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County Won’t Fund More Paid Firefighters For Cantonment; Volunteer Response Inadequate
September 7, 2011
Even though volunteers are unable to adequately answer emergency calls, the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue won’t be staffed with 24/7 paid firefighter crews due to a lack of funding.
“”We can no longer provide the proper minimum fire response,” Cantonment VFD District Chief Jeffery Bingle said recently, asking the county for paid firefighters to answer calls from his station. The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue is currently staffed from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m Monday-Friday by a paid firefighter crew. Outside of those hours and all weekend, calls should be answered by volunteers.
According to Michael Weaver, director of Escambia County Public Safety, the total cost to provide 24 hour paid firefighter coverage for Cantonment would be an estimated $709,219 per year.
“While I understand that staffing this station with fulltime staff may be desirable it is not affordable at this time. Our County Commissioners continue to struggle to maintain a balanced budget with increased demands and decreasing funding,” Weaver wrote in an email to Escambia County Fire Chief Daniel Spillman.
The only way to provide the paid firefighters would be an additional increase in the property tax MSBU rate. The MSBU is already going up $5 per year for the next two years to cover the salaries of paid fire personnel assigned to Ensley, the busiest station in the area. The current increase will generate about $596,000 per year, according to Weaver.
“You will need to meet with your staff, including appropriate volunteer personnel, to plan the best personnel deployment and staffing levels within the funding provided. I expect all of my divisions to meet their budgetary goals. I am available to assist you in this effort,” Weaver wrote in his email to the fire chief.
Bingle said the Cantonment VFD has between 15 to 18 volunteers on the roster, but only five or six of those are very active. Many of those work or go to school outside of Cantonment, leaving an inadequate response to emergency calls. And Bingle said he has become less active in the department due to an increase in responsibilities as the fire chief and emergency services team leader at his employer, Ascend Performance Materials.
In the meantime, Bingle said the Cantonment volunteers are continuing to respond to calls. Neighboring stations, including Ensley and Molino, are also being dispatched to assist with most calls in the Cantonment district outside of the 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. time frame currently covered by a paid crew.
Pictured: Volunteers from Cantonment and other departments responded to a wreck near the Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department on May 22, 2011. Pictured top inset: The Cantonment fire district. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
95 Responses to “County Won’t Fund More Paid Firefighters For Cantonment; Volunteer Response Inadequate”
Just remeber all you paid boys and girls that are disrepecting the volunteers, all it takes is three votes and then you will wishing you could play with the fire toys.
Mark Chesnutt
Well Bobber when you retire you can join up since you will have all the free time. I mean myself and so many others do it and work and we also take our kids fishing and camping, you should be able to run calls, fish, hunt or many other things. Just think the stipend can be your fishing money, unless of course you are like the ones in your church and scared to a committment. Just Saying
Well i have been a vol. firefighter for 15 year in cantanment and in LA. I was a LT.firefighter in cantonment tell I move to LA. and I moved back to Cantonment 21/2 years ago and got back in cantonment fire dept. at that time. I have a fulltime job and a son. I work 13- 15 hr. days and havent been able to go to monday night training and run alot of call. but if I could run I did. Well the night of Aug. 10,2011 we had a fire in cantonment two firefighter from molino got the cantonment fire trucks out and me and another cantonment firefighter went pov to the call to have more firefighter on the call. After the fire I went to the fire house and me and one firefighter from molino got the truck back 10-8 for more calls.before we had to be at work. Well at 9:09 that morning I recieved a text from Jeff Bingle saying. I appreciate your response last night but you arenot in compliance with trining or call response reqirenents so you can not respond to any calls until you take care of this. And I need all your gear and equipment as soon as possible unless you are going to come into compliance. And so now after that and 15 year of being in the fire dept. I’m no longing in the fire dept. and like alot of my friends I will go back after jeff bingle is no longer there anymore and I would be happy to get back in like i have been for a long time.
thank, SHAY MCCARRA or on northescambia I’m been named SHAY MCCARRO. look up that name on here.
bobber:
1. Cantonment does not have enough volunteers, we all understand this fact. The county does not have the funding ( in the Fire Service budget) to hire more career firefighters at this time.
The complaint time was 3 weeks ago. Now is the time for thoughtful, honest ideas on how we can resolve this issue for the residence of Cantonment and the surrounding areas. Yes it is the job of the local leaders, but I am sure they will welcome ideas and constructive comments.
2. I don’t enjoy fresh water fishing anyway.
This is too Everett:
First off the all the other stations in the county are able to cover their station with the paid crews and the volunteers so why should Cantonment be any different. We aren’t talking about Ascend/Solutia.
It really all comes down to our leaders. They aren’t leading and setting the example that they should as leaders. U teach by your actions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do agrees to quitting funding all the deadbeats.
To Mr. $23.10 an hour,
What’s your pay have to do with the Cantonment firehouse, who can’t scrape up enough volunteers to protect the public of Cantonment are with reliable dependable fire and rescue volunteers. I’m with Chief Bingle, coming forward with the not accepable level of volunteers to prvide the citizens this PAID service. That’s my only agenda. Maybe your the problem, $23.10 an hour. Just look behind you, where are your 400 strong volunteers. I look at that number as my own church membership roll, Yea; its been in cantonment area my whole life. You have the core dedicated ones, the rest show up on Easter and homecoming. But, there are no Cantonment volunteers behind you. Your just WOODA,SHOODA,COULDA. Your days have come and gone in Cantonment like the pony express. I’ll be retiring soon, until the $23.10 hr when you need a new hobby, Look for me at the molino boat ramp. I’ll be more than glad to take you fishing. ONLY one request, NO ANTS ALLOWED.
All these comments a great and meaningful. It doesn’t change the fact there is not enough funding. It’s good to have goals and anticipated upgrades. But if the money is not there the options are greatly limited.
It is frustrating to both the paid and volunteer fireman. They both share a common goal in trying to serve their communities emergency needs.
The chief knows the money situation first hand. When Ascend took over Solutia many persons (600) were let go because there was no money in the budget to operate. His emergency department took a hit just like everyone else. It’s very disheartening to watch and implement reductions in personel and service. It’s about budgets.
We do howerver have plenty of money to support illegals, deadbeats and crack whores with their $600-$1200 per baby monthly subsidies. The illegals get up to $1800 per child per month from social security. Let’s put the dead beats, illegals, thugs, and crack whores to work fighting fires.
Has any of you computer hero’s visited the web site that Volunteer FD posted. You yourself can get on fill out an application and become part of making your county a better place. Go thru the training that so many have done and be part of something great a VOLUNTEER for you county/ community. You might even get a job as a career firemen as so many have if everyone would try and use some common sense and get along to figure things out. It will work, but the ” I ” needs to be removed from TEAM. last i checked I does not go well with TEAM. So try something different than tv or video games and make a difference for not only yourself but the whole county.
http://www.myescambia.com/Bureaus/PublicSafety/FirefighterRecruitment.html
It’s just like watching the war on tv or a football game if you haunt been their then you might have some idea, in the end though your still just a sideline quarterback. And if I did know who you are, with your sorry attitude toward volunteers, you wouldn’t be worth wasting my breath on. Don’t think for one second I don’t know that ems and law get on here and spin their crap too, angin you don’t have the experience then stay on the side line. I got mine.
