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What Syracuse and Saint Louis Share

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How the Great Recession and Technology Change Two Unique Departments

As an engineering student in the 1970's, I followed the radical changes in fire suppression practices in Syracuse and Saint Louis. Along with the RAND operations research in New York City, we were just a few years away from flying cars.

Cutting age innovations

In reading Signal 99, it appears Syracuse has been hard-wired for innovation.

In a 1913 presentation by FDNY Chief Croker in Syracuse, he stated "Small communities like Syracuse do not need automotive fire apparatus."

Syracuse Chief Thomas Ryan added motorized tractors to Engine 1 and Truck 1 within a year.

Shrinking Syracuse in 1970s

Syracuse was facing a four-sided problem:

  • Ancient fire stations
  • Aging fire apparatus fleet
  • State legislation mandating a 40 hour work week for career firefighters, requiring a fourth platoon
  • Declining population (9% in a decade)

Chief Thomas Hanlon introduced a reorganization proposal in 1973 that would build seven new fire stations, purchase new apparatus and use innovative technology.

The size of the department would not change.  To accomodate a fourth platoon of 125 members the department went from 18 to 12 fire stations and from 26 to 20 fire companies.

MAXI PUMPER

The first maxi pumper was a 1973 all-wheel drive 1500 gpm/500 gwt rig with a 50' telescoping waterway. Lets see the status of the innovations with the rig.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Engine 5 (IAFF Local 280 photo)

Automated Pump and Hydrant Controls

Designed in 1975 and implemented on Engine 3 in 1976, the radio-controlled automated hydrant valves were high maintenance and poor performers, discontinued after a couple of months.  Same for the radio controlled module at the nozzle of the attack line.

The malfunction alert on the automated pump controls has shown up on other rigs.

Rapid Water

An additive designed to reduce the surface tension (friction loss) in water and allow more flow. RAND introduced it in FDNY in 1969 to increase the water flow in 1.75" attack lines. This would allow a reduction in fire company staffing. 

The last Syracuse maxi-pumpers with the plumbing for the additive was four Emergency One pumpers purchased in 1982.  Recent pumper purchases have Class A foam

Click HERE to read the 31 page, 3 MB .pdf copy of the RAND report on "Slippery Water" 

Traffic pre-emption devices

First generation of the devices that provide responding apparatus a green light intersection. Good chance your rig uses a similar device.

Four-wheel drive

Last pumpers with four wheel drive capabilites were purchased in 1991, the skyrocketing cost of rigs and declining municipal budgets were affecting the apparatus specifications.

50' to 55' Telescoping waterway

Two Sutphen pumpers placed into service in 2000 are the first engines without a telescoping boom. Budget constraints and concern about the availability of a Tele-Squrt boom resulted in this decision for Engine 3 and Engine 7.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Engine 7 picture by Tom Shand, from Syracuse press release

Engine and Mini 7 responding:

MINI PUMPER

Originally designed to handle automobile and trash fires by itself, the mini-pumper had a 300 gpm pump, 200 gallon water tank, 750' of large diameter hose, radio-controlled master stream and two attack lines. It could function as the Maxi's hose wagon.

Four person engine company staffing is split between the Mini and the Maxi.

The pick-up truck sized four wheel drive rigs had transmission, brake and suspension problems. Larger medium duty rigs were introduced in 1977.

Change of focus

The fire department started providing ems first responder responses in the 1990's with the private ambulance company providing 9-1-1 service.

The first ems first responder mini was evaluated in 1994. Starting in 2002, new mini rigs were ems first responder with no fire suppression capability.

Mini 5 photo credit Shapiro Photography.

Eight of the ten engine companies have ems first responder rigs, two minis are ambulances.  Based on the 2008 annual report, 62% of Syracuse responses are ems first-responder runs.

Meanwhile, in Saint Louis

When Neil Svetanics was appointed the Fire Chief of Saint Louis in 1986, the mayor required a significant reduction of the firefighter workforce.

Svetanics established the Total Quint Concept because of the mayor’s mandate. 30 quints replaced 30 engine companies and 12 truck companies.

Dennis Maag reported in Fire Apparatus Journal that St. Louis placed nine Smeal 2250 gpm pumpers in 2011, the first non-quints purchased by the city in two decades.

Eight existing 75' and 125' quints are undergoing refurbishment. The first rig is Engine 28's 2000 Spartan/Smeal 75' 2000 gpm/400 gwt quint. Recieved a rebuilt powertrain, new emergency lights, compartment doors, paint, suspension, radiator and brakes. Assigned as Truck 29.

References:

  • Shand, Tom W. and Reeves, David B. (2011) Signal 99: The Fire Apparatus of the Syracuse Fire Department. Grit Printing: Montoursville, PA. available at FSP Books (HERE)
  • Maag, Dennis J. (2011 September-October) "Updates: St. Louis Metro" Fire Apparatus Journal Vol 28, No 5, pages 12-13.
  • Maag, Dennis J. (2012 January-February) "Updates: St. Louis Metro" Fire Apparatus Journal Vol 29, No 1, pages 12 – 13.

Related articles:

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on February 14, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Funding & Staffing, Technology & Communications, Urban Commander, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

KayCee City Manager Wants To Lay Off Firefighters, Use Savings To Give Other City Employees Raises

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Pencil Pushers Have Gone 3 Years Without a Raise

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, CITY MANAGER Troy Schulte presented his proposed budget to the City Council members on Tuesday.  His $1.3 billion proposal includes a lot of cutbacks in several city services, but the one measure that has raised eyebrows is his suggestion to lay off 105 firefighters.  He told the Kansas City Star, as Kansas City’s economy remains stubbornly sluggish, firefighters should no longer be untouchable. "We have to make strategic reductions in public safety," he said.

City Manager Schulte  (K.C. Star)

In a most absurd justification, he is also quoted by the Star:

His budget letter to (Mayor) James recommended reducing the Fire Department by 105 positions because fire calls have dropped by more than 60 percent in the past 10 years. He said he believes the reductions can be made without jeopardizing public safety.

So there you have it.  The number of firefighters and fire stations is to be determined by how many fires you get, not what you need when get a fire.  By his logic, all the firehouses will then be clustered around the high-activity neighborhoods leaving those slow residential areas to stand in the front yard and watch as their rare house fires consume all they own.  As for the airport… well, a hot-line phone box will do.  How often does a plane crash out there, anyway?

But as the late Ron Popeil used to say, Wait, there's more!  Again from The Star:

Those personnel cuts would help free up about $7.6 million — money that could go toward raises for other city employees. Many of them haven’t had a pay increase in three years.

No raise in three years, but at least they'll still have a job.  This is budgetary Russian roulette.

