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First reported on timesleader.com August 13 at 11:34 a.m.

August 14, 2008

W-B fire chief ends 30 years of service

Retirement leads union head to sound alarm on personnel

By Sheena Delazio sdelazio@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – Fire Chief Jacob Lisman announced his retirement Wednesday after 30 years of service – leading union president Tom Makar to express concern about the number of firefighters in the city department.

“We’re down to 72 firefighters now that Chief Lisman retired,” Makar said. “Now, with only 14 firefighters on duty per shift, it’s hard for them to do all that work. It becomes difficult to do fire protection efficiently and safely.”

In a press release Wednesday, Lisman said he is grateful for the opportunity to serve the city and looks forward to spending more time with his family.

Lisman began his career as a firefighter in 1975, and served as battalion chief, training officer and assistant chief until his first retirement in 2001. In 2004, Mayor Tom Leighton appointed Lisman to active duty as chief.

The city will advertise locally and nationally to find a candidate to fill the position.

Neither Lisman nor Leighton returned could be reached for comment.

Makar said he and Lisman became fast friends when he started the job in June 1981.

“I looked forward to working with him when he was appointed to chief to advance the already high efficiency of the fire department,” Makar said. “But the reduction of staffing became a huge obstacle. My biggest disappointment was my inability to convince our elected officials to restore, during Chief Lisman’s tenure, the staffing cuts imposed by the past two administrations.”

In an news release, Leighton praised Lisman.

“Under the leadership and guidance of Chief Lisman, the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department has been improved,” he said. “Hollenback Fire Station was constructed, new state-of-the-art apparatus and ambulances were purchased and the department’s disaster response and recovery techniques were improved. Jake will remain a close friend of the city of Wilkes-Barre – he will be missed.”

Councilwoman Kathy Kane said all members of city council are going to miss Lisman. She said a new city budget will be released in October. She doesn’t know if the city plans to hire more firefighters.

According to Makar, it takes a minimum of 17 firefighters per shift to operate safely. Right now, the city operates at 14 firefighters per shift.

In 2000, the number of city firefighters was up to 88, Makar said, and that number had been maintained up until recently. That is also the last year there was a contract to specify the number of firefighters the city needed. Makar said when he began the job in 1981, there were 104 city firefighters, and no one has been hired since 2002.

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