County begins crunching budget

Florida Keys News

Sunday, June 28, 2009

County begins crunching budget

By TIMOTHY O'HARA Citizen Staff

A plan to convert Layton's fire department from a volunteer agency to a paid one could add another $450,000 to Monroe County's already cash-strapped budget. Monroe County Administrator Roman...

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The citizen misrepresents the facts.

Submitted on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 2:11pm

I am ashamed to say that The Citizen frequently and in this case have again misepresented the facts. Layton is not being converted to a career agency. The volunteer agency has requested that Monroe County Fire Rescue place career personnel in that facility. The Layton Volunteer Firefighters are not being converted and neither is the agency. They will continue to exist as they are currently. The Citizen staff have been the biggest perpetuator of mistruths and misrepresentations. They have failed again to report the facts and instead cast their shadow of opinion on a given situation. Their reporting seeps with lack of professionalism and one sidedness. Citizen let the citizens decide and stick to reporting statistics and facts. Try doing a little research before printing your stories. This paper reads like high school students have written it, not professionals.

Mr. Wow

Submitted on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 7:01am

Wow, suddenly everyone has something to say hmmm.... Yes I am a old school firefighter, so you all tell me that it is better to wait 15mins for another ambulance from another district then it is to have another ambulance in the same district... and then when someone dies and they ask where are the other ambulances, oh sorry we are under staffed but we have a "Advanced Life Support engines", wow... and once you take a engine out of service for a medical call and you have a fire call, oops, sorry we can go until we are done here or until our B/C tells us too... :-)

Wow just can't get it

Submitted on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 11:50am

You fail to comprehend that MCFR's budget comes from the tax payers of Monroe County. Ask them how many rescues they want to buy at $200,000 each. Why not place ALS equipment on a fire truck that is sitting in the station anyways, and by the way the second due rescue is an average of 10 miles away. Driving lights and sirens at appx. 60 MPH, this adds up to 10 min. or less to arrival. This whole time, I.V's have been started, drugs administered, and ECG monitors hooked up. When the rescue arrives everything is done. All they have to do is load up and transport. Where did you come up with 15 minutes? I have to agree with the poster that said that you are an, "Old School" firefighter. You used to be a volunteer with no training. Alot of people were being killed fighting fires so the state adopted minimum training levels for firefighters. Now you can't run around playing cowboy because you can't pass any of the testing. All of the volunteers that could pass the testing now work for us. The others are just happy to help on scenes. Your angry, so you vent your ill found frustrations to MCFR and its members because you can't get a job. But wait....you said you were a paid, professional firefighter. WHO DO YOU WORK FOR????? You obviously have no-one fooled on this website. I think its time for you to come clean. Still waiting.......

Mr. Wow

Submitted on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 2:06pm

Yeah and the tax payers can barely afford MCFR now... ok so buying "ALS" engines is alot cheaper, a rescue that cost 200 or less from an engine that cost 500 or less... and I have trainning, I'm sorry if yall don't believe me, and I'm not going to tell yall where I work, so yall can be jealous, haha.... I choose not to apply for MCFR because I know the B/S in and around MCFR, I am fine where I'm at, infact its a combination dept, and I love the volunteers here, unlike MCFR think the volunteers are crap, anyways...

Last time

Submitted on Fri, 07/03/2009 - 9:41am

This is the last time I will try and explain this to you. The county does not have to "Buy ALS engines" as you put it. They have already purchased fire trucks. These trucks sit in county fire stations. In order to give them ALS status all that the county has to do is put airway bags, drug boxes, and Lifepaks on the trucks. You however suggest that the county by additional rescues instead of placing medical equipment on an engine. How many do you want? 3 at every station? Would that make you happy? Then the taxpayers have to pay to staff those trucks. Again you fail to follow any logic in your comments. MCFR works very well. Are there areas that can be improved? Of course. Every fire dept. in the country has room for improvement. Most of the Paid members work very well with the volunteer members. Most of the paid members help train the volunteers on training nights. 99% of the Instructors for MCFR teach the volunteers FF1, FF2 and many other classes. MCFR does not hate the volunteers. MCFR is not trying to push out the volunteer system. MCFR is trying to create a more efficient system to protect the residents and visitors of Monroe Couny. To every member of the public: Please don't use these forums as the only source of information. If you have questions, ask them. Go to the fire stations. Go to the BOCC meetings. Call the Headquarters of the fire dept. Get involved. These Departments run on your money. They are in place to protect your life and your property.

Well said...Unfortunately

Submitted on Fri, 07/03/2009 - 11:04am

Well said...Unfortunately trying to explain this to Mr. Wow is like talking to a brick wall. Whoever it does not want to see the facts and tries to sway people with all of this misinformation.

dont be envious...