Statement to honest offer/it wasnt bobber/ whatever the next post name will be:
I apologize for whatever personally happen to you that some volunteer in this county has done to you. It greatly saddens me that you assume to know what every volunteer FF in the county thinks or how they act. You do not know me from Adam, but you belittle me and and talk down to me with hatred.
I understand that a great wrong has been done to you, I encourage you to take the issue of that wrong up with the specific individuals that were involved. Since you work with both the career and volunteer side of fire, EMS, and law enforcement, you know that training and education in all of these fields never end. Maybe you could help ensure that whatever happened, doesn’t to anyone else.
You maybe able to help a young volunteer FF to make the decision to go to the fire academy and make it a career of it.
Given the economic status of our county, the inability to hire more career FF at this time, and you connections with all levels of public safety to encourge the maximum amount of training the career and volunteers could recieve.
So so sad, vollie this career that, were are almost as bad as a third world country because its all about me me me actually i think a third world country is better off right now they are getting US aid. everyone has ideas but too scared to go to a county commissioner meeting or get a application and join up and help. I guess we will wait and see if the msbu passes or fails and hopefully the career don’t side don’t have any lay offs, because remember commisioner elections are coming up and three of the five are up for re-election. Now do what do you think is going thru their heads, pass it or not, i won’t to get re-elected do i raise it or not. And the IAFF will have to start negotiations since they made the mistake of voting to become a bargaining unit. Every little aspect that you guys have is now on the table. It’s like starting from scratch trust me i deal with bargaining units, you should have left well enough alone on that aspect. And from what i understand there were some smart ones that voted no. Just some DECISIONS to be made.
First off, thank you Kdub for the support of ALL firefighter in the county.
Next, I would like to try to help our local officials in this issue. I order to do this we ALL need to stop the bickering and really look at the situation!
Where would you propose we, as a county, get the money to fund the $709,219 it would cost to put that crew there.
I might add this is a serious question. I am sure that a realistic solution could be considered.
Reply to Got Mine made a suggestion, we could sell some of the apparatus and vehicles. This would allow more career FF to be hire, thus solving the problem.
While this might be a good short term solution, what happens next year when the money acquired from that sale runs out, how will we keep those new hires on job? We need to find an annually renewable source of funds to consider hiring more career FF at this time.
One more thing for now, the county commissioners are voting to increase the MSBU fund by $10 over the next two years. For all that do not know, without this minimal increase, the county will HAVE to layoff career firefighters ( i believe it will be 12). DO NOT let this happen!!!! The county needs the career firefighter that are on the job now. I believe EVERYONE can afford $10 over a years time, that is only 8 cups of coffee at a convenience store. Please please please tell your county commissioner how YOU want the vote to be.
I know we throw stones at each other, but this vollie doesn’t want to see 12 firefighter go to the unemployment line over $10.
Oh, and if you think you know who i am feel free to talk to me about it anytime you want because in the real world i can speak my true feelings about you volunteers and don’t have to sugar coat it!
First off i’m not bobber einstein nor am i a paid fireman, a volunteer, or have i ever been either! But i have worked with both sides and i know how you as a voluteer are, and know that i don’t want you trying to protect me. I have seen what you do and the way you act! I know about the stupid things the voluteers do in reference to destruction of poperty and equipment. If you want to say i’m a paid fireman or a union member thats fine, but i don’t think you have any idea who or what i am! Maybe you should realize that you don’t just concern paid fireman with your ignorance but also EMS and Law. Let me guess you are probably like the voluteer that thought it was ok to borrow a shovel from myrtle grove volunteer fire department to do a little side work!
Winer, I mean bobber,
1) the comment was not to brag, you missed the point, the fact that you mentioned it speaks volumes about you,
2) I could care less what your impressed with and what your not, I could care less if I’m special or not, I could care less about you because its guys like you that give the good and true paid firefighters a bad name
3) if your so worried about it why don’t you do something to fix the problem instead of sit behind a computer on county time and complain about what you used to be, a vollie
4) bobber, I’m pretty sure I know who you are
5) if we(volunteers) and our training bother you so much why don’t you step up to the plate and train us right? I mean since you know, your Florida fire 1 and 2 is so much better then mine. And you seem to know how we should use our equipment, better then any volunteer, when was the last time you offered to go to a volunteer station and train them on a piece of equipment? I would bet, um, never.
6) the simple fact is, were not going anywhere, no matter how bad you want us gone, the county is running on slim picking pal, o, pray that the tax gets voted in cause if not, how many “professionals” are gonna hit the unemployment line?
7) your pipe dream of an all paid county is just that, what are you so mad about anyways, did you get booted from a volunteer station, and it seems as though all you had to talk about was vehicles, what about the other stuff
To Reply,
Sure lets get rid of all the vollies, oh wait we can’t afford all paid. Dude I understand that we are not liked by ya’ll paid guys. But heres the deal, take Joe Patty’s ship yard for instence a few weeks ago, You guys fought your hearts out on that fire and so did the vollies. If we were gone most of you would have been there for 8 to 10 hours on that fire. And yes a paid crew did come in at 1 A.M. and stay the night, call it what you want everybody has to have relief at some point. with the heat of that ship it was only a matter of time before more went to the hospital with heat exhuastion. call us relief but i know my crew endured just as must heat as your guys. Most of you are in shape but you are not iron man my friend, even the best of the best are going to go down without relief. right now we need you and you need us.
Wow! You make $50,000 a year, not impressed, so save your attempted bragging because your nothing special. I would just like to say yea there are some bad professional fireman out there but guess what, there are a lot worse volunteering I can promise you that. Honestly none of that matters because the real problem is all of you that don’t want your hobby taken away. There is money out there if places like warrington didn’t have 5 trucks and all their staff cars to play with. It really broke my heart that you’re well trained personnel doesn’t even know how to operate and aerial so they destroyed the waterway on the tower and it is now junk! Yea why don’t we talk about that or ferry passes brigade of fire apparatus that isn’t necessary! All of these volunteer houses have way to many trucks and staff vehicles, we could sell them and hire enough fireman to protect the county, but then again the three people responding to a call wouldn’t get to drive there own apparatus right. Volunteers “TRY” to do the job because it makes them feel cool or needed when they aren’t! Get rid of the vollies and all the extra trucks and this county will be protected by the real thing not a bunch of posers.
