Firefighters Union Calls For Escambia Public Safety Director To Be Removed

April 9, 2019

FOR AN UPDATE TO THIS STORY, CLICK HERE>

The Escambia County Professional Firefighters Union has notified the Escambia County Commission that the union had a vote of no confidence in Public Safety Director Mike Weaver.

“Director Weaver has continuously demonstrated his inability to effectively lead the divisions of Public Safety, and has repeatedly failed to advocate for the true needs of Escambia County Fire Rescue,” the letter from Nick Gradia, union president, states.

“Director Weaver, despite the documented information and recommendations of staff, lacks the vision and fortitude to appropriately advocate for necessary service levels. Director Weaver’s obstructionist mentality and lack of long-term strategic planning constrains the ability of the men and women of Public Safety to provide safe and efficient emergency services to the citizens of Escambia County,” it also states.

The letter calls for the “decisive action” of the county commission to immediately remove Weaver from his position.

Weaver declined to comment for this story.

To read the entire letter, click here.

Comments

6 Responses to “Firefighters Union Calls For Escambia Public Safety Director To Be Removed”

  1. david on April 9th, 2019 3:56 pm

    It’s Time For The County And City To Get Out Of The Firefighter Business And Contract That Area out.
    B ever seen so much nahem in a paid position here in this area for the past 65 years. Whining, and crying detracts from these positions and inclusive of the added tax everyone oays. If We wanted to hear a bunch of crybabies we could have kept that tax money in our pockets and b I sited a kinder care dacility. NEVER in my life seen so many strip the profession of dignity.
    Contract the jobs out

  2. retired on April 9th, 2019 8:25 am

    Why not hire another 100 or 200 paid fire fighters and get rid of the volunteers, then we can have our taxes raised 1 or 2 thousand percent.

    YEARS AGO VOLUNTEERS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AND RAISED MONEY, BY KNOCKING ON DOORS.THEY WHERE VERY FUGAL ABOUT HOW THEY SPENT MONEY. THEY DID NOT DRIVE THE 500,000.00 (HALF MILLION) TRUCK TO THE STORE TO GO SHOPPING, THEY BOUGHT THEIR OWN GAS FOR THEIR OWN CARS.

  3. K Jones on April 9th, 2019 8:05 am

    A wise man once told me “Where there’s smoke there’s fire.” Too many issues going on in escambia FL that keep leading back to this man. How long and how many times does one have to screw up before getting let go. He wouldn’t survive in my corporate world! I did some Google searches and this individual comes up quite a few times and very few of them are positive stories. Let him go and find somebody suitable for the kob.

  4. Andy on April 9th, 2019 7:27 am

    Mike Weaver has served this county for years first as a volunteer then in the capacity he holds now. It seems suspicious that the Union wants to bring this up at negotiation time. If it was a problem then they should have already filed a no confidence vote. Strong arming is not the best way to solve problems.

  5. w.w. on April 9th, 2019 7:06 am

    Seems as if the “paid folks” are not happy…… even w/ a 125% increase of MSBU over the last decade or so….

  6. Randy on April 9th, 2019 5:41 am

    Well over due. The king “good ‘ol boy” is the cancer that has prevented the public safety department from growing away from a small town organization with little oversight into the professionally operated department our growing area needs. Over the past decade, this county has recruited talented leadership and personell only to lose them within a couple of years at best. The fire service has grown to a level that requires admin istrators with the right credintials, ethics, and leadership. EMS stands in this category too, as most of the seasoned and talented medical professionals have left to other jobs leaving a Corp of newbies lean8ng on newbies. Weaver…no vision, no leadership, and no hope for a department in his control.