Note:   He earmarked $5 million for police raises and the balance for other management-level employees.

The City Council at its regular session today  (Wednesday) publicly reviewed the proposed budget.  The Local had exactly 105 firefighters in the council chambers this morning making their presence obvious.  KSHB-TV Ch. 41 had their video crew there too, and filed this report earlier today:

 

Local 42 President Mike Cambiano believes that this just might be some sort of dance and preening on the part othe city manager leading up to contract negotiations with the FF's that begin in April.  In addition, the fire chief was never consulted by the city manager on these proposed reductions.

Later this afternoon, following the above video report, Fire Chief Smokey Dyer addressed the Council.  The Star reported this afternoon:

Dyer told the city council’s Public Safety Committee that Chicago, Memphis, Louisville, Dallas and Houston are among major U.S. cities that require at least four firefighters per pumper, in compliance with national fire protection standards. That staffing allows two people in the first pumper on the scene to begin spraying water on a fire, while two others can begin attacking the fire within a building and rescuing any victims.

Chief Dyer  (KCUR)

Kansas City began increasing its firefighting ranks and staffed up its pumpers ten years ago to meet that standard. But City Manager Troy Schulte has recommended cutting 105 firefighters, saying the city has far fewer fires now and can save $7.5 million without compromising public safety.

Such a reduction would force deployment changes and reductions to the pumpers, Dyer said.

Mayor James will present his response to Schulte's plan tomorrow.  However one councilman didn't wait to voice his opinion:

Committee Chair John Sharp said the city made a conscious decision in 2001 to beef up its pumper staffing and he opposes any change. He said the fire department has to accept cuts like all other departments, but not this way.

“I can’t imagine a worse way to make cuts in the budget,” he said.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/08/3417307/fire-officials-warn-cutbacks-could.html#storylink=cpy

The City Council will approve whatever budget is decided on in late March for the fiscal year that begins on May 1.

Read the earlier referenced story from the Kansas City Star HERE.
Read a more in-depth report on the city manager's plans HERE.

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Posted by on February 8, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, commentary, current events, Funding & Staffing, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Fire Chief Wants to Replace Fire Engines With Pickup Trucks

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Save Money and Fight Fires (or something like that)

THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, HAS DIRECTED the Fire Chief Laura Knapp to cut spending 10% over the next three years.  So she has come up with a plan that the City Council loves to hear.  So much so that yesterday morning (Tuesday) they unanimously approved the plan and gave her the go-ahead to start implementing it.

The city has 11 fire stations and Knapp plans to replace the fire engines in three of them with "Quick Response Vehicles" (QRV's), described by the fire department as "basically a Dodge chassis with a box on the back" for a 300-gallon water tank and compressed-air foam system.

This GRFD drawing looks an awful lot like THIS ONE:

SGVN photo

The selling points for this conversion are first of all, replacement costs of $873,000 for all three units compared to a comparable price for one real fire engine. 

Secondly, the QRV's will only carry two firefighters instead of the three or four currently riding on the real fire engines.  This will allow the department to operate with 12 fewer firefighters, music to a councilman's ears.  Twelve is the magic number because the SAFER grant that the FD received to fund 12 positions runs out in three years and apparently the city does not have plans to retain those slots.

Chief Knapp projects a total savings of $21 million over the next 15 years once the plan goes into effect.

The Grand Rapids Press tells us:

Knapp hopes they will help the fire department maintain existing service levels in the face of coming staffing cuts.

About 89 percent of current fire-service calls are handled by a single unit, Knapp said. The "quick-response" units could handle those calls, she said.

"We need to better align our resources with these single-unit calls to ensure our performance is maintained (as we reduce firefighters to cut costs)," Knapp said. "Right now we don’t have a lot of flexibility in our deployment. The (‘quick-response vehicle’) is the answer for our current rigid operational system."

The firefighters themselves aren't convinced yet that fewer fire engines and fewer FF's will translate into "maintaining existing service levels."  William Smith, president of the Local tells the GR Press,  "If they’re rolled out, we’ll do what we’re told to do. There’s a question of how effective they’ll be."

WZZM-TV filed this brief video report:

 

Full report in the Grand Rapids Press HERE.
Local President Smith speaks more about their skepticism HERE.

Firegeezer notes:  These things became popular back in the great recession of the late 1970's.  Back then they were called "mini-pumpers" and were introduced with the same promises we're hearing from Grand Rapids.  Several dozens of fire departments jumped into the concept, but within three years they were all back to Plan A.  Why do people think it will magically start working now?  Or is this just a gimmick to get the budgeteers to turn their focus onto another agency?

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Posted by on February 8, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, apparatus, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, labor, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

The Heart and Soul of the Pontiac Fire Department

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Godspeed to the members of the Pontiac, Michigan, Fire Department

April 23, 1883 – January 31, 2012

After nearly 180 years, "Pontiac Fire Department" will no longer be the name on the side to the engines or on the front of the Stations, but it will be the name that every pontiac fire fighter past and present will never forget because it is in our heart and soul.

Once a pontiac fire fighter always a pontiac fire fighter.

http://youtu.be/CL8MHzpSTPE

Pontiac Fire Department's Last Day

PONTIAC (WXYZ) – A lot of history hangs in the halls of Pontiac’s main fire station. Pictures showcase the brave men who risk their lives daily for their community.

Tuesday, a photographer documented the last day the building will be running as part of the Pontiac Fire Department.

Wednesday morning, the Waterford Fire Department will take over and respond to calls in the city of Pontiac. A decision made by an Emergency Manager to cut costs.

Read more of Tara Edwards article HERE

History of the Pontiac Fire Department

http://youtu.be/noBc9aC-G-w

According to the agreement, the top 13 Pontiac firefighters will be granted the opportunity to take early retirement rather than working until their 25th year. The 44 remaining firefighters are eligible for employment with Waterford Township. The city of Pontiac will grant them one-time bonuses of up to $15,000.

Leslie Shepard (2012 January 4) Pontiac firefighters accept Waterford service pact. SpinalColumn

There were 57 Pontiac firefighters. Tara Edward's article today stated that 42 firefighters got jobs at Waterford.

In the FY 2009 – 2010 budget there were 103 approved positions, shrinking to 80 positions in the FY 2010 – 2011 budget. 22 of the 23 positions eliminated were firefighters.

In 2010 the city police department was disbanded, replaced with Oakland County sheriffs.

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on January 31, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , , ,

No more seasonal employees at da’ Shore

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A summer resort town grows up

A cryptic post in TheWatchDesk (TWD) indicates the end of an Eastern Shore tradition.

 

 

 

 

 

This is first post from 73fire74. TWD is more known for busting chops than breaking news, but ….

