Hazmatguy

So we shouldn't do it for the police on accident investigations cause they are getting paid?? Come on really just help each other out and stop whining

Really???? We should have two linemen from the out of state power companies directing traffic so it take longer to get the power back up...... it's a disaster and doing that would have been very helpful.......

You need to prepare for incidents whatever the actual event. I don't see why it would be surprising that "any" MCI could lead to confusion. It all comes down to proper training, planning and most importantly a command and control structure prepared to respond. It also requires discipline among all agencies and providers to manage an incident. "Freelancing" is probably the biggest obstacle to controlling an incident, yet people seem to always do what "they" want to do. If there is no discipline then you can expect total chaos......

You need to prepare for incidents whatever the actual event. I don't see why it would be surprising that "any" MCI could lead to confusion. It all comes down to proper training, planning and most importantly a command and control structure prepared to respond. It also requires discipline among all agencies and providers to manage an incident. "Freelancing" is probably the biggest obstacle to controlling an incident, yet people seem to always do what "they" want to do. If there is no discipline then you can expect total chaos......

There was post 9/11 funding as well as initiatives under Clinton and Bush to increase staffing in emergency services..... funds that were "temporary" or "one time" and thus not available long term.......... And let's be honest..... individual departments that spend money on "toys" yet have inadequate resources for their day to day operations...... tankers, thermal imagers, etc. should be priorities...... not half the crap you see money spent on...... Volunteer departments should be County resources and not Town resources...... costs are out of control....... response times for volunteer fire departments are poor due to the nature of the beast...... property "rescue" is limited and thus there needs to be a better way...... we can all congratulate each other after a major fire but if nothing is left, what was the purpose..... priorities have to be directed toward a quick response and rescue..... putting out the "fire" is really less important since there is normally little left to "save" and rebuild...... everyone in a fire department should be capable of self critique and acknowledge where we could be more efficient..... anything that you purchase will need maintenance, repair and replacement..... this is often forgotten.......

There was lots of "temporary" funding in departments throughout the Nation that just ran out thus the cuts. It's a simple fact of economics and a failure to budget to sustain staffing. Police and Fire Departments need to really think about "what they really need" and adjust to this new economic reality. Salaries and benefits are going to be cut down the road though these public service jobs will still offer good opportunities. It's a new world......