Firefighters

The treasurer of the Chester County Firefighters' Relief Association, which aids the families of fallen firefighters, has been charged with stealing $74,000 from the group. Joseph Troiana, 54, of Coatesville, has been the treasurer of the association for more than 10 years. Chester County prosecutors say Troiana withdrew money from the association's bank accounts and deposited it in his own account at least 100 times over four years. - Staff report

When Delaware County firefighters take their equipment on the road later this summer, they won't be using it to fight fires. Delaware County Cares, a volunteer organization made up mostly of firefighters, will use the gear to help people in Georgia clean up from flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Alberto. An advance team of firefighters left yesterday for Georgia to try to secure housing and contacts. "It's all great and good to get a bunch of people together, but unless you're preplanned, you end up being more of a problem than a help," said Cris Hanson, chief of the Swarthmore fire company.

Three firefighters were injured while battling a blaze Sunday at a commercial strip in Montgomery County. The fire was reported at 4:40 p.m. on the 100-block of West Moreland Avenue in Horsham, according to county dispatch personnel. The three firefighters were take to Abington Memorial Hospital for treatment. Additional information on their condition was not available Sunday night. The fire went to a second-alarm before it was brought under control at 6:12 p.m., said county dispatch.

A chapter in Ed Rendell's acrimonious history with municipal unions came back to haunt him yesterday, as the Philadelphia firefighters' union endorsed his opponent, Mike Fisher, for governor. The nod from Local 22 of the International Association of Firefighters did not surprise many. Firefighters have disliked Rendell since his days as mayor, when he authorized benefit cuts and wage freezes during the city's fiscal crisis in the early '90s. Several unions such as the AFL-CIO have endorsed Rendell, a Democrat.

Five firefighters died yesterday afternoon when the roof of a burning car dealership collapsed under them, plunging them into the blaze, officials said. The fire, which destroyed the building and contents of Hackensack Ford, started shortly after 3 p.m. in the rear service section of the building, said Hackensack Fire Chief Anthony Aiellos. Aiellos said the roof collapsed as the firefighters were cutting a hole in the roof to get at the fire, which was blazing in a crawl space between the false interior ceiling and the roof.

At the annual memorial service for police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty, Kerry Farrell and Devin McGrath (right) leave carnations for their uncle, Police Officer Gary Farrell, killed 20 years ago. Elsie Devine (above) wipes a tear as she remembers her firefighter husband, Richard Devine. Police officers (below) salute during the ceremony held yesterday at the Living Flame Memorial on Franklin Square, 6th and Race streets. In conjunction with the remembrance, Police Commissioner John Timoney presented wreaths to the North Wildwood Police Department, which has scheduled "A Tribute to Fallen Heroes" observance this weekend.

Fort Dix firefighters say they will appeal a federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration decision last month rejecting their allegations of unsafe working conditions at the Army post. In a Nov. 6 complaint, the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local F115, accused the Army of providing inadequate fire protection, improper clothing and not enough precautions for live-fire training exercises. On Feb. 20, OSHA officials based in Marlton told Army and union officials that there was no evidence to back up the firefighters' allegations.

The city firefighter's union lost a bid to prevent the Nutter administration from closing seven fire companies targeted as part of Mayor Nutter's response to the current budget crisis. Common Pleas Judge Gary DiVito yesterday ruled that Nutter could unilaterally make the cuts - which involve no layoffs - and that Local 22 of the International Association of Firefighters had failed to show that the cuts posed a threat to public safety. The firefighters requested an injunction earlier this month, arguing that Nutter was required to bargain with the union when it came to issues of firefighter safety.

The Daily News' constant bashing of city employees, especially those employees who put their lives on the line every day, is insulting and factually inaccurate. Mark McDonald's "Rendell and Street: No plans to seek pay hikes at this time" demonstrates how the Daily News focuses on the cost of everything and the value of nothing. And, once again, the Daily News offers a false presentation of the costs as fact. While glossing over the fact that in 1992, elected members of city government received 62 1/2 percent raises, McDonald continues the Daily News campaign against public employees by falsely stating that police and firefighters have received a "32 percent increase in salary since 1988.