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Local 36 calls out procurement failures and warns contract delays will deepen staffing strain
Summary
David Hoagland, president of IAFF Local 36, told the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety the union is frustrated by a 507‑day contract impasse and what he described as an 'apparatus crisis' after parts and deliveries left ladder trucks out of service and prompted purchases the union says deviate from longstanding specifications.
David Hoagland, president of the District of Columbia Firefighters Association (IAFF Local 36), told the committee that union members have been working without a contract for 507 days and are suffering low morale and financial strain while facing rising call volumes and special events this year. "It is solely due to lack of management," Hoagland said, criticizing how apparatus purchases and maintenance have been handled.
Hoagland called for an overhaul of apparatus procurement and described multiple ladder trucks and reserve vehicles out of service because of long parts wait times. He objected to a planned large purchase of 18 engines from HME, saying the product "completely deviates from our longstanding specification" and that other departments report quality concerns. "We are browning out service for district residents," he said, noting instances where neighborhoods lacked ladder coverage.
Chair Brooke Pinto pressed Hoagland on contract timing; he said the union has declared impasse and is engaged with the Public Employee Relations Board, with a February 25 deadline to select arbitration panelists and a realistic expectation that approval and implementation could slip until late in the calendar year. Chief John Donnelly and department leaders acknowledged procurement backlogs and parts delays, and said they are working with OCP and vendors to resolve delivery issues and improve maintenance cycles.
The hearing record shows the committee asked for follow‑ups on vendor selection, the timeline for outstanding purchase orders, and data on preventative maintenance completion rates for engines, ladder trucks, and ambulances. Pinto also signaled interest in legislative options to reduce chronic contract delays and in ensuring executive compliance with arbitration awards when they are issued.