It makes me somewhat sick to my stomach to see how much bashing is going on here. Sure, we all come across people (maybe even volunteers) who the thought crosses our minds, “How the heck are you qualified to do this?!” (Trust me, I’d be rich and not working if I had a dollar for everytime that thought crossed my mind! hah!) But as far as me, I know I’ve thought that plenty of times about people who are being paid to do the job, just as much as people who do it for free. Of course some people are Vollies simply because it looks good…or they get to wear the shirt. But I know plenty of people in this county who would do WHATEVER it takes to help someone in a tragic time in their life.
This county needs more guaranteed response. My fiance is a Vol. FF and absolutely loves what he does. He has the heart for it and the desire to be on every call. There’s no cookouts at his station. Yes, he stays nights there, but it’s because he wants to be there for the calls. Not everyone has time to go home and answer a pager and be there in time back at the station in time to hop on the truck. There are also people who abuse this privilege. But let’s not start cracking down on every single person who claims to be a volunteer simply because some of them could care less about the call coming over the radio (or even see it more as a social status).
I understand some of you have encountered “inadequately trained” vollies or personnel in this field. But the bashing can stop. I am not sitting here defending vollies stating all of them are heaven sent and perfect – please don’t think that. But there are good ones out there. It’s sad people see volunteering as sometimes just getting to where a shirt or claim the title of volunteer.
Escambia County does need fully staffed paid stations. How great would it be going to sleep every night or waking up every morning knowing the stations around you are staffed with people there around the clock? The money is just not there. Maybe (and with lots of prayers and crossed fingers) there is some solution that can be found without being detrimental to our pocketbooks.
I can only hope.
To our fire/resuce teams in the county – volunteer AND paid. Thank you for what you do. I hope more opportunities will open up for y’all in the future in this county.
Bobber,
I have been to quite a few so called professional houses, let’s see just to make this clear. You say volunteers rag their equipment, that’s not professional, but a so called professional crew sitting in a restaurant with the 300,000 dollar piece of equipment running at high idle for an hour or more burning almost as much fuel as it cost for the truck is professional. Or how about almost rolling ladder 12 on it side responding to a none emergency call, or breaking a peace of equipment that the tax payers paid for and saying screw it the county will buy another one, are those professional firefighter actions? And a place to hang out, a place to go when you have a bad night? Ha, this is funny, lazy, so to be a “professional” firefighter I need to sit in those big recliners all day you “professional” firefighters get o and a bad night? So I guess to be “professional” I need to get drunk and stay at the station cause I can’t drive home( witnessed this a few times at a so called professional house. Ive seen more cook out at paid departments then I have at volunteer stations. As far as for your IAFF flunky plan to get rid of the volunteers, the county can’t even afford to pay for 1 just 1 paid crew in 1 station, are you really ignorant enough to think they could pay to supply the whole county? Not even if they cut stipend! Wanna talk about training, so to also be “professional” I need to go into the customers house with a smooth bore and blast the crap out of everything( even their viable property) for about 5 minutes and them go sit on the bumper of my truck talking trash about the volunteer that finish the other 2-3 hours of the job, you say that’s professional. If that’s what it takes to be “professional” then I’ll just stick to my regular $ 23.10 and hour job and still fight as much fire as you do.
We can throw rocks at each other all day and all night, it still doesn’t fix the issue. I agree that if Chief Bingle says that there is inadequate coverage for evening and weekend emergency calls, a career crew is needed!
Where would you propose we, as a county, get the money to fund the $709,219 it would cost to put that crew there.
I might add this is a serious question. I am sure that a realistic solution could be considered.
oh, and as for a hangout, I spend enough time away from my family as it is, I hangout at home!
Since when did volunteers become free loaders. cookouts? I cant remember when the last time we had a cookout at my station. Have anyone of the people that replied to anything I have posted visited ALL of the volunteer stations in the county, there are many that WORK hard to keep the county fire safe. In fact, we ALL, as volunteers, check fire hydrants in our districts. HOURS of work. and for those that say it is for the glory of the job, there is no glory, its a spirit of wanting to give. from what I am see, many have no idea what I am talking about. but that is ok, at 3am this morning I will go help who called 911. oh, wait……..I forgot I am just a lazy couch potato that does lift a finger to help anyone but myself, right? Since 750,000 of the 1.1 million firefighters in the U.S. today are VOLUNTEERS, I guess they are all lazy couch potatoes too.
A wise man once said, “Be careful what you wish for, it might just come true”. As it stands now, 50….maybe 60 career FF on the job in the county, over 400 volunteer…..How much will that cost to staff?
This is for FFGF up there. All firefighters paid or not get equal amount of training. They are always offered trips to the fire schools down South on taxes payers money. There is also a lot of training that goes on at the stations within the community that they can take advantage of as well. One other thing, the board of directors also play a part in who is in charge but they choose to stick their heads in the sand. We as a community need to attend their monthly meeting. You know they are suppose to post the date on their meeting on their billboard out in front of the station.. After all they are in violation of the “Sunshine Law” if they dont.
Hopefully after the vote next week everyone’s fire tax or msbu yearly fee will be raised just so the prior county administration actions can keep the paid crews on the payroll. all the 5 dollars are going to do is help pay the grant back and keep the 12 they hired on the payroll. even if they opted to go for 10 dollar increase it’s still not enough. as for those of you that say a volunteer station is a place to just hangout and have cookouts, well from what i have seen over the last 16 years the departments i know have an occassional cookout for everyones family to show them the apprieciation for putting up with their spouses helping the community. thats kinda what happens when you have a group of people that doesn’t mind helping their community, not just hide behind a computer and complain. and yes there are still a few of those departments out there that don’t require paid help and can also work well with them when they are boxed in on a call to help.
sounds like the county needs to buy some andro to put out around the firehouses to see if we can get rid of the free-loadin ant’s.All I want is a compentent crew of fire & rescue .IM not getting no younger,I hate to think Ill have to drive to Ensley before I have an heart attack..Ive paid for better than this!
I regret to inform you ant it has become very obvious that some of the people on here yes you have an agenda. What is that you ask? You want to keep your little slice of heaven at the volunteer firehouse, you know a place to cookout, a place to sleep when you have a bad night (you know what i mean), hey maybe even a place to get married, the fire truck bay provides a beautiful back drop. Quit worrying about yourselves if you truly care about your community. It is time for a career crew in Cantonment, it has been said that the volunteers can’t handle the calls! What are we to do pray our houses don’t burn down the next year while you rebuild the once “illustrious” Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department?? Quit protecting your past times and start protecting your community like you say is so important to you. It has become quite obvious in Cantonment that there isn’t a guaranteed response 24/7 from the volunteers! It’s time to wake up, throw in the towel, and find a different hobby.
First off fire cat you won’t be getting a thank you from me, but we as tax payers deserve a thank you from yourself and the rest of the volunteers for allowing to get paid at your hobby. We as tax payers have given you somewhere to live, eat, hangout, sleep, probably even meet your boyfriend and for what?? Oh that’s right a delayed, an inadequate, or no response. Get real play times over make way for the “PROFESSIONAL” firemen meaning it is their profession not a hobby.
