From Worst to First? Washington, D.C., overhauls its EMS system

[NorthSTAR]

From Worst to First?
Washington, D.C., overhauls its EMS system
http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/articles/jems/3401/from_worst_to_first.html

[xabo]

B.S. First off, the so called EMS Captains are not sworn Captains and are being paid as such.

Secondly there is a fire Captain/Paramedic who does not operate in that capacity because the the Dept. does not have the belief that said Captain can operate in said capacity.

[What a Mess]

The article is BS for more than the two reasons that you have listed. Your first point is correct; those in the position of EMS supervisors are not being paid their proper salary as stated in the article. Your second point sounds more like a personal attack on individual, and therefore really has no merit to support your argument of why the article is false. Back to the points of the article, from the pay issue to the number of providers in the department (inaccurate & misleading), to that relocation software that is said to be in use (which isn’t), the article is full of misleading and false examples of the current state of the Department. A better example would have been to state all of the points listed and then say these are all the things we would like to have in place to make this department better and we are working on implementing them, but to say that we are already doing all those things is an outright lie. But misinformation can be good information if that is all that is put out there then people begin to believe the BullSh*t.

[2020]

...and dual-role EMTs now rotate onto ambulances for 90-day shifts "to keep their skills up," Rubin says.


Wow, this is exactly why we do this..'to keep our skills up.'

Our skills are kept razor sharp while driving the ambo to the hospital 6 times a shift while the paramedic does all of the patient care on the "charlie" and "delta" patients. The other 12 runs a shift, my skills are also kept razor sharp while dealing with the drunks, the stubbed toes, the hurt feelings, and the "alpha" headaches.

I'd much rather be keeping up my EMS skills in all of these life threatening situations, than my firefighting skills that actually may save my life, or the life of another someday.

What a crock. :rolleyes:

[JAFO]

More smoke and mirrors, its all bs.

[4Delta]

...and dual-role EMTs now rotate onto ambulances for 90-day shifts "to keep their skills up," Rubin says.


Wow, this is exactly why we do this..'to keep our skills up.'

Our skills are kept razor sharp while driving the ambo to the hospital 6 times a shift while the paramedic does all of the patient care on the "charlie" and "delta" patients. The other 12 runs a shift, my skills are also kept razor sharp while dealing with the drunks, the stubbed toes, the hurt feelings, and the "alpha" headaches.

I'd much rather be keeping up my EMS skills in all of these life threatening situations, than my firefighting skills that actually may save my life, or the life of another someday.

What a crock. :rolleyes:


i have to say you hit the nail right on the damn head!

rubin-read this!

[What a Mess]

RUBIN DOESN'T CARE! He certainly doesn't care about the men of this Department, he doesn't care about making improvments that will make this department better, and he certainly doesn't care what anyone on here has to say about it!

Dennis Rubin doesn't care about anything except Dennis Rubin!

[WhoF'inCares]

My favorite part was where it was stated that SINGLE role EMTs should have pay parity with firefighters(those who do BOTH jobs). What a crock of shit!

I'm starting to wonder if we'd would have been better off keeping Scooby Few???

[? BUCKY IS HERE]

After reading that I don't know weather to puke or shit, what a crock of straight BULL SHIT!!!

[Greenshield]

"They not only rotate on and off the ambulance and trucks, but someone may jump from a truck to an ambulance and back during the course of a shift," Sa’adah adds. "If a patient requires ALS care, a paramedic may jump from the truck to an ambulance, and an EMT on the ambulance would change places with the firefighter on the truck."

