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IRS Audit Results In Changes For Escambia Volunteer Firefighters; Some Forced To Resign
January 16, 2015
Due to an IRS audit, change is coming to the ranks of volunteer firefighters in Escambia County, including a policy that will force some volunteers to resign by the end of January.
Volunteer firefighters in Escambia County currently receive stipend pay for answering 25 percent of their station’s calls during the month, ranging from $300 for a Firefighter I to $550 for a district chief.
The audit was prompted after the IRS discovered that several Escambia County employees were receiving both a W-2, showing taxes withheld from their “day” job with county, and a 1099, showing no taxes withheld as a volunteer firefighter. The IRS found Escambia County should have been withholding taxes on a stipend pay for all volunteers and the county owes over $78,000.
“We starting treating them more and more like regular employees,” County Administrator Jack Brown said, mentioning various requirements and items such as uniforms provided to volunteers. “We’ve started getting further away from being a volunteer…in the minds of the IRS.”
Click here to download the IRS audit results (4.3 MB pdf).
Under a solution discussed Thursday morning by the Escambia County Commission, volunteer firefighters will still receive a stipend check, but taxes will be withheld. The policy will also require any volunteer to resign if they are employed by the Escambia County BOCC to avoid any potential tax or overtime issues. Volunteer firefighters that work for county entities that do not fall under the Board of County Commissioners, such as the Sheriff’s Office or School Board, will not be required to resign.
Preliminary numbers show about a dozen county employees that will be forced to give up their volunteer firefighter positions.
A provision existed in the stipend program under which a volunteer could man a “duty crew” — spending a period of time at the station awaiting an emergency call — in lieu of making the 25 percent call requirement. Due to potential minimum wage issues, that policy will be eliminated or reworked.
County officials said the stipend and employment changes are due to the IRS and other agencies outside the county; they said the stipend changes are out of the control of Escambia County.
Commissioners also discussed the potential need to staff all county fire stations south of Nine Mile Road with paid career firefighters rather than volunteers, while remaining with a primarily volunteer force in North Escambia where fire stations typically receive fewer calls for service.
“I think you can count on volunteers in the north end of the county,” Commissioner Wilson Robertson said while expressing his support for all paid firefighters south of Nine Mile Road where the volunteers “can’t be found”. Robertson said he was referring to the inability to recruit an adequate number of volunteers in the southern end of the county, not the performance of current volunteers.
Escambia County Public Safety Director Mike Weaver, who began his emergency services career as an Escambia County volunteer firefighter, agreed. He also expressed a need for more fire station locations in the southern part of the county based upon call data.
“I think there’s a northern solution and a southern solution,” Commissioner Doug Underhill said, calling for the “right mix” of volunteer and career firefighters in the county.
While the tax withholding and employment relationships have been enacted by the county clerk’s office, which oversees payroll, any other changes to fire services in Escambia County discussed during Thursday morning’s Committee of the Whole meeting would need formal approval in a regular commission meeting.
Pictured: Escambia County volunteer firefighter battle a fully involved house fire on Highway 97 in Davisville on November 11, 2014. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
51 Responses to “IRS Audit Results In Changes For Escambia Volunteer Firefighters; Some Forced To Resign”
I like the idea of giving the volunteer stations back to their board. Worked for over 60 years before. It worked and no laws were ignored or broken. The county is broke, just got hit with a $78K bill, and now they are trying to entertain the idea of hiring 54 more firefighters… Makes perfect sense if you are a politician…business as usual.
Bob, E14 has a crew of 3 (career)
Station 13 not 14 is staffed with 4.
The career firefighters do not always show up with three guys. For example stations 3, 6, 14, and 19 are assigned 4 career personnel per shift. Ladder 12 most of the time has a 4th that is a part timer. The stations that are staffed with four is due to the fact that they are special ops and water rescue stations. On a rare basis will you get a volunteer truck with 6 certified firefighters. Certified meaning they have received a firefighter 2 cert allowing them to enter a IDLH environment.
