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Updated: 9:33 PM Nov 16, 2008
Firefighters Fear Budget Cuts
Staunton, Va. Almost 24 hours after enforcing a hiring freeze around the city, Staunton firefighters are speaking out. Posted: 4:16 PM Nov 14, 2008Reporter: Keith Jones Email Address: kjones@whsv.com |
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9 Comments
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MP, you are by far misinformed. You will not see them washing their personal everyday, unless you think a city vehichle is personal. The running of errands is false, it is simply not allowed. If there is a fire department job in town then yes it gets done. You will not catch them swimming at the Y. and do you not believe that they deserve to eat during their 24 hour shift??? Sorry you failed out of firefighter 1, but its not their fault, get over it.
Liz, as I said-I was complaining about the blatant misuse of the department and it's resources for wasteful, personal activities and errands, which is a slap in the face to the tax payers. Also, they ran off all their volunteers with their arrogance and immature manner in which they ran the departments. They have absolutely no right to complain! They did it to themselves! It's not my grudge, but a number of citizens are complaining about their misuse and abuse, and the rudeness and unprofessional manner in which they answer calls and deal with the public. Then they ask US for a handout? "Ain't gonna happen!" I also didn't say there was a warfare between the police and the fire department. The police just do their job better, plain and simple! The fire department could learn something from them!
MP, I'm not sure what your personal grudge is with the fire dept, but this is not a department warfare between the fire & police depts. I would just as strongly stand up for those police positions as I would the fire ones, but this article just happens to be about the firefighters. Both depts need to be fully staffed. These are essential positions, not discretionary ones. The safety of the firefighters and police officers should be top priority as they put their very lives at risk every time they put on that uniform. They never know what the next call that comes in will be. Does that mean nothing to the city council? Have they ever needed to call 911 for help? Hope they never do. Sharon's comments are right-on...can't the city find other non-essential places to cut the budget? If not, give the public a comment period for input, I'm sure the citizens could come up with some creative and less-threatening ways to save the city some money. Let's not put public safety on the chopping block.
Well, Anthony, do you want your tax dollars paying for two more fire fighters to ride the gravy train? I agree about the police though. I think they should be given what they need without all these committee meetings! They are run to death out there!
Wow MP, sounds like sour grapes to me. Obviously you must have intimate knowledge of the fire and police depts. Sounds like you couldn't make it as a firefighter and now your taking it out on them. This isnt a police vs. fire thing, but thats what you are trying to make it. If it weren't for firefighters, police would have no heros.
I fail to see how the fire department can say their emergency response time is lowered because of two vacancies!The police have FIVE!This does not make sense,as the only delay I see in response time is finishing their pizza or getting out of the pool at the Y! They take the massive trucks out on errands to Walmart, out to lunch and other places (parking in the fire lanes of course.)They can be seen on any given day washing their personal vehicles at the firehouse (of which taxpayers are paying for) and don't have the decency to acknowledge someone when they are spoken to, but cant even look you in the eye. They have run off all of their volunteers through disrespect and belittling and they have the NERVE to gripe because they are short staffed? However, the police are a totally different story.They have the hardest job and complain the least,and not once will they pass up a "good-morning" or a wave from a citizen without a courteous, respectful, direct eye contact response!
200% increase in fire calls with no additional personnel since 2007. On top of that, they are now down 2 positions with these 2 vacancies that you will not fill. Police dept has 5 vacancies that you will not fill. Wow, Staunton, that makes me feel really safe. Waynesboro, here I come. At least their (Waynesboro's) hiring freeze due to the bad economy EXCLUDES public safety personnel. My tax dollars will be moving there, thank you very much. It seems Waynesboro actually cares about the safety of its citizens.
I bet Augusta County residents would LOVE to know that Andrea Oakes would like for their county tax dollars to be spent in the city of Staunton so that Staunton can loosen up their own belts. Public safety should NOT be cut when it is already below minimum standards. 5 police officers, 2 firefighters, and a 911 dispatcher short - that's not a small impact on public safety concerns. There are so many other less threatening places that the city could cut their budget, including the free trolley rides, running the street cleaners when it is raining, etc. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that there are much better ways to trim the budget than to put the safety of your citizens at risk, but apparently you have to be more than a Staunton City Councilmember.
Councilwoman Oakes needs to get a clue. Obviously she has no idea what she is talking about. "We have been able to keep the city safe"? That sounds like shes admitting to rolling the dice and hoping nothing bad happens. Whats gonna happen when something bad does happen?Does she know what "normally" means in regards to fires? So shes gonna depend on Augusta County to supplement the City of Staunton? What if Augusta is out on one of their own calls? Does she know what 2 in 2 out means and how OSHA works? Its really sad to see city government hang their employees out to dry due to ignorance.