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Jack Rabbit Slim
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| Joined: | Sun Jan 20th, 2008 |
| Location: | Rome, Georgia USA |
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 03:52 am |
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chixbaby27 wrote: The advice of all the RFD firefighters that I know is that if you want to become a ff, go somewhere else! My family-member ff has told my friends to go to Cartersville, Gordon, Bartow...anywhere but Rome.
Well that is pretty sad, I can understand Bartow but not Gordon. How can Rome be so far behind? What is going on here? I see the complaints about the chief but doesn't the county try to constantly improve public safety depts?Last edited on Mon Jan 21st, 2008 03:52 am by Jack Rabbit Slim
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Turk182
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| Joined: | Fri Jan 11th, 2008 |
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 12:23 pm |
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Morning JRS,
How can Rome be so far behind? Most of the previous posts point out how Rome can be so far behind..... lack of gutsy progressive leadership and this extends upwards to the City "fathers".
The City "powers" are more concerned with the bottom line than with supplying the services, or rather keeping them updated. The county has very little say in the operation of the FD. I suspect that the current fire chief has maintained his position so successfully because he fits right in with the City's policies of doing only what is absolutely necessary to keep the FD operating.
Cheers,
Turk
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fudge84
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 02:22 pm |
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Jack Rabbit Slim wrote: I see the complaints about the chief but doesn't the county try to constantly improve public safety depts?
I dont think the county has much power in that aspect of things. Look at where the stations are. 7 out of 10 stations are either in the city or you can throw a rock and hit the city limit sign.
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fudge84
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 02:27 pm |
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| I have noticed that when the facts started hitting the fan on this thread people kind of started disappearing and not saying any thing. Why is that? Truth hurts doesnt it.
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averagejoe
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 8th, 2007 |
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 02:29 pm |
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| What is the RFD budget and how much of that is paid for by the county? Anybody know?
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Rescue Me
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 02:42 pm |
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fudge84 wrote: I have noticed that when the facts started hitting the fan on this thread people kind of started disappearing and not saying any thing. Why is that? Truth hurts doesnt it.
Because they are all scared, people are walking on eggshells around here. Check back later for today for my discussion about another cog in this wheel.
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stoker
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| Joined: | Sat Nov 10th, 2007 |
| Location: | Lindale, Georgia USA |
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 02:53 pm |
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Jack Rabbit Slim wrote:
Well that is pretty sad, I can understand Bartow but not Gordon. How can Rome be so far behind? What is going on here? I see the complaints about the chief but doesn't the county try to constantly improve public safety depts?
First off Top, welcome home and thanks for the work.
Civilianism (new word?) isn't how you're used to operating. They don't have that "make it so" attitude, do not subscribe to the "what's in the best interest" methodology and in most cases don't rely on the "most qualified based on demonstration" systems. Funding and politics is the driving force and "get the job done" is replaced with "get the job done to the minimum requirement for the least amount of money" is usually the norm rather than the exception. You will find the unit cohesion in effect as a group of individuals ie. firemen, medics, police, but the group as a whole is managed (micro in some instances and little in others) by people, not a part of the unit or brotherhood, and in most cases not proficient or knowledgeable in the inner workings or requirements of the task at hand. It again goes back to finance and politics but on a much larger scale than the environment you were used to operating in. The persons financing the systems in place tend to want the most inexpensive way out and usually get what they are willing to pay for.
With that in mind though I'm sure they would appreciate an outsiders viewpoint and all the help we are able to give them.
Took me awhile to get used to it also.
Last edited on Mon Jan 21st, 2008 04:32 pm by stoker
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fudge84
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 05:20 pm |
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stoker wrote: Jack Rabbit Slim wrote:
Well that is pretty sad, I can understand Bartow but not Gordon. How can Rome be so far behind? What is going on here? I see the complaints about the chief but doesn't the county try to constantly improve public safety depts?
First off Top, welcome home and thanks for the work.
Civilianism (new word?) isn't how you're used to operating. They don't have that "make it so" attitude, do not subscribe to the "what's in the best interest" methodology and in most cases don't rely on the "most qualified based on demonstration" systems. Funding and politics is the driving force and "get the job done" is replaced with "get the job done to the minimum requirement for the least amount of money" is usually the norm rather than the exception. You will find the unit cohesion in effect as a group of individuals ie. firemen, medics, police, but the group as a whole is managed (micro in some instances and little in others) by people, not a part of the unit or brotherhood, and in most cases not proficient or knowledgeable in the inner workings or requirements of the task at hand. It again goes back to finance and politics but on a much larger scale than the environment you were used to operating in. The persons financing the systems in place tend to want the most inexpensive way out and usually get what they are willing to pay for.
