2nd Assistant Chief "Paramedic" Richard Chapman was officially voted out of office Monday night during Pittsville Volunteer Fire Department's annual officer elections.
Although Mr. Chapman is still listed as active membership within the department I feel this is a great start to correcting problems that should have never occured.
You can view all of Pittsville Volunteer Fire Department's Officers by clicking http://pittsvillefire.com/members.html
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
77 comments:
Good... now just get Tad, Teddy, and Mike out of there and you'd be doing something.
Oh nice to hear... where is our tax money at now? We'll we ever get it back?
Are the people working there now certified and up to date?
How do we know when we call 911 if we are getting certified people with actual credentials?
Will he be charged?
Where is Pittsville VFD's official statement? Why are they being so quiet?
What has the county done about this? This is Gail B.'s district.
Why is he still on active membership status?
Why is his wife still in charge of the ambulances? Conflict of interest?
Where is he working now?
Does he still answer calls?
Just a few questions. This is a great thing but Pittsville VFD speak up.
I find it odd that the membership of this department would re-elect Tony Webster as their ambulance captain.
After all, isn't he the one that failed to catch the fact that Richard Chapman was working without the proper certifications?
Here we go again! Don't some of you have better things to do than sit around like a bunch of anonymous crybabies, why did he get voted in! You sound like a bunch of whiney women who just can't accept change. GET USED TO IT, IT'S LIFE!
You wanted this guy out, YOU GOT IT, YOU IDIOTS!
Sometimes I sit here and listen to this kind of crap and think, will there ever be a Fire Department loaded with fine, respectable, honest men like Bryan Records, for example?
Quit your bellyaching and thank those people who made the changes everyone asked for and move on. Let's just hope this message shuts up all those babies and instead brings in respectable men and women instead. Hopefully guys like you quit the Fire Department because you're the type of guy who talks the talk and doesn't walk the walk anyway.
Hey 11:23
That is an excellent point.
If they really wanted to totally fix the problem, they would have started with the EMS Captain. He is the one ultimately responsible for what has happened. Then they would have voted Richard Chapman completely out of the department.
That would have been a total fix.
Tony Webster is not elected by the general membership if I'm not mistaken. I believe that he is appointed by the Chief. The Chief is Mark Bratten.
Not only that but who would run against him if it was up to an election. It's the good Ole boy network. I mean Richard Chapman was corrupt for years and it this to change the wrongs.
Look at all the corrupt things still going on. Pittsville VFD is accountable to NO ONE as far as the money they spend. Why? It's tax payer money, donations, and fundraisers. The fire department should either report their spendings or be replaced. There needs to be accountability.
Look at the EMS billing, Federal law dictates money collected through Medicare and Medicaid can only be used and/or deposited into the EMS Account not for fire expenditures. All of the money collected through billing of ambulance calls is deposited into the general fund. THAT IS ILLEGAL.
Remember the Chaplain car they have. They said the chaplain needed that car to get from call to call across the county. Nobody argued that. Now that they don't have the county chaplain why do they still have the car. They PROMISED that would sell it once he retired. PROMISED! Pittsville VFD you LIED.
OK, so great news, Richard Chapman was replaced, but he is STILL an active member with the fire department. After breaking protocols and the law and putting people's lives in danger he continues to be welcome at the fire department.
If Pittsville VFD thought that replacing him would solve this problem and allow everything to rest they are SADLY mistaken.
Every officer in that department; Cheif M. Bratten, Deputy G. Whited, Assistant Chief R. Bell, Assistant Chief R. Powell, Captain G. Bratten, Lt. J. Miller, EMS Captain A. Webster, EMS Lt. P. Chapman, J. Bratten, and T. Farlow you should be held accountable, you are put in those positions to make sure everything is running smoothly. YOU FAILED. My opinion is that you should ALL be REPLACED!
Joe he is NOT out. He is still in the general membership of the department. He is NOT out. The only difference now is that he is not considered the Assistant Chief. He is still an active Fire Fighter/Rescue Technician/Haz-Mat Operator with the Pittsville Fire Department.
He is FAR from being "OUT" of the fire department. He was booted from elected office in the department. But not booted from the department. Thats what we've been calling for.
Girls! Girls! Girls!