Hey “come on” I have to agree with you 100% I can’t stand seeing the fire truck in Cantonment sitting at Waffle house at 2 and 3 in the morning when I’m coming home from work. You know that really upsets me, oh but wait, that’s not the career firemen that’s the vollies that can’t get a truck out for a structure fire!!
Come on ,I hope your there when they alchol & drug test these volunteersI That will put an end to the Country Funded Romper room camp out get togerthers.The Money saved on stipen checks for SOCIAL HOUR & DAY CARE STYLE TRAINING could be better used on hiring real fire fighters.I just came out of my shell & drove by the fire house all I saw was a couple of DUDES leaning on their truck hood looking around.
8 years !! LOL I’m 4 years as a vollie and 23 as a paid FF. Youre just a “newbie” yourself ! But thanks for the 8 years…lol
I served 8 years at Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department. I was there when it was straight volunteer and when I left we were getting a stipend. I didn’t ask for the stipend. I would have gladly continued to do it for nothing.
When training was required, I trained. When classes were mandatory and some that weren’t, I took them. When Firefighter I was offered, I took it with the first group from that station. I have known, trained, and worked with both volunteer and career firefighters and I can tell you that I would rather have a 10 yr volunteer veteran at a call than a paid newbie that was able to pass a written test.
Experience always triumphs book smarts.
Career doesn’t always mean better…it just means they get paid.
There are volunteers out there that have so much heart and love for the job and for helping people….but there are some that do it for themselves, to look good, to look important….and that makes me sad. Sad because it gives the truly dedicated firefighters a bad name.
You wanna help the situation…then decide to join as a volunteer. But be prepared to miss out on births, birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, sleep, and maybe your own wedding (yeah, almost happened)…and then have people in your community think that you are nothing more than someone looking to “play at the firehouse.”
FOR Time to Wake Up!! –
I dedicated 8 years of my life to the preservation of yours….Your Welcome.
Bobber let me help you figure it out, the paid and career get free uniforms. Every person is issued a certain amount of money each year for uniforms. as far rough riding fire trucks well it is done with both sides. and if you really pay more attention when you got out of your shell you’ll see more paid crews sitting at a fast food joint with their truck running and wasting high price fuel. Just ask Sandra she’s the professional.
REGARDING;
“I didn’t consider this to be an “emergency” but more of a concern and I don’t call 911 unless it’s absolutely necessary BUT there is a non-emergency number for the county and I will call that number next time.”
That’ll have to do, then. I’m not talking about calling them for the drama of it, but for the fact that fires spread. If you see signs of one and if the wind catches it right, it might burn up a neighbor’s house a few minutes later. Fire fighters save houses by putting out grass fires ere they get to the houses. The sooner the better.
David for an ounce of prevention
Ok is has become extremely obvious that Sandra (and a few others that have posted )has has some type of agenda. I am not sure, but the comments made sound like an IAFF local union script. This also might not have ahything to do with it either, but the local IAFF has just voted to become and active bargining unit, i.e. the more members ( career firefighters) that in the local, the more power the local has. As with most all unions, they look out for the membership, not what is best for the customer (in this case, the public). Just throwing out idea now.
Personally, I have never had a problem working with ANY of the career firefighters, so why would I bash any of them for doing their job? I have good friends that are career firefighters in the area and on the whole, I think they do a darn fine job!
As far as the all or nothing attitude, that is not quite an accurate view. According to your statement, because Cantonment may have a short crew, the other 16 stations can’t crew an engine either? I want to pose a hypothetical, Station 14 ( an all career 24/7 station is called out of their area to help on a structure fire. While they are out of district, who is covering their area in the event they recieve another emergency call?
An engine company from a neighboring district might have to be dispatched to handle that call ( maybe even a VOLUNTEER company).
I do think that there will be a time when all of the fire services in Escambia county will be career. There is growth in the career ranks every year and I think this is a good thing, but at this point and time there simply is just NO money in the ALLOTED budget to hire more career firefighter.
Mr. White, I demand that a professional, paid crew be put at Station 4.
There you have it. I feel better already! It is for sure a done deal now,
donut has spoken.
I guess this means you won’t be need’n my volunteer services.
I wish everything was this easy to fix.
Look folks, the day of having stipend paid volunteers in Escambia county has come and gone. You obviously arent up to the task , you’ve already let the people of Cantonment down by not being able to crew up a truck. Its time for paid professional lifesavers to fill this station for the betterment of Cantonment. Call Mr. White and demand that a paid professional crew be sited at Sta. 4. Dont let your house burn down because of the politics and “cant get along” attitude of these volunteers that are in it “for the betterment of my community”.
All this talk is exciting. Makes me want to join up. I bet I could make a good living on that stipen check, yea, I’ll take that. I been looking for something to do. I want one of those shirts I see everybody wearing in Cantonment, you know the fire/rescue shirt. Come to think of it if all those folks are volunteers we have more than enough to go around. I want one of those blue lights too so I can put it on the dashboard of my pickup. Yea! Yall be able to sleep at night knowing ole donuts on the job. I know I’ll be able to sleep better cause now I’ll have a place to sleep Friday nite, Saturday and sunday. I think I might have a cookout on Saturday.
I agree whole heartedly.
I wish that we could all just stop bashing each other. If we could put all of our fire hoses together we could take care of Cantonment. I will personally turn on the nozzle myself. If we don’t have enough shirts to go around, we’ll get Sandra to buy us some. There it is problem solved. Can I get a amen. God Bless
First of all Beenthere is two words….Duh and lastly, you are so wrong I know for a fact that you could not hold a candle to the career firefighter. Their knowledge and physical ability could out match any old couch potato on a bad day with a 5 alarm fire. You just keep thinking that and keep paying your taxes. Even with all that experience you can’t run with the big dogs just stay on the porch.
I can’t figure this out? Why are they called volunteers. They are paid over 300.00 stipend checks and free uniforms. Plus a all night and evening hangout. Rough ride fire trucks that cost us over $300,000.00, with the lights and sirens on; driving it like they stole it! I have lived in the north end of the county all my life, it is no more than a county funded “Romper Room”. I expect more from my county commissioners than this!
Sandra wrote “they are paid on call firefighters “. You slipped up and called them firefighters, Uh oh. ——-Hope the Volunteer Firefighters stay around, cause if something ever happened to you Sandra, County Fire/City would have to shut down. I read and ask myself if Sannndra is as professional as she/he thinks then why even entertain the conversation with remarks that are obviously intended to be negative. We know you’re red wagon is brighter( should be with all your money) not that you’re income was even relevant to the conversation. I think Kenny Perkins felt the same way you do and where is he now?
I live in the Ensley district and I know volunteers at Cantonment. If the guys that responded to my house a few weeks ago were “professional” then I’ll take the “hobby” volunteers. It took 20 minutes for the “paid” truck to get to my house exactly 2 miles away. Gosh, I’m glad the firehouse is always staffed for quick response.