It costs money to open a career fire station with people being against a small tax increase then this can not happen. A few extra dollars a month from each resident goes along ways. If you have a mortgage you won’t have to strike a check at the end of the year. You will only pay those few dollars a month. Few dollars meaning the price of a box of donuts.
When they fill out the volunteers 1099s they should put the pay in box 3 instead of box 7 this will fix all the irs problems
Here we go again. The North End. (As they call us) are going to be ripped off again. I wish we could be annexed into Alabama. We pay exborbant property taxes,we have an empty building that. The County is supposed to be using next to our Ruritn Club bldg. that the County (I hear) is designated to the Sheriff’s Dept. That could be used as a few days.week for Health. Sub office for tags etc so wwe wouldn’t have to drive halfway to Penacola to conduct business. There is Billy Ward County Owned building sitting idle for most of the week. THIS BUILDING should be open for all the services. Now you are cutting the volunteers so our homes will burn up before the SOUTH END get to us.
Each time (2 times) I have called for emergency help I got it. My mom was lifelighted out and died 10 days later. Every person was volenter and stopped to check on her before and after she died . They wanted to know if family needed anything. One guy wanted his church to help. We had afire they volentered to help rebuild!! (cow barn) Everyone who has volentered is a HERO!! And the county needs to take care of them.
Just this week my volunteer engine company responded to a medical call in a paid company’s district while the career truck was training out of their home district. The week before, my volunteer company responded to a medical call in a paid district. Works both ways some times. Volunteers might show up with a full truck, driver only, but the paid guys always show up with 3 (which is NOT a full truck). It is not uncommon for districts to cover other districts. Its a mutual aid of sorts. Over in Ferry Pass, they often run 2 trucks at the same time on multiple incidents. They also send Ferry Pass to Santa Rosa county for the same concept of mutual aid. So now we have to ask should Ferry Pass get 2 paid companies? Over 75% of the FIRE calls are actually MEDICAL calls that should be handled by EMS. Why is no one bickering about more ambulances from EMS?
This thread is getting good. I hope the shot-callers are reading.
I put 14 years in as a volunteer in Escambia, and I left primarily because of the politics. I received stipend for the last few years, and I paid my taxes on them based upon my 1099’s. So, this is more a matter of the IRS demanding that the county pay Social Security and FICA costs (the income tax was paid for by the individual).
As far as “everything is provided” and “there are no costs to the volunteer”, I am sorry but that is “bull”. Basic supplies are provided, and some uniforms. But if you want (and this is not all inclusive) – a radio case/strap, personal tools, extrication gloves, goggles, more than three uniforms, fuel for your vehicle (both to/from the station but also training at various locations), or to eat while you are there… you pay for it out of pocket. The stipend program was designed to help offset those costs, and to help intice people to join the departments.
I am wondering:
1 – how far back they will push this issue, they have been using a stipend system now for almost ten years.
2 – Will this affect prior members that received stipend payments?
3 – How will they manage this situation if they either decide to “hire” all personel (as stated before the FF2 requirements), or will they do away with the stipend program?
And I have no doubt that the issue was brought up before. Many issues that have been suddenly “discovered” have been brought up but tabled until the issue is forced (like this). And that is on BOTH sides (volulnteer and career). Unfortunately there is a lot of the “hide our head in the sand” mentality with these.
Frank- the county does hire volunteers that apply for full time career positions. There are a lot of volunteers that have other better paying jobs so they choose not to partake of the opportunity. Escambia county has one of the lowest fire taxes In the state. Me personally I would have no problem paying more money per year if a unit(from my district) will show up to my house in a reasonable amount of time. The north end of the county operates very well with volunteers, no call volume is much less. What people do not know is that multiple times a day career personnel are having to leave their district to run a call in a volunteer district. So now that career unit is farther away from a potential fire than they would originally of been. People need to think about how they would feel if there house burned down right behind a fire station that never showed up. A very small increase in the fire tax would open more career stations to insure fire protection to the tax payers and quicker medical attention if EMS is delayed(ALS or BLS).