Relax! We all know chance is something you only know when it comes to diapers.
Respect those who made the initiall change and go from there.
Your whining isn't going to change a thing. Oh, that's right, you don't know that. Well, it's like a diaper, you see. You take the dirty one off and replace it with a clean one. YooHoo!
Unbelievable.
lol @ Joe.
Quit using this as a place to cry and go to the fire house and fill out an application. Mistakes were made and now they are working to fix them. If the plan they are using to fix them don't make you happy go join up and make a difference. If your a member quit belly aching on here and stand up at your meeting and say something. Good ole boy systems will never change if you sit back and do nothing. Stand up, leave your couch, and get involved. And when you do, then keep your dirty laundry in house and don't go posting it all over the web for the world to get involved in.
PS - Thanks Ryan S for beating on this dead horse some more. You my friend are so talented at stirring up the dogs when you have no dog in the fight to begin with!!!!!
I think I can sum it for you all;
Deeeee Deeeeeeee Deeeeeeeeeeeee
With apologies to Sir Boss Hogg, simply put, IT'S PITTSVILLE!
Simple,
Just boot em all out. Then go out and sign up 40 or 50 new trained and qualified members to replace them. Shouldn't be a problem, you can start your pitch with the salary, then tell them what fun it is to climb out of their nice warm bed at 2am on a cold winter night. Oh, and tell them about the free training provided by state and local government, they will just have to volunteer their time, for free, to take the classes and within 2 or 3 years they should be up to par. Don't worry though, most of the classes are held in the evening so you should be able to work your regular paying job OK and still have plenty of time for your family and don't forget you may be asked to work a fund raiser or two, because the funding doesn't always keep up with the necessary equipment that may be needed to keep themselves and you as safe as possible. They'll be beating the firehouse door down to get in on this deal.
anonymous 1:04,
Isn't it just like a woman to come back and go to the worst extreme! Yeah, everyone quit and walk away just because I didn't get my way. Wah, Wah, Wah. Oh, and if you're not a woman, could have fooled me! You forgot to talk about how tough it is to be pregnant and fight fires too. LOL
Oh, I forgot to end with, that's a beer belly, could have fooled me.
Ummmm I think 1:04 was being sarcasic at least that is how I read it. Now stop bashing on women
Oh is this ever going to end?
The people you guys are putting down on here are real people. They have families and close friends. You hurt those innocent people also by spreading your malicious comments just as well as you hurt the person who did wrong. Why don't you think about how you, your family and friends would feel if the shoe was on the other foot and it was you people were putting down on this blog.
I didn't say quit and walk away. I said boot em all out. That was the sentiment I was getting. I wouldn't blame them for quiting sometimes though, seems like the criticism far outweighs any kind of appreciation. You have bad seeds in any organization, even companies that pay salaries have butt-heads and jerks and beer bellies. I am neither a woman nor Pittsville firefighter, nor am I that familiar with what is happening in Pittsville, but I am a volunteer and I know a little about what I'm talking about.
Anon 104
"I am neither a woman nor Pittsville firefighter, nor am I that familiar with what is happening in Pittsville, but I am a volunteer and I know a little about what I'm talking about."
OMG! This is just unbelievable! Let me guess, you're a Doctor of Psychology and you specialize in anger management for Fire Departments as a volunteer? LOL
Just keep guessing.
Anon 104
Joe I am a woman and read your site everyday. Why are you bashing women I dont get it.
Regardless, this happened, period. It's far from being corrected. They have punished the person who was the root of the problem, but the officers were sworn in the uphold the integrity of fire department.
The fire department needs a serious criminal investigation by either county or state officials.
If you can't see the humor in it, I'm sorry. Read it again and know how sarcastic I'm being knowing it's a male.
Are people still donating to Pittsville? I sincerely hope not, it's money going to a fake cause. It's to pay for their crabs, shrimp, and beer.
Did you hear about the stabbing in Pittsville? Well I'll tell you right now that the person who received the injuries transported themselves to the PRMC ER instead of calling Pittsville EMS. Do you want to guess why? Because of the information provided on Salisbury News.
A woman on Railroad Ave had chest pain, she also transported herself to the PRMC ER. Guess why. I know both of these people, we are avid readers of Salisbury News.
People are scared to call 911 in Pittsville.
