As desperate at the Salisbury Fire Department is for EMT Paramedics, they recently had what some say were 30 people apply, yet only "2" of them had EMT Paramedic experience.
Comegys has been spouting about how they have BUDGETED for these positions, yet he hasn't been telling ANYONE that they haven't been hiring them because he doesn't want everyone to know the City has been pissing away tax dollars and not getting actual results.
During the recent interview process, one of the 2 actual EMT Paramedics who is going through school to become a Paramedic was asked to do sit ups, in which she could not satisfy them with results, so they let her go.
Now please Folks, do me a favor. Please look again at the photo above and do tell me if YOU believe any one of these LEADERS can in fact accomplish ONE sit up? Then let's talk about some of THEIR education. Chief See, NONE! Yet it is required today to have a Degree to lead such an organization. I provided a link to that article in an earlier Post a few days ago.
Now I'm sure many Fire Fighters will come back arguing you must be physically fit for such a position. I ask you then, why encourage this woman to take the classes if she can't accomplish the physical end of the job???????
Also, to the people reading this article outside of the Fire Department, about 90% of the actual calls to the Fire Department require EMT Paramedic Responses. THAT'S how desperate they are for these professionals, yet they keep hiring Fire Fighters and NOT EMT Paramedics. Stupid is as stupid does.
So Chiefy & Gordy, how many sit ups can you do?????
38 comments:
Actually Joe, about 90% of our EMS calls only require BLS (Basic Life Support) skills. Only about 10% of our EMS calls actually need an ALS intervention. However the city requires that all of the first run ambulances have at least one paramedic on board, which they do. Now when P-1, P-2 & P-16 are currently busy, they hit the all call and the fourth run ambulance may be any combination of people (FF & EMT-B, 2 Emt-B's, EMT-P & EMY-B, Etc.) Not to mention the "Twins" , E-16-1 & E-16 have their ALS certificates and almost always have a paramedic on board.
The ambulances are staffed, so there was a good possibility that the woman you speak of would have been assigned to an engine company and yes being physically fit would be a necessity.
As for the "leaders" you show in the picture one is retired so his ability to do five hundred sit-ups won't matter. As for the other two, they will be in command of the situation and located at the command post outside, so find them there and ask them do sit-ups if it concerns you that much.
Oh wait, I thought I heard Chief Webster fart, grab your camera and run, now you have something other than this discrimination B.S. to talk about.
Understand one thing, even though you clearly state this site is your opinion and only that, it's still possible to harm one's character with "opinion". You talk about Crop needing an attorney to push a discrimination case, however if you keep slinging these slanderous statements and "presenting" them as fact, you may find yourself the subject of yet another lawsuit. Accusing someone of race/sex discrimination is a serious accusation, so I hope you prepare yourself for return fire.
I'll counter with these thoughts. First of all, you do not scare me with the lawsuit BS. I have every right expressing, (especially to anonymous commenters) my feelings towards this issues because anyone anonymous can't sue me, whomever they are.
As for the leaders, See, Gordy and Hopes, they are usually FIRST on the scene as they drive their own vehicles and asses the situation. IF they are NEEDED immediately BEFORE anyone else shows up, they cannot perform those vital duties and WHAT A SHAME! Keep trying though.
Out of curiosity, if anyone if the know would care to comment, I see discussion in these threads about the various levels of education and expertise that are required, just to be an entry level fireman or EMT, and the more advanced levels generally required to progress career-wise .
And yet, on the other side, I keep hearing the assertion that the two top men in charge of it all, essentially have nothing more than a high school education.
Is this true?
Does it matter?
With their current educational credentials, if they were let go, would they be able to get a similar job at the same level anywhere else in Maryland?
As far as I have come to learn the answers are, yes, yes & no!
Just so you know that's See, Hoppes and Keenan not Gordy. I personally was not threatening you. You've done nothing to hurt my character. Those vital duties you speak of, require equipment that doesn't arrive until the truck or the engine gets there anyway. They are the three highest ranks in the SFD, they assume command and that's as far as they go. It's a bad day anywhere you see the incident commander doing bull work.