The beat goes on…
When in fact the beat doesn’t go on. Volunteering isn’t a hobby to someone who has put countless hours and years into the community. It’s a lively hood. It’s your life calling. To many drones out there in the mundane workforce, volunteering is what they love doing, a way to escape and feel worth by giving back. To pull that away from them, to take away the $300 a month reimbursement, is a crying shame. Most if not all of these guys would do it for free. They are not allowed to do it for free either so that avenue is closed.
Be cautious out on the roads and in your homes. The top call running individuals from individuals bellview, mcdavid and ferry pass are no longer able to come help as they have so many times before. And those are just the 3 that I am aware of. Yes, eventually a paid truck will show up but I guess it really boils down to how serious of trouble are you in?
Here are the call loads (December) from each respective station for your enjoyment. Unofficial of course.
Volunteer stations:
Bellview: 107
Beulah: 38
Century: 45 (Paid staffing M-F 0700-1600)
Ferry Pass: 196
Innerarity Point: 55
McDavid: 13
Molino: 49
Myrtle Grove: 55
Walnut Hill: 33
West Pensacola: 74
Full time paid stations:
Brent: 225
Cantonment: 185
Ensley: 169
Osceola: 161
P-cola Beach: 140
Perdido Key: 98
Pleasant Grove: 115
Warrington: 130
If anyone wants to say the vollies are proud, you bet they are. Those are some big numbers the south end guys take care of.
Did I miss something??? I have read the article and the IRS audit also. What I read says:
1.A county employee can still volunteer but cannot receive the stipend.
2. Only south of Nine Mile is going all fulltime.
3.Praised the volunteers for their service to the community.
4.You are not a volunteer if you are getting paid-no matter how small amount it might be.
5.If you work 40 hours in one position/job and 1+ hours in another position/job for the same entity(business, gov’t, etc) the 1+ hours is overtime and must be paid at least minimum wage(federal law).
Does anyone in County Government use their head for something other than to keep their ears apart ??? What a bunch of “dimwitted jug heads”.
From what I’ve read over the past several years, it looks as if Es Co Fl has been trying to do away with Vol Firefighters. For the life of me I can’t understand why the County would want to get rid of something that wasn’t costing them a dime except for the training.
As a Vol FF in Alabama for over 20 years I do it for the enjoyment of helping my neighbors/community. I’ve never done it for any other reason. It comes from the heart..
Some paid FF’s do it just for the paycheck and nothing is wrong with that as long as their heart’s in it. If your heart isn’t in I don’t feel that they will give it 100%
Leave these vol guys/gals alone!
Why did yall start trying to fix something that wasn’t broken several years ago?
Unfortunately I understand where the IRS is coming from. You can’t be a paid employee and also volunteer and receive a stipend. There is not supposed to be a financial gain in volunteering. I’m sure the county is very well aware of that. Once the “volunteers” received a 1099 they became self-employed. I hate it for the firefighter’s but you can’t be self-employed and employed by the same organization.
sniper
“Forced” out of a hobby is a little different than a career. For the record, been a vollie since 1998 as a junior, still do it for free in my community I live in.
It is Escambia politics, please tell me you weren’t surprised by this claim by the administrator for the county.
I appreciate your time you put in, as does everyone you affected. It is not an us vs them. WE are ECFR.
I say, If they go paid staff south of Nine mile rd, we need to file a class action suit of Un-fair Tax… WE Pay same $ My Business paid almost a Thousand a year Fire Tax $85 per residence??? why will they not hire these Volunteers also?
The beat goes on…sounds like you are securely nestled in your position? How offensive would your comments be if you were abruptly forced out of your 30+ year position because the county ignored blatant tax laws. I heard it from the horses mouth “we all knew it was coming” in regards to the tax fraud. Pretty sure we can’t blame FSFC or the IRS for our county’s deliberate ignorance.
Let’s explore this fact.
The county is going to “hire” ALL volunteer personnel. No more stipend and we(vols) all get pay checks.
Once this happens as of Feb 1st, only employees with the fire 2 certification will be able to get on the trucks which is a Florida state requirement. THUS, deeming ALL newly hired volunteer personnel unable to fight fire or run the 90% of the calls that are actually medical calls. Tell me now how that isn’t the county running off the volunteers. IRS sees us as employees, the state sees us as not qualified to fight fire, and the county administration sees us as only of value on the north end. Plain and simple. Why isn’t anyone fired up about that?