What I find surprising about all this is that someone that was a active volunteer member also had a full time paid position. I'm not for certain this would be a violation of labor laws, but it is a situation every FD I'm familiar with specifically prohibits.
Go back in your "hole" Ryan
Anonymous 3:59
There are other fire departments that have full time employees who are volunteers also.
He had a full-time paid position and was a volunteer Assistant Chief, Chiefs of the fire departments also decide how much their providers are paid. Conflict of interest?
Pittsville is FULL of corruption!
IAFF does not support volunteers holding paid positions.
The IAFF is the leading Fire Fighter union.
Look at PGFD and other counties on the western shore of Maryland, you cannot volunteer and accept a paycheck in the same county.
I mean, look at Parsonsburg, the Commander and Chief if you will of that Department, Paramedic Steve White is the Chief and a full-time paid employee of the department.
I just have to share this information on this particular Post because a friend of mine tipped me off about how the Watch Desk was ragging on me recently and for what, I don't know and I really don't care. However, they said that they were trying to encourage Firefighters into not coming to Salisbury News, as if this was going to hurt my numbers.
Let me assure ALL of you of just a few things here real quick. First of all, I turned record numbers both Satuday & Sunday. Probably DOUBLE what we normally do on weekend and that's the honest to God truth.
Yesterday was probably the 2nd biggest day this Blog has EVER seen. OK, so what and big deal, right? Right, no big deal to you.
However, what ALL of you seem to miss is this. Salisbury News gets THOUSADS upon THOUSANDS if hits each and every day. I can guarantee you that we get more hits in ONE day than ALL of the Anti Albero Bloggers get combined in a total of 5 years. Heck, I'll even be so bold as to say 10 years, easily.
So IF the Firefighters think they're going to even scratch the surface on my numbers if they didn't return, you're very wrong. Now I'm not saying ANY of you participated with the Watch Desk thing and I really don't care. However, I just wanted to take this opportunity to mention it here on this Post as SOME of those Firefighters who allegedly swore not to come here any more JUST DID and YOU HAVE BEEN BLOGGED!
All that being said, if any of you think you're chatting to a small audience, better think again because even the Watch Desk can't come even close to the volume we deliver here. Sorry Guys but that's the facts. So please be careful what you say because a LOT of people are looking.
Joe, if you read the watch desk then you will see your photographer friend was bashing you just as much.
Nope, not interested. My friend, Wayne Barrall is just that, a friend. If Wayne said something, it must be true then.
I need to vent,
First of all, about the Pittsville ordeal, the problem I believe started with Mr. Tony Webster. Mr. Webster has this chip on his shoulder always walking around like he's the head Italian in charge and is Mr. Tough Guy. However when he makes a mistake, he wants to hide. He's always the first to bash someone else though. I've heard him numerous of times call the paramedic involved a dumb horse( sorry can't cuss anymore) bc he practiced without a liscens. He's quick to pin the tail on the donkey, but does not take any whatsoever responsibility. From what I hear he runs around his place of work in Salisbury putting off all blame. Mr. Macho Italion himself when underfire can't stand on his own two feet.
Now after I've vented that...onto Mr. Chapman. All I have to say is what were you thinking, you should be embarassed and ashamed of yourself. Enough said.
When it all boils down, Mr. Chapman don't be stupid. Mr. Webster, take your head out of your a-behind and take responsibility you little twerp.
Respectfully,
Ryan
Wap Wap
You HAVE to appreciate any man that uses his real name andstands up to an Italian, or an alleged Italian I should say.
Anyhow Ryan, thank you for being one of the very few MEN out there.
Most departments donot allow volunteers to become paid members because it conflicts with the federal labor laws. It leaves you open to be sued to collect overtime for all those volunteer hrs.
Ryan there are LOTS or Ryans, sign your last name.
Either Ryan is your real name or you are trying to stir up some poop.
Oh, and I am not the infamous Ryan S. as many of you would think.
Respectfully,
Ryan
Don't let them get to you Ryan. It's not like a needle in a hay stack. Oh, that's right, it is Pittsville though. Try and figure it out Girls, you'll get there.
is tony webster any relation to the cheify at spd?
They are not related.
Tony Webster is the son of the late C.T. Webster.
