What's a tiny volunteer fire company in Bensalem doing with a $1 million taxpayer-funded fireboat tricked out to troll the Delaware River for blazes, bodies, terrorists, and IEDs?
Nothing, besides preening for festival crowds and crashing into objects seen and unseen.
The tale of how the dysfunctional Union Fire Company won a wad of Homeland Security money to buy a state-of-the-art terror-taming boat screams post-9/11 planning at its nuttiest.
The volunteers' bold play to dabble in regional law enforcement has soured relations with Bensalem's paid police department. Two Union chiefs have resigned as a result of boat acrimony and embarrassing accidents. And just maintaining the vessel is draining the fire company's meager resources.
Bensalem locals talk endlessly about the imposing 40-foot, 25,000-pound "Bear on the Delaware" that has been prowling all year but has yet to fight a fire or sniff out a bomb. But no one who had a hand in the grant seems upset that volunteers own a dream machine that may be the death of the company.
Union members insist they "aren't yahoos," but rather, everyday heroes risking their lives for free. Yet even the chief admits they look like showboaters on the big-boy toy.
With fewer than 30 active members - only a handful of whom even live in Bensalem - Union already "scratches," or fails to respond to, nearly a third of its emergency calls. When they make rare marine runs, it's usually to recover bodies. Until this year, the firefighters took off in a modest motorboat to guffaws at a nearby yacht club.
"They're horrible. It's like a comedy of errors when they launch," says Bill Burke, the club's former commodore. "I've seen them put a boat in without the plug in."
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LMAO this sounds just like Rick Hoppes, Bill Gordy and the goons at the Salisbury Fire Department. I bet you won't see the Daily Times do an investigative report like this.
ReplyDeleteStupid is as stupid does. Let's start a petition! lol
ReplyDeleteOfficials insist Union can reopen the moment it meets three conditions:
ReplyDeleteReplace the chief and president. Craft a long-term "remediation plan." And decommission "Marine 37."
This Mayor is obviously more intelligent than Jim Liarton.
Ireton's Folley
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the comments roll in on this post.
ReplyDeleteJim Ireton is having a press conference tomorrow to announce his plans of raping the tax payers for another $1 million.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ci.salisbury.md.us/cityclerk/briefingbook/FireDeptGrant73012.pdf
1.038 Million for Salisbury Fire Department
Mayor James Ireton, Jr. invites the public to a Monday, July 30, 2012 announcement of a $1,038,921 grant to the Salisbury Fire Department from United States Department of Homeland Security.
Through Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a SAFER, or Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response, the Salisbury Fire Department will hire 12 firefighters for a 2 year period.
Mayor Ireton and representatives of United States Senator Barbara Mikulski and United States Senator Ben Cardin will make the SAFER announcement at Salisbury Fire Headquarters on Monday, July 30, 2012 at Noon. Headquarters are located at 325 Cypress Street in Salisbury.
“I know how important this funding is to Maryland communities – often it’s the difference between life and death. First responders protect our homes and communities, and the federal government has a responsibility to protect them by providing them with the tools they need to do their jobs safer and smarter,” said U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), who as a member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, fights each year to increase federal funding for the fire grants program. “Every day when our first responders report for duty, they don’t know what they will face. That’s why I fight every year for the staffing, equipment and training our protectors and communities deserve.”
“Now more than ever, we need to make sure that we have the first responders in place that are needed to protect our families and communities,” U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) said. “From fires to natural disasters to possible terrorist threats, communities cannot shoulder this burden alone. It is important that we provide the federal investment that is needed so communities can hire the first responders that are needed to protect us from harm.”
Mayor Ireton said, “Senator Mikulski’s and Senator Cardin’s commitment to first responders is unparalleled. Our community is grateful for their representation in Washington and the relationship they have formed with Salisbury.”
###
geebus
ReplyDeletei wonder if they have "Big Boys Toyz" painted on the transom?
these people should be so ashamed as to never again appear in public, yet they're not
tells you a lot about what the rest of us are up against
Welcome to Salisbury's future.
ReplyDeleteHow do I apply for my job?
ReplyDeleteJust remember these democrats Cardin and Mikulski when it's time to vote for them. Remember where they gat all that grant money to give away in election years and if you really want to vote the pork out,vote out Cardin then Mikulski. $1,000,000 for a fireboat another million for 12 new hires?
