Hold Columbus Leadership Accountable for First Responder Working Conditions!

The men and women of the Columbus Division of Fire and Columbus Division of Police are expected to report to work every day, regardless of the conditions inside their facilities. When air conditioning fails, buildings have persistent maintenance issues, or other workplace hazards go unaddressed, they are often told to simply keep working.

That should not be the standard.

This petition calls on the Mayor of Columbus, the Public Safety Director-Kate Pishotti, the Interim Fire Chief-Baugh, the First Assistant Chief Potts, and the Police Chief Bryant to temporarily relocate their offices to the Fire Alarm Office or Precinct 13 until the documented facility issues at those locations have been fully corrected.

Leadership should experience the same working conditions they expect firefighters, police officers, dispatchers, and civilian employees to endure.

This is about accountability. Decisions are made differently when leaders experience the same conditions as the employees they oversee. 

Every employee deserves a safe, functional workplace. Public safety professionals should not have to choose between serving their community and working in unacceptable conditions.

If these facilities are safe enough for the people protecting Columbus every day, they should be safe enough for the leaders responsible for fixing them. If they are not acceptable for leadership, they are not acceptable for anyone.

We respectfully ask Columbus leadership to:

1. Immediately repair the documented facility issues at the Fire Alarm Office and Precinct 13.
2.  Prioritize funding for public safety facility maintenance.
3. Relocate executive leadership to these facilities until the issues have been permanently resolved.
4. Commit to transparent reporting on the status of repairs so employees and residents know when problems are identified and when they are fixed.

Columbus can do better. Our first responders deserve better. Leadership should lead by example.