City laying off fulltime, going to all volunteer.

[cellblock]

Keep in mind that this was the same department that required it's paid FFs to still respond on their off duty hours as volunteers...

I dont believe this is legal. If I remember right the Garcia Act prevents you from being employed and volunteering for the same department. .

It isn't legal. We've beat that particular horse enough already.

[MrIrons]

I was wondering are there volunteer Gynecologist's ? Now that would be great...

[PFire23]

I was wondering are there volunteer Gynecologist's ? Now that would be great...

I wonder how cool it would be when the 87 y/o granny comes in for a check-up????

[Weruj1]

I wonder how cool it would be when the 87 y/o granny comes in for a check-up????

..ROFLMAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[arhaney]

I wonder how cool it would be when the 87 y/o granny comes in for a check-up????

*******************Alan pulls self up off of floor holding side from laughing his arse off***************

[PFire23]

Maybe I missed it somewhere in all the articles, but let's not let facts cloud the issue....can someone point to me where it states they are being let go because a bunch of people called and said they would do it for free? It looks to me like they are being fired because there is a lack of money. Someone, please, show me where the vols are causing these guys to be let go.

Bones, I made an assumption (I know what assuming does). I will go back and re-read the article. Thanks for pointing out my faux pas.

[ChicagoFF]

A city votes to fund a full time fire department and all the dignitaries come out to cut the ribbon.
A city votes to go from a full time department to a volunteer department and all of a sudden, it becomes a customer service issue.
So, we go from warm and fuzzy to mass hysteria.
But it's not career vs. volunteer!
CR

"This thread has finally born all the fruits of a paid vs. volunteer issue" - CR

And you contributed too!

[ChicagoFF]

Maybe I missed it somewhere in all the articles, but let's not let facts cloud the issue....can someone point to me where it states they are being let go because a bunch of people called and said they would do it for free? It looks to me like they are being fired because there is a lack of money. Someone, please, show me where the vols are causing these guys to be let go.

"That means layoffs January first for the seven full-time firefighter-paramedics, full-time ambulance billing clerk, and 16 part-time ambulance employees. The fire department will become an all-volunteer department."

Taken from the first post of this thread.

[LaFireEducator]

At what point did we get to "these paid guys are being replaced by volunteers?

This is already a combo department, which apprently hired the paid staff to man the "town's" ambulance service (it doesn't even sound like it's a fire department operated service), and act as firefighters when not on EMS calls.
Obviously the fire side is well handled by the volunteer component, or else there would be more than 2 paid paramedic firefighters per shift.

They are being laid off because when the town sells the EMS service, they will no longer need the paramedics. And nobody is being hired to take thier place - it's obvious from the from the numbers and the volunteer side has and will contibue to be the main fire supression force.

This sure doesn't sound like a volunteer replacing paid issue ..it simply sounds like the town is no longer providing a specific service and are laying off the people who were responsible for delivering THAT service, which was not really not fire protection, but was primarily EMS. It's no different than if they decide to contract out any other city service .. and have to lay off the people who delievered that service.

Chicago, I think you are really taking the "will become an all-volunteer department" somewhat out of the context. They were hired primarily for EMS... noe EMS is gone.... should the town keep them "hanging out" if the fire call volume does not justify paying career firefighters?

[PFire23]

Thanks ChicagoFF, I just went back and re-read this entire thread, and it appears that I haven't been the only one to make assumptions and read between the lines. Anyway, I digress..........the below is from the link in the first post of this thread:

ISHPEMING, Mich. (AP) - A community group is analyzing Ishpeming's ambulance budget to see if it's feasible for the Upper Peninsula city to be involved in the service. The Ishpeming City Council recently voted 3-to-2 to eliminate the city-owned ambulance service from the upcoming municipal budget. That means layoffs January first for the seven full-time firefighter-paramedics, full-time ambulance billing clerk, and 16 part-time ambulance employees. The fire department will become an all-volunteer department. Now, a group called Citizens for Essential Services is looking into the question of the future of the ambulance service. (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

I guess my assumption wasn't quite so far off the mark...... it's not just ambulance personnel losing their positions. So I will stand by my original comments.

[MrIrons]

I wonder how cool it would be when the 87 y/o granny comes in for a check-up????

Well thanks for that pretty picture!!!

Just set your walker over here.....

[ChiefReason]

"This thread has finally born all the fruits of a paid vs. volunteer issue" - CR

And you contributed too!

I was being analytical!
This reminds me of the axiom: which came first; the chicken or the egg?
Well; which came first: the vote by the city council to cut paying jobs or the move to put unpaid personnel into those positions?
It is not uncommon to have first responders fire up an ambulance for the EMTs. They do it where I live. We supplement the ambulance with fire department first responders. Why is that such a scary concept?
Like I said; unless the volunteers openly lobbied for those positions, it's kinda hard to make the case that volunteers TOOK paid positions. It's unfortunate that paid positions were lost, but blame the pinhead politicians; not the good hearts of volunteers who MUST fill the void. They got it by default. Pure and simple.
CR

[arhaney]

I was being analytical!
This reminds me of the axiom: which came first; the chicken or the egg?
Well; which came first: the vote by the city council to cut paying jobs or the move to put unpaid personnel into those positions?
It is not uncommon to have first responders fire up an ambulance for the EMTs. They do it where I live. We supplement the ambulance with fire department first responders. Why is that such a scary concept?
Like I said; unless the volunteers openly lobbied for those positions, it's kinda hard to make the case that volunteers TOOK paid positions. It's unfortunate that paid positions were lost, but blame the pinhead politicians; not the good hearts of volunteers who MUST fill the void. They got it by default. Pure and simple.
CR

CR, well said!

[Bones42]

I guess my assumption wasn't quite so far off the mark

And again, you are assuming volunteers are replacing the paid ff/paramedics. The vols are already there so they are not replacing anyone. The ambulance service is being taken away, therefore, no need to have staff for the ambulance.

[ChicagoFF]

And again, you are assuming volunteers are replacing the paid ff/paramedics. The vols are already there so they are not replacing anyone. The ambulance service is being taken away, therefore, no need to have staff for the ambulance.

If they were just there for the ambulance then why were they FIREFIGHTER/paramedics, not just paramedics. It would seem pretty silly to waste crosstrained pesonnel on just an ambo.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Home Depot is just a big box store that hires so called "experts" in the field of things such a s plumbing,, electrical, flooring, etc. to work there...

The only problem is.. the guy who worked ion plumbing last week is working in the lawn and garden department this week, the lady who worked int he paint and decorating derpartment is now working in plumbing, etc.

PS: It does no good for one to think outside of the box of fire service knowldege when the box is empty to begin with!