It’s been a tough couple of weeks for Houston Firefighters.
Allegations of racism and sexism in the department have overshadowed the good work that the men and women are doing on a daily basis to fight fires and save lives.
Houston’s next mayor will have to address issues like policies, procedures and funding for the department.
On Thursday, The Houston Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 341, endorsed Gene Locke for Mayor of the City of Houston.
During a brief news conference, Association President Jeff Caynon said the group screened all four major candidates – Locke, Annise Parker, Peter Brown and Roy Morales.
“We ultimately endorsed Gene Locke because of his perspective on issues important to firefighters and Houston citizens and his professional experience with labor issues.”
In addition to presenting Locke with a $10, 000 campaign contribution, Caynon also noted that this is a challenging time for Houston firefighters, and the 4-thousand member group believes that Locke is “the best candidate to maintain and build upon our recent efforts to improve workplace and labor conditions within the Houston Fire Department.”
Locke called it an “honor to get the endorsement of the brave men and women who protect the city.”
The endorsement is considered one of the major union endorsements during a city election, though usually not as big a deal as the Houston Police Officers Union.
2 on the Beat is anxiously waiting to see who will pick up that support.
Mary Benton Media 
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