His brother is also a big wig at Wor-Wic Community College.
Here we go again blame everyone at pittsville for the chapman mishap, the members, the officers new and old, the farlows but you seem to forget it starts at the top of the hill not the bottom of the hill come on people get your crap straight before you point fingers some of these people had nothing to do with what happens with the paid providers, give it up and move on get involved if you think you can do better as joe says.
Get involved. Lets talk about people getting involved.
A very respectable fire fighter and officer Chris Smack was a great person in Pittsville Fire Department. What did he do? He tried to make sure things were properly getting done in the fire department.
And what happened. Others plotted against him (including Richard Chapman Bobby Bell and Tony Webster) so they could get him removed from office. It's the good olé boy network. Chris Smack was a great guy who only wanted the best things for the fire department, making it to the position of Deputy Chief.
So for all of you people who believe you can simply join and change the system, that's not at all the case.
In the fire department there is something called 6-22. It's someone with 6 months of service who thinks they have 22 years of experience. The system is not easily changed. It's been tried and tried and tried before. It will never ever happen.
You could name a countless number of people who have been or are in the Pittsville Fire Department who try to do things correctly but they will never advance in the department. The entire line of officers is corrupt. They are so worried about riding the in the front passenger seat of that fire truck than they are with actually protecting the citizens they are sworn to serve.
Joe, you say he or she is a real man for using their name(which obviously isnt even their name) and that they "stand up" what standing up is this coward doing. Standing up to someone is going face to face with them, not just venting their jealously and insecurities on this blog....
Anonymous said...
Look at the EMS billing, Federal law dictates money collected through Medicare and Medicaid can only be used and/or deposited into the EMS Account not for fire expenditures. All of the money collected through billing of ambulance calls is deposited into the general fund. THAT IS ILLEGAL.
11:47 AM
Prove it... cite your sources... otherwise you are nothing more than a liar spreading false rumors.
Anonymous said...
Anonymous 3:59
There are other fire departments that have full time employees who are volunteers also.
4:13 PM
That doesn't make it right, BUTTWIPE!!
Anonymous said...
They are not related.
Tony Webster is the son of the late C.T. Webster.
His brother is also a big wig at Wor-Wic Community College.
8:21 PM
For your information they are both from some of the Somerset County clan. Check the DNA!
YUP ON POWER KICKS, JUST LIKE DAN TOWNSAND
again posting without all the facts being a neighboring member of pittsville not all of their officers just want to ride the front seat some actualy try to do more
7:47;
Posting without the facts? Pardon me? I know for a fact that everything posted thus far has been a fact.
It's funny other people have mentioned other things and they have been ignored;
- ambulance billing going into the general fund.
- Chris Smack
- Chaplain's car
Why are they being ignored?
This post was really hard to find, can you put it back to the top?
If Chris Smack is so respectable and a great person and Officer of a dept. Then answer me this - Why has he been in 3 fire departments on the eastside of the county and has not moved from his residence?? Because of this - If it is not done his way, right , wrong or indifferent then he pouts and picks his toys up and runs away to someplace that will take him until it happens again.
Chris Smack did move from Willards to Pittsville because he MOVED.
He was plotted against in Pittsville so he went to Powellville.
chris,left willards mid term while he was chief and joined pittsville. because he could not gett along with keith twilley. and he was and had been living in pittsville in the house his mothre and father in law gave him. thats how much you know numbnuts
Chris Smack is GREAT guy with great ideas for the fire department. Sometimes he went against the grain to get things done right, you have seen what has happened.
You cannot do it.
I DIDNT SAY CHRIS WAS A BAD GUY ..JUST STATING THE FACTS. YOUR SUCH A LOSER TRYING TO DIG UP ANY POSSIBLE THING YOU CAN TO HARM PITTSVILLE. BECAUSE THEY KICKED YOUR WORTHLESS ASS OUT. THE CHAPLINS CAR...WOW BIG STUFF. FOR YOUR INFO THE CAR WAS BOUGHT BECAUSE THE CHAPLIN WAS HAVING TO USE HIS OWN CAR TO RESPOND TO CALLS NOT ONLY IN PITTSVILLE BUT ALL OVER THE COUNTY MANY CALLS IN SALISBURY.AFTER ASKING FOR HELP TO PURCHASE A CAR , AND WITH NO RESPONCE...PITTSVLLE... GOT THE CAR ON THERE OWN. AND AFTER MR BILL RETIRED. AND WE NO LONGER HAD A VAN FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO CLASS . IT WAS DECIDED TO KEEP THIS CAR FOR THAT PURPOSE. YOU ARE A CONFIRMED LOSER. WHO ONLY MEANS TO HARM. NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR GARBAGE. YOUR LIES AND HALF TRUTHS ARE SO OBVIOUS.SO TRISH RYAN MARY YOU WILL ALWAYS BE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN.
