Katie Wilson claimed her budget prioritized public safety, but now four to six fire units could be out of service each day due to her proposed cuts.
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Firefighters terminated after seeking religious accommodations under Seattle’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate want a federal judge to clear a path back to the department. Their request comes as Fire Chief Harold Scoggins warns that Socialist Mayor Katie Wilson’s proposed budget could take four to six fire units out of service each day.
Former Seattle firefighters have filed an emergency motion in federal court seeking a path to reinstatement, raising an immediate question for city leaders: As Seattle prepares to reduce the number of firefighters on duty each day, why are experienced firefighters who want to return still fighting over the conditions for doing so?
The September 23 motion in Vale v. City of Seattle asks the court to stop Seattle from requiring every firefighter seeking reinstatement to complete its full 15 and a half-week recruit academy. Instead, the plaintiffs want individual assessments of their current qualifications, any refresher training they actually need, and reinstatement for those who meet the requirements.
The filing arrived one day after Scoggins told Seattle Fire Department employees that Wilson’s proposed 2027–28 budget includes a $7 million reduction in overtime. In his September 22 email, the chief said the cut would lower daily minimum staffing from 222 to 209 and be managed through planned unit outages. Depending on staffing levels, he warned, four to six units could be taken out of service daily. A fire station could also close for a shift if an outage occurs in a single house.
Scoggins said the department would use call volumes, response times and coverage from neighboring stations to schedule outages in an effort to limit their effect. But Seattle Fire Fighters Union IAFF Local 27 says the overtime at issue helps the department meet minimum staffing requirements. In its statement on the proposed budget, the union warns that fewer firefighters and operating units could mean longer waits for emergency help. The union puts the proposed reduction at $7.1 million.
That warning contradicts Wilson’s description of public safety as a priority. Her administration says the proposed budget funds 1,250 sworn police positions, 66 more than the current budget, while the fire department faces the overtime reduction. The city’s proposal is still subject to City Council review.
In April 2023, firefighters who had been terminated under the vaccine mandate received written denials when they requested reinstatement. The notices cited Public Safety Civil Service Commission Rule 10.03. At the time, a department source also reported that Ladder 6 was temporarily out of service because of staffing.
The rule has since changed. According to the new motion, Seattle now acknowledges that firefighters classified as having been separated for non-disciplinary reasons are eligible to seek reinstatement.
The dispute is over what happens next. The plaintiffs say Seattle imposed the full recruit academy requirement without first interviewing them or evaluating their subsequent fire service, certifications, and current abilities. The city has argued that their time away from Seattle Fire operations makes the academy necessary for a safe return, according to the motion.
Several plaintiffs say they continued working as firefighters elsewhere. The filing identifies several of the firefighters who have gained additional operational experience or qualifications since leaving Seattle. Their attorneys say those records warrant individual review; the motion does not ask the department to waive competency or safety requirements.
This is a recurring staffing issue. In December 2023, Seattle Fire entered emergency staffing mode during the holidays and sought firefighters willing to work extended shifts to maintain coverage. Those were the department’s circumstances in 2023, but they show why the question of bringing experienced personnel back has persisted.
The plaintiffs’ challenge to the original accommodation process also remains contested. Former Deputy Chief Tom Walsh alleged that Seattle had predetermined how it would handle religious accommodation requests. Those claims are allegations, not findings in the new motion. In July, the federal court denied the plaintiffs’ request for partial summary judgment on their Free Exercise claim and ruled for the city on a separate due process claim.
The judge has not ruled on the September 23 reinstatement request, and Seattle will have an opportunity to respond. It is not yet clear how many former firefighters would return, how soon they could do so, or whether their return would prevent the outages Scoggins described. But as the city considers a budget that could leave fire units idle, the motion puts a concrete staffing option before the court and Seattle officials: assess the experienced firefighters asking to come back.
Former Seattle firefighters have filed an emergency motion in federal court seeking a path to reinstatement, raising an immediate question for city leaders: As Seattle prepares to reduce the number of firefighters on duty each day, why are experienced firefighters who want to return still fighting over the conditions for doing so?
The September 23 motion in Vale v. City of Seattle asks the court to stop Seattle from requiring every firefighter seeking reinstatement to complete its full 15 and a half-week recruit academy. Instead, the plaintiffs want individual assessments of their current qualifications, any refresher training they actually need, and reinstatement for those who meet the requirements.
The filing arrived one day after Scoggins told Seattle Fire Department employees that Wilson’s proposed 2027–28 budget includes a $7 million reduction in overtime. In his September 22 email, the chief said the cut would lower daily minimum staffing from 222 to 209 and be managed through planned unit outages. Depending on staffing levels, he warned, four to six units could be taken out of service daily. A fire station could also close for a shift if an outage occurs in a single house.
Scoggins said the department would use call volumes, response times and coverage from neighboring stations to schedule outages in an effort to limit their effect. But Seattle Fire Fighters Union IAFF Local 27 says the overtime at issue helps the department meet minimum staffing requirements. In its statement on the proposed budget, the union warns that fewer firefighters and operating units could mean longer waits for emergency help. The union puts the proposed reduction at $7.1 million.
That warning contradicts Wilson’s description of public safety as a priority. Her administration says the proposed budget funds 1,250 sworn police positions, 66 more than the current budget, while the fire department faces the overtime reduction. The city’s proposal is still subject to City Council review.
In April 2023, firefighters who had been terminated under the vaccine mandate received written denials when they requested reinstatement. The notices cited Public Safety Civil Service Commission Rule 10.03. At the time, a department source also reported that Ladder 6 was temporarily out of service because of staffing.
The rule has since changed. According to the new motion, Seattle now acknowledges that firefighters classified as having been separated for non-disciplinary reasons are eligible to seek reinstatement.
The dispute is over what happens next. The plaintiffs say Seattle imposed the full recruit academy requirement without first interviewing them or evaluating their subsequent fire service, certifications, and current abilities. The city has argued that their time away from Seattle Fire operations makes the academy necessary for a safe return, according to the motion.
Several plaintiffs say they continued working as firefighters elsewhere. The filing identifies several of the firefighters who have gained additional operational experience or qualifications since leaving Seattle. Their attorneys say those records warrant individual review; the motion does not ask the department to waive competency or safety requirements.
This is a recurring staffing issue. In December 2023, Seattle Fire entered emergency staffing mode during the holidays and sought firefighters willing to work extended shifts to maintain coverage. Those were the department’s circumstances in 2023, but they show why the question of bringing experienced personnel back has persisted.
The plaintiffs’ challenge to the original accommodation process also remains contested. Former Deputy Chief Tom Walsh alleged that Seattle had predetermined how it would handle religious accommodation requests. Those claims are allegations, not findings in the new motion. In July, the federal court denied the plaintiffs’ request for partial summary judgment on their Free Exercise claim and ruled for the city on a separate due process claim.
The judge has not ruled on the September 23 reinstatement request, and Seattle will have an opportunity to respond. It is not yet clear how many former firefighters would return, how soon they could do so, or whether their return would prevent the outages Scoggins described. But as the city considers a budget that could leave fire units idle, the motion puts a concrete staffing option before the court and Seattle officials: assess the experienced firefighters asking to come back.
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