This is the single dumbest fucking insane piece of shit I have ever heard! Chief Sa’adah, you have been away from firefighting too long. Did you stop for one fucking second and think about what this does to the crew continuity on the apparatus? Contestant number one replaced by contestant number two , ad hominem. Meanwhile no one knows who the fuck is riding with their crew. Yeah this may, in some fucked up way,be good for some patient somewhere (NOT!) but remember you all preach "SAFETY". We come first I thought. How fucking safe is it for we Joe blow Firemen, on the rigs with patchwork crews? Contrary to popular belief (albeit recent belief) we are not interchangeable parts. A fireman should be assigned to their spot because they earned it and have the ability and desire to ride there, not to make some ad-hock fucked up EMS system that makes absolutely no GOD DAMN sense work! WAKE the FUCK UP you FUCKING MORON! YOU are willing to endanger firemen to make your little, shit bag, invented EMS system work and glorify yourself. Take a step back and look at the monster you have created! Start from the ground up and please honestly tell me what you have "made up" actually makes any fucking sense what so ever. There is not a VEST on earth capable of keeping us safe from the likes of your insane, second hand, dumbass "integrated all hazards system". Alot of fucking good this shit does when people are dying in fires at RECORD numbers!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where's the commission for this? You make me fucking sick! Don't ever try to shake my fucking hand again!

BTW this whole little puff piece in JEMS has absolutely nothing to do with the following....."Last summer, Rubin recruited Atlanta Fire & Rescue’s medical director (and JEMS editorial board member) James Augustine , MD, who is now the department’s acting medical director and assistant chief.

[DvlsAdvct]

I believe Dr. Augustine tele-commutes and is not a full time resident here. He is also the OMD for other departments in GA. We really need a full time guy who is gonna be here for face to face discussions with his providers. Any good OMD, no matter how large the department is, will come ride with the troops once in a blue moon and get a feel for things.

[What a Mess]

The Medical Director does reside in the city, up in the fifth battalion. Whether he is still working with other departments in GA, I am not sure.

However, you are right, this department needs a full time medical director to correct the probelms we face, and move us in the right direction. Instead we seem to have hired a group of individuals that seem like they should be running a Public Relations firm rather than a fire department. They are so concerned with the image of the department and their PR issues that they don't even care if what they tell the press is true or not. This article is totally false and even the people that read the magazine Jems don't believe it. Go to the Jems.com website and read the comments posted to the article's author. It's nice to see that the Rube and his Rubiots are not fooling too many people, at least not anyone that is capable of thinking for themselves.

[oldhead]

Gents,
Unfortunately, ain't nuthin' gonna change when rube leaves. Management has finally found a way to reduce EMS response times while getting ALS on the scene in record time on ALL EMS calls, and it's the paramedic engine concept (can you say "quint concept"?). Looks great on paper, but it ain't worth shit on the street, i.e. fire crew continuity. Never mind that a true ALS patient will still need a transport unit with TWO paramedics on board. Unfortunately the buzzwords in EMS are 1 and 1 staffed units, I guess it's cheaper to run. The men have been doing an INCREDIBLE job of extinguishing fire, as they ALWAYS do, and fire crew continuity won't get looked at until one or two of us get croaked on a fireground, and even then I wouldn't hold my breath for change on that. When the rube does leave, as he eventually will, don't expect any REAL change. Remember the Smith regime? We thought THAT would change when he left too...:( It's all a numbers game, and white shirts are only looking out for themselves...

[Brooks]

What is it, seven dead from house fires so far this year?

Maybe DC Fire & EMS should concentrate on firefighting operations, and firefighting response times, rather than worrying about the 8-minute ALS response times, that has been shown to have no medical benefit (http://eclips.consult.com/eclips/article/Emergency%20Medicine/S0271-7964(08)70206-4)

Get the engine companies to show up, with a consistent, well-trained crew, within 4:00 of dispatch, and we'll save lives from fire and medical emergencies.

[oldhead]

Brooks,
What a concept, huh...

[Greenshield]

I count 9 Brooks, but ahh who's counting?