No announcement posted on the city's employment page. 

We posted last year's job annoucement on January 5. (Mark Brady, PGFD PIO, took this surf rescue picture while off-duty.)

Work at 'da Shore

The town has been growing, and the combined efforts of the volunteers and career fire-ems seem to result in significant growth of the department.

New station and new rigs

A new Station 5 replaced a garage-with-a-toilet in West Ocean City, dedicated in September 2011.

 

 

 

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Two KME Predator pumpers were delivered in December:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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New Engine 2 and Engine 1 (OC announcement).

These rigs join the 2009 KME's assigned to Engine 16 and Engine 4.

There also is a fireboat under construction, a first for the town.

Pretty cool!

Mike "Fossilmedic" Ward, a seasonal employee in 1974.

A "back in the day" reflection in  Beach Patrol First Responders (August 21. 2007)

Correction: The 2011 surf rescue picture was taken by PGFD PIO Mark Brady, picked up by WUSA9 for article. Thanks to Dave Statter for keeping me accurate! Other pictures from OCVFD website.

Posted by on January 28, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, EMS Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Detroit EMS: One Year Later

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Charlie LeDuff posts an update

One Year Later: Detroit's EMS System Still in Need of a Cure: MyFoxDETROIT.com

DETROIT (WJBK) – It's a story we've been covering for more than a year — FOX 2 taking a closer look at the way Detroit manages its ambulance service. What we uncovered was a deadly system on the verge of collapse.

Posted December 20, 2011

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Earlier posts:

July 02, 2011: “More Ambulances, More Training, Less Fear” New Detroit Fire Commissioner Donald Austin reaches out to medical community, says 22 new transport units will start arriving in January. Not writing up guys for minor uniform infractions

Yesterday's report raises questions if the ambulances have been ordered.

Posted by on December 21, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, Patient Management, Technology & Communications, Urban Commander, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Moline Lops 12 Firefighters

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Council Says Private EMS Will Be Better  (for who?…. ed.)

THE MOLINE, ILLINOIS, CITY COUNCIL met Tuesday night and, after several weeks of debate, voted to eliminate 12 firefighter/paramedic positions and turn the city's EMS responsibility over to a private ambulance company.

Moline firefighters and their families picketed in front of
city hall prior to last night's meeting.  (Quad City Times photo)

The council's consideration of the move initially led to the Fire Chief Ron Miller's abrupt resignation back on October 18.

The firefighters union rightly points out that not only is the city eliminating paramedics, but they are effectively reducing the on-duty roster of firefighters which translates into reduced ability to perform.  Brian Vyncke, president of Local 581, said that the battle to save the jobs is far from over, according to the Quad City Times. "There are still some negotiations we have to complete," Vyncke said after the meeting.

The QC Times also reports on the council's taking advice from a "consultant" who told them an all-too-familiar fable:

Aldermen heard from Alexander Weiss of Alexander Weiss Consulting of Evanston, Ill., who was commissioned in November to study fire department staffing levels before the council took its final vote on the budget.

Weiss told the council that according to his study, Moline could cut four firefighter/paramedics per shift and still maintain safety levels at fires. But, he said, the fire chief and fire marshal should show up at each fire.  However, Weiss added that days off and vacation time would have to be carefully monitored.

WQAD-TV Ch. 8 was at the meeting and filed this video report:

 

The new budget that goes into effect at the first of the year was passed on a 5-3 vote.

Moline Fire Department WEBPAGE.
Local 581 WEBSITE.

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Posted by on December 14, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, labor, Videos • Tagged:

Kentucky Firefighters Fight to Tell the Truth

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Defensive Mayor Tries to Muffle the Truth

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, FIREFIGHTERS ARE ADAMANT about informing the citizens about the dangers of station "brownouts."  The City Council and Mayor have taken the policy of playing firehouse roulette instead of hiring firefighters to fill the many vacancies in the department.

The Lexington Firefighters Local 526 has responded by announcing that they will be placing signs in front of closed firehouses similar to this one pictured below:

The Commissioner of Public Safety issued a threatening statement Friday saying, "It would be illegal under the city's ethics ordinance for the fire union to post signs concerning so-called brownouts on fire equipment or fire stations."

Channel 18 reported the Local's response:

A later release from the IAFF Local 526 Executive Board states, "signs created by The Lexington Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 526 to protest the pending Brownouts of Fire Department Apparatus are not illegal. The signs are nowhere misleading and in fact tell the truth. They will be outside of a fire station when a fire truck is browned out. It is in no way misleading and tells a simple truth city officials fail to grasp. The brownouts for any length of time WILL lead to increased response times for fire trucks responding to fires and medical calls and endangering the safety of the citizens of Lexington."

The release goes on to state that, "The signs made by the Lexington Professional Firefighters will be out in front of the station and in no way was ever mentioned to be attached to the trucks or the station. The fact that the Mayor's Office overreacted by threatening this Union shows that they are in the wrong. The protesters will be off duty firefighters and citizens, so again no violation of law. "In fact, I dare any city official to violate any member of this Union's First Amendment Rights when we point out a safety issue."

WTVQ-TV reported on this food fight in a video report:

 

The Lexington Herald-Leader continues:

This week, acting Fire Chief Keith Jackson detailed a plan under which some equipment would be "browned out," or taken out of service, from a few hours to two days to accommodate staffing shortages.

The shortages are likely because 40 firefighters are expected to retire this year — twice as many as usual. Bartley said many of them chose to retire in response to recent cuts at the fire department, including wage freezes, limited overtime and a $100 decrease in the city's contribution to health insurance as rates increase for many city employees.

It's unlikely that there will be brownouts before March, when firefighters typically start taking lots of vacation time, officials have said.

Apparently the city is already using next year's calendars and March has arrived at City Hall.  The next day after that statement, the departments only heavy rescue unit was browned out.  WTVQ-TV came right back with this video report:

 

Stay tuned.  Before March arrives in the rest of the country there will be more to report.

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Posted by on December 11, 2011 • Filed under: current events, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, labor, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Closed Fire Station Re-Opened

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City Council Wises Up

LAST YEAR THE VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON, City Council embarked on a campaign to whittle their fire department below minimum standards to keep from shrinking non-essential services any further as their budget was going  into the red.  Earlier this year on January 2 we posted an article (HERE) that began:

VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON, DECIDED SIX MONTHS AGO that the city’s fire department was overstaffed, so the city council voted to close one of their firehouses, and mothball one of their only two ladder trucks as well. It was Station 6, home to both an engine company and a truck that was deemed unnecessary and scheduled for a December 31 shutdown with the 30th being the last day of service.

