS care. Think outside of the box. "

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Dastew613 wrote on Jun 19, 2009 8:37 PM:

" Hello all of you bandwagon members: before all of you disgrace yourselves please make sure you are clear on your facts. Recently a fire broke out within your town. The Chief and Dept Chief did not respond! Chief Joubert from Plainville responded and directed the course of action that needed to be taken. What the hell are you all waiting for? A death? How can any of you doubt the dedication of the very men who put their lives on the line to save YOUR LIVES! SHAME on any one who thinks this is about union issues or personal issues when we are talking about men who have given their live to the resident of the town for over 30 years. "

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stopthehate wrote on Jun 19, 2009 7:37 PM:

" well, listen to oldsoul, what a brother. add patch, kiss butt, instant hero. it's not hard to figure out who you are. the assertions you make are absurd. a blind guy driving a fire truck, really, just because most people need glasses after 40, doesn't mean they're blind. and you get rid of all the guys with bad backs on the job there will be nobody left but the smartiepants like you. until you have to do some of the grunt work and you find yourself with a bad back, it comes with the job, period. and who are you to decide who can do their job and who can't. you are exactly the type of problem this chief has created around here. the cut-throat mentality. and i'm sure only you can rescue my mother from the top floor of a raging inferno at madonna manor. move over kurt russell here comes gi jake. as for the ambulance at kelley blvd. wrong again, rescue 2 goes out the door far less than they did before, rescue 1 is doing all the calls in district 1 & 3. station 2 does the same amount of calls it did before the shake-up, and the firefighters/emts that were there before
were also certified in ems. i'm sure you think you do more work than anyone else anyway so what's the sense of argueing that point. chief lamb could always use someone like you on his team.good luck. "

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cutthefat wrote on Jun 19, 2009 11:11 AM:

" did this guy even have the qualifications required by the town for this job? "

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stopthehate wrote on Jun 19, 2009 10:54 AM:

" oldsoul must be one of the young guys waiting for a promotion and has committed his oldsoul to the chief in return for his unwaivering support. oldsoul doesn't realize that he will be 50-60 years old someday, and his body will not be as fit as a 20 year old inexperienced puppy. what he will have is 25-30 years of, "putting his life on the line", experience. any bad back or other such injuries sustained during his carreer should not make him a target for harrasment and witch-hunts. this guy and others would suggest kickin a guy to the curb after he has dedicated 25-30 years of his life to helping and saving other peoples lives. WOW what a jerk.
now, back in a world where people care about each other, lets start talking about a mandatory retirement age that is more reasonable for the job. fact, we all know it's a strenuous job. fact a 50 year old is not as fit as a 20 year old. fact 25-30 years of dedicated, risk your life and health service does not deserve a retirement of 30%, we have mortgages, kids in school, weddings, etc, etc. everybody needs to stop being such cut-throats.
and lastly, putting the 2nd or 3rd busiest truck in the dept. in the least busiest district does not make sense on any planet. and as oldsoul suggests when something is wrong, we should look the other way, maybe we'll get the next promo. "

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cutthefat wrote on Jun 19, 2009 9:31 AM:

" let's clear something up. this is not a union issue. they have decided to hide their heads in the sand, as they have for the past 5 years. that is what has caused the problems to escalate to this point. harrasement unchecked and mismanagement around every corner. it is not about physicals and station closings. that is lambs way of blaming someone else for his incompetance. he loves to blame the firefighters for everything, it's what he does, it's all he does. one more thing, 4 of these letters were written by the superior officers of the dept. who are good men and concerned with with the safety of their troops, not to mention moral that is at an all time low. a fish rots from the head down. why is it so hard to hold these dept. heads responsible when they have lost control. it's time for this guy to go back to a classroom. and where was he at the working fire on stanley st? the least experienced fire officer, less than 1 year, was left in charge of a working house fire, nice.
where was the chief, home pouting, maybe hoping something went wrong, so he could say, see, you need me. please, this town has had a great fire dept long before he got here, and hopefully there hasn't been too much damage, and it can return to the cohesive, well trained machine it used to be. bye, bye "

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sparky wrote on Jun 18, 2009 5:53 PM:

" Coventry, Tiverton, MA Fire Academy are all the Chiefs former homes. All you need to do is check with folks there to find out what the issues are. "

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Emmit066 wrote on Jun 18, 2009 3:16 PM:

" We can banter back and forth all day long about what is being done and what should be done. We (the general public) do not know all the facts surrounding this issue. Right now there is only one side out there for the public to see. I'm not saying for the chief or for the guys doing the job, what I am saying is let's not all jump to conclusions.

