PROTEST

nannymom · Number of posts: 3572 Registration date: 2008-04-21

who would want that job...mayor only pays what...$400.00 a month and everyone yells at you! ha nuts!

samie · Number of posts: 38 Registration date: 2009-06-08

TM wrote:

I guess my question would be, why was there ever more than that ?

TM, Every Fire Shift should be assigned no less than five Firefighters and one Firefighter should be on vacation, sick, school or training ECT. Leaving four fighters to adequately staff the firehouse. Below is a press release from the IAFF–Metro Fire Chiefs. EFD Fire Chief who is not in tune with his counterparts needs to stand up for his Firefighters and protect the community that pays his salary.

http://www.iaff.org/09News/PDFs/Economic_Crisis_Statement.pdf

For Immediate Release Contact
July 30, 2009 Bill Glanz, IAFF, 202 824-1566
IAFF–Metro Fire Chiefs Joint Statement
Despite Financial Crisis, Safety of Fire Fighters and the Public Must Remain Top Priority
Washington, DC – The International Association of Fire Fighters and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs
Association today issued a joint statement regarding the safety of fire fighters, paramedics and the public
during the ongoing economic crisis.
The statement acknowledges the severe economic crisis facing many municipalities, but calls on
jurisdictions to consider safety first when making budgetary decisions concerning their fire departments.
“Too many times, tough decisions about fire department resources are being made without consideration
for the safety and well-being of our members or the public, and this must be pointed out and challenged,”
said IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “We hope this message reaches the entire fire service
and goes up the chain of command to decision-makers in every jurisdiction because this is truly a life
safety issue during this economic crisis.”
“During economic times like these, requests for response to all types of emergencies increase, so a
decrease in staffing while that call volume increases has a compounding negative effect on the safety of
fire fighters and the public at large,” said Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association President and Miami,
Florida Fire Chief Shorty Bryson.
The joint statement reads in part:
“We acknowledge the current economic reality. The value of the assets used to generate local government
revenue has plummeted. Local governments across North America are contemplating or proposing
decreases in size and/or reductions in the span and depth of their services. The fire service is often caught
up in that contraction. We must weather this storm by having a realistic strategy grounded in the safety
and security of fire fighters, paramedics and the public at large.
“We must keep all-hazard emergency response personnel as safe as possible. A fire company should be
able to function as an independent unit at the scene of a fire in order to permit the Incident Commander to
employ the proper tactics and strategies to safeguard the occupants of the building, as well as the
operating force, and to protect the property of the public. Whenever understaffing necessitates the
combination of two companies to accomplish a specific task at the scene of a fire -- which normally could
be completed by one effective unit -- the standard operating procedures are dramatically and adversely
affected.
(more)
- 2 -
Press Release
“Adequate staffing is imperative at the individual fire company level. In order to permit the effective
operation of fire companies at the scene of a structure fire, the minimum number of personnel on both
engine and ladder companies must be four members per unit for low hazard environments and five or six
members per unit for medium and high hazard (high risk) environments.
“All resource decisions must be viewed in light of these fundamental requirements. Accordingly, if a
decision is made to reduce departmental resources, it must never be accomplished by reducing company
crew size on apparatus.”
The full statement can be viewed at www.iaff.org/09News/PDFs/JointStatement.pdf
The International Association of Fire Fighters, headquartered in Washington, DC, is the leading advocate in North
America for the safety and training of fire fighters and paramedics. The IAFF represents more than 295,000 fulltime
professional fire fighters and paramedics who protect communities in every state in the United States and
throughout Canada. More information is available at www.iaff.org
The Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association is a section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), based in
Vienna, VA, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), based in Quincy, MA. Metro Chiefs brings
together fire chiefs from large metropolitan fire departments to share information and focus on major issues
effecting policy changes in the U.S. and abroad. Its members belong to the IAFC and NFPA and are the fire chiefs
of jurisdictions with minimum staffing of 400 fully paid career firefighters. More information is available at
www.nfpa.org/metro

samie · Number of posts: 38 Registration date: 2009-06-08

EFD could have applied for fed. Funding just like EPD did and received funding to maintain current staffing levels, why didn’t EFD Chief do so? My guess would be he is either incompetent or he is helping special interest dismantle the Fire Department one person at a time and / or both.

http://www.firegrantsupport.com/safer/

http://www.firegrantsupport.com/

TM · Subject: Re: PROTEST Mon Aug 03, 2009 1:29 pm

I must say Samie, that is very informative. Thanks for posting it.

_________________

An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it.

triedntru · Subject: Re: PROTEST Mon Aug 03, 2009 1:43 pm

You want 4 firefighters per shift with an extra person PER SHIFT for vacation, Samie? Jeesh, that's a tad overkill, expecting 20% absenteeism!

Obviously, the fire department is currently not staffed at the level you're suggesting, samie. I don't know my history on this stuff, but I'm guessing perhaps they haven't been at the level you're suggesting for some time, if indeed they ever were.

So, given your claim that the EFD is understaffed, can you give ONE example, ANY example, where EFD could not perform their duties because they were not staffed at 5 per shift + the fire chief?

I already know the answer. NEVER.

Samie, what you have demonstrated is that you have no concept of what waste is. The article you posted even suggest 4 per shift. Your motives are clearly self-motivated and have nothing to do with what is best for this city.

I'm still waiting for the Samie Fire Department, the huge profit machine that it potentially is and staffed with 16, to roll into town and save the town from our budget crisis.

_________________
Some days, it's not even worth chewing through the restraints.

triedntru · Subject: Re: PROTEST Mon Aug 03, 2009 1:49 pm

samie wrote:

EFD could have applied for fed. Funding just like EPD did and received funding to maintain current staffing levels, why didn’t EFD Chief do so? My guess would be he is either incompetent or he is helping special interest dismantle the Fire Department one person at a time and / or both.

http://www.firegrantsupport.com/safer/

http://www.firegrantsupport.com/

Or, it could be that the EFD Chief realized the amount of waste in his department and thought it would be imprudent for taxpayer money to be spent on waste.

I don't know the chief, but it's a possibility.

_________________
Some days, it's not even worth chewing through the restraints.

samie · Number of posts: 38 Registration date: 2009-06-08

And you think TNT your Taxes will go down by laying off public safety in Edwardsville, why don't you complain about the amount of waste at GM and complain about all the tax payers money that helped keep your job and allow you to drive a new Buick, You should thank everyone you see that is a tax payer for all you have gained since Obamma became President, because if McCain would have been elected president you would be up the Kansas river with out a paddle.

triedntru · Subject: Re: PROTEST Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:00 pm

You're absolutely right, samie. Golly, what was I thinking? I am so grateful and so thankful that I think we should be hiring back that fireman.

Anybody know a good way to retrieve a turd after it's been flushed?

If you can't tell, I was being sarcastic!

I find it very interesting, samie, that you dive off topic whenever you can't come up with a decent counterpoint.

I'm not going to waste my time regurgitating information here. If you want to see my opinion on the automotive bailout, I suggest you search for it yourself and you will easily find it. My values and principles don't change depending on who is president, or who is my employer.

Back on topic, I never expected taxes to go down. What I do expect is for a city government to responsibly live within its means. I know what it is like to tighten belts. I've done it because it's my job, and we've had to do it at home.

Every month, we need to make more than we spend. I don't get the opportunity to ask for more income. I think the city should run the same way.

_________________
Some days, it's not even worth chewing through the restraints.