The focus of that article was the closing of Station 6 and the strong community protest against the move with a large gathering on the firehouse apron the day it shut down.  At the rally a former city councilor spoke:   “This could have been avoided,” she said. “If the council had set it as a policy — fire stations will not be closed, public safety would not be compromised — staff would have had to find a way. We needed a couple more stations, not to be closing them down.”

The organizer of the rally, Mary Elkin pledged that they would continue to lobby and pester the city council to re-open their firehouse and their efforts appear to have swayed the council.  Fire Station 6 was revived and opened again on November 7.  The Columbian reported:

Noting there are few happy endings in government cutbacks, neighbor Mary Elkin on Sunday night proclaimed that the reopening of Fire Station 6 "says a lot about the great city we live in."

Elkin is president of Friends of Fire Station 6. She lives just 12 blocks from the Burton-area station with her husband, John, and son Robert. "It doesn’t make any sense to close a fire station," Elkin said before the evening’s speeches. "That’s one of the things our taxes should definitely pay for."

A two-year $2.3 million federal grant was a key ingredient in allowing the station to reopen. But Elkin said there is no need to apologize for taking federal dollars, explaining, "Hey, that’s our money."

Mayor Tim Leavitt, in stark opening comments, said the city has cut $30.6 million during the recent tough times. He said the station was reopened because of the federal grant, work by neighbors, a contract agreement with the Vancouver Firefighters Union and an open-mindedness by city council members. But he said the two-year grant is a "stopgap" measure and there is no guarantee another closure could not occur.

Then, Leavitt read a declaration, saying the station is "open and in service to our community."

Read the entire story in The Columbian HERE.

The ladder truck had been relocated to Station 5 and is remaining there after its former quarters has opened.  It was the topic of an unusual story when the former station closed.  From our report in January we said:

Truck 6 is being shut down also and it ran its last call late Thursday night shortly after midnight. The truck was dispatched to an auto accident on Interstate 205 and was parked in the right lane blocking the accident scene when an airport taxi slid on a patch of ice and crashed into the ladder truck. Truck 6 is out of service.

Vancouver FD photo

Thanks and a hat tip to Firefighter Dave.

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Posted by on November 21, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, Funding & Staffing • Tagged: , ,

Long-Established Vol. Rescue Squad Shuttered

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Mortgage Problem on Faulty Building

THE OLDEST RESCUE SQUAD IN THE DAYTON, OHIO, AREA was forced to close Wednesday when it went into receivership with a $1.1 million debt.

Box 21 Rescue Squad was organized 76 years ago in 1935 as a canteen unit to support Dayton area fire departments.  It's name was suggested by the then-fire chief referring to the street box that had transmitted the highest number of serious fires in Dayton.  Over the decades its service expanded and is described on the squads website:

Box 21 operates heavy rescue trucks, mobile intensive care ambulances, mobile rehabilitation units, water rescue equipment, an air cascade vehicle and multiple water craft. Aid is rendered primarily to fire, police, and medical authorities who are actively engaged in helping others. By its charter the organization will travel any reasonable distance to assist;

Their current problem arose when they took out a mortgage to build a new storage sub-station and the builder tried to scam them by using faulty construction methods rendering the building unusable, and then over-billing them.  The Dayton Daily News continues:

The squad owed $1,113,484.77 in judgments — plus interest, late fees and attorneys’ fees — to PNC Bank, arising from a contractor’s lawsuit involving unpaid bills, according to Montgomery County court records.

A receiver was appointed by the court Feb. 17 and has begun the process of selling off the squad’s equipment and other assets. The certificate of judgment was filed Oct. 21, according to court records.

The squad has sued the contractor, but in the meantime their assets were frozen by the bank, effectively shutting them down.

WDTN-TV filed this video report:

 

Box 21 services shutdown: wdtn.com

Box 21 Rescue Squad WEBSITE.

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Posted by on November 18, 2011 • Filed under: current events, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing • Tagged: ,

Nevada Fire Science Academy Due to Close

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The Problem is Strictly Financial

THE FIRE SCIENCE ACADEMY AT THE University of Nevada, Reno will probably be shut down by the end of the year and sold to the Nevada National Guard.  The modern facility is widely used by firefighters from all over the world and also contributes to the Elko County economy.  But the school has an unsustainable debt that continues to increase with no foreseeable turnaround.  There is a $24 million bond indebtedness and a $12 million operating deficit.  The closure will cause the layoff of 28 people, as well.

Fire Science Academy photo

The Elko Daily Free Press reports:

"It is my decision to go to the Board of Regents to propose the closure. The actual decision will be with the Board of Regents,"UNR President Marc Johnson said Monday. "The reason is completely financial," he said.

The university plans to recommend the closure to the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents at their meeting Dec. 1-2 in Las Vegas, according to UNR’s announcement Monday.

Elko County, the City of Elko and the Elko Convention and Visitors Authority all contributed $25,000 a year under a sustainability effort to keep the doors open, and Carlin provided a break on water rates. Academy clients also contributed.

Johnson said the contributions from the cities and county were supposed to be a stopgap measure for three years while the academy sought funds elsewhere for long-term financial support, but that didn’t happen.

KRNV-TV posted this video report:

 

The sale of the academy to the National Guard is progressing and is expected to be completed within the next few months.  National Guard officials say that their usage of the facility will replace the room sales and related economic activities, plus a planned expansion construction program will benefit the area as well.

The Gardnerville Record-Courier has more DETAILS HERE.
The Elko Daily Times report is HERE.
University of Nevada press release HERE (click on letter for full size).
University of Nevada, Reno Fire Science Academy WEBSITE.

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Posted by on November 16, 2011 • Filed under: education, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, Training, training-fire-rescue-topics, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Firefighter Job Openings Coming

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At Least 50 FF's to be Hired.

THE SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VIRGINIA, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS have reached the end-point of promises from their volunteers and voted last week to hire 50 new firefighters.

There has been an ongoing controversy over the ability of the volunteer organizations to staff the fire and ambulance stations (many of them are separate) at nights and weekends when the current career FF's are off duty.  Also, there has been a reluctance of many of the volunteers to achieve the minimal certification required in Virginia to operate.  The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star reported last week:

With little more than a year to meet minimum training standards, some 377 volunteer firefighters and rescue workers still need basic courses. And yet the county's free training classes still have empty seats.

Four times since August, training officials have had to cancel courses because so few volunteers signed up. "We're offering quality training here, and for some reason people aren't signing up," said Division Chief Jeff Bailey, who oversees training for all Spotsylvania rescue workers.

Last year, the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors adopted minimum training standards, requiring every county firefighter and rescue worker to complete basic training courses by Jan. 1, 2013.