What is obvious is that there is a problem(s) large enough to cause 4-5 members of the department to write letters to the FC. It's also serious enough for the chief to take a leave of absence. Those are facts we can see. Who knows what else will come out as time goes on. "

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oldsoul wrote on Jun 18, 2009 3:07 PM:

" Did you guys loose your hat too? "

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hawk1 wrote on Jun 18, 2009 2:20 PM:

" Where there is smoke, there is fire and a lack of proper leadership. "

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local townie wrote on Jun 18, 2009 2:19 PM:

" Politics at its best! You can almost guess who is writing these posts. Anyone who is in a supervisory position, knows that you can't please everyone all of the time. Just because a few letters were written supposedly accusing you of bad management, you still come to work, don't you? Is he that thin skinned? Or, is there something more sinister brewing? I certainly would have come to work and held my head high, if I was the innocent party he is portraying to be. I would not hide behind my comments sent to the newspaper. It's comical to read the different viewpoints posted here from people that have no idea what the contents were of those letters. Everyone in town better hope that we have strong management from the top down and that policies are in place to put the right people in the right equipment. It could be your life that might be in jeopody some day! "

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oldsoul wrote on Jun 18, 2009 2:09 PM:

" Big Red if you know the fire department then you know that it would be next to impossible to loose one's job over a complaint about the chief. Can't do the job? Now you have to worry! "

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oldsoul wrote on Jun 18, 2009 2:05 PM:

" Anyone with any connection to members of the NAFD knows that the Boulevard Station for the past 30 years was a stop-over for the guys near retirement, those who could marginally do the job or didn't want to train as well as those who couldn't get along with anyone else or had caustic attitudes. Physicals, unreasonable? Well over the last two years you've had guys on the Dept who were legally blind, couldn't climb the aerial ladder, or had bad backs and other health problems that interferred with participation in training opportunities. Are they nice people? Sure they are! Can they do the job, NO! How would you like those guys showing up to rescue your mother from 22 North Washington Street or the top floor of Madonna Manor? Now the ambulance is at the Blvd. and guys have to go out the door more often, remain certified in EMS, do a little more work, etc. than they're used to. Do you think this issue will go away with a new chief? Is the chief "out to get people on a personal level? BOS wake up before people get hurt! "

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anavoter wrote on Jun 18, 2009 2:04 PM:

" At this point the facts of this matter are still not determined or clear. Let's see what the Fire Commissioners come up with after thier investigation. "

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Big Red 1 wrote on Jun 18, 2009 1:45 PM:

" This is not a recent situation that has been going on at the station. Many of the firefighters have been taking major amounts of grief from the chief for a long time. They have just been afraid to come forward for fear losing their jobs. 4 of them have said enough is enough and wrote the letters. This whole situation has nothing to do with physicals or union power. It's about a chief who is a bully who has made life miserable for many and ruined moral at the station. "

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anavoter wrote on Jun 18, 2009 1:32 PM:

" How long has Lamb been the Chief??

I find it interesting that "management style" has not come up in the past.

As to what appears to be some issues:

Annual physicals should be required for fire fighters and should not be a major issue.

The fact that the town had to lay off three fire fighters as a result of budget cuts and that some shifts in schedules or staffing levels had to be made is just a fact of live.

As just an average taxpayer with no inside knowledge I am begining to sense that what is causing this sudden "management style " issue is a reluctance to accept change on the part of some firefighters and a desire to maintain the status quo. Perhaps the chief's manner or method of communicating these changes was a factor. In any event, the Fire Commission needs to work fast to identify the real issues (substantive) and deal with them as quickly as possible. This needs to be put on a fast track for resolution. Not meetings every 10 days. "

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skeptic wrote on Jun 18, 2009 1:27 PM:

" hawk1 -- you are agreeing with what many posters have said. Through lack of leadership or lack of common sense the unions have come to control North Attleborough government. "

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hawk1 wrote on Jun 18, 2009 1:07 PM:

" Still not entirely accurate. While a contract is essentially law and should be honored. Not everything has to be run by the union. The boss runs the department. My point was maybe a lack of leadership and proper respect for people. Or lack of common sense. "

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hardhearted wrote on Jun 18, 2009 1:00 PM:

" hawk1 - Are you new to unions? Yes a good boss keeps the lines of communication open with the subordinates but in the case of town unions many a good idea goes asunder. As another poster said, ask any mananger in this town about something new and it has to be cleared by the unions. Not just consulted - they have the power to kill anything that does not conform to the letter with the contracts. "

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hawk1 wrote on Jun 18, 2009 12:39 PM:

" Thats not quite accurate. Any good leader will confer with union and show respect for his troops. In the end the boss runs the job. Respect goes a long way. "

