Springfield suspends 3 firefighters

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD -- Three Springfield firefighters served a disciplinary suspension recently due to a late-night drinking incident at the city fire hall last winter.

Firefighters John Moritz, Calvin Buddensiek and Terry Wendt were suspended for a month without pay from April 5 to May 5 by Police Chief Jeff Cummins, Fire Chief Charlie Baumann and City Attorney Paul Muske.

The three were suspended for unauthorized use of city property, unauthorized use and consumption of alcoholic beverages on city property, and allowing an unauthorized individual on city property after hours.

The three men were in the fire hall meeting room after hours, and allowed an unauthorized person, a woman, to be on city property late Dec. 1 and early Dec. 2, 1999, according to Springfield Police Chief Jeff Cummins, who investigated the incident.

The fire hall is above the police station in downtown Springfield.

Cummins said no criminal charges have been filed regarding the incident, and the investigation is complete.

According to the investigation, the Springfield Fire Department held a regular practice meeting at 7 p.m., Dec. 1, 1999. The meeting ended at about 9:30 p.m., but several firemen remained behind, drinking alcoholic beverages. The type of alcohol was not specified in the report.

At about 10:30 p.m., a woman looking for police told the firemen she was locked out of the residence she was staying at, and wanted to use a phone to call the people she was visiting.

One of the firemen let the woman use a cell phone in the fire department's rescue van. The woman was unable to contact the people she was staying with, and because their residence was locked, she returned to the fire hall.

Moritz, Buddensiek, Wendt and the female remained at the fire hall, drinking and talking until 3:30 a.m. when everybody left the fire hall.

Firemen said they did not know the woman's identity, according to the investigation.

As a result of the incident, Baumann has placed an 11 p.m. curfew for use of the fire hall meeting room after organized meetings and practices.

Cummins said the three firemen are volunteers and fully cooperated with his investigation.

The city investigation came about as a result of anonymous accusations. Cummins said anonymous letters, including some that were sent to The Journal and Springfield Advance-Press, were apparently written by a disgruntled member of the fire department.

"This guy doesn't want us to get a new fire station and was upset when the city bought its last new fire truck," Cummins said.

He felt the firemen who were suspended paid the price for their actions.

"These guys are volunteers. They helped pick up debris at Comfrey after the tornado, sandbagged during the floods in Springfield and Granite Falls. They are good guys. They took the punishment like men," Cummins said.