Mark Kuechler, president of the Spotsylvania Volunteer Fire Department, said the training standards need to take into consideration the experience of volunteers who've been fighting fires for decades, but who might not have the certification required. Volunteers want the county to establish a set of "equivalencies" that would take the place of certified training for veteran responders.

"We continue to skirt this issue," Kuechler said. "We've got plenty of firefighters with 20 to 30 years of experience who are part of these numbers showing they need classes."

But Deputy Chief Monty Willaford said there has been enough discussion about equivalencies. He said that most of the minimum training standards come from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs, which has had a certification program since 1979.

"I'm not talking last year; I'm not talking five years; I'm not talking 10 years," Willaford said. "The Board of Supervisors approved minimum training standards. They're not equivalents, they are certifications."

(Read the entire article HERE.)

The reluctance to serve extends to the willingness to put in duty hours at the fire and ambulance stations.  Too often recently, calls have been scrubbed from stations at nights and weekends for lack of anybody in quarters to take the call.  This situation reached the trying point for the supervisors three weeks ago when a working house fire one Sunday morning was not attended by any units from the first-due station.  It was 18 minutes before the first engines arrived from other firehouses.

From the Free Lance-Star:

At the time, Fire Chief Chris Eudailey was already reviewing the costs of staffing the stations 24 hours, seven days a week. Yesterday he told the Board of Supervisors that such coverage would require 50 new positions, plus two positions converted from part-time to full-time. The price tag for those positions would be $5.5 million annually once all the jobs are filled.

"We've been aiming for 24/7 for a long time," Supervisor Gary Jackson said. "We've tried everything we can think of to do it without adding the financial burden."

But volunteers said that with recruitment down, the agencies could not staff the stations for any more hours. So Jackson made a motion to create the 52 positions for career fire and rescue workers to staff the stations.

The county will need to train the new hires. The first 24 would be hired by April 1, and 18 more would start in October.

The full 3-page story is HERE.
Spotsylvania Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management WEBSITE.
Spotsylvania Volunteer Fire Department WEBSITE.

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Posted by on November 15, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, labor • Tagged: ,

Naples Community Hospital fires medics, relinquishes ambulance permit

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Stroke patient dies two days after a change in county EMS dispatch policy

A follow-up to this STATter911 post:

Marco Island Fire Rescue ambulance delay report says hospital, FD & other agencies failed to meet community expectations. Chief says citizens deserve answers.

Earlier today, Naples Community Healthcare (NCH) abandons its troubled ambulance service.:

WBBH-TV NBC2 provide the follow-up here: NCH ends ambulance service after patient's death.


NBC2 provides the background for this bad-outcome event:

The NBC2 Investigators first reported a billing battle between Naples Community Health and Collier County Emergency Medical Service in September.

NCH owes Collier County more than $175,000 for EMS ambulance transfers between its facilities.

Collier County Manager Leo Ochs told NCH officials by letter that inter-facility transfers would no longer be performed by Collier County EMS, effective October 1.

On October 3, 80-year-old Marco Island resident Paul Anderson died in the hospital after complications from a stroke. Family members tell NBC2 doctors were unable to operate on Anderson because it took too long for him to get to the hospital.

NBC2 Investigators: Patient dies after ambulance delay.

Please read the first part of the 65 page report provided by Marco Island, Florida, Chief Michael Murphy. You may share my rising tide of anger at a complex system that seemed to conspire to deny a prompt ambulance transfer.

Report HERE via STATter911

No pay = no more transports

The October 1 policy change by Collier County EMS was due to the unwillingness of NCH to pay Collier County for earlier transports. 

Not clear if this means NCH is paying it's overdue ambulance bill.

I predict that all of the players that impeded the dispatch of an ambulance or medivac helicopter will  end up spending ten times the amount of the unpaid transport fees for legal representation and settlement.

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on October 21, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, EMS Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, Patient Management, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

A Fire Chief Stands On His Principles

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Fire Chief Quits After Firefighters Laid Off

THE MOLINE, ILLINOIS, FIRE CHIEF RON MILLER walked off the job Tuesday night after the city council voted to permanently lay off 12 firefighter/paramedics and eliminate the emergency ambulance service, instead turning it over to a private EMS firm.

Chief Ron Miller

Last week when the plan was first discussed, KWQC-TV 6 reported:

The fire chief told the council privatizing EMS would jeopardize public safety.

"This is not about an ambulance service; it is about 12 fire fighters. Moline and Rock Island have a luxury that our firefighters do both. I still don't think you have a full understanding of what a firefighter does. Our job is about having manpower to accomplish the job on the fire scene. When you cut manpower you're increasing the chances of someone losing their life or a firefighter losing their life. I had an alderman thank the police chief for not throwing public safety in their face when asked about cuts, I'm sorry this is about public safety, that's what we do. If I'm saying it's going to affect public safety it's not throwing it in your face, it's speaking the truth. I will never back down from that, because I am a man of integrity and I will tell it like it is," says Moline Fire Chief Ron Miller.

Despite his protestations, the council voted last night (Tuesday) to go through with the "money saving" plan and eliminate the 12 FF/Paramedic positions on January 1.  Chief Miller then promptly resigned his position effective immediately before the council session was concluded.

WQAD-TV Ch. 8 was at last night's council meeting and filed this video report:

 

Brian Vyncke, president of Moline Firefighters Union Local 581 said, "He was never asked by the union to do what he did last week. His comments were that if he didn't have the support from the city, then he can't run the department. The sad part of the deal is that we look at all of this as a public safety matter."

Moline's City Administrator, Lew Steinbrecher, says that public safety won't be impacted by the layoffs.  (Don't they always say that? … ed.)

WHBF-TV Ch. 4 also prepared this video report:

 

Moline Fire Department WEBSITE.
Local 581 WEBSITE.

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Posted by on October 19, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Funding & Staffing, labor, Videos • Tagged: , ,

What do K Street Lobbyists and Fire Chiefs Have In Common?

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How to reach the folks that guide the federal policy makers

In last night's Politico.com posting, Dave Levinthal described the challenge experienced lobbyists were encountering with social media:

When Glickfield looks at the demographics of Capitol Hill staffers, she sees people in their 20s and 30s, most of whom communicate via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare and various other social media offerings as people 20 years ago would have a land-line telephone or written memorandum.

“It’s definitely not an either-or,” Glickfield explained. “You can have the academic write the 100-page think piece and take it to Capitol Hill. That’s fine.

But now turn it into 10 tweets, a YouTube video, Facebook ads and create a community around it. You have to go where people are spending their time.”

K Street suffers from Twitter jitters

(Shana Glickfield is a partner at D.C.-based public affairs firm Beekeeper Group)

Why should fire chiefs care?

