From the Reno Gazette Journal:
Reno firefighters can show up to work with up to a .08 percent blood alcohol level or more than twice the legal driving limit of a variety of illegal drugs in their system without facing discipline under a 12-year-old policy negotiated by the city and the fire union.
According to the policy obtained by the Reno Gazette-Journal, drug and alcohol use "shall not be permitted." But an alcohol test is not considered positive below .08 percent, which is also the limit for driving under the influence.
The allowable limit of marijuana is five times the legal limit for driving. The allowable limit of amphetamines and cocaine is twice the legal limit for driving.
The policy, which dates back to 2002, cannot be changed unless it goes through the collective bargaining process — during which the city and union must agree on any changes. Yet, despite the high threshold in the policy — which exceeds the policy limits for firefighters and law enforcement who work for Washoe County and Sparks — neither the fire chief, nor the president of Reno Firefighters Local 731 believe it is a high enough priority to change.
"The policy seems to work," union president Dennis Jacobsen said. "If you could show me eight or nine occurrences where you've proven the policy is inadequate, then absolutely we would sit down with the city. But I don't want to try and fix something that is so rarely used."
Fire Chief Michael Hernandez echoed that sentiment.
"What I'm sensing is you're trying to make an issue out of something that really isn't an issue," Hernandez said. "Granted it's a higher threshold, but does that mean firefighters are coming to work drunk? No." http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2014/06/22/reno-policy-allows-bac-firefighters/11178803/
That is just unbelievable and the attitude of the fire chief, whose safety of the residents of Reno and it's firefighters rests with him is just crazy, to say the least.
You would expect that from the union, perhaps, but the fire chief? He's got to go.
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