THE SAGA OF THE MINNEOLA, FLORIDA, FIRE DEPARTMENT continues today, as we expect it will for another week to come. This is the FD that we wrote about yesterday (HERE) that was entirely shut down by the city manager for 48 hours because two (yes, two) firefighters had a verbal dispute at an EMS incident.
The story was advanced yesterday evening when STATter911 reported (HERE) on a situation just last month when the city “accidentally” posted some of the FF’s personal information, including their social security numbers and phone numbers, on the city’s website. What smells about this is that the FF’s affected were all members who were trying to organize an IAFF local. A classic union-busting maneuver by the city manager.
This morning Firegeezer ran a video (HERE) showing the Minneola vice-mayor stating that this latest nonsense is really being fomented by some city hall infighting between two factions, one of which wants to merge the city’s FD with two other departments.
Now this afternoon the city has re-0pened their only fire station and released information to the Orlando Sentinel that tells why the city manager decided to do what he did, or at least that’s what they’re saying publicly.
The Sentinel REPORTS that it all came about from a fire lieutenant who is an EMT trying to take over patient care from a firefighter/paramedic, an illegal and unethical action. The city manager now says that things are cooled down and hunky-dory and it’s all straightened out.
Not so fast, says the vice mayor that we met this morning. “This is witch hunt to get rid of [the fire chief] and make him look bad.”
(The vice mayor) said at next Tuesday’s council meeting she will ask for an investigation by the board into the city manager’s actions. “The city manager’s side in this is far from being closed,” she said. “I think the city needs to look at how the city manager handled this incident. I think he showed his inexperience as a city manager. I think he showed his inexperience in dealing with the fire department. He did not handle this properly.”
The mayor himself added for the record, “The fire department is dysfunctional.”
Read the entire article HERE to find out even more.
Back in January some of the FF’s filed a formal complaint against the fire chief for making disparaging remarks against them and trying to hinder their organizing of a Local. The firefighter’s association is also publicly fighting a proposal to cut back their staffing from three to two on the only fire engine they have. See the Minneola Firfighters association WEBSITE HERE.
Official Minneola FD website is HERE.
Firegeezer can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings. When’s the next city council meeting?
