Orlando's firefighters union has announced a vote of no confidence in its fire chief, saying Roderick Williams was unprepared for a response to Hurricane Irma and showed little regard for the health and safety of firefighters in the wake of the Pulse nightclub shooting that killed 49 people in June 2016.
In an official release Monday, IAFF Local 1365 says 93 percent of members who cast a ballot chose a vote of no confidence, and the union also laid out a host of issues it feels Chief Williams has failed to address. Of the nearly 600 firefighters who are in the union, 265 participated in the vote, according to WKMG.
"Fire Chief Williams has demonstrated time and time again that he does not understand the importance of the position he holds and shows little respect for the men and women who serve this community," union president Ronald Glass said in the release. "His failed leadership has placed this city on the verge of a public safety crisis."
Chief Williams told WKMG the vote was a bullying tactic and said, "It's not reflective of the entire department."
The union claims the chief failed to come up with a plan for Hurricane Irma in the days leading up to the storm -- an allegation Williams called "false" -- and that he and his command staff were absent from the response to the Pulse massacre until after the shooter was dead.
The union also says Chief Williams has failed to provide support for those who responded on the night of the tragedy and hasn't addressed the health and safety issues firefighters face.
Williams was appointed chief in 2015 by Mayor Buddy Dyer, who weighed in on the no confidence vote when asked by WKMG about the developments.
"I am disappointed that the union is using this type of antic to attempt to influence the contract negotiation process," the mayor said. "The city has worked hard to negotiate a contract with the fire unions that balances our commitment to supporting our firefighters, ensuring public safety and our fiscal responsibility to taxpayers."
