Fire Departments Gone Wild.....

[FF402 133]

BEL ALTON VFD KIDS WRECK HALF MILLION DOLLAR TANKER ON JOY RIDE  

Thursday, June 9, 2005

By Kenneth C. Rossignol  

ST. MARY’S TODAY  

BEL ALTON, MD --- Another incident which is all too familiar has taken place in a Southern Maryland Volunteer Fire Department, that of younger members going wild with fire department facilities and equipment which has been purchased with a great deal of public and donated funds.  

On Sunday, June 5, 2005, on Bel Alton-Newtown Road, a Bel Alton Volunteer Fire Department tanker truck was being operated at a speed greater than reasonable when it left the road on a curve and overturned, with the $500,000 vehicle virtually demolished.  

The tanker, which has the purpose of carrying water to fires, hopefully had water in it and as it was operated at higher speeds, the water, according to one source close to the investigation, apparently began to slosh back and forth and at one point made the truck keel over.  

The truck was not on a emergency call and according to one source, was being used to take members of the department to a birthday party.  

Police report that the truck was not on a call and that it was operated by a number of young members of the department, including a 17-year-old girl.  

Young members of various departments have been attempting to take over La Plata, Mechanicsville and other area departments and their biggest focus has been on spending money unnecessarily, such as Hollywood Vol. Fire Dept., when it bought a ladder truck, or having beer bashes at the various department’s social halls. Younger members complain that the old guys who have been running the departments are "dinosaurs" in various internet chat rooms and forums on fire service, while the older members fear the younger members are reckless with both money and equipment.  

Hollywood Vol. Fire Dept. is surrounded by fire companies with ladder trucks and to put the money out for a ladder truck when as many as five trucks could be in their first due area within 15 minutes constituted a gross misuse of public funds which are designated for the department’s activities and come from taxing districts with no controls or strings attached. That was the feeling of many veteran firefighters who have worked hard for decades to build up the volunteer fire companies of the area.  

Bay District VFD lost money it made on donated funds in the stock market with the loss equaling the cost of a fire truck.  

Mechanicsville VFD advertised a beach party at which young people under age were invited to attend.  

A beer bash at La Plata went bad when a man was stabbed at the affair while it’s chief reportedly wrecked the chief’s car while out of county on personal business. An allegation that the chief was operating the official vehicle while intoxicated has not been verified by officials and La Plata’s chief has never returned a call seeking comment. A La Plata officer used a company vehicle to go bar hopping in past years, a practice which supposedly has been curtailed.  

Taking fire equipment to birthday parties is inconsistent with the purposes for which public funds are appropriated to the volunteer fire companies.  

In Sunday’s incident, there were no serious injuries or was their any reported contribution from the use of alcohol. According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Department, the incident is still under investigation but speed was a factor.  

[JohnnyOV 2]

im having trouble understanding, was it junior members who took the truck out for a joy-ride, or young senior members?

[TRUCK6018 50]

im having trouble understanding, was it junior members who took the truck out for a joy-ride, or young senior members?

Neither! It was not a joy ride or operated by juniors.

Police report that the truck was not on a call and that it was operated by a number of young members of the department, including a 17-year-old girl.

How can "a number of young members" be driving one vehicle? This is what the article doesn't explain (from Southern Maryland Online)http://somd.com/news/headlines/articles/2124.shtml

:

Driver Loses Control of Bel Alton Fire Engine

Posted on June 07, 2005:

On June 5 at 7:41 p.m., a Bel Alton Fire Department Fire Engine driven by Donald Ray Simms, 31, of White Plains, was traveling north on Bel Alton Newtown Road, north of Mallow Road in Bel Alton, when the driver left the right side of the roadway, lost control of the vehicle and struck an embankment on the southbound side, causing the vehicle to overturn. Simms was flown by a Maryland State Police helicopter to Prince George's General Hospital; his injuries were said to be non-life-threatening. The passengers - La Plata residents Steven Kyle Schultz, 19, and Christopher Nicholas Beane and Phillip John Rieman, both 20, and a 17-year-old Bel Alton girl sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to Civista Medical Center. They were not responding to a call at the time of the crash. Cpl. D. Belfield of the Traffic Operations Unit is investigating.  

Comments from another BB said that the writer of the original article likes to bash the area FD's:

The tanker, which has the purpose of carrying water to fires, hopefully had water in it ...