[SIMPLETON]

WOW LOTS OF RUBIN HATERS HERE! I'M W/ ATL FIRE AND WE MISS HIM !!ALSO JIM AUGUSTINE ! SMART GUY AND WILL HELP YA GUYS W/ YOUR EMS SECTION IF YOU ALLOW HIM TO, HE'S VERY APPROACHABLE AND GENUINE.THE NEW CHIEF WE'VE GOT CAME IN THE FIRE HOUSE THE 1ST DAY AND MADE FRIENDS RIGHT OFF THE BAT- - - 1ST ORDER FROM HIM ELIMINATE SHORTS AND GOLF SHIRTS BEFORE EVEN BEING WITH THE DEPT. FOR 10 MINS. WANTS US TO LOOK LIKE LITTLE GENERALS IN THE FIRE SERVICE , WHEN THEY PAY US LIKE BUMS.I'M SURE HOOKMAN WILL ADORE THIS POST OH WELL LIFE'S MUCH TO SHORT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS WE CAN'T CHANGE OVER NIGHT.
BE SAFE AND GOD BLESS THE 343 THAT GAVE ALL
oh yes i almost forgot tell Dennis hello from Atl.
:cool:

[What a Mess]

Mr. Simpleton,

I hardly believe that the issues that we are dealing with relating to Rubin’s leadership here in DC relate to what ever he did for you guys down there. He has been here long enough (almost 2 years) and we still have no real progress on many issues, in fact we have actually lost ground on some. He is more concerned with his personal image than anything to do with the rank and file. Everywhere he goes he holds press conferences touting his accomplishments, and yet we have had very little progress on several issues confronting our department.

First, he has begun to implement a disciplinary process that allows him to be Judge, Jury, and Executioner, eliminating any employee rights to a fair disciplinary hearing. While you may not be familiar with such issues, as Atlanta is in Georgia which if I’m not mistaken is a right to work state, up here in DC we have worker protection rights and laws through our IAFF Local 36 (or at least we are supposed to). The Fire Chief in all his omnipotence feels that he should have all the power, and is trying his hardest to strip the fireman and the Local of all their rights and protections.

Secondly, he has failed to resolve any issues we have with our EMS system, either BLS or ALS related. The administration he has surrounded himself with appears to be a bunch of self gratifying glory seekers who have little intention of bringing any real progress and improvements to our department. The men are still stuck riding the BLS units, the number of which continue to increase, the number of ALS resources is actually decreasing, which places a tremendous strain on the providers out there trying to make this dysfunctional system work. We have numerous other issues on the EMS side which are continually overlooked or passed on to the ever increasing cycle of Medical Directors and Chiefs that seem to be moving through the our management positions. Dr. Augustine may well be an exceptional Medical Director, but he has failed to show any real leadership or direction to anyone in the District of Columbia Fire Department, and you can only get so many points for being a ‘nice guy’.

So I hardly think that you can relate losing your precious Rubin to us and lament the sad story of how you guys can’t wear shorts or golf shirts anymore. Some of our problems are a bit more real and pressing than our uniforms. In case you haven’t you heard… we have had over 7 civilian fatalities since the beginning of the New Year, less than one month. That is one statistic I hope Rubin is not proud of.

While I empathize with you and your department, and the struggles that you are having with your new mayor and fire chief regarding pay, furloughs, and station closings do not worry because all of those issues are coming to a firehouse in DC real soon. We have a Mayor that hates the fire department, and a fire chief that is only concerned with personal ambition. I feel that DC will be making the headlines in much the same way that Atlanta is now, very soon.

You guys be safe down there…

[FHess]

I find it hard to believe that Rubin is working against Local #36 even though several of you have gone to great lengths to point out that he has. He was the first chief in Atlanta (in my 20+ years on the job) to even recognize Local #134 and give them a seat at the HQ table. He worked very well with 134. He saved a lot of guys that were being railroaded in the screwed up disciplinary process that we had. Hook and a lot of guys on this board are just like a lot of guys in Atl. They think that it's just a "cool" thing to hate the chief no matter who it is. They will make up anything to make him look bad. It's fun. (I still love the popemobile!) Then repeated rumors take on a life of their own and people take it as fact and believe it. I've said it before, Ronnie Few, Winston Minor (former Atl. chief) and Ray Alfred are still out there looking for a job. You could have one of them. Cochran and Rosemary Cloud are probably updating their resumes.
If you think that uniforms are our only problems, you haven't got a f'-kn clue about the shit we are going through down here. Rubin was VERY smart to get out when he did. He did not cause the problems that we have now. That is the fault of the crooked mayor that wouldn't let him do his job.
Jim Augustine is still the Medical Director on paper because no one will do it for free like he did. The city only paid him pennies and they were always months late in paying him when they did. MDs generally don't work for IOUs. Face it, your EMS system has been a disaster for decades (as is ours). I was familiar with it when I lived up in the area. So, don't think that Augustine can walk in and make it a perfect world overnight. Do some background on him before throwing stones. You will find that he is more than a "nice guy" and you are VERY lucky to have him.