I don’t claim to know what needs to be fixed at Cantonment – but don’t bash guys who are working hard and risking their lives for free.
To: Active FF
If you are an active Firefighter then you should know that no matter the training the Volunteers get treated way different than the paid. As far as what the state requires when things bad enough the county will push back on the requirements. I will put some of the old guys with the 60hr training against any of the classroom trained guys on a live structure. You just can’t replace experience.
REGARDING:
The next time, you might consider calling 911 and let them decide who to send to check it out and/or put it out. That IS what it’s there for.
I didn’t consider this to be an “emergency” but more of a concern and I don’t call 911 unless it’s absolutely necessary BUT there is a non-emergency number for the county and I will call that number next time.
Neighbor for not causing unnecessary drama.
We NEED FIREFIGHTERS but we can do without all the money the County spends on Recreation, i.e., ball fields, convention centers that are built in the wrong places, government complex buildings that build as close to the waterfront as possible instead of building years ago in a economical location, i.e., 9-mile road that had an air field that was bought and turned over to developers to build houses. Stop so much of this wasteful spending and give the firefighters as much as you do the Law Enforcement in the county. I think we are over-staffed with law enforcement; cut some of that and put more in firefighters pockets to feed their families. It should be a place where the firefighters make as much money as law enforcement and should be staffed just as well. These men and women risk their lives every day never knowing what they are going into when they enter a building. Kevin W. should be ashamed he has not been fighting for these people in his district.
Glad to hear you feel that way because that’s what I feel like when I know that my life will be in the hands of an inadequate volunteer response that even if they show up may not have the slightest clue as to what’s going on or what to do. Also if you actually paid attention, my statement about my feelings towards volunteers was not in reference to a single incident. My poor experiences with volunteer fireman have been compiled over more than 10 years. In my experiences it is not always the young uneducated fireman that make poor decisions and or no decision that causes harm to themselves, co-workers, or patients, but it is more the older more stubborn so called “experienced” fireman that are too proud to do what is best, but what makes them look best, and or better suits them without regard for the safety and wellbeing of others. The mentality and freelancing of volunteers with zero accountability is what has made volunteers one of the most dangerous parts of the fire service. I can tell you there are many instances that very bad things have happened as a direct result of poor decisions by proud volunteers. It’s time people to get real, I say this as a citizen of Escambia County and a resident of Cantonment, please don’t let me and my family fall victim to proud volunteers and poor decisions. I’m sorry but I feel us as citizens all deserve to be protected with a guaranteed response by competent fireman who are not too proud to do what is right.
Back in 2000 and 2001 ECFR were looking to staff the Cantonment Fire Station with a career crew. This was before the widespread of career crews in the county. Bingle had his truck Captains give inflated crew numbers after hours to prevent the intrusion of career crews in Cantonment. He had the truck Captains cancel engines from neighboring stations staffed with career personnel. He did these things to keep his authority in the station. Bingle now has the experience and qualifications to work as a career officer in the fire service, would this be his reasoning for asking for a career crew? There were some good volunteers that left over the years because of Bingle but, that is not really the staffing issue. The majority of CVFD’s roster over the years was of a younger generation. That generation has gotten older and started families and had to relocate in other fire districts. The younger generation does not have the interest in being a volunteer today. Today voluntary joining a FD is the only part of volunteering that exists everything else in a VFD is mandatory.
I am glad Sandra makes the “big money” that they can assure every tax payer in the county that they can afford the 180% (or more) increase in the MSBU to fund all the paid station.
As implied in Sandra’s post earlier, the economy around here is not that great. The citizens may sleep soundly in their beds, but their beds might not be in their houses anymore.
I guess the answer is to raise taxes again……and then again……and even again. Am I following you on you ideas, Sandra?
Response to the individual that responded to Volunteer FD around 12:50 pm this afternoon:
I am sorry you “have personally seen the destruction that their actions or lack there of can cause”.
I guess if one doctor makes a bad decision, ALL doctor are incompetent. If one lawyer loses a case, ALL lawyers are incompetent. If a mechanic doesn’t fix a car, ALL mechanics must be incompetent.
In your eyes, are ALL the above comparisons correct? I am guessing no.
Then DON’T assume ALL volunteer firefighters are as incompetent as you want them to be! I take personal offense to that statement. Conservatively, over the past 19 years. I have attended about 2500 hours of both classroom and practical training and responded to around 5000 calls. A statements like, “Yes I think poorly of volunteers because I have personally seen the destruction that their actions or lack there of can cause.”, is like a spit in the face to me and to all that take helping their community as a serious business.
I do stand corrected, the training facility WAS going to be paid with state funding.
The county has the money, else they wouldnt be spending 5 million on a station at perdido key that is not needed. You seem to think that federal grant money vaporizes out of thin air..it doesnt, taxpayers foot the bill for it. Anyway, all of this back and forth is for nothing. In five to ten years the county FFs will be all career and we can sleep safer in our beds knowing it.
to Sandra:
I know Volunteer FD, both he and I have done this LONG before there was any type of REIMBURSEMENT from the county for used fuel and ruined clothing. I am a 19 year member of the volunteer fire service. I have seen MANY come and go. If you are in this volunteer deal for the money, you are not very smart! the ones that are in it for the money are the ones that go. This issue doesn’t need to be AGAINST anyone. The volunteers AND the career are doing their best to serve the community. The blame lies with PREVIOUS management of ECFR. NOT the guys in the trenches!!!!!!!!
FACTS:
1. The county has no money to fund ANYMORE 24/7 stations!…..PERIOD!
2. The county is in need of volunteers!……EVERYWHERE!
3. The problem will not be fixed by squabbling over who makes more and where!
to Oh Really:
I really cant believe you are trying to bring and use against the county the fact that they are TRYING to MEET the STATE MANDATED requirements for training?!?!?!?!? SERIOUSLY?!?!?!? Whether career or volunteer, the training HAS to be given!!!!!! Get with the program, one of the issues that have been discussed is the difficulty of maintaining and staffing a training facility that all firefighter personnel can use.
I can not state this as a fact, but I believe that the training facility in question was going to be paid by federal grant money.
solution i was just trying to prove a point to Sandra that a volunteer can work and have a good life and also be there for his or her community. You have to get her to explain about why she felt the need to post her earnings.
no money for firefighters. didn’t i just recentley read that the county is looking to build a state of the art training facility? i wonder how many firefighters they could pay with that amount of money?
Sandra if they feel they need it they can have it!! I don’t base bills on overtime or side jobs. As Ant said earlier its all about me me me in this day in time, everybody wants to complain about the volunteers and also the career. No one wants to go out and help each other anymore get a job done, do it right, do it safely and return home to their families and get ready for the next call of help. so you just keep on driving and working overtime and a second job and i will keep volunteering until you or the career union or county can get enough money to get all career stations in the county. Until then let’s all just do what is asked of us and keep our citizens safe. Be safe on the roads.
