On the heels of the release of the Phase II report regarding the Sofa Super Store fire that killed nine Charleston, S.C. firefighters on June 18, 2007, the International Association of Fire Fighters and the Fire Department Safety Officers Association issued separate statements. Click here to download the report.

IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger issued this statement following the release of the Phase II report of the Charleston Post Incident Assessment and Review Team.

“Last June 18, nine of Charleston’s bravest were killed in the line of duty. This report, with its sobering and powerful conclusions, is sure to rekindle justifiably strong emotions related to the deaths of the Charleston Nine.

“This union’s biggest concern now is for the future and the safety of the tenth family in the June 18 tragedy — the fire fighters of Charleston who are still on the job.

“Massive changes have been recommended in earlier reports by the Fire Review Team, and even more changes will be apparent once we absorb the compelling facts in this new report. It is now our job to make sure those changes are being legitimately and effectively completed as quickly as possible. The original conclusions drawn by South Carolina OSHA and the subsequent settlement agreement signed by the City contain clear, mandated commitments that must be tracked and verified.

“The IAFF and Local 61 will continue to commit the necessary resources and time, working in partnership with the City, to ensure that all of the necessary safety improvements, at every level, occur in a timely fashion and that they are up to the standards set by Mayor Riley — which is to ensure that the Charleston Fire Department becomes a model for safe and effective fire operations going forward.”

Charles Davis, chairman FDOSA issued this statement.

"The Fire Department Safety Officers Association has supported and promoted firefighter safety since it was created in July 1989. We have now entered a new era, an era of personal accountability. It is no longer considered acceptable to take uncalculated risks and operate at incidents without a dedicated and competent certified incident safety officer.

"We must ensure that we have a trained and certified fire department safety officer on the scene of every structure fire, heavy rescue and special operations response. We owe nothing less to our firefighters and their families. The FDSOA offers support to current and future safety officers for their critical role in saving firefighters' lives."