County Set To Approve Longevity Pay For Volunteer Firefighters
October 9, 2009
Escambia County volunteer firefighters will likely receive a retention bonus, despite longevity pay having been cut for county employees.
Fire Chief Frank Edwards asked the Escambia County Commission at a Committee of the Whole meeting Thursday morning for the longevity pay that would provide $200 to $1,200 bonuses on five-year anniversary dates. Commissioners gave a unanimous nod to the plan; the commission’s final vote on the proposal will be next Thursday.
“We need to approve this because it’s part of the retention element of trying to keep our volunteers,” District 5 Commissioner Kevin White said.
Commissioner Grover Robinson said the longevity pay for volunteers is much more affordable than hiring paid firefighters in the county.
“While we are trying to get rid of longevity pay, this is a little different with volunteers who are not getting paid, Robinson said. The county recently cut longevity pay for the county’s paid employees.
If the commission gives final approval to the pay plan next week, volunteers firefighters that meet the county’s requirements will receive $200 after five years, $400 after 10 years, $600 after 15 years, $900 after 20 years, and $1,200 after 25 years.
In order to qualify for the retention incentive, volunteer firefighters must complete 96 hours of fire services training per calendar year and participate in 25 percent of their department’s total calls for the year, including credits for duty crews and special details. The payments will be made annual in the first quarter of the county’s fiscal year.
Volunteers, while classified as unpaid by the county, do receive a monthly stipend for their services if they attend training meetings and respond to a specified percentage of their department’s calls.
A Firefighter Trainee receives $100 per month, if he or she has completed a 12 hour orientation course and obtains Firefighter I within one year of joining Escambia Fire-Rescue.
A certified Firefighter I or II receives $300 per month. A certified lieutenant receives $350 per month, and a captain receives $400 per month. An assistant district chief’s stipend is $450 per month, and a district chief receives $550.
First Swine Flu Vaccine Arrives In Escambia County
October 9, 2009
The first swine flu vaccine shipments arrived in Escambia County on Thursday, with 3,200 doses delivered. The first dozes of the nasal mist, intended for children ages 2 to 18, will go to area pediatricians.
Escambia was one of just two counties in the state to get the first shipments, but the three thousand plus doses are not nearly enough for those the health department says are on the priority list. The Escambia County Health Department says 135,000 people are on Escambia’s priority list, which includes children, health care workers and pregnant women.
Additional nasal mist swine flu vaccine doses for children and shots for adults should arrive in Escambia County over the next few weeks. Florida is expected to receive 11 million doses by January of next year.
Escambia is one of 48 counties in the state that plans to make the H1N1 vaccine available in schools. Parents will be required to grant permission for the vaccine to be administered at their child’s school. Permission forms will be sent home with students once the vaccine is available.
If you have a child, you can contact your child’s pediatrician to see if they have the vaccine available and schedule an appointment.
NHS Takes On Baker In High School Volleyball
October 9, 2009
The Northview Lady Chiefs hit the road Thursday afternoon to take on Baker on the volleyball court.
Northview Vs Baker – Varsity
19-25, 12-25, 19-25
**Baker Winning**
Shawna Montgomery 11 M Kills-3, Aces-2, Blocks-1
Caitlin Hall 12 Setter Assists–10,Kills-1 Blocks -1,Aces-7
Angela Rodriguez 12 LS/Middle Kills-2, Aces-1
Shaniqua Jones 11 Middle Kills –3 , Aces-1, -Blocks-1
Record – Overall – 4 -13; District 2 -4
Northview Vs Baker – JV
14-25, 22-25
**Baker Winning**
Trestine Dean 11 Setter Assists – 2, Digs-1
Morgan Payne 09 Middle/Setter Aces –2, Kills -4 Blocks-1
Brittanie Poston 11 Middle /R Aces -2
Green Thumb Jamboree Scheduled Saturday With Master Gardners
October 9, 2009
The public is invited to join Escambia County master gardeners and extension agents at the Green Thumb Jamboree on Saturday.
The event will feature a class from the Victory Garden Series on preparing garden beds. Throughout the morning, extension agents and master gardeners will provide information and instruction on backyard aquaponics, whimsy gardens, nutrition and involving youth in 4-H. Daffodil bulbs and fall perennials will be available for purchase.
Vegetable garden seeds will be given to all visitors who bring a pet food donation to support the dogs and cats at the Escambia County Animal Shelter. For more information, visit www.myescambia.com or contact Beth Bolles at 475-5230.
The Green Thumb Jamboree will be held from 8 a.m. to noon at the Escambia County Extension Office, 3740 Stefani Road.
Fire Destroys Frank Ard Road Home
October 8, 2009
An afternoon fire left two people homeless off Quintette Road Thursday.
The fire heavily damaged the home of Buford and Dollie Johnson late Thursday afternoon in the 3100 block of Frank Ard Road, just north of Quintette Road.
Firefighters said the fire may have started when one of the two adult residents was cooking.
The Cantonment, Molino and Ensley Stations of Escambia Fire Rescue; the Pace Fire Department and Escambia County EMS were among those that responded to the call.
There were no injuries in the fire, although one of the Johnsons did complain of chest pains over 30 minutes after firefighters arrived.
Pictured above: Fire heavily damaged this home on Frank Ard Road north of Quintette Road Thursday afternoon. Pictured below: Firefighters work to make sure the fire was extinguished. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Over Four Months Later: FDLE Investigation Into Atmore Police Shooting Continues
October 8, 2009
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has not yet completed its investigation into the death of an Atmore man shot by Atmore Police near Walnut Hill about four and a half months ago.