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realist wrote on Jun 18, 2009 12:23 PM:

" harkin -- have you not noticed? The unions run North Attleborough. Ask any manager about a new initiative in any department. It has to be cleared by the union first. "

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Dastew613 wrote on Jun 18, 2009 12:21 PM:

" Sorry harkin, you are so very un-educated in the present situation. This is not a
temper tantrum" in any way shape or form. That is why I asked all posters to wait until ALL the facts were brought out to the public. Perhaps, since you appear to be articulate that you could make a call the the past command of the FC and see what they have to say about his "style". Perhaps there is a trail that has followed him and this is just not an isolated incident in his career. Did you give any thought to that? Did you give a thought that the FC and BOS and TM would not request a time off unless they were in part quite sure that some of these issues were not with merit? Do you really think they would risk a law suit? Wait until you have all the facts before you decided to bash the very men who will be there to save you when your home is on fire, you need medical treatment or your child is missing. As my grandmother always said"the proof is in the pudding". Let's let the initial smoke settle ans wait for the TRUE facts to come out. "

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harkin wrote on Jun 18, 2009 11:57 AM:

" Physical test met with resitance? Say it ain't so! These guys aren't marathon runners. Ever look at your average firefighter in a small town? Poster people for weight loss (its a sedentary job - except when fighting fires or saving cats).

Why is the chief on leave pending investigation? How about sending the letter writers on leave pending investigation? I hope the FC is looking for a new job right now.

Dastew613 - when the fires stop being put out and emergencies not responded to, then lets talk about the impacts of the managerial style and "serious changes". Its a grown up version of a temper tantrum. Don't like being a follwer? Then the FF can become chiefs.

Sounds like a slippery slope - these FF succeed and its open season on exempt bosses for any union in town. "

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realist wrote on Jun 18, 2009 10:53 AM:

" How much would an annual fitness test and physical save the town in the long run. Not to mention save the life of a firefighter by detecting a heart or circulatory problem before it becomes an incident at a fire scene. The Marine Corps requires annual physical fitness tests to make sure you can still perform the duties of a Marine. Why shouldn't we expect the same from town employees who have the physically demanding jobs.(police, fire and public works). "

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mmarcia wrote on Jun 18, 2009 10:03 AM:

" jrdelegator: FD and PD personnel should not be forced to resign. They should be given ONE chance to comply THEN be fired for non-performance.

And since when does a "management style" become fodder for the masses? I never got to 'review' a boss, and I've worked for some pretty c@ppy ones. They don't like his "management style"? THEN QUIT! "

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oldsoul wrote on Jun 18, 2009 9:01 AM:

" A job is not some inalienable right but a privilege. I know of few people who do not encounter conflict and disagreement in the workplace. What makes a place great to work in is how people resolve those conflicts as they move toward a collective vision, mission, or purpose. I wonder if these five "brave men" sat down with Chief Lamb to try and resolve their issues directly before they used their personal and political connections to blind-side the guy? I wonder what their ultimate hidden agenda may be. Could their allegiance be elsewhere? Could they be paving the way to hand select their next leader? A personal friend maybe? Would that make their working conditions better? SHAME on the BOS for providing a venue for personal vendettas to be played out. FC stand up and stand behind your evaluation of the leadership for this department. NAFD has been in a continual cycle of improvement under Chief Lambs direction and he deserves your support. "

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jrdelegator wrote on Jun 18, 2009 8:36 AM:

" Firefighter and Police should be held to a minimum physical standard and should be forced to resign when they don't meet the basic standard. I see alot of out of shape firefighters in several towns. They are a risk to both their departments and the people of the town they work in. It's time to hold them accountable. Out of shape and or refuse to take a physical, see ya. "

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Dastew613 wrote on Jun 18, 2009 8:35 AM:

" Congratulations to the FC and to the BOS for taking swift action in this matter. In many posts from yesterday it is apparent that the truth must come out and soon so as not to divide the town into 2 camps. As I stated yesterday, this issue is not about budget cuts, lay offs or even agility tests for the firefighters. If all of you will give the BOS and the FC time to investigate you will find that there is actually more than just 5 brave individuals whom have issues with the Chief and his management style and some of the very serious changes that he has enacted. Just let the fact finding begin and then make a judgement. "

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harry hindsight wrote on Jun 18, 2009 7:31 AM:

" I always wondered why there was only one agility test for firefighters, and it's when they are hired. Is the thought that as they become more seasoned in their job, they no longer need to have the physical abilities that they had when they are first hired? I think East Providence is the local fire department that has yearly weighted agility tests for it's members. "

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