[Truth]

Hess, there is no use arguing with the guys on here. These couple of guys are the ones that will never be happy.

[FHess]

Good point. I'm sure that tyrannosaurus rex bitched about every admin. too. You see where it got him... Since before history, there have always been bitchers and whiners! Hey, wait a minute... I'm one too!!!

[What a Mess]

Well I guess that it is really too much to ask to have good leadership these days huh Truth…FHess You say “Be happy with who you have because there are worse options out there”. That just doesn’t seem right! Why should we be happy with a FD Administration simply because you say we should be afraid of ‘how much worse we could have it’?

Augustine may be all that you crack him up to be, no problem, let’s see it! We are simply eagerly waiting to see any evidence of that. You guys from ATL speak of Rubin as if he walks on water. Whether you like it or not, he is not received that way up here, by anyone.

Now as to propose, as you have, that I have no idea of what you guys are dealing with down there in GA. I am sure that uniforms are not your only concern; it was one of your brethren from ATL that got on here to defend Rubin and mentioned that as the reason he missed Rubin. He did not cite the Mayor, furloughs, or pay issues and closing firehouses as those reasons. He mentioned ‘shorts and golf shirts’. There is no doubt that you guys are dealing with some S*#T down there. I empathize with the members of your department, and the struggles that you are going through. However, make no mistake we are being set up for our own fall from grace here in Washington. Our city’s mayor hates the fire dept., and anything to do with any sort of labor organization (IAFF L36), the constant failure of this abortion they call an integration of our department is going to be an issue. The constant creation of new Chief Officer positions within our department leaves more than a little uncertainty among the rank and file, to say the least, as to the true direction of our administration in improving the issues that plague our department. You mention that he saved several employees that were being railroaded, well he’s having his boys (senior staff) do the railroading now, so I don’t know what has changed him between ATL and DC, but something has.

You have generalized a lot of people on here without knowing anything about them, simply reading a paragraph or too that they write, and all of a sudden they are a lesser person than you. You may label some on here as whiners, complainers, and Rubin haters, but I am not a Rubin hater. Am I happy with what he has done with our department since he has been here? No I am not. Is he totally to blame, maybe or maybe not, but he is the Chief of Department. So the proverbial ‘buck stops with him’. I would love for Him succeed in making improvements, any improvements, to our department, because that would mean that WE as a Department would succeed. I simply haven’t seen that yet, and it’s been two years, and you say that change doesn’t come overnight. So just how long should we wait before we become anxious to see some results?

[Truth]

Well I guess that it is really too much to ask to have good leadership these days huh Truth…FHess You say “Be happy with who you have because there are worse options out there”. That just doesn’t seem right! Why should we be happy with a FD Administration simply because you say we should be afraid of ‘how much worse we could have it’?

Augustine may be all that you crack him up to be, no problem, let’s see it! We are simply eagerly waiting to see any evidence of that. You guys from ATL speak of Rubin as if he walks on water. Whether you like it or not, he is not received that way up here, by anyone.

Now as to propose, as you have, that I have no idea of what you guys are dealing with down there in GA. I am sure that uniforms are not your only concern; it was one of your brethren from ATL that got on here to defend Rubin and mentioned that as the reason he missed Rubin. He did not cite the Mayor, furloughs, or pay issues and closing firehouses as those reasons. He mentioned ‘shorts and golf shirts’. There is no doubt that you guys are dealing with some S*#T down there. I empathize with the members of your department, and the struggles that you are going through. However, make no mistake we are being set up for our own fall from grace here in Washington. Our city’s mayor hates the fire dept., and anything to do with any sort of labor organization (IAFF L36), the constant failure of this abortion they call an integration of our department is going to be an issue. The constant creation of new Chief Officer positions within our department leaves more than a little uncertainty among the rank and file, to say the least, as to the true direction of our administration in improving the issues that plague our department. You mention that he saved several employees that were being railroaded, well he’s having his boys (senior staff) do the railroading now, so I don’t know what has changed him between ATL and DC, but something has.