One of the stunning memories I have of the two-hatter controversy a dozen years ago was the power of Capital Hill staffers in guiding federal policy. A 20-something staffer, still completing his volunteer Firefighter II classes in a DC suburb, had as much influence on an issue as the metro fire chief with 40 years on the job who provided expert testimony at a hearing.

Juat like the K Street lobbyists, fire chiefs need to use social media tools to get their message to the staffers who convert ideas into legislation.

What many fire chiefs do not have is the knowledge of how Washington really works.  Here is one resource to improve your ability:

How Washington Really Works

I have been influenced by the observations of Charlie Peters, who has been writing a "Tilting at Windmills" column in a magazine he created.

The Washington Monthly was founded in 1969 on the notion that a handful of plucky young writers and editors, armed with an honest desire to make government work and a willingness to ask uncomfortable questions, could tell the story of what really matters in Washington better than a roomful of Beltway insiders at a Georgetown dinner party.

In our cluttered little downtown DC office, we’re still doing what we have done for over forty years, and what fewer and fewer publications do today: telling fascinating, deeply reported stories about the ideas and characters that animate America’s government.

Charlie Peters is a lawyer, worked in Kennedy's administration on the Peace Corp, and created The Washington Monthly, a magazine designed to " … look at Washington the way an anthropologist looks at a South Sea Island."
 

Neither "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" nor secrets of the Illuminati.

But, perhaps, Charlie provides some ideas that a fire chief (or labor offical) can use to get through the battle of the extremes.

We need to understand the government process as well as we understand building construction to move away from being a scapegoat or soundbite.

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on October 18, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, culture, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, Technology & Communications, Twitter, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Miami-Dade latest take home car “gotcha”

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Just because " … we have always done it this way" is no guarantee it should still be done

Since August, Local 10.com (ABC) has been publishing articles about Miami-Dade County take home vehicles.

Last Wednesday Jeff Weinsier looked at a fire captain working at the academy:

MIAMI — Local 10 has learned a captain assigned to the Training Bureau drives a full-size, four-wheel-drive Miami-Dade Fire Rescue pickup truck to northwestern Palm Beach County, where he lives, after every shift.

According to Google Maps, it's 85 miles one way from the Training Facility at Doral headquarters to his house. That's 170 miles round trip and 680 miles to and from the office for his four-day work week.

It costs Miami-Dade taxpayers $200 a week in gas for that one employee to drive the truck between work and home. Local 10 has learned four training captains all take their Miami-Dade Fire Rescue vehicles home.

Sources said training captains never respond to fires, car crashes or emergencies after hours.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Take-Home Cars Cost $220K

Take-home municipal vehicles have been a common work-related tool for those assigned to staff jobs.

We have seen dozens of mainstream media articles identifying extreme examples that do not stand up to public scrutiny. Career and volunteer.

If we do not want to be a scapegoat or soundbite, then it is time to change business practices that harm our public reputation and do not contribute to our essential mission.

"Eye On Miami" blog took a detailed look at the county's take home cars in July:

  • 2698 police
  • 28 fire rescue
  • 584 other agencies

They challenge the county's life-cycle analysis of the 3,300 county take home vehicles.

Weinsier is not picking on firefighters, on the very next day he posted this item:

Should a Miami Dade police officer be allowed to drive his patrol car home, across the state, to Naples in Collier County? Local 10 has learned three Miami-Dade officers do just that.

It's 121 miles one way, 242 miles round trip and 1,210 miles a week to get to work. That's $10,000 in gas for just one officer to get to and from work a year.

You can't blame the officer behind the wheel; the department allows this. Some Miami-Dade commissioners are shocked.

Miami-Dade Officers Drive Take-Home Cars To Naples Daily

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on October 17, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, labor, News, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , ,

Is Minneapolis Fire still boarding up buildings?

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The difficulty of city-council initiatives

Former Minneapolis City Council member Paul Ostrow advocated that the fire department get into the building board-up business.  Taking one firefighter off already understaffed rigs, the program intended to be a revenue generator for the department and save the jobs of two firefighters. Ostrow projected $400,000 in new city revenue.

Nick Halter, reporting in the Downtown Journal, filed this report:

Fire Chief Alex Jackson gave the city’s public safety committee a report Sept. 14 saying his department was losing $34,000 a month and staffing one firefighter around the clock on a board-up truck.

In total, he said, the program has caused a $282,000 budget shortfall over the past 11 months.

CITY HALL UPDATE // Board-up program burning hole in Fire Department’s pocket

Related City Pages September 14th article by Andy Mannix:  Minneapolis Fire Dept. board-up program lost $281,977 in 11 months

The Fire Chief's presentation was moved to the September 23 council meeting.  Click HERE to see the chief's PowerPoint presentation.

We covered this isssue, as well as the decimated staffing, earlier:

IAFF Local 82 on FaceBook

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Con Man Who Wiped Out VFD Treasury Sentenced to Prison

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Accused of Stealing Up To $5 Million From Several Parties

TROY, NEW YORK, BUSINESSMAN MATTEW RYAN was sentenced yesterday (Tuesday) to more than ten years in Federal prison for running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded 53 investors out of an estimated $5 million. 

Matthew Ryan  (Times Union photo)

One of those duped was the Oak Hill Durham Volunteer Fire Co. in Greene County who lost their entire treasury of $364,000 to Ryan.  The Albany Times Union reports:

Department member Jodi Wood told the judge that the department must hold fundraisers to pay for vital equipment. The department discovered the news when it went to make a payment for a new truck. All the money was gone and Ryan's business was closed.

"We are in financial ruin," Wood told the judge.

Oak Hill Durham VFC  (Google Street View)

The Business Journal reports this morning:

Ryan began in 2002 to solicit money from investors as a representative of American Integrity Financial Co. But American Integrity—which Ryan told clients was a substantial Manhattan financial services firm—existed in name only. He guaranteed people—most of whom were in their 60s and 70s—fixed rates of return ranging from 3.85 percent to 9.35 percent a year.

The grand jury found that since at least 2004, Ryan used investor funds "for multiple purposes he concealed from investors," including to repay other clients "in a Ponzi-scheme fashion."

According to the indictment, as of March 2010, Ryan had deposited $5.8 million into a bank account under the American Integrity name, including $4.8 million in investor funds. The grand jury said he withdrew $1.9 million to pay investors; $845,000 to pay Prime Rate, $265,000 to pay real estate loans for Prime Rate; $125,000 to pay expenses related to his luxury cars; and $400,000 to pay himself.

Yesterday's sentencing closes the case.

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Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News • Tagged: , , ,

Suds for Sophomores

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Columbus Weekend High School Fundraiser

According to the mom supervising the car wash, the bike owner made a GENEROUS donation.