A good professional clearly states, I would NEVER ask someone else to do something I couldn't do myself.
"As far as I have come to learn the answers are, yes, yes & no!"
If that's really the case, just from a good management perspective, isn't there the concern by the Mayor that a leader with minimal educational credentials will tend to promote less by merit, skill, and level of education attained, and more by whoever makes him feel more "comfortable", or less threatened, professionally and intellectually?
Those are your words, not mine.
They had to of done it somewhere along their careers. MFRI doesn't give you your certification until passing a written and practical exam. These men have worked their way through the ranks. As in the military the fire service has a chain of command. Now, these days you don't see generals on the front lines with a machine gun, so why would you expect our generals to man a hoseline.
SO YOU'RE SAYING,
IN AN EMERGENCY, CHIEF SEE, DEPUTY CHIEF GORDY AND HOPPES SHOULD SIT AND WATCH OTHERS SUFFER BECAUSE ES NO MY YOB MAN!
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE NOT OUT OF SHAPE. WHAT GIVES THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT A FREE PASS ON THAT ONE?
On an MVC, yes they would have the appropriate equipment to aide with injury. But number on a structure, you don't go in alone. You never leave your partner. Their vehicles don't carry ladders, so no rescueing someone from the second floor. They don't carry rescue tools, so an MVC w/ rescue their's nothing they could do. Joe, you understand nothing of the fire service, except I call 911 and they show up. The only incidents these guys have to respond to on a regular basis are structure fires & rescues. MVC's, med. assists and trash/brush fires are handled with the volunteer/career line officers.
I myself would not make an attempt to aide anyone without the proper tools. It would be no good for either of us and more than likely will complicate the situation.
You very conveniently stay away from my points, that's OK.
I think everuyone reading these comments will get to understand where I'm going with this.
As you also stated earlier, not everyone on an ambulance is an EMT, therefore someone else could have done the sit ups for her. LOL
"They had to of done it somewhere along their careers. MFRI doesn't give you your certification until passing a written and practical exam. These men have worked their way through the ranks. As in the military the fire service has a chain of command. Now, these days you don't see generals on the front lines with a machine gun, so why would you expect our generals to man a hoseline."
I understand your analogy, but if we're going to extend the military metaphor, to advance to the upper ranks in the services usually requires a fairly comprehensive education (often masters level or above), and this is not a recent phenomenon, it's been this way for decades.
Beyond this, it's not like this is some new scenario. It appears that advanced education beyond the high school level is the norm for the vast majority of non-volunteer municipal Fire Chiefs in the US, and has been that way for some time. That both men (who are not all that old) at very the top tier of Salisbury's fire administration don't have a lick of advanced education is a bit embarrassing.
You'd have thought that if they were dedicated to a truly professional department they'd at least want to go back and get a BS in fire science at some point over the last 30 years of being professional fire dept members and then dept heads.
Allow me to add:
Let's also look at the REPUTATION of these Leaders whenever they go off, (out of State at the taxpayers expense) to these Conventions. Where are these so called leaders? NOT in the seminars, so I've been told. In many cases it is well know that some LEADERS in the Fire Department are quite intoxicated and sleeping in most mornings.
Now as far as lawsuits go, I have enough people that will in fact testify to such and more could be exposed in a Court of Law UNDER OATH in which some Leaders wouldn't fare out so well in the end.
So do tell me just how these Idiots expand on their education in order to ASSURE they are providing the best Leadership in any emergency? Want to challenge that one??????
Oh, let's not forget HOOTERS too!
so what your saying is we can start bringing up your wifebeating here to?
Wife Beating? I hope you're not talking about me? Only a pussy would say something like that under anonymous. To those Fire Fighters who are offended by someone making such a statement against me, do know I doubt very seriously this came from one of you and more than likely came from that guy in the Clock business. He loves to stir the BS.
