BRITTANY WALLMAN, Staff writer
Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

City firefighters say their right to "freedom of reading material" requires the city to give them wireless Internet access in the fire stations.

The city would pay $26,897 for routers and other equipment, under a proposal on tonight's City Commission agenda that would set up a wireless signal at fire stations. The money also would supply a wireless signal the public could use at the building department, parking offices and Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.

The request was prompted by a fire-union grievance. Firefighters at Station No. 2 had wireless Internet last year and were paying for it themselves. But the service was yanked by Chief James Eddy, according to city records.

The firefighters filed a complaint, saying that losing their online connection violated their "contractual right to freedom of reading material."

Under a settlement agreement, the firefighters no longer would pay for the wireless; taxpayers would foot the bill for equipment and annual maintenance. And the city's information technology department would help trouble-shoot problems. The connection would be available from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. weekdays, and from 1 p.m. to 8 a.m. weekends.

Fire personnel will have to follow "all applicable city policies and standards regarding computer usage." The city computer policy bans computer users from accessing sexually oriented material, but what about eBay or Facebook?

City spokesman Jeff Modarelli said that will be off limits, too: "The fire chief will not be allowing staff to spend time on Facebook and eBay while on city time. Per the settlement, he will be working with IT to block access to sites like these."

Copyright 2009 Sun-Sentinel Company
All Rights Reserved
June 2, 2009