Danny Ray Williams, 33, died May 25 from wounds he received when he was shot by Atmore Police early Sunday morning, May 24 in Walnut Hill. Atmore Police said Williams was seen leaving the scene of a shots fired call in Atmore when they gave chase. That chase came to an end on Highway 97 just south of Kansas Road when officers fired on Williams’ car after they say he attempted to run over them.
“It is still an active and ongoing investigation,” Mike Morrison, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, told NorthEscambia.com Wednesday afternoon. “We are getting closer.”
Morrison said he expects the investigation to continue to progress, with the final FDLE report set to be turned over to the State Attorney’s Office for review.
“Every investigation is different, and it’s hard to a put a time frame on one,” he said. “We try to be as thorough as we can.”
Once the FDLE investigation into the officer-involved shooting is complete, the FDLE will not provide any details on the case until the State Attorney’s Office completes their review, Morrison said. “They make the call if it was justified or not, the legal determinations.”
Williams was shot by Atmore police officers following a high speed chase that started in Atmore and ended in Walnut Hill just south of Kansas Road about 1:45 a.m. on May 24.
Atmore Public Safety Directory Glen Carlee said the chase began after a reported shots fired incident near Ashley Street and Jones Street, a location about three miles driving distance from the Florida line. Officers say they spotted the Nissan Altima driven by Williams leaving the area of the shots fired call. That’s when the chase began that eventually crossed the state line into Florida. Carlee said Williams apparently tried to hit an Atmore Police Department cruiser head-on.
Once he stopped and officers approached the car with weapons drawn, Carlee says Williams accelerated toward an officer in an attempt to hit him. That prompted at least two officers to fire at Williams. Florida authorities told NorthEscambia.com at the scene that Williams had been shot at least once in the head.
For a complete gallery of exclusive photos from the scene and inside the car that you will see only on NorthEscambia.com, click here.
For a statement on the shooting released May 25 by the Atmore Police Department, click here.
For NorthEscambia.com’s original story on the shooting, click here.
Pictured above and below: The scene of a shooting involving an Atmore Police Department officer early May 24 in Walnut Hill. Pictured middle: Crime scene investigators from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement work to recover evidence inside the car. Pictured bottom: FDLE investigators returned to the scene four days after the shooting. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Firemen Respond To Reported Rattlesnake In Home
October 8, 2009
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue was called to a snake reported to be in a home Wednesday afternoon. When they arrived, they found and removed a four-foot rattlesnake from the home on Wiggins Lake Road.
Pictured: Firefighter Tracy Benner with the rattlesnake. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Billings Murder Featured On Oprah
October 8, 2009
The world was able to look inside the home of Byrd and Melanie Billings Wednesday for the first time since their murder on the Oprah television show.
Ashley Markham, their daughter, provided information about the nine special needs children that she and her husband Blue now call their own.
Markham said when she called the house on July 9 she could not understand why her 10-year old brother Jacob, who suffers from Down’s Syndrome told her that the Billings were laying on the floor.
“She would talk about it to us. ‘If something were to happen, make sure my babies are taken care of. Make sure they’re all kept together’,” Ashley, 27, told Oprah.
And that is what Ashley and Blue are doing, she said, taking care of the children and even sleeping in the bedroom where Byrd and Melanie died.
“It’s just the way it’s supposed to be,” Blue said.
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan also appeared on the show via a Skype Internet conference.
“We have an excellent case,” Morgan said, adding that all eight accused in the case had entered not guilty pleas.
A portion of Oprah’s segment about the Billings family include an appeal for donations to help the family financially take care of the nine special needs children.
For more on the show, visit www.oprah.com.
Pictured top: Ashley and Blue Markham on Wednesday’s Oprah. Pictured below: Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan records his segment on September 24. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo top courtesy Harpo Productions.
Century Man Gets Nine Months In Jail On Drug Charges
October 8, 2009
A Century man arrested during a Century drug sweep back in May has been sentenced to nine months in the count jail on possession charges.
George Henry Dubose, 33, was arrested May 27 at his 21 Ramar Street home as SWAT teams executed 10 search warrants and made 19 felony drug arrests across Century. He was charged with cocaine possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Dubose was found guilty on both charges and sentenced to 270 days in the Escambia County Jail on each count to run concurrently, with credit for seven days he was incarcerated after his arrest. He was also ordered to pay a public defender lien of $100, and he had his driver’s license revoked for two years.
Fire Department Receives $10,000
October 8, 2009
The Lambeth Volunteer Fire Department, which serves Lambeth (Ala.) community near Flomaton, has received a $10,000 award from Georgia-Pacific.
The Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade is a national program that recognizes the contributions of fire departments in communities with Georgia-Pacific facilities. Launched in 2006, the initiative has contributed approximately $500,000 to rural and small town fire units across the United States.
The program supports firefighters with product and cash donations for programming and purchasing necessary equipment, and safety education materials for presentations in local schools. This year’s 24 Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade winners were chosen from more than 100 applicants in 28 states.
“We appreciate the work that volunteer and small town fire departments do in our facility communities all across this country,” said Jim Hannan, CEO and President, Georgia-Pacific. “Because many of our employees also serve as volunteer firefighters, we understand the demands on these units and their need for equipment and financial support. The Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade program allows us to show our appreciation for the essential services they provide.”
The Lambeth VFD was the only Alabama grant recipient in the program.