The Butler firefighters union merits praise for allowing a one-time exception to its contract that will allow two local firefighters to assist with recovery operations in the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast region.

Under the agreement, firefighters who cover the shifts of Jim Kaufman and Pete Stewart while they are deployed with the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be paid at the straight-time rate and not receive overtime pay. The agreement means the financially strapped city will not incur extra costs during the firefighters' 30-day deployment in the South.

Councilman Jim Kraus' efforts in pursuing the agreement also should not go unnoticed.

It was estimated that the city would have incurred an unbudgeted expense of $5,600 if the two firefighters had been allowed to help with the recovery operations without the overtime-pay agreement.

No doubt the experiences of Kaufman and Stewart in the disaster region will be an asset to the local fire department's handling of hopefully less serious situations in the future.

The two local firefighters will fly to Atlanta from Pittsburgh for one day of training and inoculations before being sent to the disaster zone. Meanwhile, it has been announced that another Butler firefighter has already left for the disaster area, using his vacation time.

By the time the final chapter in the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort is written, there no doubt will be many local contributions of time and money. But it is notable that, in this instance, the firefighters union and city were able to reach an accord outside their specific contract language to allow the two local firefighters' expertise to be put to good use where it really is most needed.

No doubt similar agreements will be forged in some other communities across the nation, but it is commendable that one was able to happen here.