Another Fire Department Update

Lorenzo Cropper has all of the requirements for Captain and then some. He is a Certified Fire Officer IV and only Fire Officer II is required. He has been a Lieutenant for 3 yrs and the job description say at least 2 yrs as a Lieutenant. He is a Fire Instructor III and the only requirement is Fire Instructor I.

Larry Dodd has a Fire Officer IV and every class and certification one would need and then some. He also has a Bachelors Degree as well as a Masters Degree. No one in the Fire Department has that. The Chief and Gordy have no college what so ever. I believe Rick Hoppes got his Associates Degree after he got promoted to Deputy Fire Chief.

If a captain requires an Associates Degree, wouldn't you think the Chief or the Dep. Chief should have a higher degree? At least Chief Brezler had a Masters Degree when he was the Fire Chief. Even Chief Webster has a Masters Degree which is a requirement in many Police Departments.

Look at the job ads for Fire Chief in Fire Chief Magazine

I hope this information satisfies everyone's questions referencing qualifications.

Welcome To The Eastern Shore

Because of misunderstandings that frequently develop When Baltimorons and

people from other cities in the North come to the shore, we have adopted a set

of informational guidelines. In an effort to help outsiders understand the Eastern

Shore, the following list will be handed to each driver crossing the Bay Bridge.


1. That farm boy standing next to the feed bin did more work before breakfast than you do all week at the gym.

2. It's called a 'gravel road'. No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your car.

3. We all started hunting and fishing when we were seven years old. Yeah, we saw Bambi. We got over it.

4. Go ahead and bring your $600 Orvis Fly Rod. Don't cry to us if a flathead catfish breaks it off at the handle. We have a name for those little trout you fish for...bait.

5. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot. If we wanted to see the Grand Canyon, we would go there!!

6. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of mallards are making their final approach, we will shoot it! You might hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

7. No, there's no "Vegetarian Special" on the menu. Order steak.. Order it rare. Or, you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the two pounds of ham and turkey.

8. You bring Coke into my house, it better be brown, wet, and served over ice.

9. So you have a sixty-thousand dollar car you drive on weekends? We're real
impressed.. We have a quarter-million dollar combine that we only use two weeks a year.

10. Let's get this straight - We have one stoplight in town.

11. Our women hunt, fish, and drive trucks--because they want to. So, you're a feminist... Isn't that cute...

12. Yeah, we eat catfish. Carp, too--and turtle. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the bait shop.

13. They are pigs. That's what they smell like. Get over it.

14. The "Opener" refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday. You can get breakfast at the church.

15. So every person in every pickup waves. It's called being friendly. Understand the concept?

16. Yeah, we have golf courses. Just don't hit in the water hazard. It spooks our fish.

17. That Sheriff Officer that just pulled you over for driving like an idiot, his name is "Sir". No matter how old he is.

18. The bill on your hat should turn down at the edges to shed the rain and be centered over your nose to keep the sunlight out of your eyes. Any other
location/orientation makes you look like an idiot.

19. We also speak ENGLISH here, speak it or go away.

Now, enjoy your visit!

Salisbury Fire Department UPDATE!

Salisbury Fire Department.com

“October 4, 2007 – Fire Chief David See has announced the following personnel promotions effective immediately:

Fire Lieutenant W. Darrin Scott to Fire Captain

Firefighter/Paramedic Chris O’Barsky to Fire Captain

Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Donaway to Fire Lieutenant

Captain Scott joined the department as a volunteer firefighter with Headquarters Company (station #16) in September 1985 and transferred to Station #2 in February 1989. He was hired by the City as a career firefighter in December 1990 and was promoted to Fire Lieutenant in August 2004. He is currently assigned as the company officer on the 4th battalion. Darrin is also a member of the Delmar Fire Department currently serving as the Deputy Fire Chief.

Captain O’Barsky began his fire service career with the Fruitland Volunteer Fire Department in 1991 and currently serves as the 1st Assistant Fire Chief. In December 1998 the City hired Chris as a part-time Paramedic and he became a full-time employee in October 2000. He is currently assigned to the 2nd battalion where he was designated as an Acting Fire Lieutenant.