Any more comments in capitold will be rejected.
capitols, sorry.
You kept the chaplains car for transporting people?? Seriously?
You used that same excuse to purchase a Ford Expedition. What about the number of seats available in the brush truck, traffic control, on EMS car. You guys are ONLY collecting units to get trophies in parades.
You claim the people posting on here are jokes, Pittsville VFD is the LAUGHING stock of the whole entire county.
Jesus!!! Revenge is SO SO SO SWEET! :)
I love it...
Sent with love from:
Mary, Ryan, and Trish
10:54
Revenge? lol What exactly are you getting? writing little stupid comments on here? whoo!hoo! you go girls! And where are you? lol go get yourself a extra value meal and get a life :)
revenge..what revenge..you losers are gone..everyone knows what you are about. pittsville lives on. and is well respected by the people we serve.. p.s. i love the way you use the word jesus.. thats something else you know nothing about. maybe someday someone will perform an exorcism on you and beat the devel out of you.
Beat the 'devel' out of us? Come on... lol...
im sure you know how to spell it .and im sure its the only thing you can relate to. so its with much sadness that i say goodbye to my chubby little loser friends. keep posting its the only thing you have....besides that cheeseburger in you right hand
What? Really...
Pittsville Fire Department, bottomline, you are a JOKE.
PERIOD!
and you are just mad because they don't want you in it! Our paramedics have saved countless number of lives...but all you do is whaa whaa whaa...its more than you can say you have ever done!End your jealousy and go to school so you can be what you so much admire:)
Your paramedics aren't even certified! LOL...
IDIOTS!
I have to agree with everyone else, as a fire fighter on the west side of Wicomico County you guys are the biggest joke ever.
I mean look at it, FAKE paramedics! delayed response times! retarded officers! less than effective volunteers! and green fire trucks! come on now!
They aren't in "competition" they are there to save lives. There Paramedics are certified and some of the best. If it wasn't for them, my aunt may not have lived.Its not about competition, its about saving lives.
How can we be assured they are certified if the fire department refuses to release a statement?
The best? Judging that you are actually in the fire department because the average Joe citizen wouldn't know what the "best" is. But the best?
Tad Farlow, really? He couldn't stick a water ballon.
Tony Webster, really? LOL.
Richard Chapman and Steve White pretty much murdered Tony's nephew in the apartments a few years back because they didn't follow protocol.
The best? NOT!
Joe, please bring this post back to the front.
im curious. How would you even know what happend? Were you there? or the two paradics you speak of? Sounds like gossip. And now that you mention the paramedics names,I believe it was the paramedic Webster that saved my aunt. The other names dont sound familiar. All I know is that I am grateful to him. Why are you people being so mean to these fine men in our community? You should be ashamed of yourselves!
10:01 I agree with your comment.Why do people keep bashing the people that help. Webster (if I am correct) is the instructor over SFD. He teaches other paramedics and emergency medical care.(pretty sure) they would not give him that job if he wasn't skilled. I have heard mostly good stuff till this Mr.Chapmen thing broke out.But hey, at least they got rid of him!
They did NOT get rid of Chapman, the simply took him out of office. He is STILL a member of Pittsville Fire Department! Why?
We are not bashing the fire department, we are simply pointing out the wrong doings in the fire department in Pittsville.
The overspending of taxpayer money to the point they are over $200,000 in DEBT! To the point the hired and paid an unlicensed paramedic.
When you go get a job in any place and you claim to have some sort of certification, they check it. When you are in the business of saving lives it's up to the officers to make sure that person is actually certified.
RICHARD CHAPMAN WAS NEVER A PARAMEDIC! EVER! And yet he was hired and promoted all over their website as being a paramedic. Someone's judgment lapsed and someone wasn't doing their job.
