FD828

When you are done, I think you should pass the peace pipe around to everyone else!!! If only it could be that easy.

Cogs, I do hope that you can see through all the ramblings, I did not mean belittle any of the volunteers or question their level of dedication. I don't agree with what all the choices were, but it's not my dept/town. I have stated that coming from a volunteer dept I know what drives these people. I know there are things on both sides of this issue that rub people the wrong way. I respect every single person who is willing take time away from their family/loved ones, train, and risk their lives for others.... paid or volunteer. But what is done is done. I would like to see every citizen of Stamford get the same fire coverage no matter where they live.

I do indeed work in Stamford as well as have a lot of friends that live in town, both downtown but mostly up in northern Stamford. I come from the volunteer world. I know how dedicated and caring volunteers are. I also know that like all other departments, change doesn't come easy. If the opportunity presented itself for a paid crew in my town I would be all for it. (presently all volunteer) I am sure that is not the feelings of everyone in that department, but what is most important? Changing and evolving or leaving things the way they have been for the last however many years? Life safety is the utmost importance. Both John Q public and the firefighters themselves. Now as for the depts in Stamford. Here is the bottom line as I see it. They all had career staff. They could of had more paid guys in their firehouses then they previously did to respond immediately to all calls with a fully staffed machine. And they would of had their operating budget. The chief would of still been in charge of all calls. The volunteers could still respond to the calls. So they couldn't pick and choose which paid guys worked there, and they would be wearing the SFRD uniform. Oh and they would have to stop doing all the extra stuff that the paid guys did in the past. But back to the most important thing... the residents would be getting an immediate response for ALL calls 24/7 no ifs ands or buts. Firefighters wouldn't be reponding alone or with just one other guy/girl. Yes E-8 and E-9 are up there to respond, and yes the volunteers are getting out for most of the calls. But #1 Most isn't good enough when it comes to lives and #2 perhaps there didn't have to be all the drama involved. The time and money wasted on lawsuits and newspaper articles. Maybe if everyone agreed that maybe this isn't the best situation for everyone(except the public) but it's a start that could of been adjusted or tweeked as it progressed a lot of this could of been avoided. You can't say it doesn't work, it seems to be working well in Glenbrook. So being a non-resident coming from a volunteer dept, I can't see what the down side was for these departments. Everything could of basically been the same as it was except for the department the career guys worked for. Perhaps we should respectfully agree to disagree

All I was saying was that you have members NOW, you have fuel NOW, you have medical equipment NOW(and yes I am not a idiot, you will have to throw out the bloody 4x4's), the lights are still on, there is still air in the bottles NOW...... so tell me why it's ok that not every single call is answered 24/7 with fully staffed machines? When the money is all gone and there is no supplies and fuel, I will back your argument. Until the supplies and money runs out, the budget cuts should have no effect on the members responding, NOW. Good thing I have had a head cold... I can't smell right now.

<br /><br /><br /> What does a "90% Budget cut" have anything to do with the fact there are not enough volunteers to cover calls at all hours of the day and night? They don't pay the volunteers right? So they could come out for calls regardless of the financial situation, right? All of their machines still have fuel in them right? Their scott bottles still have air in them right? They still have all the medical supplies right? The only thing I can say would be difficult is supplying new gear for NEW members, but they all have tons of members listed on the websites that have been there for years and years, so I'm sure they all have gear already. And if I am not mistaken, these departments could of had paid staff in their firehouses (like they all used to), and had ALL their money for their budgets. Everything boils down to who is in charge or control. Too many egos in the way of progress and saftey. But just like as*****s, everyone has an opinion.

Unfortunately it will probably take someone to die for everyone to wake up and see the big picture. It's 2009, time to get with the program. Peoples lives are at steak. I am not bashing volunteers, but it's time to face facts. They cannot guarantee a full department response with adequate (more then 1 or 2 per machine) manpower 24hrs a day 365 days a year. It's a fact. Nobody's life should be in jeopardy because there are no volunteers for their emergency whenever or whatever it is. I don't think that the volunteers should only be in a support role, but they should be open to paid personnel to respond to EVERY call with AMPLE manpower, the residents deserve it.