Lieutenant Donaway began his fire service career with the Pittsville Volunteer Fire Department in 1995. He served with the Riviera Beach Fire Department (Anne Arundel County) while in college and is a current member of the Powellville Volunteer Fire Department serving as an Assistant Fire Chief. Mike was hired by the City as a Firefighter/Paramedic in November 2001. He is currently assigned to the 3rd battalion where he was designated as an Acting Fire Lieutenant.

Congratulations to each of them!”

So it goes to show you, if you're WHITE and you have served far more time OUT of the Salisbury Fire Department, See & Gordy will promote you even without the proper qualifications. Way to go Chiefy and congratulations to you and the Good Ol' Boy System too! You just proved it's still going strong.

Might I add, I have NOTHING against those promoted and I congratulate them as well. I do NOT want to take away ANY credit they deserve and I appreciate all they offer to Salisbury and the Fire Departments they serve.

While you're thinking about a career in the City of Salisbury, remember they didn't promote within the Salisbury Zoo. They didn't promote within Public Works. They didn't promote within the Salisbury Police Department. The list goes on and on. SO, that being said, IF you plan on a career here in the City, look elsewhere for any promotions and perhaps consider applying elsewhere sooner than later because the City of Salisbury SUCKS!

Thank You Daily Times!

If you'll recall, back in July I put up a Post showing this same exact photo where the Princess Anne Welcome Sign had been destroyed by a vehicle. My hope, (at the time) was to at least get the wreckage torn down before the Crisfield Crab Feast and Frank White from Princess Anne had it removed immediately.

Here's the funny part. Unless I'm wrong, I never saw The Daily Times write an article about this. However, today in Newstracker they did a follow up to MY story as if they had been the one to introduce it all together?

So thanks Daily Times for following up on my story. ROTFLMAO.

Today's Wildlife Photos

While in Florida, (Fort Wilderness, Disney World) I awoke one morning and noticed something unusual moving about outside our Motor Coach. As many of you from the South may be used to this creature, I am not and I thought it was really cool. While taking photos of it I was able to get within a foot or two of it without any problem at all. Floridians call them speed bumps. It's called an Armadillo.

Is There Any Good Reason To Work Hard For The Salisbury Fire Department?

The Mayor, Chief See & Deputy Chief (Chiefy Wanna Be) Gordy are up to their old tricks once again. Two promotions became available in the Salisbury Fire Department.

There were actually 4 Lieutenants that sat through the process and were leap frogged, but only two were actually eligible.

The two that were were actually eligible with more than 10 years service in the Salisbury Fire Department, (far more years than the two actually promoted) were Lorenzo Cropper and Larry Dodd.

The other two have been Lieutenants for 2 years and 3 years respectively. David Insley and Greg Hoppes.

The 4 lieutenants didn't even get the courtesy of a final interview after taking the Written Test and the Oral Review Boards. These promotions were definitely the good ole boy system.

The education criteria for Lieutenant states that you have to have 60 college credits or an associates degree. If you check the job description for Lieutenant you will see where it clearly states you must have an Associates Degree.

They allegedly made Darrin Scott sign an agreement that he will take English and some other classes. He bought 60 equivalent credits from somewhere because of the fire classes he has taken. That isn't enough to satisfy a colleges requirements for a degree.

He has never sat foot in a college or taken an actual college class. Some colleges may and I say MAY allow you to use some of those credits, not all of them. This was just a way to say that you had the "60 credits." They are in no way applied to a degree.

Might I add, if you're black, (like Lt. Lorenzo Cropper) you can forget a promotion from these boys! I watched their Power Point Presentation for these promotions and they said, (and I laughed) they were getting away from the Good Ol' Boy System. I personally think once the information gets out there on just how qualified and deserving these promotions were for Larry Dodd and Lorenzo Cropper people will become outraged at the end result! What say you now Shanie Shields? If I were in their shoes, with all the controversy going on relocating Station 16 to the West side of Town, I would have hired Lorenzo Cropper BEFORE anyone else to promote and encourage the black community to join the Volunteers on that side of Town! Instead, the black folks should read through the crap they're being dealt and refuse to participate working/volunteering for these honkies! LOL

Let's even see if Shanie plays the Race Card FOR THE RIGHT REASONS FOR ONCE on this situation?