Pittsville was never held responsible. Why? Because Gail Bartkovich is in the pocket of the fire departments. They are precious votes she cannot pass up. As the representative for that area I hold her responsible.
Pittsville Volunteer Fire Department you have everyone's attention now. Speak out. Issue a statement, don't be a coward!
You try making this stick to other people, Mary, Ryan, and Trish. Why? Because you can't face the members still in your department.
I know Mary and Trish have moved on and Ryan is way up in Delaware serving with another fire department. If you were at Ms. Smith's funeral anyone paying attention would have seen him.
Basically to sum this whole things up, Pittsville is a big fat stupid JOKE. Nothing more, nothing less. You got what was coming to you.
Anon 11:11 am
If Mr. Chapman is no longer working on the ambulance and is no longer an officer. Then what is the big deal? Is there any reason why he shouldn't be allowed to go out and put his life on the line to fight fires? Does he have all the qualifications to do that? If he has been through all the training he needs to be a fire fighter then I see no problem with him staying on in the department as a volunteer.
No I don't belong to the PFD and no I don't live in Pittsville. I do however know a few very good people in that department some of whom were bashed on the old thread about this topic. Volunteering is not easy. For those of us who don't do this kind of thing have no clue what it takes out of these men and women. Instead of complaining get out there and so something helpful for a change. If you don't feel you can make a difference in the fire department then try somewhere else. But give up your time like these gentlemen do and then maybe you can complain.
and what was it that we got ryan?lol. nobody cares what u have to say, at least nobody of importance! and if a member of OUR fire dept has a problem, they are more than welcome to speak up.u have nothing to do with us, so stop your stalking.
Amen! I agree. If Chapman is a qualified fire fighter, he should be allowed to fight fire, and in my opinion if he is a qualified EMT or whatever he has, i personally think he should be able to provide his services. Dont let his skills go to waste.The mean comments on here are just people who have personal issues with certain people and they have so much hate in them, they just want to see that person or persons tormented. We will be praying for you.
Praying?
He should be allowed to remain the fire house? He lied to public officials to maintain his employment with the fire department. Meaning when he collected a pay check from the fire department he was stealing tax payer/county funds. He is on the same level as Ray Lewis.
He stole tax payer money by collecting a paycheck for a job he never should have had. How is that right? How is that acceptable?
If you were treated by a doctor in a doctor's office and come to find out he never was a doctor, how would you feel? Knowing you put your life in his hands?
Is he qualified to be a firefighter? That is the question. Can you even answer the question? He's no longer being paid and he's no longer going on ambulance calls. Is that correct? Why should he not be allowed to be a general member of the fire department?
Obviously, people in a higher position then you have decided not to press charges. Get over it already. Stop beating a dead horse. Life is too short to be this darn petty about something like this. Yes, it is petty. For some reason, Mr. Chapman has done something to you and now you are being a very vendictive person.
A piece of advise. Let it go! Just let the powers that be handle what happens to Mr. Chapman. If he was truely in the wrong then fate always has a way of catching up with you. He'll get his in some way.
Well, I would think he would get a paycheck as he always did doing the job he WAS qualified to do! Ok, maybe he wasnt a paramedic, but he was a paid EMT or whatever he was and that is what he was paid for.You talk like he was just a regular Joe who knew nothing. He was trained and did help people.
This is definetly somebody that has personal issues with Mr Chapman.
JOE JOE JOE JOE!
People think this guy was right? That's AMAZING! The funny thing is, Richard Chapman knew he was wrong, the Pittsville Fire Department knows he was/is wrong, and the public knows he is wrong.
Richard Chapman was an imposter, posing as a paramedic. He wasn't an EMT, CRT, or Paramedic. Granted he was at one time, but his license expired. He continued to practice and that is wrong. We all now that.
Richard's wife Paula aided him and his stupid act. Paula was an EMS Officer with the Pittsville Fire Department. I think the Pittsville Fire Department is finally admitting they were wrong. Paula Chapman was just removed from office. Part of her job was to make sure the providers were up to date, needless to say that didn't happened.
Salisbury News has done a lot of good for the citizens of eastern Wicomico.
Thank you Pittsville Fire Department.
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