You have generalized a lot of people on here without knowing anything about them, simply reading a paragraph or too that they write, and all of a sudden they are a lesser person than you. You may label some on here as whiners, complainers, and Rubin haters, but I am not a Rubin hater. Am I happy with what he has done with our department since he has been here? No I am not. Is he totally to blame, maybe or maybe not, but he is the Chief of Department. So the proverbial ‘buck stops with him’. I would love for Him succeed in making improvements, any improvements, to our department, because that would mean that WE as a Department would succeed. I simply haven’t seen that yet, and it’s been two years, and you say that change doesn’t come overnight. So just how long should we wait before we become anxious to see some results?
So what has he done that made you not happy? Please be specific.

[dcfdslv]

FHess and Truth:

While there are some who dislike what the present fire chief is doing here in DC, there also are those who will agree with you.

First, while you probably truly believe what the rube did in Atlanta was the best thing to happen. A lot of the present problems in that department today can be traced back to the rube and his administration. While a fire chief can be outstanding in one department, he can be a total disaster in another. A classic fire chief was Chief Latin, this chief to say the least was not a good fit here. Chief Latin left here and became the fire chief for Fort Lauderdale FL. in that department he became one of the best chiefs that department had in the past 20 years.

I am not saying that he is a bad chief, but in this department he is a politician, not a leader, and has surrounded himself with those who 1- the primary job is to make him look good no matter what is the cost to the rank and file, 2- have their own agenda’s to advance their own careers, 3- Have used their positions to advance friends, and if they cannot do this -find the best yes men they can that will never challenge a decision made by them. 4- Take paybacks on those who disagree with them.

The result is the department is slowing failing its own mission. Our EMS system is a Band-Aid of ideas, some good, most bad; our firefighting division is losing its edge due to incompetent BFC’s, most who love to micro manage everything, and listen to none. Department policies that often conflict with department orders or the union contract, or worse yet policies that are made up by other chief officers. When F/F’s and officers point this out to the higher ups, revenge is the key word.

Most of those who bitch here see the above and vent their frustrations, While you can see from the tone of this letter, I am not an avid supporter of the present administration, while I can see that some good has come from his administration, unfortunately what I perceive as some very bad policies, and administrative practices far outweigh the good.

What has kept the rube in power is the current mayor and what he perceives as the rube policies that make him look great to the citizens. The rube will be in trouble once the mayor feels the chief is failing in this mission. The one item that is ever present in the mayor administration is those who make him look bad to the press and citizens have very short careers.

The article in the Washingtonian will probably be one of many in the next couple of months, there are many other issues that exist in the department, the next EMS issue dealing with a treatment item and the resulting lawsuit will hit the press, and we probably have a new administration.

The question then becomes “What’s next” and perhaps the Rube can return to Atlanta to again be a great chief for that city

[dcfdslv]

Truth:

When asking “Please be specific” - this is not the forum to use, I see that you have drop the "be safe" footnote.

The best answer I can give you is to openly confer with those officers who have 29+ years experience and ask them.

I hate to point this out, but having experience has proven itself recently.

Once you get over the "payback issue" and get over to talking to those who basically disagree with current administration you be might be surprised with the results. But yet again that would be asking way too much of a change for certain people.

[Truth]

Truth:

When asking “Please be specific” - this is not the forum to use, I see that you have drop the "be safe" footnote.

The best answer I can give you is to openly confer with those officers who have 29+ years experience and ask them.

I hate to point this out, but having experience has proven itself recently.

