TV station editorial says DC Chief Kenneth Ellerbe must go
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WTTG-TV/FOX 5 vice president and general manager Patrick Paolini is calling for the firing or resignation of DC Fire and EMS Department Chief Kenneth Ellerbe. In the video above, Paolini cites Ellerbe’s many failures during his three years in office.
I could be wrong, but this may be the first time a TV station editorial in the DC market has called for a fire chief’s resignation or firing. My late friend Rich Adams, who did the editorials for years at Channel 9, offered strong opinions on many fire and EMS issues (Rich was a member of Maryland’s Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad), but I don’t recall him demanding that a fire chief must go. I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.
Paolini’s editorial comes the same day as a strongly worded column in The Washington Post by Petula Dvorak. This follows calls for Ellerbe’s ousting by three members of the DC City Council. In addition, all of those running for mayor in the upcoming primary have made it clear, if they win, Ellerbe will not be part of their administration. The exception, of course, is the one man who hired Ellerbe, current Mayor Vincent Gray.