Submitted on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 7:58pm

Dont be jelous MCFR has a contract!!

Wow nothing to say.

Submitted on Wed, 07/01/2009 - 10:54am

Suddenly Mr. Wow. seems to be the one with nothing to say. Is it hard to sling mud when your up against well informed individuals.

Mr. Wow

Submitted on Tue, 06/30/2009 - 6:35am

Wow!!.... whoever wrote "the only als service?", that was good, it shut them up. LOL

Mr. Wow

Submitted on Mon, 06/29/2009 - 6:55am

Yes I agree the fire service has changed, but that doesn't mean MCFR needs more "FF/EMT's or Paramedics". Oh and who ever said I can't get a FF's job you are incorrect buddy!! :-) I have been in the fire service for 10yrs now, worked all the way up from Jr./FF, Vol./FF, to Professional FF. Anyways, MCFR does not need more cross trainned personnel they need more ambulances, and people to work on them and you don't need a FF to work on an ambulance.... well talk to you soon...

Professional. Hah Yeah right WOW

Submitted on Tue, 06/30/2009 - 6:53pm

You may be getting paid to sit somewhere with a shirt on that says Firefighter, but a professional? Yeah right. Professional Firefighters understand the meaning of brotherhood and that no firefighter should speak poorly of their brothers in public. Firefighting is synonymous with family and family look out for each other regardless of there personal feelings. The word professional illustrates a level ethics, education, experience and knowledge that you have continually failed to exhibit. If you continue to speak negatively of the local firefighters you only reflect poorly on yourself as well. Why must you continue to speak out against any attempt that the County makes toward improving the service offered in the keys. What do you stand to lose. I dare say nothing.

I doubt it

Submitted on Mon, 06/29/2009 - 11:00am

I seriously doubt anyone as ignorant as mr. wow could have a job in the fire service. Every time he posts a comment he shows his lack of knowledge about the county or any fire service in general. A disgruntled volunteer maybe but paid professional, I doubt it. P.S. For the citizens that don’t know, Monroe County Fire Rescue has (ALS) Advanced Life Support Fire Engines with FF Paramedics on board. These Engines can provide the same care as the county Rescue vehicles provide. So if the rescue is on a call the Engine can start life saving procedures until the next closest Rescue arrives. No other service in Monroe County provides that level of care.

No other service? MCFR isn't

Submitted on Mon, 06/29/2009 - 1:50pm

No other service? MCFR isn't the only service in the Keys with ALS engines.

Mr. Wow

Submitted on Mon, 06/29/2009 - 12:06pm

Well I'm sorry you feel that way, but I am a professional firefighter and I'm going to say who I am with...

Mr. Wow, a professional???

Submitted on Wed, 07/01/2009 - 9:00am

Mr. Wow is a professional? Nothing could be further from the truth. You spend your days spreading negativity throughout the county. You insult the individuals that dedicate their lives so that when you roll your car off the side of the road they can pull your dumb ass out. When you fall asleep on the couch with a cigarette in your hand, they can come drag you out of your burning house. However, when the day comes that you need our services, you will continue to run your ignorant mouth. You will continue to show the world just how much you don’t know. Let me answer some of your questions. ALS Fire Trucks; MCFR provides this level of service so that when the prime rescue for a particular zone is already transporting, the engine can respond and begin life saving treatment, i.e. drug therapy, I.V's and defibrillation, while the next closest rescue responds. It would not make fiscal sense to duplicate rescues in one zone. MCFR may not be the only service that has equipped its fire trucks with ALS gear, but we are the only service that can staff these trucks full time 24/7. MCFR is a Fire Rescue Department. We only hire cross trained personnel, giving preference to individuals that hold a paramedic certificate. This is so that the public gets the most out of their dollar. Remember, its 2009 the term “firefighter” is used to describe a person that is trained in both fire suppression and medical emergencies. This is why we have firefighters on our rescues. Now a question for you; The city of Layton, along with their vol. Fire Chief, requested the addition of paid staff from MCFR to their city. How exactly is this MCFR pushing the volunteers out?? Why do you refuse to name the department that you work for? Why do you hate Monroe County? We’ll talk soon.

