BEFORE THE PARADE BEGINS….
The topic du jour floating around at the 9/25/08 Commission meeting…in the new edition of the Futures paper …at coffee shops…condos and in conversation between those who are leery as we face the waning few days of BSO Fire in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea…… is a VFD Oversight Committee…
A non-partisan group …which most likely cannot be found within the town limits….to make sure that the VFD is watched …not by the BSO Union as McIntee likes to espouse but by qualified people….with no agenda driving them….http://sumtercountyfl.gov/bocc/boards.htm
Unfortunately for the VFD there are many who cannot see how the Town Manager will be able to be the lone oversight authority….she has so much on her plate…and to some looks too cozy with the Vice Mayor and Commissioner Silverstone who meet with her almost daily…..it is said….
Unfortunately for the VFD there are many who cannot see the Chiefs being in command…with the Vice Mayor overshadowing them and the department…..at every turn…
Unfortunately for the VFD a case in point came at the Thursday night Commission meeting when the startling exchange between the Town Manager and Chief Perkins came after Commissioner Silverstone spoke of AMR having one qualified firefighter that can assist the VFD…in answering a call…. the VFD will have the required 4 …they “can pull off AMR” …..a point the Chief concurred with…and seemed to think was a given…to be counted on to provide aid…
Commissioner Dodd chimed in to say that “cross utilization doesn’t cut it”…he had been concerned about the contract saying the truck can leave with 3 …when 4 firefighters are required for entering a building….
The Manager quite emphatically said no…agreeing with Dodd……….and needed to repeat it…that according to the Town’s contract with AMR…no member of AMR can walk away from the ambulance to assist the VFD…ever…”AMR is not there to subsidize the VFD”…the “VFD is not allowed to use them”
This type of miscommunication…of not knowing the parameters allowed…between the VFD and AMR….might just be one reason…for such a fire review board to be in place…..
The VFD missed a real opportunity by not welcoming a committee…no matter that it adds another layer….it shows a willingness to prove the department is what it says it is….with transparency provided to all…
This could have succeeded where the New Guard has not… where the dais and the CIC have faltered under the direction of a few that have read the majority of the town…completely wrong….
Now we will watch…and hold our breath…that the chain of command is by VFD title as it should be……with the larger than life figure …the VFD lightning rod….our Vice Mayor….being able to do what seems highly unlikely…that has not happened thus far in this training period….taking a back seat…not “cutting to the chase”…not usurping power from the designated leaders……not throwing caution to the wind…so that back peddling will be required…..to bring forward such a committee or review board after the first questionable situation that casts doubt on this new VFD……
The VFD parade is coming through the streets of the town today…providing a first peek of who is sitting where…who is leading the procession….leading the members…who is the most vocal…with photo-ops galore….
It will offer the residents from north to south… either a wonderful…pleasant surprise or a nagging… growing fear….of what is about to transpire….a few days from now on October 1st at 12 AM…
more to come…..
Guess he and his white horse will be missing this parade….
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbjenne0927sbsep27,0,4614241.story
