Fire union cites recent fatalities as concern in future layoffs

In light of two recent fatal fires in Middletown, the firefighters union president has said he’s concerned how impending layoffs will further curb the department’s response to structure fires.

The fire department is slated to lose 15 firefighters in mid-August in order to help reduce the city’s general fund expenditures by $2.25 million over the next two to three years, said Chris Klug, president of the IAFF Local 336.

“Response times will increase and people will wait longer to get that care from our guys,” Klug said.

Middletown fire crews have responded to two fatal fires in as many weeks.

Sheri Denise Slone, 50, died Thursday afternoon in a house fire at 2534 El Camino Drive. On April 11, Melissa Cheeseman, 32, died from her injuries following an apartment fire in the 2300 block of South Sutphin Street.

“This all as the layoff of 15 firefighters looms in the near future,” Klug said in a statement. “Even with the personnel that we had (Thursday) and the valiant efforts by crews we were still not able to save a person in need of help.”