Speaking of water supply problems... to anyone who was there, is it true that the homeowner was on scene telling or as I heard it screaming about the dry hydrant that they had installed on their property? And a very large pond on the property in close proximity? Like I said, it is rumor, I wasn't there, and until someone that was there clarifies it, will stay just that.

I worked in this system up until 1999, they are very progressive. And believe it or not, EMS isn't considered to be the red headed step child down there. The screening process to get hired was extremely thourough, the CME was very structured and you were paid to complete it! They are also now doing hypothermic therapy in the field for cardiac arrest patients. Their web-site is www.wakeems.com Best EMS career out there!

That's why this country is so great. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and you know how the saying goes... opinions are like ***holes and everyone has one.

I am totally convinced that the general public doesn't know who responds to their residence, they do not know how many FF's are on each machine, they don't understand how many FF's are needed for this job, and they DO NOT CARE as long as a BRT shows up when they call. Time to end this nonsense... leave to public out of it and just get it done.

Any truth to the rumor that the fire marshall was requested in TOR district and was not available to respond last Friday? If that is true, shouldn't there be someone available 24/7?

Maybe the so called "Chief" of Springdale should be asked why he didn't take command of the fire in his own district if him and his volunteers are so awesome. Perhaps he should be asked why the blatent lies about who was asked to cover the down town firehouse during the cedar street fire. or perhaps everyone should just let this issue die, the way things are going obviously isn't working.

WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!!

Just out of curiosity.... this "all volunteer dept" that has responded to "ALL CALLS".... how many volunteers responded on those calls??? 1 driver alone?? Just because an engine responds doesn't mean it is good service. But what the public doesn't know won't hurt them, right?

Maybe more pressure should be placed on the insurance companies. Why won't they cover an ambulance bill???? It wasn't medically neccessary?? BS. Why don't they cover the bill if the medic rides in the Vol. Ambulance??? Medicare deamed Putnam and urban county and won't pay for fly-car medics? They will only pay the transporting agency?? It's all a bunch of crap. And for the ones who have been in Putnam a long while.... people don't want to pay any more taxes and that's what would have to happen to make EMS civil service (which I think it should be). When they implemented the 911 system in Putnam, people went crazy. They had to change house numbers and there was a ridiculous tax of like $0.30 that people bitched about. Imagine if they had to pay another $50 or $100 a year. No politician would ever stick their neck out to do the right thing. It's like people said, nobody cares as long as a BRT or an ambulance shows up.

888 Wahington Blvd????????? Perhaps some anger should be directed NORTH!!!!!!!! You know the ones who are standing in the way of the career deptartment from responding with more then 3 guys to an emergency? The volunteers could of had a staffed machine in each of their fire houses to respond for THEIR citizens for every emergency (not just the ones they feel like responding too), all of the funding, and still could come for calls and training, oh yeah and their chief could still be in charge at the scene. What was the down side to this again? Oh the chief wouldn't be able to say who could and could not work in his fire house, and the volly officers wouldn't be in charge of the paid guys. Important stuff there. A great reason to put the lives of the Stamford residents in jeapordy!

Well put junior215! The time has come to end this mess once and for all. No more court battles, no more arbitration, no more pleading to the public about how the city is going to raising taxes and the big bad union is soo mean to the volunteers. Lives are at steak both firefighters and citizens. What if a firefighter or homeowner was injured or killed at the Long Ridge fire(God Forbid). Would people wake up then and make the neccessary changes? The time is now to end this mess not after someone dies because feelings and pride are in the way of progress.

"The volunteers respond as a company (engine, tanker, or lighting/air) and fall under the I.C." Here is the problem, there are too many Chiefs and nobody is going to give up "control".