Joe would not do taht would he?
Did someone say maryland case search?
can someone say wife beater?
signed a sby firefighter / paramedic
So what exactly do the court docs say there? It looks like he got into a fight with his ex-wife, was accused of battery, plead not guilty, and paid some sort of fine.
For the record, and almost anyone having gone through a contentious divorce will know this, charges of battery, intimidation, and mental cruelty are often thrown around like confetti at New Years by divorcing women in order to get one advantage or another in divorce proceedings. Most often this is done to get a husband out of the house so a wife can have exclusive occupancy. It's done so often by attorneys we actually have a name for the strategy. It's called "Spouse out of the house".
Domestic violence is a large problem, but society has learned through experience, to take domestic violence claims made in the middle of divorce proceedings with a locomotive sized grain of salt, unless there is physical evidence to support them.
And even then you have to look at who's initiating the violence in these altercations. A lot of physical fights are started by women, but finished by men, but in the end the one who has the most bruises is staying home, and the one with the least is going to jail, regardless of who started beating who first.
It's actually a fascinating subject. The Life Crisis center downtown, across the street from Flavors of Italy, has some good literature on the issue.
good response joe....
next time sign your name
"good response joe....
next time sign your name"
You think I'm Joe? Did that post look or sound anything like Joe's usual ham handed, "blunt instruments" writing style?
I don't whether to laugh or cry.
Look,
IF I had something to hide, all I'd have to do is delete your comments, in which I have not.
Like I said earlier, change the subject all you want. The facts are within the numbers. Looks like I hit some serious HOT BUTTONS within the Fire Department and that's all there is to it.
Here's the web link for the Maryland Fire Chiefs Association. There's lots of continuing and general education programs they can take advantage of.
http://www.mdchief.org/officers.html
Will they be going to the Oct 26th MD Fire Chiefs meeting in Kent Island?
Thursday, October 25th
Time- 7:00 PM
Location- Fisherman's Inn
Kent Island, Maryland
You haven't hit any hot buttons with me. I'm not trying to dispute any of the chiefs "lack of education", for the simple fact I have no first hand knowledge of what college education these men do or do not have. My only thing is the continued push on the discrimination issue. This is exactly why most fire departments, as salisbury did, bring in outside interview panels for promotions and if they had continued the women you speak of through the hiring process, that would open the door for every person before her who failed any portion of the physical abilities test to sue the city. The guidelines are the guidelines. The requirements are not kept secret. She had access to what she was going to be required to do in plenty of time to prepare. I mean come on sit-ups are probably the easiest portion of that test. You are hired as a Firefighter/Paramedic, which means one day you could be a Paramedic and the next a Firefighter. So physical requirements are needed. You say that the Salisbury Fire Department is out of shape, but those men and women pass their physical tests year after year. Even as a paramedic, she would not have been hired to just ride the ambulance and that's the point you continue to dodge.
"You are hired as a Firefighter/Paramedic, which means one day you could be a Paramedic and the next a Firefighter. So physical requirements are needed. You say that the Salisbury Fire Department is out of shape, but those men and women pass their physical tests year after year."
If physical fitness is am important requirement of the job, with respect to setting at example at the top, isn't it kind of unprofessional to let yourself become a doughy, pumpkin-gutted, heart attack waiting to happen, the way the top executives of the Salisbury fire department have done? What does that say to the rank and file about a professional commitment toward physical fitness?
Also, just as side note, how do these physical standards apply? Is it department to department? I ask because in a passing by several area fires or auto accidents over the years I've seen some (to all appearances) fairly fat firemen at the scene. Not sure whether they were volunteer or paid staff. Do physical standards relax after you get in?
I wonder the same thing when I see the occasional fat policeman (most Salisbury, and Wicomico County police are in excellent shape) . How do these guys and gals get by the physical? I was down at the annual Crisfield Crab Festival 2 years ago, and the some of the Crisfield city police were waddling fat. I had to force myself not to stare it was so remarkable.