Pager or paycheck, it is the way you act that makes you professional. Volunteerism is down all over America. Blaming the administration for the state required training and certifications is not very wise. They are the Authority Having Jurisdiction, and thus, are responsible for damage to county property and county lives. Saying that going back to the pre-consolidation plan ways is more than 2 steps back. Both career and volunteer has had a much better relationship than that time. The commissioners have their hands tied when it comes to the IRS and the proper supply of adequately staffed fire trucks. There have been studies into the application of proper staffing and the total number of qualified people on the truck. (2 in and 2 out doesn’t apply on high to confirmed entrapment). There is no justification in the claim that the administration is trying to “run off the volunteers”, that would be career suicide on their part. At some point, people have to see that of they are doing their best, then that’s all that is asked of the public that they serve. I too started as a volunteer, and still do when I am not at my carter job as a firefighter. There is a need for both, and it is time to get on board to have input on how to make it better, not on how to submarine their efforts. The state fire college is looking for input on the training requirements of volunteers, you can start there. Understand that these aren’t personal attacks, and that progression should include what has worked in the past. That includes the adding of both career stations and volunteer members that ALL serve their tax paying neighbors.
I was a volunteer for 12 years and served on our Board of Directors until the paid firefighters were placed in our station. The following kind of sums it up for all the volunteers have done over the past years. Thanks guys and gals for a JOB WELL DONE!
I WISH YOU COULD
By Randall Broadwater, Firefighter/EMT-A
New Castle County, Hockessin, DE
I wish you could see the sadness of a businessman as his livelihood goes up in flames or that of a family returning home, only to find their house and belongings damaged or destroyed.
I wish you could know what it is like to search a burning bedroom for trapped children, flames rolling above your head, your palms and knees burning as you crawl, the floor sagging under your weight as the kitchen beneath you burns.
I wish you could comprehend a wife’s horror at 3 A.M. as I check her husband of forty years for a pulse and find none. I start CPR anyway, hoping against hope to bring him back, knowing intuitively it is too late, but wanting his wife and family to know everything possible was done.
I wish you could know the unique smell of burning insulation, the taste of soot-filled sweat and mucus, the feeling of intense heat through your turnout gear, the sound of flames crackling, and the eeriness of being able to see absolutely nothing in dense smoke – sensations I am all too familiar with.
I wish you could understand how it feels to go to work in the morning after having spent most of a December night cold and soaking wet at a multiple alarm fire.
I wish you could read my mind as I respond to a building fire. Is this a false alarm or a working fire? How is the building constructed? What hazards await us? Is anyone trapped? Or to an EMS call” What is wrong with the patient? Is it minor or life-threatening? Is the person who called for us really in distress or is he waiting for us with a 2 X 4 or a gun?”
I wish you could be in the emergency room with me as a doctor pronounces dead the beautiful little four year old girl I have tried so hard to save during the past twenty-five minutes, who will never go on her first date or say “Mommy, I love you” again.
I wish you could know the frustration I feel in the cab of an engine – foot pressing hard on the siren button, arm tugging again and again at the air horn lanyard, as you fail to yield the right-of-way at an intersection or in traffic. When you need us, however, your first comment upon our arrival will be, “It took you forever to get here!”
I wish you could read my thoughts as I extricate a teenage girl from the mangled remains of her automobile; “What if this were my sister? My daughter? What will her parents reaction be as they open their front door to find a police officer standing there, hat in hand?”
I wish you could know how it feels to walk in the back door and greet your family, not having the heart to tell them that you nearly didn’t come home from the alarm you were just on.
I wish you could feel my hurt as people verbally (and sometimes physically) abuse me or belittle what I do, or as they express their attitude of “It will never happen to me.”
I wish you could realize the physical, emotional, and mental drain of missed meals, lost sleep, missed or foregone social activities and intimate moments, in addition to all the tragedy my eyes have viewed.
I wish you could know the brotherhood and self-satisfaction of helping save a life, or preserving someone’s property, of being there in times of crisis, or creating order from chaos.
