Gallant to remain firefighter advocate

On the night of the Sofa Super Store blaze, panicked families raced toward the scene for word on the fate of their loved ones. As the night wore on and the news grew increasingly dire, the Rev. Jimmy Gallant was assigned the task of telling the gathered families the cold truth.

"I had to tell the families that all those firefighters had perished," he said today. "That will go to my grave with me. I have the pain of those nine families."

Gallant, a police chaplain, said that memory from June 18 stays close to his heart and compels him to work to improve the Fire Department. And despite his tense exchange with Mayor Joe Riley on Monday in which he resigned his post as chairman of the Public Safety Committee, Gallant intends to remain an advocate for firefighters. "I am still going to be their voice. I'm not going to abandon those guys. I'm going to fight even harder."

But Riley said Monday night's theatrics will change nothing about the ongoing efforts to improve the Fire Department and the respective roles of the mayor and City Council in that process.

Gallant called the meeting to question nearly 50 promotions and transfers approved by Fire Chief Rusty Thomas last week in the waning days of his tenure. Thomas, whose last day is June 27, has been sharply criticized for his department's handling of the fire.

Riley and his administration insist the promotion process was fair, professional and methodical and that the transfers were simply needed to ensure stations are fully staffed. But some firefighters who were transferred think the moves were payback for speaking publicly about safety concerns, the need for a new chief and other issues.

In the aftermath of Monday's emotional standoff, questions remained about Gallant's intentions.

Riley said he's under the impression that Gallant not only stepped down as chairman of council's Public Safety Committee but gave up his seat on the panel as well.

Gallant said he did, in fact, resign from the committee. But already he's hearing from council members who want him to continue heading the panel. He said he will listen to his colleagues and is not ruling out a return.

Read more in tomorrow's edition of The Post and Courier.