ReplyDeleteLet's go to the conference and tell Cardin and Mikulski we need money for our police department more than we need these grants
ReplyDeleteJim Ireton is having a press conference tomorrow to announce his plans of raping the tax payers for another $1 million.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why that's on this thread but oh well.
No wonder this country is in such an economic mess.
The Feds borrow money they can never pay back, they give it away in forms of grants and such.
States and cities like this one and Salisbury, Md., take the money and run.
No fiscal responsibility from top to bottom.
Except for the price, it would be funny to see these spoiled ff's hit something and sink the newest playground toy.
Laughed til we cried.
The best thing the citizens can do is to show up at the press conference tomorrow and demand the city council does not accept any more Homeland Security Grants.
ReplyDeleteMany fire departments across this country have rejected the Safer grant money and given it back. Yeah, the Safer grant sounds nice but after considering have much it will cost the city for benefits after the grant expires, the grant is not what it appears to be. And who is going to be the one to say to those newly hired firefights, we have to lay you off!!!
ReplyDeleteThis was an awesome article and it does apply to the Salisbury Fire Department.
ReplyDeleteAfter many hours of having my head up my butt, I think I finally truely understand Jim Ireton's plan for downtown.
ReplyDeleteFirst we build low income housing down on the water. Then said low rent district has meth labs blow up and need the fireboat. Justify the fireboat!!
Slick Jimmy, Moe Conway and Gov. O'money are so pround of their boy toy.
July 29, 2012 2:45 PM
ReplyDeleteYou are correct. When the grant expires the city isn't going to have the money to pay their salaries and benefits so we are stuck with them. They will raise taxes and furlough city employees again.
Good to see we weren't the only ones that benefited from our federal government's squandered programs, wouldn't want to see anyone left out! Cardin and Mikulski should hang their head in shame. "Way to go towards balancing a budget you morons!'
ReplyDeleteWhat you aren't being told is that the recipients of these staffing grants sign an agreement to provide continued funding for year 3 & 4. Grants that provide only equipment simply drop ship and leave the recipient to fund support costs. In either case, the municipality must identify new revenue resources. Aren't grants wonderful?
ReplyDeleteJuly 29, 2012 2:22 PM
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
Jim Ireton is having a press conference tomorrow to announce his plans of raping the tax payers for another $1 million.
I don't know why that's on this thread but oh well.
July 29, 2012 2:31 PM
Really! Are you that narrow minded?
"Two Union chiefs have resigned as a result of boat acrimony and embarrassing accidents."
ReplyDeleteHappens all the time in the Salisbury Fire Department. Especially with the $1 Million ladder truck and HazMat truck. Just recently one of the fire clowns struck a light pole in the WaWa South parking lot and knocked it over. Cost $5,000 to fix the ladder truck. Funny thing is Hoppes didn't resign.
It's interesting Ireton wants to hire 12 firefighters but he stole money out of all the city employees pay checks for furloughs the last 2 years.
ReplyDeleteIn his own mind Jim Liarton is a hero because in that wharped mind of his he thinks the tax payers are loving him for finding all this free money for them.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why that's on this thread but oh well.
ReplyDeleteJuly 29, 2012 2:31 PM
Really! Are you that narrow minded?
July 29, 2012 4:16 PM
Yes, I guess I am. Would you like to expound on it?
@11:45 Sound familar?
ReplyDelete"When they make rare marine runs, it's usually to recover bodies."
The only thing Salisbury's fireboat has been used for is to pick up one dead boday. expound on that
"When they make rare marine runs, it's usually to recover bodies."
ReplyDeleteThe only thing Salisbury's fireboat has been used for is to pick up one dead boday. expound on that
July 30, 2012 9:28 AM
I cannot expound on something YOU say. But your sarcasm did not escape me.
But that doesn't justify or explain anything. And I have no more energy to waste on this subject or to get an explanation for it's inclusion.
It's just not worth the effort and is not that important.
Peace.
Chuck Cook, don't go away mad, just go away.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone go to Jim Ireton's press conference at the fire station today?
ReplyDeleteChuck Cook, don't go away mad, just go away.
ReplyDeleteJuly 30, 2012 11:02 AM
Who is chuck cook