Four-Alarm Flannel

Firefighters in Chicago, Ill., are fuming over new department-issued pajamas. “If you’re going to have a diverse fire department, where you have male and female firefighters sleeping in the same sleeping quarters, you have to do this,” says Fire Cmdr. Willie Knight. Firefighters say they would rather the department bought them more safety equipment instead. The jammies are not flame retardant, so if they get a call in the middle of the night, the firefighters must put turnout coats over them. But Knight insists the nightclothes must be worn, since the department cannot afford separate sleeping quarters for female firefighters, and he wants to avoid sexual harassment lawsuits. “This is not a joke,” Knight said. (UPI) ...The public will be the judge of that.