By Vote of 2,520 to 0, International Association of Fire Fighters Censures CAFMA Fire Chief Freitag

Photo: Edward Kelly, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters

The International Association of Fire Fighters has voted unanimously to censure Scott Freitag, the fire chief of the Central Arizona Fire & Medical Authority (CAFMA), for his refusal to “prioritize implementing modern cancer prevention improvements,” his failure “to establish four-person minimum per engine staffing as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association,” and his ongoing bullying of CAFMA fire fighters and paramedics.

In all, 2,520 delegates to the 57th annual IAFF convention – representing all 50 states and the 350,000 members of the IAFF – voted to censure Freitag. He becomes the first Arizona fire chief to be publicly rebuked by the organization since at least 1990.

“At every turn, Chief Freitag has failed to protect his community and the firefighters of the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority,” said Edward Kelly, the General President of the 350,000-member organization. “Respect is the cornerstone of a healthy labor-management relationship. His unanimous censure by delegates to the IAFF’s 57th Convention sends a strong message: conduct like Freitag’s has no place in Prescott Valley.”

Stephen Gilman, Vice President of the IAFF’s 10th District, which includes Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Hawaii, underscored that the censure vote was not taken lightly.

“Taking a formal action like this only happens when the behavior – the ignorance regarding safety measures and the intimidation of employees – is simply egregious,” said Gilman. “There are hundreds of fire districts and fire departments across Arizona. Scott Freitag’s disgraceful conduct puts him in a class by himself. It hurts the public and it hurts the men and women held hostage to his ego and vindictiveness.”

Freitag was appointed Fire Chief of the Chino Valley Fire District in August 2013. He became Chief of both the Central Yavapai Fire District and the Chino Valley Fire District under a Joint Management Agreement between the two agencies in July 2014. The two organizations merged to become CAFMA in July 2016.

CAFMA’s approved budget was $23.9 million in FY 2016-17, per budget documents on the district’s website. The recently passed FY 2024-25 budget has essentially doubled to $47.1 million. Freitag is scheduled to earn a salary of $195,000 in 2025, plus tens of thousands of dollars in retirement and insurance benefits. Per the FY 2016-17 budget, he was paid $121,795 plus benefits in FY2016.

“Every homeowner in the Quad Cities is chipping in to pay Chief Freitag incredibly well, including an enormous raise over the past eight years,” said Don Jongewaard, the President of the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona. “What they may not be aware of is how Freitag has systematically destroyed the morale of the fire department he rules with an iron fist, and how he’s made fire service less efficient across the Prescott Valley while doubling CAFMA’s budget.”

In June, attorneys for the PFFA sent Freitag a cease and desist letter demanding that he refrain from making false attacks against the organization, which represents more than 8,100 fire fighters statewide. The letter detailed Freitag’s false attacks, including calling the PFFA a “criminal organization” and accusing the firefighters’ association of “performing insurance fraud.”

“Fighting fires and working to save the lives of car crash victims and people suffering medical emergencies is a tough job,” said Jongewaard. “Working for a fire chief who makes that job exponentially tougher while frittering away taxpayer resources is simply unacceptable.”