How in the heck did this get turned into “i make more money than you”. The citizens of this county just want protection and people there when they need it. Come on people.
Maybe you wouldnt mind giving that stipend back to the county then since youre obviosly rolling in dough. LOL Along those lines, I dont know why we call them volunteers anymore. They are paid on call firefighters.
Solution,
In reference to your comment;
“take the crew out of molino, the chief doesn’t want them there even though they can’t muster a crew during the day”
You may want to check your facts before running your mouth about Molino Fire Department. Our fire department is better than most. Our volunteers are dedicated and are always there when we need them. Our calls DO NOT go unanswered no matter what time of day or night it is. I don’t know where you are getting your information from, but it is no where near the truth. Our chief, Kenny Ashcraft, at least is there for the right reasons and has been since he was 16 years old. It surely is not the money, or lack of, that keeps him there. And I can sure promise you its not the notariety.
Did you ever stop to question why fire depts may be having staffing issues? Maybe its because those volunteers OR paid need to feed their family with a decent paying job. Since you seem to be so up on everything ..why don’t you come up with a solution for us all? We’re all waiting………since you have all this information on all these different fire depts, I can only assume you at some point were part of one. If that is the case-you should know how unthankful this job is. Not to mention the mental toll it takes on you and your family. I, for one, can speak from experience that anytime I, or my neighbors, have called 911-we have had no issues. Leave Molino out of this!!!
Sandra I am sorry you have to work two jobs and overtime to make that. I do the 68 thousand on my own, my wife works also so now were over 100 thousand and I still have time to make the calls as a volunteer, take care of my two sons and go fishing with my family and also on vacation every year. An all volunteer station can and does fucntion as a group of professionals. Our department trains on a regular basis, we check our equipment and maintain it as well as a career crew would do. If my stipend check will help get you another career department you can have it because i don’t volunteer for the money as you can tell from above, its just extra for me. I like volunteering for my community.
Sandra,
I am one of those people who can, and DOES do that job!.
You prove my point! there are other things that can be done in a fire station that does not include any of the things you pointed out!
There is a job for EVERYONE!
go find out how YOU can help!
Sandra I like your “slightly insane” comment! And it is true that some people can make a very good living as a career firefighter. However, some people make a better living in other careers and still want to help serve their community by volunteering.
And no, not all are “created equal”. There is additional training required to go career. However there is still state mandated training that volunteer firefighters must undergo (it just upped from 160 hours to 200+) before they can actively fight fire. This requirement alone makes it difficult to recruit people into the volunteer ranks.
It all comes down to what you want to pay for. If you want an all career county then be prepared to pay more than for a combination career/volunteer department. That is not a scare tactic, it is common sense. But I WILL guarantee that no matter what happens, someone will still be upset about some aspect of the situation.
If there is no more money to budget in a career crew at the station, then there is no $$ for it (I am sure Mike Weaver did not just make this decision lightly).
I have lived in Escambia County all my life (62 years). I have lived in Cottage Hill for 35 years. In the past, when someone in my community called 911 for assistance (injury, fire, etc.), we could hear the fire & rescue siren within a minute, or so. Comforting feeling. The fire truck and rescue truck would arrive within a very few minutes. Usually the ambulance, if needed, would be a few minutes behind. That was back when we had an all volunteer fire department. Then, we were “asked” to pay an assessment fee, so the fire department could be fully equipped. We did. Nothing changed. Then we were informed that our fire department would work more efficiently and professionally, if it was staffed by a paid crew. So that happened.
My question is – - – what happened??? Recently, around 4pm, a widow who lives on our road was found on the bathroom floor, semi-conscious and bleeding. Someone called 911 and explained the situation. I went to her house to see if I could help. I waited outside to flag down the fire & rescue trucks and wait for the ambulance. I heard nothing. I waited 20 minutes and heard nothing. The ambulance came and took the injured party to the hospital. I heard nothing. Fire and rescue never showed up. I was flabbergasted! What in the world has become of our fire & rescue, since becoming better equipped and more professional?
I contacted Kevin White (it took several emails). He finally said that the ambulance arrived in 12 minutes. That was a lie. He said he would investigate. Yea, right. I believe, after talking to volenteers at the station, that people are reluctant to work at night and on weekend for free, so the paid people can work days and be off on weekends.
Don Norris
Ant…everybody cant do this job, although they may like to think that they can. There are harsh physical requirements as well as psychological issues that we must contend with. Firefighters deal with death of all ages, mangled corpses, and diseased individuals and the possibility of entering a burning structure with temps between 8 and 12 hundred degrees. These issues weed out all but the most fit and slightly insane among us. Just be glad we’re here for you.
I have seen the same thing over and over on every article written about ANYTHING that has to do with the ANY fire department issue ANYWHERE; LOTS of complaining and finger pointing.
I have a very feasible solution to the whole thing. Instead of logging on to a website and complaining that everything that is being done is not enough. STEP UP!….YES, you!…..the one sitting there reading this. What can YOU do to help fix the situation?!?!
The bottom line to the whole thing is that there is NOT anymore money!!!!!!!
There is NOT going to be a quick fix to this problem!!!!!!!
I see a problem with people in Pensacola today, in fact everywhere in the country. Seventy to eighty years ago, people would say, “What can sacrifice can I make to help the effort?”, now a days its me me me me me…….what can someone do for me?!?!? Personally, I am kind of sick of it!
I say, if you are not willing to help in SOME WAY ( other than complaining), just sit down, and stop whining!
I thank everyone who is willing to take a little effort to help.
For those that are not willing to do anything but complain, why don’t you visit the County Chief or your local fire station to find out the truth AND how you can help.
Its really sad to me to see on here that it has become a volunteer bashing party. ITS NOT AGAINST VOLUNTEERS! Its against the fact that cantonment does not have proper coverage and protection now. “”We can no longer provide the proper minimum fire response,” Cantonment VFD District Chief Jeffery Bingle said…did no one else see this statement? Did the commissioners miss this as well? Obviously they don’t live in Cantonment. A paid crew in Cantonment is basically saying to the community that when they call for help, the County is stepping up and saying someone is coming. By telling the citizens of Cantonment that “only five or six of those (Volunteers) are very active,” the commisioners are basically telling Cantonment that they better hope that there isn’t something better going on Saturday and those 5 or 6 are actually at the Station. Station 4 is right in the heart of cantonment surrounded by homes and a few business that deserve the same amount of pretection as the other stations that have full time crews. Unless the volunteers (who by the way do NOT have the same amount of training as the paid crews {Hints the need for Fire2 in order to be paid but only Fire1 to volunteer}) step up and actually cover the station with enough people and experience then Cantonment not only deserves, it NEEDS a paid crew to properly protect the community!