Unless you have lived the life of a firefighter, you will never truly understand or appreciate who we are, what we do, or what the job we perform really means to us.
I WISH YOU COULD!
It was mentioned that it is cheaper to have volunteers. I would agree with this in a money stand point. What about in a life saving standpoint? When a station is alerted multiple times to a residential/commercial fire IN THEIR DISTRICT and they don’t show up is that ok? When a cardiac arrest is dispatched across from a volunteer fire station, but no one ever shows up…is this ok? This is not to be taken as if I do not like volunteers! I was a volunteer for many year. Some stations in the county do a great job answering calls but others don’t. I don’t think that all of this is entirely the counties fault. They just happened to get audited and everything blew up. No one must of thought there was anything wrong with the system since it has been around for many many years.
There was a comment about what a commissioner talked about regarding getting volunteers. Yes if there is a lack of volunteers(riding with just a driver to a commercial fire alarm)and the county has tried to get more people to sign up the lack of manpower will reflect performance. It doesn’t mean you are bad at your job but that due to the lack of firemen given tasks can not be completed properly.
About time they transfer to full career on the south end.
This is a solid slap in the face to all of our brave volunteer firefighters. I, for one, am so very thankful for all of your service and I pray that they are able to see the error in their ways BEFORE human lives pay for these poor decisions.
Thanks guys and gals for volunteering your time, service and skill. I am forever grateful.
for the record I’m a career ECFR employee and I surely do not do for the paycheck. I figured along time ago that I want to get paid for what I absolutely love to do. The county has no control of this is an IRS problem. It sucks cause we all ready have issues of man power. But I understand it. It makes sense. But if someone told me I couldn’t be a fireman anymore, I would be upset my self very upset
I WAS AT ONE TIME A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGTER FOR THE NORTH END, AND INJOY IT.( ONTIL MY HEALTH GOT BAD)I INJOY GIVING BACK TO MY COUNTY FOR WHAT I LEARED AND WAS TRAIN IN THE NAVY FOR PUTING OUT FIRES,. AS FOR THE VOLUNTEER PART OF IT I NEVER LOOK FOR ANY PAY, BUT AS FOR THE FIRE TAX IT’S LIKE THE L,OS.T IT’S NEVER COME BACK TO THE NORTH END, AND NEVER WILL. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE VOLUNTEERS GET PAY. FOR THEY DO BY PUT A LOT OF TIME AND THERE GAS INTO IT, TO SAVE OUR HOMES AND KEEP OUR INS COST DOWN
Just another way of getting rid of all the volunteers. These volunteers are there risking their lives saving people and their homes. They are there because its in their heart to do this not because its a paycheck. My husband and son are volunteers…been volunteers for years. Thank you to all the volunteer firefighters for your service.
“I am tired of being a tax payer and not getting adequate service that I pay taxes for!”
We are getting exactly what we are paying for. I pay fire tax AND I volunteer over 20 hours a week in ECFR.
As Accountant Friend states, read the story and try to understand the legal issues here. This is not about ALL volunteers, just those that hold current jobs under the BOCC. FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) states that you cannot volunteer for an entity that you are drawing a paycheck from. The men and women who are already employed by any of the departments that fall under the BOCC umbrella, fall into this category unfortunately, and they should have had FICA and Social security taxes withheld from their stipend AND any of their time would be considered overtime if they already work 40 hours of their regular paid BOCC job. It is NOT that “THEY” did not pay their taxes! Because of the demands, training, time, use of Department vehicles etcetera, the IRS has ruled that they are really more like “regular employee’s” of someone they already work for. This is so unfortunate, the amount of “Experience” that the volunteer ranks will now lose is tremendous! This is not the BOCC’s fault, the volunteer’s fault, the paid firefighters fault, but the way laws are written. Also, Affordable Care Act does play a role in this unfortunate event too. Not ONCE did the “ability” of the Volunteer’s come into question, nor their training and dedication to doing what they love. Don’t throw stones if you are not sure who to throw them at.
Are the taxes the county owes the FICA taxes? That would make sense.