So did I after (a) getting his permission to take the photograph and (b) her permission to take a picture of the wash crew.

Supporting your community

We had a high school band crew wash the pumper one weekend day. They just had to wash the lower part of the white over red paint scheme. 

Have you supported the local community fundraising efforts?

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on October 8, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing • Tagged: , ,

Flip-Flop in Hialeah – Mayor Caves

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THE CITY COUNCIL OF HIALEAH, FLORIDA, reversed their decision to lay off 40% of their firefighters Thursday after an agreement was reached with the IAFF Local.  Just days after the city council exhibited unprecedented buffoonery and voted to effectively destroy the fire department (see Firegeezer article HERE), they rescinded the first round of layoff notices just as the affected firefighters were arriving to turn in their gear and pickup their final paychecks.

Hialeah firefighters, surrounded by supporters from Miami, Miami Beach,
and Orlando, celebrate the announcement of the temporary reprieve.
(Miami Herald photo)

As the newly laid-off employees showed up at the central fire station to complete their separation, Mayor Hernandez and Local president Mario Pico arrived to announce a temporary settlement.  The Miami Herald explains:

The dramatic turn of events was announced after a round of last minute negotiations, in which union leaders agreed to give up time-and-a-half pay for the next two holidays, Columbus Day and Veterans Day, in order to rehire their members. The savings to the city: about $230,000.

"Nobody stepped up and made this happen through the city. Who stepped up and made this happen were the firefighters," said Union Vice President Eric Johnson. "The fire fighters paid for their members to return to work to protect the citizens."

The agreement is only good until Nov. 30 and requires the union and the city to drop various issues, including charges of unfair labor practices and of negotiating in bad faith. It also requires the city to "expeditiously provide all financial data requested." The union’s only reason for not giving into concessions thus far had been Hialeah’s refusal to conduct a forensic audit.

Though the agreement falls short of that, Johnson said the union will continue to fight for a thorough review of the city’s finances after this temporary agreement expires.

The mayoral election will be held on November 1 and the outcome of that will no doubt have a commanding influence on the next round of negotiations.  Former mayor and current candidate in the upcoming election, Raul Martinez was quoted as saying,  "He (Mayor Hernandez) was getting beat up on this issue, he had to blink. He looks like a wimp and the temporary deal postpones the problem."

Read the entire article in the Miami Herald HERE.
Hialeah Fire Department WEBSITE.

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Posted by on October 7, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, labor • Tagged: , ,

Union headquarters is tax-exempt as a Volunteer Fire Department

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A sidebar in the rich history of the Prince George's County Fire Department

We need to update the formal history of the varsity-level game played within PGFD. A busy, urban county with many dedicated and talented members who achieve great accomplishments with profoundly thin resources.

Amazing stories. Many coal-into-diamond examples. Along with some disasters and tragedies.

If it was an HBO series, it would include the complexity and grittiness of The Wire with turf war ruthlessness of The Sopranos.

I treasure my copy of Ed Bosanko's Triumph and Tradition: Firefighting in Prince George's County, Maryland, 1887 – 1990.

I wish I had saved the great discussions on TheWatchDesk (TWD) with Fire Commissioner John A. Mutchler at the height of the two-hatter battle.

Return of the battle

The county has proposed changes in the structure and function of the Fire Commission.

Described here in STATter911: Press release: Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker submits legislation to ‘reform’ volunteer run fire commission.

That has brought the always-bubbling career-vs-volunteer vitrol to a boil on TheWatchDesk. 

Including this tidbit:

Local 1619 Union headquarters carried as a tax exempt Volunteer Fire Hall

The top part of the Maryland Assessments and Taxations shows the structure is tax exempt and as a fraternal building:

Fraternal buildings MAY be tax exempt, from the DSAT frequently asked questions:

Q. Why does a religious, charitable, fraternal, educational or other similar type organization have to apply for a real property tax exemption if the group is already recognized as tax exempt for income tax purposes by the Federal Internal Revenue Service or the Maryland Comptroller's Office?

A. The Maryland real property tax laws have special requirements for granting these types of exemptions that are different from those for an income tax exemption. The Maryland General Assembly has limited these exemptions because all other property owners are indirectly subsidizing any exemptions granted by reducing the base of persons obligated to pay taxes.

No organization is automatically exempt without first having to apply and demonstrate that the actual use of the property is within the limited purposes prescribed in the particular exemption statute. The fact that a property is being used for non-profit purposes will not merit an exemption unless the use is one specifically exempted by law.

http://www.dat.state.md.us/sdatweb/exempt.html

… but more than one poster in TheWatchDesk thinks there is a conspiracy … at the bottom of the state assessment and tax form:

Link to the state Assessments and Taxation report HERE

In earlier battles, it was labor that searched property records and financial filings to support their position that some volunteer corporations were "not a going concern."

< <<<<<<<<<   >>>>>>>>>

An earlier chapter in this saga: 

The Battle over Kentland Ambulance 339: I did not join the VFD to ride an ambulance! (2007)

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on October 3, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, labor, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Michigan City Whacks Its Fire Department

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And the Priorities Are…?

BEGINNING TODAY (MONDAY) THE CITY OF TAYLOR, MICHIGAN has closed two of its three fire stations, consolidating the ten remaining on-duty firefighters at the central fire station.  Three months ago the city laid off 18 firefighters and four more have retired.  The city's explanation for the drastic cutback is that the overtime budget for the year has been reached in just three months following the layoffs.

The city publicly dwells on "firefighters calling in sick" repeatedly while the Local says that with all the mandatory overtime their members have been "running themselves ragged" and cannot maintain the pace.

WXYZ-TV ran this video report this morning:

 

WDIV quotes Fire Chief Robert Tompos:

"I have grave concerns," he said.

Taylor is 26 square miles. The north fire station on Ecorse Road near Beech Daly Road and the south station on Eureka Road near Telegraph Road will close indefinitely. Without the stations, the average response time of 5 minutes could increase to 11 minutes or more, Tompos said.

"We're going to have an additional delay in response because it's going to take us longer to get where we need to go," he said. "That's why it was an advantage to have three stations."

Tompos said the city hopes the closings are only temporary. "We'll keep working to try and resolve this situation," he said. "We hope something can be done. This is not the service we want to provide to our citizens."

The Detroit News has more details HERE.
Taylor Fire Department WEBSITE.

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Posted by on October 3, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, labor, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Why Not Sell Off the Trucks While You’re At It?

2 comments

"These councilmen know nothing about government or public administration. They are shameful."

