Writing
these
are much
easier
when you
don’t
have to
sit in
Council
chambers
for
five
hours
prior
to!
I hope
this
email
finds
everyone
well….let’s
get
started….
- Budget---as the dust is settling from last week, here is where were are standing:
- Restored 12 million out of 15 million in cuts.
- No staffing for 62
- 3 million short in OT funding.
- We can hire 63 FF’s, but DROP will take up most of those.
- No enhancements (new rescues, admin personnel)
- As of now, no new vehicles or MDT’s (this meeting is Tuesday)
So
what’s
next?
We still
have
some
work to
do and
the
Finance
Committee
still
can meet
with us
again
prior to
going to
full
Council
next
month.
That
meeting
will
truly
decide
what
next
year’s
budget
will
look
like. I
urge
everyone
to stay
positive
as we
navigate
this
process.
- RMS OT---Saturday we change our OT sign up process. There are some programming bugs that need to be addressed. I know some confusion exists as to how it works, let me try to explain.
- Suppression—you no longer are on a list until you get OT. You simply are available for the next day or not. The list will show the people available with the least amount of OT at the top and this is a recommended hiring order but certifications will have priority (boat, ARFF, HM Tech).
- Rescue---they are continuing to operate the same as before. They are utilizing the RMS list to help them identify who is available and who is not.
- Overtime Committee---is being put together to solve some outstanding issues in the OT process between divisions. This is a hot topic right now and one we are addressing immediately.
- Rehab---Chairs, tables, lights, and a generator have been delivered to Rehab 37. This process is still evolving and one I continue to seek help with. If you have any suggestions on how to make it work better, please do not hesitate to email them to me.
- Electronic rehab Forms---were made using Adobe 9 and some MDT’s use Adobe 8. We are working to solve this problem….please fill out these forms if you meet the criteria for Rehab!!! It’s C.Y.A.!
- Extrication Hurst tools---we have identified new Federal crash test standards require the use of boron steel in the safety cage of cars since 2003. This requires 200,000 psi cutting force and our current cutters only cut 80,000 psi. Be cognizant of this fact if you find yourself struggling to cut into a pillar or other part of a car. We are working on funding to replace our current cutters.
- I want to acknowledge all the crews at Sunday’s 2nd alarm apartment fire. Well done by all the field chiefs and all the responding crews!!! Strong command presence and calm and professional communication and action by the crews.
It’s a
short
week in
review,
as not
much has
happened
this
week
other
than
budget
stuff
and 2500
runs by
you
all!
Which
brings
me to
some
thoughts….
Recently
a chief
was
telling
me a
story of
how a
person
came up
to him
and
thanked
him for
what he
does.
He
stated
the
praise
always
made him
feel
uneasy
as we
are
simply
just
doing
our
job. I
bet
every
one of
you has
had
someone
tell you
the same
thing
and I
bet the
gut
reaction
was the
same…it’s
called
humility
which is
defined
as being
modest
or
respectful.
I bet we
all
would
say,
we’re
simply
doing
our job,
one we
love and
then I
began to
think
about
what it
is we
do
and
see.
I’ve
been in
the fire
service
for
twenty
years
which
means
there
are
people
on this
job who
have
seen
more and
some who
have
seen
less.
Here’s
what
sticks
with me
the
most…
- A mother or father who meets you in the front yard with a dead baby pleading for you to save their child.
- Cutting people out of car accidents where you don’t even recognize them as humans they were so mangled.
- Performing a Cricothyrotomy on a woman who just shot herself in the mouth with a gun over her boyfriend.
- Trying to hold a child’s head together after de-gloving her entire upper body from a car wreck.
- Gunshot victims, stabbing victims, hanging victims, murder victims…etc.
- Car fires, house fires, building fires, industrial fires..etc.
- SOB, CP, diabetics…etc…
And
after
twenty
years,
your
list I’m
sure
looks
the same
too.
What
have I
missed?
- How about the FF who walks out in front of the fire station to greet a man, who then pulls out a .357 and kills himself right in front of her?
- How about the FF who catches blood borne pathogens from a needle stick?
- How about the FF who suffers from cardiac or lung failure from exposures from this job?
- How about the FF who’s career is cut short from a line-of-duty death?
- How about_______________----you fill in this part.
My point
is
this….we
all
signed
up for a
career
not
truly
understanding
the toll
it would
take on
us
physically
and
mentally
over our
careers
much
less
what a
pension
was.
Add the
constant
berating
from
blogs
and
other
folks,
we find
ourselves
wondering
what is
it
exactly
that
drives a
person
to
commit
to this
calling?
Simple
answer,
is we
all want
to make
a
difference
for
someone
and
something
in our
community.
It’s a
higher
calling
that is
hard to
describe
to
someone.
The
reason
we feel
uncomfortable
when
someone
thanks
us is
that we
are
humble
in our
praise
and
noble
in our
cause.
There’s
a reason
I end
each
email
with the
phrase
about
you
being
the
Best
Fire
Department
in the
country;
it’s the
honest
truth,
I’ve
seen it
my whole
career!
Keep
doing
what you
are
doing,
stay
humble
and
noble in
your
callings,
and know
that we
all are
in this
together.
As
always,
we thank
you for
what do
and why
you do
it.
Have a
safe and
relaxing
weekend
and I
will
update
you on
any
budget
changes
as they
occur.
Very
respectfully,
Kurtis
R.
Wilson
Chief
of
Operations
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department