For those asking even if you paid your taxes on your 1099 Income if you are considered a direct employee of the employer they would need to pay a tax above your share for things like medicare and social security that would not be deducted from your pay.
I was a volunteer for 8 years i never asked for a dime i did it for my community and save lives and help.others not for money and i would glady do it again without being paid i think the country is just trying to get into everything like they did with the sheriffs department but thats my opinion
Is this all Escambia County because North Escambia gets ripped off enough. Anytime I read something about money that will be used in Escambia County it always benefits south Escambia always gets it! We are a very small part of the county and often get looked over! Just so sick of the politics saying they’re trying to help but it’s always the South end! Just so disappointed!!
Next time there is a fire or emergency, call the IRS!
Meddlesome guvmint.
These men and women need a special exclusion for the services they perform.
If something is working just fine…let the government and politicians notice and they will mess up a one car funeral.
Shame!
Too many people are distracted by the “volunteer this and volunteer that” portion of the story…. County officials are the ones who created this problem and should be responsible for the 78k that are owed in back taxes, the IRS did their job correctly and have just brought it to light. County officials are the easiest to blame cause the blame is on them, volunteers pay taxes on stipends, the county did not, county citizens have paid fire taxes.. but the people who created this error are the ones who “magically” have the solution to fix this issue so quickly. where do you think that money owed is going to come from? What budget will be cut or what área will suffer loses to pay the fines and back taxes? Ask the right questions.. Sad some will not be able to contribute to their community anymore but with leaders like ours it is no surprise they find the quickest and easiest solution to avoid bad media attention.. As for Commissioner Robertsons statement, it is sad that some one has to clarify what he says because it sounds dangerously unsupportive.
district1@myescambia.com
That is Wilson Robertson’s email according to myescambia.com
I suggest we have the commissioners along with the other county ‘higher-ups’ ,who are willing to terminate volunteers, go and hangout at these stations and run a few calls just to see what it’s like. Making important decisions is much easier when you sit at a desk and review paperwork.
The county claimed $78,000 in loss.
Do they understand the upkeep cost between Paid and Volunteer?
Let’s keep it simple and just simply calculate pay.
Paid: is around $12-$14/hr so let’s keep it at $13.
A Certified Volunteer earns a monthly stipend of atleast $300.
Let’s say the Paid FF works a usual 24/48. That basically translates into 56 hrs/week (excluding sick days, vacation, shift change, etc)
This comes out to somewhere around 2912 hrs/year.
1 Paid FF costs Escambia County a yearly salary of ROUGHLY $37,856
1 Volunteer who makes his monthly requirement costs the County around $3,600.
There are 4 North-end Fire Districts. The county protocol for minimum manning of an apparatus is 3 paid FF. (subject to change if they put them in north-end I suppose)
1 paid shift = around $1,000
1 Volunteer day = about $10 (if they are to be paid $300 at the end of a 31-day month.
But hey, there are plenty more variables in their decision-making that I don’t mind to go over.
Accountant friend. People just want to blame whom ever is easiest. The IRS is running this, not the county.
Read the story again, trying a little harder to comprehend it. The first half about the stipend is totally out of the county’s control..they must do what the IRS says. Don’t blame county leadership for that.
I am tired of being a tax payer and not getting adequate service that I pay taxes for!
ok everyone it is official the people running this county are absolute idiots.
How can a commission make a competent and informed decision from behind a desk? Trust the fire division’s leadership? Ha!!! The paid fire fighters don’t even trust the leadership as evident of talks about a ‘vote of no confidence’ in the chief. As employees for the BOCC, Public Safety leaders answer to the whims of the commission, not the employees or citizens (unlike a citizen selected Sheriff). For them it’s all about job preservation. So once again, I ask, how can the commission make a competent and informed decision? Start by getting out from behind the desk and ask those who have boots on the ground. Unfortunately, it appears that the fix is in motion and Robertson once again is leading the charge to discredit those who would be first to assist him.
To the volunteer fire fighters, I wish you good luck. In my experience, I have found you to be true professionals who embody what it means to be an active citizen in your community.