With that in mind though I'm sure they would appreciate an outsiders viewpoint and all the help we are able to give them.
Took me awhile to get used to it also.
And we should not accept that as citizens. Make our elected officials stop wasting all this money on studies that lead to nothing and put our monies towards what the needs of the community are. We know and they know, so do the right thing, (I want to say something but I will do the right thing; for now.)
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fudge84
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Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 08:23 pm |
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Have found more fire over view minutes. They can be read at the City of Romes website in the minutes and agendas. Once you have clicked on them it will give you options to the different committees. I will only be commenting on them instead of posting the whole minutes.
Last edited on Mon Jan 21st, 2008 09:13 pm by fudge84
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fudge84
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 12:01 am |
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April 11, 2007 FOVC in the financial statements, that personell shows an increase due to being fully staffed.
August 29, 2007 in the Fire Chiefs Operating Report, D.C. Henderson reported that thereis 8 vacancies.
Which one of these statements are true I wonder. If either.
Also it stated that fewer personell were leaving. This was credited torwards a new position of corporal. Okey Dokey. But how many applications did they recieve for those open slots. When I applied in 1995 there was 300 applicants.
got a head of myself that is why the edit.
Last edited on Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 12:04 am by fudge84
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Rescue Me
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 02:59 am |
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Allright , day three. Still no one is responding to any questions. Things are starting to get a little heated in the department. Everybody is watching us. Maybe we should talk about your shadow. Can you tell me what his role really is in the department? Do you enjoy your long, long, long lunches together. Do you guys enjoy your vehicles? Would you like to see some pictures of Fire department vehicles in some interesting places? How about a few photographs of some pretty important equipment just rotting away.
I highly suggest if someone from the county doesn't start coming around soon and asking some questions. There are going to be a lot of things brought up that I don't think the department could handle discussing.
You know we have got some people working in some pretty crappy enviroments. Is this how a department with a $10,000,000.00 budget treats it's employees.
Someone is inquiring who I am, they are currently barking up the wrong tree! Tighten your belts, we are about to go on a pretty wild roller coaster ride.
One day you will wish you had not spoke to me during promotions like you did. I have been a pretty devoted and loyal employee. You still can't guess who I am, because you have treated so many of us like dirt.
Mr. RomeNewswire, I have got an exclusive for you. Are you intereseted?
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Rescue Me
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 03:02 am |
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NFPA 1710
- minimum engine and truck staffing of 4 (5 or 6 in jurisdictions w/ tactical & high hazard occupancies).
- staffing for BLS response at two EMT-B's and staffing for ALS response at two EMT-P's.
- Fire departments must be capable of establishing a RIT/FAST team at all incidents.
- Fire department's must staff chiefs aide positions.
- Response times of 4 minutes for the first arriving fire unit and/or the arrival of the full alarm assignment in 8 minutes.
- Fire departments must be capable of establishing incident command, water supply, attacks line(s), backup line(s), search and rescue team(s), ventilation team(s) and RIT/FAST at all structural fires... these "benchmark" requirements are based upon a 2000 square foot detached single family dwelling. Urban FD's will have to increase the requirements according to the occupancies & hazards in their community.
- minimum requirements for health and safety, incident management, training, communications and pre-incident planning.
- Fire departments must inform the public about their response capabilities and the consequences of not meeting this specified deployment criteria.
- Calls for 14 or 15 people to arrive at a " Full Alarm Asignment" within nine minutes, 90% of the time.
NFPA 1710 is not a law or a federally mandated regulation. Decisions about whether and how to implement 1710 do rest with local elected officials. Do our locally elected officials even have a clue of what NFPA is for and how it should be utilized?
Are we even close to these standards?
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Firemedic
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| Joined: | Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Georgia USA |
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 05:05 am |
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Wow, I stepped away for a few days and this board has really gone negative as I figured it would. Rescue Me, I am sure you have got good intentions for the department but I don't think I agree with your methods. To publicly call someone out like that will probably not get the attention you are requesting.
I have been working on putting together a public safety forum to address some of these problems in a more civil manner. However in light of some of the damage you may have created it may not be possible to get the FD administration to sign onto it. I also have not been getting the kind of help from people in the department as I was hoping too. So at this juncture I believe the whole thing may be tumbling down. I really hate that because I think the citizens of the county deserve more from the department than they are getting now. No disrepect meant to the department, but I think you know what I mean.