Not for nothing.... You had the PC Volunteers who had nothing good to say about their own paid guys, teaming up against the Rual Metro FD. Greenwich had to come to that fire if I am not mistaken because a lot of departments REFUSED to go mutual aid. PC vollies went to that fire to stand on the sidelines and watch! Talk about putting lives at steak because of feelings! Public safety should have been the first priority then deal with the fact that Rual Metro was understaffed and a bunch of what did the vollies call them?.... oh yeah "scabs".

I truely believe that the public is clueless most of the time. They see a big red truck show up to their call and that's all they see. Public education is what is needed. No more B.S. from the volunteers showing false staffing numbers and touting how "great and devoted" they all are. Public SAFETY is at stake here. It is time for the truth to come out, who is the one resposible to do that..... the city, the union? I just hope that the poor unfortunate home owners who watched their house burn and only saw 3 guys, have a great lawyer.

This incident happened a while back. I did report it, went through my chain of command starting with the EMS Lt and it ended up with the Chief and the person in charge of EMS in Putnam. I also documented it heavily on my PCR. But like I said it happened quite some time ago. I am hopping nothing like that happens again.

Medic442, I have taken ACLS and know what it says. I am still working as a paramedic. But when patient care is in jeapordy..... even after explaining that the patient is blue with vomit in the airway and BLS ventilation isn't getting the job done, and the medic still doesn't think that intubation is needed, I have a problem. And the kicker.... after finally intubating the patient about a mile from the ER, we get pulses back. Now I am not saying that if he had taken care of the airway first that the outcome would have been different (pt later died... but did manage to donate organs) but he didn't even give the pt a chance. And I know that all the medics are not bad, I worked in Putnam at medic 4, I have worked with many of them and know that they are good at what they do. I hope you are right though. I hope this new management team does the right thing, because me and my family still live in Putnam.

Quote from RWC130 on 8/1/08 @ 03:02 "Correct me if I am wrong? I don't think Patient Care has ever been compromised during the up's and down's" Have you been on any calls in Putnam County? How about a 35 y/o male cardiac arrest that the "paramedic" didn't want/or feel intubation was indicated? And do you want to know what happened to that particular medic? They made him a SUPERVISOR! So I have absolute faith in this company!

But the fact does remain that if the volunteers wanted, they could have a fully staffed engine responding out of their respective firehouses immediately when the tones drop.(and receive funding from the city) They wouldn't have to worry about coverage, shifts, holidays, missing family time, missing work, or the safety of their residents. They could still respond to calls as they do now. Their Chief would still be in command at all incidents unless he relinquishes command to the SFRD Chief. They could still get tons of training. They could form a great relationship with the paid guys so that when they have to work together it is a smooth operation. But nooo! We don't want to move forward. We rather do it on our own and possibly put the safety of the firefighters and public at risk. Just because other towns can cover with 100% volunteers and have been doing it.... how long do you wait before doing something, anything to ensure 24/7 coverage? Because it isn't happening now. I am not saying to get rid of ANY volunteers. I am saying that they need to get with the times and think about why they are there in the first place. But like others posting, just my $0.02.

Cogs, I take no offense to your or anyones opinion. I am not from Stamford. I can say from my point of view that I don't understand why the volunteers feel like they are being "pushed out" if they are still going to be responding to calls? Isn't the SFRD engine just "replacing" the current paid engine that is/was already there? Why can't everyone just say there are/were paid guys there before, they are there now just wearing a different uniform? If they volunteers remain active in their respective departments/communities, I can't see why things have to change and everything has to be so dramatic. They have the added benefit of the paid engine rolling out the door when the tones drop and they still take an active roll in the calls in their district. I also agree that just because someone gets a paycheck doesn't make them a good firefighter. I know many paid guys that just don't cut it and many volunteers that I would trust my life with. Basically changes are coming, nobody is going to be completely happy. Lets all make the best of it.