Salisbury Mayor Barrie P. Tilghman announced that Salisbury Fire Chief David B. See will retire effective June 30, 2009, after 30 years of service.
Chief See began his career with the City of Salisbury on July 1, 1979 as a Probationary Firefighter. He served as an operational firefighter in various assignments and for several years as an administrative assistant. In March 1992 he was transferred to the Department’s training facility to serve as its first full time career training officer. He was promoted to the rank of Fire Lieutenant in July 1993 while serving there. In January 2000, he was promoted to the rank of Fire Captain and transferred to Fire Station #2 as a company officer. In October 2001, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Fire Chief. After the sudden resignation of Chief Steve Brezler in April 2003, Mayor Tilghman appointed See as Acting Fire Chief until a permanent successor was appointed. Mayor Tilghman subsequently appointed him to the position of Chief of the Department in December 2003.
Chief See also served as an active Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) emergency services instructor for 18 years and holds numerous state and national emergency services certifications.
Chief See currently serves as a Board Director-at-large on the International Association of Fire Chief’s (IAFC) Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS). His organizational memberships include the Delmar Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. (Active) and the Salisbury Fire Department, Inc. (Honorary), and active status with the Maryland State Fire Chief’s Association (MFCA) currently serving as its Treasurer, International Fire Chiefs Association (IAFC) and its Eastern Division (EDIAFC).
Since his appointment as Chief of the Department, Chief See has focused the Department’s efforts in the improvement of firefighter safety through the modernization of its apparatus fleet, the replacement of firefighting tools and personal protective equipment, and continuing to ensure the community’s service demands are met. He successfully led the Department through a brief period of internal strife when differences between a minority of Department members and the
City were highly publicized. He has overseen the renovation of Fire Station #1 and the construction of a new 41,000 square foot fire station and administrative headquarters facility on the City’s west side. He has been instrumental in the continued implementation of the Fire Department’s strategic plan since its development and initial implementation in 2001. During his tenure he has seen the replacement of all of the Department’s capital apparatus; new self-contained breathing apparatus; an increase in the total number of career and volunteer positions; the implementation of volunteer position descriptions and promotional processes; and the appointment of the Department’s first female fire line officer, among other accomplishments.
In his thirty years of service with the Salisbury Fire Department, Chief David See has committed himself fully to serving the citizens of the City and the Salisbury Fire District.
“Chief See has distinguished himself though many years of service to the City of Salisbury,” said Mayor Tilghman. “He has led the Department into the 21st century world of delivery of fire and emergency medical services. He came on board during a particularly challenging period and has transformed the Department into a united volunteer and career force that serves the citizens of the Salisbury Fire District extraordinarily well. I am honored to have served with him.”
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14 comments:
Salisbury:
And, now, Heressss Gordy
. . . your next SFD Chief!
Make me barf
Good riddance, and don't let the door hit you in the rear end as you leave.
Lets see, your judged by your company ..... The Mare and her Chief. Enough said! Step up all the little girls of the SFD, let the ass kissing begin fast, time to jocky for position.
Chief Sea was appointed to the department in 1979. He was well know to the volunteers because he referred to them as WORTHLESS TICKS and refused to speak to them. To further HIS education and training resume, he took a position at the FTC Fire Training Center. This allowed him to be gone to training classes to strengthen his resume. It also allowed him to be miserable by himself (ALONE) all day. After 4 o'clock he would drive a gas truck all night and be at work the next day. There he could sleep all day and nobody would check on him. Perfect ! In 1993 he was promoted to Lieutenant because he told Higgins that nobody would listen to him as a firefighter. He was right because nobody respected him. He hated Salisbury and wasn't afraid to let you know it. We were the most F###ed up organization he had ever seen. In 1999 he was nearly fired by Higgins for having such a horrible attitude. A decision Higgins regrets to this day.
In 2000 he was promoted to Captain and went to Station 2. He played the role and only told the paid men that he hated Volunteers. In 2001 he smoozed the new Chief from Baltimore that we ran out, to be Deputy Chief. All the free training he got at the FTC impressed this guy and made him Deputy. Boy was this guy fooled. After he bolted for the hills, See was the only thing they had. He became Chief and immediately played the role and kissed Volunteer butt, because he needed our money.
As Chief his platform was firefighter safety, because he was scared of fire. He couldn't make one move unless he had Brezlers strategic plan book. A screwed up plan that wanted to eliminate Volunteers and spend money. Talk about internal strife. All the years of him calling us TICKS and not speaking to us came back to haunt him. We didn't forget.
He has done some good for the Department. The apparatus is newer with a five year replacement plan. Although the Volunteers foot the bill. He stays in his office and doesn't visit us much, unless he needs money. The man was smart enough to let Gordy run things and still hold the Chief title.
He leaves behind a legacy that wont soon be forgotten. Out of control spending, internal strife and a miserable personality. His retirement party is planned and will be held in the copier room of the new Station 16. That should hold all his friends. We wish him well and dont let the door hit you on the way out.
Anon 8:55
You hit he nail on the head. Thats the way I saw it in my day. You were kind enough to leave the three failed marriages and Annie Todd out of it. How about getting his butt beat up this summer. Oh ! Thats right he fell down. I still dont know why Higgins did toss him. Man he was miserable.
The people of Salisbury need to speak very loudly now. We need someone like Bryan Records as Chief, we certainly DO NOT NEED Gordy.
Chief See tossed Chaplain Harvey Dixon out when he took over. He didn't agree with how See was planning on trearting Volunteers. Out he went and Gordy got his car. You have made your bed, now lie in it See. I wont miss you.
You keep bringing up Brian Records name for Chief. Whats he going to do any different than See. He's all about the career side of the fire department.
8:55 Very well said ! Hopefully things will get better. Who would you say is the best replacement?
Joe, What 8:55 am said is the God's honest truth. Many of us, both career and volunteer who have been around long enough have seen that miserable POS do absolutely nothing during his entire career.
The past Deputy Fire Chief told me the other day that David See wasn't a ball of fire and should have never been promoted to anything.
I wonder who wrote this fluff piec for the Mare?
Well, looks like alot of tension is being brough to an end with Chief See's retirement. Iregardless how you feel about See he is the chief and quite frankly he has done some good things with the department, however all has their own opinion in this matter and they are entitled. With that being said we all have flaws and we all learn from them or each other's flaws which is what keeps life itself full of excitement.
As far as Bryan Records for Chief, well the man has far more knowledge than many within do. Bryan also extends his knowledge to his subordinates given the oppurtunity. Bryan is not scared to get involved on the scene and he will be right beside you inside the burning structure if oppurtunity presents itself. Bryan believes in training and he believes in putting the right person(s) in a position not just filling a position with a temporary person(s) to fill the void. Bryan is a 2nd generation in the fire service along with his brother Steve who serves as a volunteer Asst Chief up town. These two individuals are following their father Donald Records legacy that he left behind for them to follow as he retired as an Asst Chief and continues his fire service career as a volunteer with Parsonsburg Fire Dept. holding the rank of Chief Engineer. Good luck to any and canidates for the Chief's position at SFD.
The only thing that David See wants volunteers for is the money. They are a revenue stream for him and Gordy. If it wasn't for the money the volunteer companies get from the county, they wouldn't be important at all. Both David See and Bill Gody treat the volunteer component like S****. No support what soever.
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