THOSE WERE THE WORDS OF THE FORMER MAYOR of Hialeah, Florida, Raul Martinez following the city council's despicable performance Wednesday night.  They had just voted 7-0 to lay off 40% of the city's firefighters in three stages over the next five months.  Effective today, Friday, fourteen FF's will be let go including nine probies that are in the current fire academy class.

Hall-Mark photo

Hialeah's clueless Mayor Carlos Hernandez even had the chutzpah to publicly state that the citizens will continue to receive the same (fire dept.) services, and that he can "guarantee that rescues will be there, and trucks" by reorganizing the department’s divisions and consolidating duties, although he didn't specify how big a mirror and how much smoke he will need to do that.  Hernandez is taking the coward's excuse that these cuts were necessary because the firefighters refused to take salary cuts.  But the union president Mario Pico says that they had agreed to sit down with the mayor and discuss alternatives if the city would open their books and demonstrate where and how the budget shortfall occurred.  However all they have gotten is a bunch of double-talk and hidden the books.

"Today they have approved a budget full of holes," Pico told the Miami Herald. "What we have always asked for is clear numbers, but all we have gotten is contradictory economic information."

The former mayor, who is running for the position again, and the IAFF Local are saying that Hernandez is playing a dangerous game of political retribution because the firefighters strongly supported his opponent in the last election.  The Miami Herald continues:

Hernandez became mayor in May after Julio Robaina resigned to run for Miami-Dade County mayor. Hernandez backed Robaina; the firefighters endorsed Robaina’s opponent, Carlos Gimenez, a former Miami fire chief who thanked the Hialeah firefighters in his victory speech.

Some within and outside the fire department see Hernandez’s budget move as payback. Or "political revenge," as Hialeah Police Officer Antonio Luis, a police union representative, put it.

There is a regularly scheduled mayoral election coming up in November.

The Hialeah Fire Department currently runs out of seven fire stations operating 7 engines and 2 trucks, all under-manned with 3 FF's per unit.

Read the complete article in the Miami Herald HERE.
Hialeah Fire Department WEBSITE.

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Posted by on September 30, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, labor • Tagged: , ,

Are YOU registered to vote?

2 comments

Political advertising is worthless if YOU are not voting.

Monday's Wall Street Journal included an article about the fight over Ohio Senate Bill 5 that is up for a referendum vote in November.

This bill limits collective bargaining for all organized labor, requires public employees to pay at least 15% of their health care costs and ends arbitration for contract impasses. If passed, local elected officials will decide between their own last offer and the unions.

While this trend is national, an aspect of this fight got my attention.

I meet Mike Bell when he was the Toledo fire chief. Hired in 1980, paramedic/firefighter Bell was appointed fire chief a decade later.  During his 16 year tenure as the chief, the department achieved many high profile goals.  Chief Bell was appointed state fire marshal in 2007.

Became mayor two years ago.   Biography of Mayor Bell

Surprising assertion

In Kris Maher's article, a Mayor Bell quote is repeated:

"Years ago, I lost my job as a firefighter because my city ran out of money. So as mayor, I'm working to fix my city without laying off good people or raising taxes," says Mr. Bell, who ran as an Independent in 2009, in the ad, paid for by Building a Better Ohio, a nonprofit backing the law.  

Maher, Kris (2011 September 26) Firefighters Battle Labor-Curbs Bill The Wall Street Journal (subscription required)

I was surprised at that statement.  From hundreds of miles away, his retiring with 26 years in the fire department to accept a state agency appointment appeared to be an example of professional progression.

Bell was one of 61 firefighters laid off in 1980, in his rookie year. Three fire stations were closed. The layoff of 300 city employees occured after a labor contract impasse and strike by municipal workers, including Public Safety.  (PolitiFact Ohio)

Making an impact

IAFF has already spent $1 million in the campaign against Ohio Senate Bill 5, described as State Issue 2 on the ballot.

More powerful than a million dollar campaign is if all 12,000 Ohio career firefighters show up to vote. The most effective way to make your point is to vote in your local election.

Showing up to participate in the messy and emotional democratic process is more powerful than a dozen snarky posts on a forum or even a well crafted letter to the editor … or a blog article. Takes even less time.

The last decade witnessed a radicalization of political discourse, we will NOT change many opinions during the campaign.

Scare tactics are used to get people to the polls, not well-reasoned discussions.  We must make sure our opinion is registered in the only way that counts. 

Hope that you make it to the polls. 

Your vote matters. Imagine the impact a quarter million new or renewed voters will have in November. We could have a party, Dave Statter could bring the cookies. (link)

Registering to Vote (usa.gov)

State-by-state voter laws and REGISTRATION DEADLINES 

Many registration deadlines are 30 days before the election – do it TODAY!!

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on September 27, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Funding & Staffing, News, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vols. Raise Funds With Junk

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While Doing Everybody a Favor

THIS PAST SATURDAY THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS of Pelham, Ontario, gathered at the Town Hall parking lot from 9 am to 2 pm and held a community E-Waste Day to raise funds for their extrication team.

Following some advance publicity, they encouraged the public to drop off their cast-off and unwanted electronic gear which is generally discouraged from being pitched into landfills.  The Welland Tribune wrote:

Firefighters were accepting everything from computers and cellphones to calculators and TV sets.

"There are several benefits. People can remove stuff from their houses they don't want and it doesn't go to landfills," volunteer firefigther Rob Belchior said.

The team joined forces with the Ontario Electronics Stewardship program which pays the volunteers $185 per tonne of electronic waste they collect. Belchoir said by 10 a.m. they had already collected 10 tonnes of electronic waste.

"By recycling these things it reduces pressure to mine metals and a lot of the components in there are pretty toxic. It keeps them from polluting the environment and people's houses," Belchoir said.

Adam Carter from Pelham dropped off an old computer monitor, printer, old cellphones, a home phone, calculators and some other electrical household goods, He thought this was a great way to get rid of his old electrical clutter.

Two Pelham VFD members unload a printer and
other unwanted electronics at E-Waste Day  (Welland Tribune)

They made it easy for folks to drop off their trash.  All they had to do was drive up to the collection point and open their trunk (or back door) and the band of volunteers would swarm to the car and remove all the donations within seconds.  Then they were on their way.

The Tribune continues:  Pelham Fire Services' extrication team goes to competitions in the region and internationally to compete and learn new skills to save lives more effectively and efficiently. Its last competition was in June in North Carolina, where they finished fourth against teams from as far as Sweden and England.

Belchoir said competitions mainly focus on removing people from cars that have been in accidents. "The techniques we learn there give us the skills we need to save lives and we bring the skills back to pass on to all members of the department," the Pelham firefighter said.

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Posted by on August 30, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Fire-ology, Funding & Staffing • Tagged: ,