It also isn't mentioned that the "birthday party" in question was for an appearance for fire prevention purposes.

[JBE 328]

Definitely an author who doesn't like volunteers. The article seriously reeks of bias. "Hopefully carrying water" ??? Seems to me he was surprised it didn't end up leaking beer or booze. En route to one of the so called "Beer bashes".

He does have a point, what the hell were junior members doing driving this rig?? Sounds like there's gonna be a LOT of trouble down below the Mason Dixon.

Juniors need to be taught respect for the senior people who have been doing it before many of them were in diapers. You may not agree, but be respectful about it. I hope these kids get taken out behind the woodshed.

[BIGRED1 71]

Younger members complain that the old guys who have been running the departments are "dinosaurs" in various internet chat rooms and forums on fire service, while the older members fear the younger members are reckless with both money and equipment.

Ok so these smart @ss kids come in and are talking crap about the older guys on internet forums and some how think they are important? i think these kids should be taken out back and be shown what the business end of a deck gun feels like. Hey junior learn to respect the guys who came before you. respect anyone older then you. I am sure they are refering to the 30 something year old "dinosaurs", right? I know in our department we have guys who been there 50 years. now when he talks, you shut up and listen cause he earned that level of respect. these kids are like alot of kids today. Think they know it all. i am only 26 and i know enough to respct the elders in the department and in the community.

Kick the kids out and make the minimum age 21 to join. at the least you get some guys with some sense between the ears.

[Guest]

In recent years, I have recently come to the conclusion that no one under the age of 25 has any business being behind the wheel of an emergency vehicle. I know others who'd disagree but in my experience drivers under 25 just aren't responsible and too often they learn the hard way. To my 18 year old friends and colleagues on here, I make no apologies. You're too bloody young to handle the responsibilites and LIABILITIES that go with operating such vital machines. If you are a driver in your FD or VAC, give up the wheel for a few more years. You'll grow into the position soon enough, and you'll save some already-overburdened taxpayers some money on insurance costs.

[TRUCK6018 50]

He does have a point, what the hell were junior members doing driving this rig?? 

In recent years, I have recently come to the conclusion that no one under the age of 25 has any business being behind the wheel of an emergency vehicle.

As the follow up article explains, this was not the case. The driver was 31.

[doug_e 0]

What a strange article... :-k

I agree that there is a bias here. What the hell is he trying to say? I hope he doesn't get any traction.

As for younger members thinking older members are dinosaurs? I thought that was an SOP in every department.

I remember thinking like that when I first joined the department. Now I can't understand why these youngsters today can't see the virtue in doing it the way we've always done it...

[Guest]

JBE, I had not seen the follow-up article so I apologise for any ignorance. Do you find anything to agree with in my original post?

[JBE 328]

235, I'm with you when it comes to the whole age thing. I personally hated driving the rigs and made it well known I'd rather be on the back step.

[Guest]

deleted message

[Eagle24 2]

(deleted message)

[calhobs 110]

All drivers should have EVOC

[Eagle24 2]

(deleted message)

[Guest dball]

After reading the article, my only though is this: young member or seasoned firefighter, career or volunteer, point is we are in the public spotlight, using a vehicle generally funded though public money, adverting on each side of which dept the truck belongs to.... use your head don't drive like an idiot.

Perception is everthing... and there is always someone out there looking for a news story to hang your @ss.

[Guest JQP442]

All drivers should have EVOC

Calhobs, I have taken EVOC, and the statment that all drivers should have evoc is correct BUT would not have stopped something like this. People will be people and (some) due stupid things regardless of there training. Even if the driver(s) in question had taken EVOC (or like training) it doesnt mean that they would not have done what they did. How many people take drivers ed and still cant operate there POV's? Training does not make for a safe driver. Also, it did not mention (or I missed it) that the person behind the wheel is a driver on this RIG. If he or she isnt a driver, they would no have evoc. I know some people who have taken evoc that have no buisness behind the wheel of a firetruck (and i question the state of NY for letting them drive a car).

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

This was clearly a poorly written article. And what was the purpose? to advise about the Tanker incident or just rail the FD's in the area. The Editor of the paper this crap was printed in should go back to Journalism school.

[Guest]

I think that was wreckless and they should not be able to do that. there should be at least one person watching over the rig at all times.