I'm the one that wrote that

Submitted on Wed, 07/01/2009 - 5:40pm

I'm the one that wrote that MCFR isn't the only one with ALS engines...and i am not Mr Wow. I was pointing out that Marathon also runs ALS engines that are constantly staffed with medics. I am of the belief that Mr Wow must be an NAS guy or Key West guy because they are the only ones that hire just firefighters (if he is one which i highly doubt), but i doubt that someone from KW fire would be spewing so much garbage like that. Or mr Wow is an old school "got miner" volunteer who is mad because he was coddled until the State came down with the rules where one must have training do do this job. By the way I'm from Marathon

Agree

Submitted on Wed, 07/01/2009 - 10:46pm

I agree with your comment. Marathon and county both provides ALS engines. I think the fued between county and marathon is stupid, we both do the same job and protect the citizens, who cares what zone were in. We all need to come together and support each other. Atleast everyone can see that mr wow is not a REAL firefighter or he wouldnt bash his brothers...

Mr. Wow

Submitted on Mon, 06/29/2009 - 12:03pm

Why should the citizens have to wait for another ambulance to show up, the citizens don't need a fire trucks they need ambulances, come on now use your head... lol...

MR WOW= uneducated

Submitted on Wed, 07/01/2009 - 2:10pm

This is for anyone in the public who has to read mr wows uneducated responses. The reson why having Firefighter/Paramedics is a money saver is because your not paying two poeple to do the job that one person can do. IE paying a firefighter and also paying a Paramedic. Its not rocket science mr wow use your brain. There is a reason why almost all fire depts in the U.S do it this way. Someone please take this guys keyboard away......

Wow

Submitted on Mon, 06/29/2009 - 10:18am

Guess you don't realize that most if not a Paramedics are cross trained as Firefighters

Mr. Wow

Submitted on Sun, 06/28/2009 - 6:52pm

What none of you county fire rescue guys wanna reply... plus what do need more firefighters for, what for the half dozen house fires every year and the volunteers show for those... waiting

I thinks ALL the cities need

Submitted on Sun, 06/28/2009 - 1:11pm

I thinks ALL the cities need to join borders

Mr. Wow here!

Submitted on Sun, 06/28/2009 - 10:27am

MCFR is just trying to get rid of all the volunteers. The county does not need more paid firefighters, they need more emt's and paramedics for the ems trucks, thats all the county runs is ems and vehicle accidents. The county needs to back to doing just ems, ever since the volunteers let them in there stations the firefighters union and the county FD have been trying to get rid of all the volunteers. If the county does wanna hire more firefighters hire locally not these people from out of the county, more than 90% of the county's employees do not live in the keys... Mr Wow will be waiting for a reply...

Get the Facts

Submitted on Sun, 06/28/2009 - 4:48pm

Layton Volunteer Fire Department requested that the county put paid firefighters in their station. Mr. WOW wrong again, and still can't get a job obviously.

Mr. Wow

Submitted on Mon, 06/29/2009 - 6:45am

OK how many firefighters?? I bet its not the amount that they want!! I bet they only wanted 2, or maybe it wasn't the dept it was the city, uhh omg!!

How many did they want.

Submitted on Tue, 06/30/2009 - 6:42pm

Actually the Layton Governement Officials wanted 4 but are aware of the County's fiscal issues and are trying to develop a plan to reduce the financial impact by asking for fewer in the beginning. The relationships of many of the career and volunteer firefighters are not as strained as you would like to lead the public to believe and many on both sides enjoy working together. I have the utmost respect for anyone interested in helping in whatever way they can to protect the community. Shouldn't we be looking past politics and fiefdoms and remember what all those involved in Fire Rescue are there for, to protect the public.

Mr Wow...No one is trying to

Submitted on Sun, 06/28/2009 - 4:34pm

Mr Wow...No one is trying to get rid of the volunteers. The term Firefighter today means a firefighter that is cross trained as an EMT or Paramedic as in all the career firefighters in the keys. So when they say hire firefighters that is what they mean. You want it to go back to what it was huh? the fire service has changed over the years one MUST be state certified to fight a fire or go into the "hot zone"..gone are the days where you can join a volunteer station and in a week have a hose in your hand and putting out fires, too many people were being hurt or killed doing that. So quit blaming everything on paid firefighters or their unions, i did and i am one of those vollies, except i seen the light..you want to blame someone blame the State it has been like this for several years

The County Manager thinks the City of KW is there piggy bank

Submitted on Sun, 06/28/2009 - 7:12am

I hope the taxpayers of Key West don't have to help support the new county fire department! It seems like the County Manager loves to spend money in bad economic times its not coming out of his pocket. county employees havent gotten a raise in three years and he wants to expand county goverment on the backs of us that have not gotten a raise Oh thats right he got a raise while the rest of us did not. I say Hell NO! let the upper keys pay for it if they need it so bad. I dont see the County paying for our services in the city but they want our money for there services and now sewer and fire services. What services do they really give city of KW Taxpayers NOT MUCH! The City of Key West Need to become its own county (Southern Most County)and the Tax money we gave the county would go straight to us.