Maybe if “volunteer FD” had someone do his “real job” for free he wouldnt make as much money. Besides that, paid crews arent paid that badly. I made 68 thousand last year as a driver w/ overtime inc. and another 26 thousand at my side job. I doubt that “volunteer FD” made that kind of jack in this economy and in this area.
Take the crews out of century, burkett doesn’t want them there even though they can’t respond themselves, take the crew out of molino, the chief doesn’t want them there even though they can’t muster a crew during the day. Problem solved. Oh but wait, the same people that do not want “paid” crews and don’t want to pay a couple dollars extra we be all up in arms when call after call goes unanswered during the day in molino and day and night in our great town of century. This is so called protecting the citizens of escambia county? The public safety director thinks so.
As far as posting my address it doesn’t matter because I accually live in the district mentioned in this article so my life and property are already being protected by the closest career company. This article is about inadequate protection in Cantonment not about some voluteer on here trying to justify their hobby or brag about how much they make at thier “REAL” job. Lastly you as a volunteer can say whatever you want on here because there is no accountability within your ranks, however career personel weren’t on here running their mouth either because they are being muzzled or have more class, maybe both.
reply
I have been a volunteer longer than i have had my job so it’s kind of important to me to help my community when it needs my skills i have trained to obtain to help them in there time of need.
Plus i like aggravating you
If you make so much at your “REAL” job then why don’t you get a “REAL” hobby other than playing fireman and inadequately trying to protect my property, my family, or myself. Yes I think poorly of volunteers because I have personally seen the destruction that their actions or lack there of can cause.
Mike Weaver was in charge of EMS 2 years ago so how would he have any say over fire??? speakiing of homework….
If you feel volunteers are so under trained and useless why don’t you join them and help teach them the way since you have all the answers (right or wrong) i’m sure since you are so concerned about your community you and the others on here will make some very dedicated volunteers and you can make sure we avoid this situation in the future. Just think with your help we can avoid higher taxes and provide a greater level of service for the community at NO additional cost!!!! Or just stay home behind your computer like most negative people, either way at least i tried to help the situation.
“time to wake up”
If you feel that badly about volunteers may I suggest you move to the city which has all paid fireman. Or maybe do some more research on volunteers before you bash them unless you feel comfortable bashing people behind your computer without the correct information. Volunteers are trained the same as career and have to pass the same agility testing so how are volunteers in your words “to lazy to get a career job, get a full time job in general, or would miss there play time”. I am a volunteer and if I wanted to take a 40%+ pay cut I could be a “career” fireman also but instead I’ll just keep my job so when your tax increases come around for something that was being done for almost free I can continue to afford to live in this great messed up county with high taxes. I am not by far the only volunteer that feels this way, there are at least 8-10 people at my station alone that would love to be a paid firemen but not for what they make vs what we make now in our other professions! That being said if you’ll post your address we’ll make sure if we (low life volunteers) get a call to your house we’ll pass it on to the closet career station so you get the highest level of service (your words, definetly not mine).
Also if anyone else feels like doing something good for a change please feel free to visit http://www.myescambia.com/Bureaus/PublicSafety/FirefighterRecruitment.html website and find the volunteer fireman application and fill it out, we would be more than happy to have you and MOST of your community will appreciate what you do for little to nothing. You can start as a volunteer and turn it into a career like a lot of people have or just do it because you like giving something back. All training is free and there really are a lot of great folks to work with on both sides of the fence. Make your decision on your own and don’t be swayed by people that use the internet to bash some of the bravest people I have seen.
REGARDING:
“1. Fire taxes keep increasing
2. County puts in new playgrounds
3. County Builds new police training center”
Fire taxes, Municipal Services Benefit Unit, are only spent on that one thing, not on playgrounds or police training centers. (now, if the training included fire and rescue, that would be legitimate use of money).
They don’t legally get to merge funds. (They sort of did it several years back when they “borrowed” money from the Local Option Sales Tax funds to freeze the civic center, but they CLAIM they will pay it back someday. Holding of breath not recommended.)
David for not borrowing from Peter to pay Paul
(even though Paul says, just so he gets paid…)
REGARDING:
“I called the Cantonment station last week around 5pm asking for someone to come out and check on a smoking area at The Pipes where they were working a fire the day before.”
The next time, you might consider calling 911 and let them decide who to send to check it out and/or put it out. That IS what it’s there for.
David for proper calls and notifications
“Come on!” Obviously you are not aware of the mismanagment of county funds by the individuals in question. You obviously are also not aware of the costs associated with the protection all agencies within Escambia County provide. 2 years ago a report came out with recommendation of cuts and possible savings. Our county commissioners (2 in particular) and fire administration (including Mike Weaver, very present!!!!) chose not to act on those recommendation because it might hurt certain peoples feeling within the community and could cause an issue when re-elections would come around. Equipment and Stipend reform would have saved the county more money then would now be required to solve the above mentioned issue. All these staff vehicles you see driving around town do not put out fires, nor do they have any kind of use in vehicle accidents and my other responses. And I do agree that just throwing money at issues is not the answer, however at this point it’s a matter of safety and I do think that my safety and the safety of other people in cantonment trumps the $700+ thousand required for the move. Maybe you should do your homework and see how much it would cost to have 4 volunteers available 24/7 to run the calls. You will be surprised to find that it will be very close to the number it takes to fund it with career personnel, only difference is you have immediate response with very well trained and dedicated individuals. Could you imagine going to the ER for an emergency and the guy with a stethoscope tells you he’s a volunteer doctor, but I can do it for a lot cheaper, “I just don’t exactly have the same training”!!!!!! I’m pretty sure you would find a different ER. The current administration and commissioners are just out there to make sure they don’t loose their own jobs, regardless of the effects it has on the community.
Well, if Chief Bingle is too busy with his other department, he is should step aside and let someone else run the show who has the time to devote to this profession.
Yes, this was all done because Chief Bingle wants a paid job with Escambia County and he thought this would score some points with the brass from Esacambia County Fire Rescue.
Give it up Bingle. You have lost this department. They don’t respect you or want you as their chief. Be a man, step down and get out of the way and go take care of your other department.
First off, This is NOT a Mike Weaver issue. This started way before then. This is a County wide issue and he is now doing what YOU asked him to do with the budget. Not long ago, many of you were “bashing” the Government employee” as living off the fat cow and having unreasonable benefits. But yet when times were great, not one of you would give up your high paying private sector jobs to become a “Government Employee” at lower wages. Now that everyone has screamed for a balanced budget and cuts across the board, they forget that the “board” includes Fire and EMS. Both have faced the budget cuts YOU so demanded from ALL County Departments. EMS has lost 4 units on the road (thru attrition, no loss of employees) , and Fire is now having a hard time. This affects all of you, so now all of a sudden it’s wrong! You can’t have it both ways folks.