How many paramedics does salisbury have that are in some sort of administrative job instead of being on the street in an ambulance?
At what point will salisbury hire paramedic only instead of paramedic fire fighter.
This may be the way they will have to go with the lack of interest from ALS people to either come here or stay here
I understand what your saying, the physical appearance of some of these men/women would raise questions. However they are required to take the Physical ability test periodically and if they don't pass they are terminated and replaced. Yes, all physical standards vary from department to department. Stations with all volunteers have minimal if any physical testing. Now for any career fire department they have some kind of standard. If you look at Montgomery Counties Physical ability testing requirements, the 10 minutes 20 seconds you have to complete the test looks like military boot camp compared to Salisbury's physical requirements. The physical standards don't relax upon employment, the same physical requirements to hire you are the same that keep you employed.
There aren't any paramedics to my knowledge that are strictly administration. There's always the possibility they will have to ride the engine, truck or ambulance. I know of no one who carries just the Paramedic. In order to get EMT-B, which is the foundation of achieving your paramedic, you have to be affiliated with a fire company. Almost all fire companies require you to take Firefighter I. Every fire department I know of requires a minimum of Firefighter I, EMT-B, Haz-mat Operations prior to applying or having been completed by the end of the provided academy.
In regards to SALISBURYFIRE's comment every MFRI class that I have taken requires Fire Department association only for free classes through Maryland. Anyone can take any of the offered classes to include EMT-B, and yes I am a paid & volunteer Firefighter/EMT; out side of Salisbury of course.
Why is a Captain being assigned to an administrative position that was in this budget designated for an Administrative Assistant Chief. Will they properly fill the position with an Assistant Chief. What will they be using the money for that is being saved by having a Captain in it.
Well Joe Albero, my name is Zak Keenan and I'm not hiding behind any names so you know who I am. I know for sure that atleast one of those man up there can do 30 push ups with ease and not hesitate what so ever and thats my father. With that being said, I hope this causes no embarassment to my company or my peiers but I find your remarks a little rude and out of line. Thank you so kindly.
Once again JA your an idiot, the Firefighters you are complaining that SFD keeps hiring instead of EMT Paramedics, are Firefighter/Emt's moron. Just keep to your useless information and stop making post of things you have no clue what your talking about.
Anonymous said...
"Well Joe Albero, my name is Zak Keenan and I'm not hiding behind any names so you know who I am. I know for sure that atleast one of those man up there can do 30 push ups with ease and not hesitate what so ever and thats my father."
Looks at picture of three musketeers... looks again.. Real, Full, Military Style, non-cheating push ups?
Ummm.. no...Sorry I know you love your dad, but I don't believe you Zak. None of those guys could drop, and give you anything but a myocardial infarction.
Where is the need for an administrative assistant chief? For an already top heavy organization one more could tople the tower.
"Where is the need for an administrative assistant chief? For an already top heavy organization one more could tople the tower."
I gotta admit there does seem to be a lot of administrative positions in the Salisbury Fire Department, for what is, by normal municipal population standards, a medium small burg.
Are Salisbury Firemen that difficult to manage? They're adults, not big, attention deficit kids! Why is so much oversight required?
Zak,
If you speak to your Father about me I'm confident he will accept my apology for including him in a photo. It was simply one I found fairly quickly and as he is now retired, he doesn't count any more, as far as fitness is concerned.
If I have caused you or your family any hardship, please forgive me for such?
Learn from Mr. Keenan's comment Ladies & Gentlemen as he is a MAN willing to use his own name and man up to whatever he says. That certainly earns my personal respect, for whatever that's worth Zak?
Your Father is one of the finest men I have been honored to meet in my life time.
sounds like someone is kissing some a$$.......
I'd have to see Joe hit a woman with my own eyes to believe it was out and out battery. I have no doubt there is far more to this story than what is being told. I'm willing to bet the farm on this one.
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