So is anyone still interested in helping me put this forum together? If not, I think I understand your positions. If you all wish I would just drop it, tell me so and I will fade away. It won't stop me from wanting better for the citizens and will not stop me from voicing my opinion to them. But if you guys don't want the attention I will back off on the forum idea. I guess after seeing Rescue Me's negativity it made me realize that I don't want any part of that.
fmdc15@bellsouth.net
Last edited on Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 05:07 am by Firemedic
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Turk182
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Posted: Tue Jan 22nd, 2008 09:39 pm |
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Good Evening FireMedic,
Noticed you were "missing", glad you are back. Things have gotten a little bit more "heated", but the question that started this thread should have been a hint as to what was about to happen. "Why aren't we moving forward?" is not a topic that would bring out a lot of positive comments from anyone. When the reason(s) is pointed out, truthfully, there are going to be negative comments. It is difficult to put a "positive spin" on the shortcomings of the FD.
While I admire your efforts to put together a public safety forum to address some of the problems I think that you may be tilting at windmills. No one, and I mean no one in the FD administration or City Government that I have had contact with cares one iota about the department. (By department, I mean the department, not the chiefs) As for the politicians, if they were interested, they would be talking to the men, checking on things themselves, rather than believing the reports and papers shown to them by the FD Aministration or even the City Manager. Even without Rescue Me's statements, I seriously doubt that you would ever have gotten any of the FD Admin. into a public forum type of setting, I have seen and heard them "blow their tops" in a simple Department meeting when questioned on a delicate topic or had their "wisdom" questioned. Also,it would take a brave employee to risk his career to participate in that same forum! Unless you are an "annointed one" you had best lay low.
I am for anything that could or would improve the service provided by the FD to the citizens of Rome/Floyd County. I regret that you feel that Rescue Me's "negativity" is something that you don't want to be part of, but it's sort of like going to a rat killing... the rats have got to die. You flush 'em out, and kill them. Not much to be positive about, except that the rats are gone.
It was stated earlier, and I repeat here. I would love to see a list of all the positive accomplishments acheived by the Chief/department over the past 20 years. Accomplishment meaning.... something that benefited either the citizens, the firefighters, or the organization itself.
Cheers,
Turk
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Rescue Me
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Posted: Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 02:46 am |
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Turk has got it right Firemedic, they will never expose themselfs to public scrutiny. All they care about is keeping things just were they are so they can ride it out as long as they can and keep padding that retirement account. The commisioners won't do anything because it requires them to actually work and ask the citizens to put a little more into the system. Will never happen. RFD is a reactive department. Nothing ever happens here unless they are forced into it. when a commisioners family member dies because they didn't get quick medical care or their home burns down because there wasn't a station near them, then will get a little action. In the meantime we will suffer at the hands of the current administration. I know why you are concerened and I am too, I don't understand why you are so upset with me bringing out the truth on here, you didn't seem to mind much when you were on the Floyd EMs board. Looks like you took a few digs at the CEO and the director there yourself. Why would it be any different here. I guess since your not a member of our department you can't see it as we do. You seem like the kind of person who would be pretty vocal about the chiefs if it affected you personally. So anyway like Turk said, thanks but it looks like you would be wasting your time. As I see it we are gonna have to fight our way out of this. we need total regime change just as Iraq did. From the top and through the ranks if needed. I will give you one thing that pay scale you posted put a big fire in my belly.
I guess the great fat one will never answer me here. So here goes if you think you know who I am call me into your office. If you got me right, I will admit it and we can talk like men. You can get rid of me if you want, Im sick of it and think I would be better off if you did show me the door. I'm too stubborn to quit, so your gonna have to fire me.
I am begging the commision to take a strong look at what is going on here. The reasons we are here is because we are being treated unfairly, we are grossly under paid, we are not utilizing the equipment we have to the best of our ability. We need more stations and we need to become more involved in medical calls, Some of you are new. How do you want to be remembered. some one who came in just to ride the seat and get some small perks for being a commisioner or do you really want to make some changes for the better of your community. W ehave got a small wave going on this subject right now and we need someone to be on our side from the commision. I am also calling out the new mayor, what are you going to do. Do you want to represent a town that has a disgruntled fire department or do you want a strong department that backs the politicians that helped them. This is your term, your decision and your duty. come talk to us in private, have some meetings with the real men of the RFD and not that old has been who just provides lip service. This is getting in the publics eye. wsome people are gonna want to know what is being done, how are you going to answer them?
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