Comments on: Commission Expresses Concern Over Fire Dept. Unification Plans

By: WOW!!

WOW!! — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 05:53:46 +0000

The training qualifications should be even across the board, just because they don’t make a paycheck for the job doesn’t mean that people’s lives don’t depend on officers making competant decisions. Everyone that is making life or death decisions i would hope to have as much training as possible, and if they don’t like it just go back home and let those that take the job seriously continue to provide the community with the protection they deserve!!! And by the way Mr. cheif of warrington what you say is a lie because it’s my understanding that you have been against the county the entire time, and are just trying to jump on the train here at the end because you think it’s going to get you somewhere, when you just need to sit on the airfield and watch planes fly so your reckless decisions cannot hurt those under you!!

By: Chuck

Chuck — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:34:55 +0000

Puzzled- unless I read the plan wrong a lieutenant is only encouraged to have a cert 1 which is what the paid guys have,or as the plan put it cert 1 is desirable. As far as the other stuff, you can go on FEMA.gov and get your NIMS 100, 200,700 (and 900 if your a glutton for punishment) in one night, one long boring night. I’m kinda glad that the county is holding true on the training requirements for the job since in the words of retired B/C Pat Herrington “This( expletive deleted )will kill you!

By: Puzzled

Puzzled — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:42:26 +0000

I just don’t get it. Is there not a happy medium? Can the two sides not come to gather? Is there not common ground? Why don’t the two sides meet and form a plan that is acceptable by booth sides?

They have it is called an unification plan. For several months the county chief and his staff have been
meeting with representatives of volunteer firefighters (known as the executive committee and made of district volunteer chiefs).

I do not agree with all of the plan, but the points that are in question seem to be easy to me. Firefighter 1 is the most basic of all the training. If you have been around for thirty years you should have no problem with what is expected of entry level volunteers. A GED or diploma means you are educated to the point
of comprehending this basic material. I personally know several firefighters without a GED or diploma
that have passed the firefighter 1 exam.

Now let me talk out of the other side of my mouth. It does not seem right for a volunteer lieutenant
to be expected to have the same training as a career lieutenant, that is earning 35 to 40 thousand dollars
a year. Maybe we could train the volunteers for their district, and not let them take their rank outside of
the prospective district unless they meet the training requirements of career officers.

I certainly hope these issues can be resolved, and not become a personal or political issue. This is much
too important to let personalities or greed influence the decisions of our leaders.