CONROE, Texas – Two volunteer firefighters have been suspended from their full-time jobs with the City of Conroe after failing to tell their supervisors they were missing work to battle the tri-county fire near Magnolia.
The two employees volunteer for the River Plantation VFD. Their identities have not been released, but city officials said the pair worked for Conroe public works department.
One had worked for the city for several years. The other had just been hired several months ago, said Conroe City Administrator Paul Virgadamo.
"This whole issue has nothing to do with fighting a fire,” Virgadamo said. “It has everything to do with following policy."
Virgadamo said he encourages employees to volunteer -- but that they shouldn't neglect other responsibilities.
"Under normal circumstances, this would be an action that the employees could be terminated for,” he said. “But we didn't do that. We just gave them a (week) off without pay."
Still, not everyone in Conroe agrees.
"They should be given a break," said Bob Holmes, who spoke with KHOU 11 News in downtown Conroe Tuesday.
"They decided to volunteer their time to go up there and fight fires and go save lives where people were losing their homes and dying,” said another bystander, Mark Wev.
But while some people are criticizing the city's decision, the River Plantation fire chief supports it.
"I do agree with the City of Conroe suspending the employees because they did not notify their full-time employer for 48 hours," said Chief Randy Oliver.
KHOU 11 News has not been able to reach either of the suspended firefighters for comment.
