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Firefighters say city walking back from vaccine exemption deal, city won’t comment

REDMOND, Wash. — A handful of Redmond firefighters spoke directly to city council Tuesday night asking them to honor a COVID-19 vaccine deal they claim they made with city leaders.

“Sorry, it’s just a very emotional thing,” said Mitchell Pearson, as he took a moment to compose himself while asking to keep his job.

“The men and women of the Redmond Fire Department that are currently in this position do not want to lose their careers. They want to work hard for the city,” he said.

Pearson says he’s one of nearly two dozen firefighters who risk being fired next month if they don’t follow the governor’s orders and get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The order does make exceptions for religious exemptions and he says the city originally agreed to a deal that would allow them to keep working.

But now he and others say the city is walking back from that agreement.

“The City of Redmond has the ability to honor their negotiated agreement and allows us to serve the citizens of Redmond just as we have since this all started,” said Brian Robillard who has served with Redmond Fire for 28 years.

Robillard’s wife Tracy is moved to tears, knowing her husband will lose a job he’s dedicated his life to for nearly 3 decades.

“It’s sad,” she says. “That’s his life. It’s been his life it’s been our life. I take pride in saying that my husband’s a firefighter.”

The city of Redmond tells KIRO 7 they don’t discuss personnel matters, but only that they are following state guidance.

Last month Inslee said, “We have thousands of safety regulations on our books that our executive decisions fall, protection, seatbelts you name it, that are necessary for the protection of our employees and for the public so we feel this is entirely appropriate.”

“It just feels like they are saying well too bad we can’t help you and good luck on your next endeavor,” says Sophie Pearson. Her husband, Mitchell spoke at the Tuesday night meeting.

The two have a 16-month-old son, and aren’t sure what will happen once Oct. 18 comes.

“I know that he’ll provide for us no matter what,” says Sophie Pearson.