Wow if the Chief steps down a lot of the old membership would come back? That’s nice, so we as residents of Cantonment would then have a bunch of whining drama queens coming to help us in a time of need. It sounds to me like there are a lot of old membership that didn’t get the color helmet they wanted or didn’t get to drive the staff car to get groceries so they left. This is ridiculous that this conversation is even happening, the MSBU needs to be increased to fund certified career personnel 24/7 that doesn’t quit coming to the firehouse because their feelings were hurt or they didn’t get the position they wanted within the firehouse. The inadequacy of volunteers continues to become more and more obvious. Wake up people it’s now almost 2012 and we are still putting our lives in the hands of amateurs and hobbyists. It’s pretty obvious that the only people still “actively” volunteering are those without jobs or without the drive to either become a career fireman or get a full-time job, but wait that would mean no more play time at the volunteer firehouse. It’s time to get serious people, if my life or property is on the line don’t send me a volunteer, send me a professional that has dedicated their life to the preservation of mine.
Here’s a suggestion, Move the 2 or 3 volunteers at the Ensley station that chase the paid crew around to the Cantonment station. No sense in having a couple of volunteers at a station with a paid crew when you need volunteers somewhere else.
its not just jeff i know of two more.when they show up people run out the other door.
Jeff just needs to step down. I am at another station and requires an active chief. He talks about nobody being there but he isn’t there either. I know most of the problems start with the top. He needs to be a man a step down. I think the county would be surprised at how many come back after he is gone.
Couple of things…
1. A human life now in Cantonment is worth less than $709,219, awesome.
2. Since the Sheriffs office has a “blank-check” checking account, why doesn’t Fire/EMS go underneath the Sheriffs office. Broward County does it? You would have more fiscal accountability and less duplication of efforts.
Really! how can you blame Mike Weaver for being fiscally responsible when the people before him and Chief Spillman spent money like there was no tomorrow and put us in the situation we are in now with NO money? And as far as “concerned resident” goes your statment about fire, ems, and police should never be cut! Hello, thats why we are in the financial crisis we are in because of people like you that feel certain organizations need an “open” check book and if something goes wrong we can just throw money at it till it fixes itself and the tax payers are left with the bill (can anyone say FEMA). I would feel a lot better if the police force was doubled then we wouldn’t have as much crime but who is paying for that? you?
Anyone blaming the current administration for the this problem is crazy, they are actually trying to FIX something with what they have instead of throwing money at it like in the past.
As far as Jeff goes in cantonment maybe there does need to be some new blood in there on the volunteer side to try to fix things but lets not forget he has done a pretty good job till recently from what i gather.
Ok, let me understand this….
1. Fire taxes keep increasing
2. County puts in new playgrounds
3. County Builds new police training center
4. County provides off duty officers uniforms, cars, etc. for the officers that perform their off duty gigs.
AND the lives of our tax paying citizens are at risk because we cant get fire fighters for an emergency???
I like how most of the guys in the pictures are paid
It sounds to me that Bingle is trying to strong-arm going from volunteers to paid staff! There needs to be a mutiny because I imagine that if he’s gone other volunteers would come or come back!
As a resident of Cantonment I would just like to thank Mike Weaver personally for putting my family at risk. Yes, what would be the odds that my house would catch on fire….. But wait, what if I get sick, a family member gets sick, get in a car wreck or need any type of assistance that the fire deparment responds too????? And no response???? Maybe I need to make sure I have my attorney on speed dial with mr. Weaver being the main defendant. YOU SHOULD NEVER CUT SPENDING FOR SAFETY!!!!!!!!!!!!! POLICE, FIRE AND EMS ARE NECESSARY SERVICES. I urge all our cantonment residents to pick up the phone and give Mike Weaver an earful. It’s unacceptable that he can decide on matters that really do involve life or death situations. I understand people don’t have their time to volunteer and go to manditory training and classes, that’s just the time we live in. If that means I will have to pay a little more, oh well, gas prices and cigarettes go up and people still drive cars and smoke cigarettes. I really hope that my neighbors and all the residents of cantonment won’t stand for this obvious lack of judgement, maybe we should look for a new director of public safety along with new county commissioners!!! And for those who do not think this is an important issue, you don’t know how important these services are until you need them……………………. and they might not show up if it’s up to mike weaver and other individuals within public safety and the BOCC.
Cantonment does not need a full time payed crew, not that they dont do a great job. A few years ago Cantonment was a great Department, But do to poor managment in the department most of the people left. The County needs to step in and have the deparmtment heads step down and let some of the old volunteer’s come back and get the department back running right again. I know that there is a few of us that would be willing to do so, Because a great volunteer will fight fire all night and then go home and kiss his family good bye and then go to there payed job and do it again the next day. We need to take Canonment back its been along time coming. We want Canonment to be a safe place to live work and play.
Yet another poor decision by someone who doesnt qualify or deserve the position he is in. Thanks Weaver, hope your inability to make the right decision doesnt cost someone there life. What does he care he has 24/7 fire protection where he lives.
Benthere…
The requirements for FF1 are a state mandate, not county. The only thing the county has been involved with is requirements to work as an officer. While the classes are extensive, this was done to bring a volunteer officer up to the same level as a career officer to avoid problems with untrained volunteer officers supervising career personnel and vice versa.
Has anyone considered why volunteers are down so much. There are several reasons. The first is that since the county took over they require a volunteer to have hundreds of hours of training before they can fight fire. Agreed training is needed, but on the job training with a mentor and boundaries has proven more than effective in the past. Cantonment used to run 30 plus firemen all volunteer.
Also how is the Chief and Deputy Chief managing the department. There has been numerous concerns over the Chief at Cantonment wanting a job with the County Fire so he rolls over for the county Chief ect. Although the Chiefs at Cantonment put in hours of time, is it productive hours? I for one believe as long as the county is in charge you had better hang onto your money because they are coming after it.
Well, sounds like a prime time to have “Chief” Bingle step down. If he does not have time to do his job effectivly put somone there who does. Other stations with active leaders seem to be doing alright. When it comes down to it he is the one that is reponsible for the staffing at his station. Same concept in buisiness. Poor managment causing staffing problems, replace the
Its looks like we are on our own, lets just deal with it, until all the new commissioners are seated.
I called the Cantonment station last week around 5pm asking for someone to come out and check on a smoking area at The Pipes where they were working a fire the day before. It looked like it was going to start up again. No one answered at the station ,so I call the Molino station and after several rings got someone to consider coming out .
I hope we don’t have any fires around here anywhere but if we do only between 7am and4pm
It would seem that those who live in an enhanced fire district that receives full time paid firefighters would pay higher MSBU rates than those of us who don’t have that luxury. It makes sense to me to increase the fire tax for all in the Cantonment fire district including all the districts that have full time fire service, so that the county can fund the services they need – you know, the pay as you go concept. Why should we in North Escambia pay to fund full time fire service for Ensley, Brent or any other area of the county when we’re on the back burner all the time? This is a question that commissioners probably won’t answer in a public forum because the issue is decisive among the communities when it comes to the haves and have nots.