I’ve been a volunteer firefighter in this county for 15 years,saved countless lives, assisted in delivering 3 babies.Held loved ones why they have cried for there loved ones to wake back up, knowing in my heart that they were gone with the lord and there was nothing I could do to ease there pain.And with doing this I NEVER ASKED FOR A DIME. I along with my brothers and sisters that are having to suffer for the mess up from the county is not our fault.They say that taxes were not withheld but I know for a fact every year when I file taxes I have to pay tax on the 1099 they are referring to. so from the way I see it the county should owe me a reinbursment for all the taxes I have had to pay since they failed to do so.Or is this just another excuse to try and get rid of the voulenteers. I know over the last 15 years myself as well as others have met every requirment the county has put infront of us to meet in order to be a volunteer taking noumerous 40 hour classes 160 hour classes and all others required inbetween. This is a disgrace to myself and every other volunteer that lays there life on the line for the citizens of escambia county and asks for nothing in return.
My family has been volunteer firefighters for a long time. I am the mother of one of those affected by this decision. Volunteers don’t do it for the money, they do it for their community. They take pride in their extensive training and they don’t get paid for the hours and hours of hard work that they put in. It’s not the money, it’s their friends and neighbors lives and property! BOCC needs to stop thinks about the money and start thinking about their communities and the people that live in them!!! I know that this community is thankful for my FOUR volunteer firefighter children! I am so very proud of them!
I just don’t get the the IRS about the taxes? I being volunteer pay tax when I file my 1099 from Escambia County and the IRS tells me that taxes of a certain amount should be deducted and adds it to my tax base and i pay the taxes on it. Why would the county need to pay taxes then? Then why is it that the county wants to replace all volunteers south of I10 when you have station that can man or cover the calls? This county has put very little effort to save the home own from having to pay more fire taxes by not making sure that they establish a solid training program for the volunteer program. I can’t see anything that is dedicated to really promoting volunteer firefights. I do here all the time that the fire service needs more money for paid crews. I’m tired of being a tax payer and watching the county not looking out for the people of this county. Please stop the maddness!!!!!!
Only politicians could mess up “free labor”…
I will gladly give up stipend ! It dosnt matter about the money to do something you love and that is your passion… Its wrong and the county commissioner can do a better job at fixing this problem …
>>>What a slap in the face to all the “south end” volunteers. Are you saying you can’t count on south end volunteers? Thanks Wilson Robertson!
For clarification, I added an additional line after Robertson’s comment:
Robertson said he was referring to the inability to recruit an adequate number of volunteers in the southern end of the county, not the performance of current volunteers.
What a slap in the face to all the “south end” volunteers. Are you saying you can’t count on south end volunteers? Thanks Wilson Robertson!
I can not believe that there is NO kind of “fix” to this issue. We the “Volunteers” would give up our stipend to be able to continue to do what we LOVE to do. (If you are truly in this profession for the right reason) To have someone tell you that you can NOT VOLUNTEER your FREE time to do as you wish is against all rights! These people that are being FORCED out of their VOLUNTEER roles have more than a “job” in mind. This is a passion, BROTHERHOOD, a lively hood for some that is being taken from them. The “BOCC” should be able to stand up for what is right for everyone but they would rather agree to more stations, HIGHER fire taxes and LESS volunteers. When that Unification plan went into effect, it set ALL Volunteer Departments up for failure and everyone in the County knows that. It’s just a shame…. Their are so many people this will be affecting. It’s not just “volunteers”. ANYONE that works for the County under “Jack Brown” will not be able to be “dual employed”… Gentlemen and Ladies, Get ready for a big hit……
A lot more than 12 are going to be effected! Most volunteers won’t make 25% of calls now that standing by at the station doesn’t count. Now that volunteers are considered employees wont they all have to train to the same level paid FF are? Volunteer service is over from what I’m reading. It’s a very sad day for Escambia county. Way to go commissioners!
They need to get rid of the unifcation plan and return the volunteer back to the volunteer stations. The unifcation plan isn’t working as of now. Put the full volunteer back in so the escambia employees can still volunteer. The stipend is nice but in order to sever my community I would gladly do it without the stipend. I did for years without it and will do it again.