Once you get over the "payback issue" and get over to talking to those who basically disagree with current administration you be might be surprised with the results. But yet again that would be asking way too much of a change for certain people.
I agree there is the payback thing and the taking care of your friends thing, but you blame this on the current administration. This has been the same with the past 6 chiefs that I know of. And most of the officers I have talked to agree with me. This is the best chief we have had in years. The department has had more capital improvements than ever. Our apparatus fleet is second to none. And our budget has been increased even when everyone else around us are making cuts. No I don't agree with everything he personally does, or more like what his Asst./Deputies do, but you have to take the good with the bad.

[What a Mess]

What about morale? This is the worst I've seen it in years, if not ever. As you have more time and experience, have you ever seen it this low? Now there has always been complaining, fireman everywhere complain, but does it even matter to you or the other officers on the job that it is this low? I know that morale is not even a blip on the radar screen of the Fire Chief or his administration. But it can not be ignored as a driving factor in the productivity and success of a department. It is a significant factor. So while all the other things you site may be improvements, if the backbone (the rank and file) of the department isn’t happy is the department really successful? Or is it just a misrepresentation of whatever numbers our administration puts forth….

[Truth]

What about morale? This is the worst I've seen it in years, if not ever. As you have more time and experience, have you ever seen it this low? Now there has always been complaining, fireman everywhere complain, but does it even matter to you or the other officers on the job that it is this low? I know that morale is not even a blip on the radar screen of the Fire Chief or his administration. But it can not be ignored as a driving factor in the productivity and success of a department. It is a significant factor. So while all the other things you site may be improvements, if the backbone (the rank and file) of the department isn’t happy is the department really successful? Or is it just a misrepresentation of whatever numbers our administration puts forth….
I think the morale was worse after Tom T and under Few and might as well throw Thompson in there also. Really the only complaint now adays is the 3 month detail to the Ambulance and taking details due to the PECs. Pecs are not going anywhere, and 3 months one 1 yr off is alot better than it could be. We could be on 2/2/4 and think how the morale would be then.

[dcfdsid]

The only way any of this will ever change is when WE change the way we hire. Members should be hired, finish recruit school, finish their 121 series in their firehouses, and when they are finished their probation, they go to a transport unit for 12-18 months.

The concept of having "rookies" who have 14-18 months on the job and still havent finished their tests is a joke.

Current members should only be used to backfill vacancies created by leave and illness.


Do any of you honestly think that our application numbers would drop if people went right from probation to an ambulance? I doubt it. As long as they know right up front. Put it on the damn hiring announcement.



sid

[Truth]

I agree Sid.

[dcfdslv]

I disagree with the past six chiefs item, the best friend/family/ promotion actually started under thompson, or more precise the AFC’s under him, it then carried over to a interim chief to the present chief. Before Thompson it was the old merit senior system, I believe the policy that was started under thompson resulted in a lawsuit.

Apparatus, I agree that we have received apparatus, but let’s be honest, this apparatus was order before the rube took office, his policy towards this division will not be reflected until next year, but last Oct, I know of a couple of trucks and engine were out of service due to parts. The apparatus division could not obtain these parts due to budget problems.

Capital improvements, we average a rebuild on a fire house every two plus years. The only fire house being rebuilt is 10 eng. The others we started under Thompson and finished under rube, it’s basic politics to say he did it, but more to the point the capital improvement budget when you remove the inflation index has remain constant. If you take the time and look at the capital improvement proposal from about ten years ago, you see today’s current projects.

Budget, not going there, however this will be the subject of new council hearings, let the politicians do their thing.

His administration good/bad/indifferent will stand on its own. His budget, chief officer promotions, EMS policy etc, will be reflected in his third year. Everyone will have to look at the fire death count, fire loss, EMS policy, and yes the new budget cuts that will be coming, and how that will be handled.

[Truth]

I disagree, the buddy system has been going on for years. The first set of Seagraves came from Thompson, this last group came from the Rubes budget. Total rebuild of Eng 10 is not what I'm talking about, I'm talking about the little things like being able to get a contractor to fix the heat and A/C in a reasonable amount of time. It has been awhile since I've boiled water on watch to stay warm.

[dcfdslv]

Truth

I am not sure on how long you have been on, but apparatus orders take about one to two years to fill. The last pumpers and trucks to arrive were ordered under Thompson administration. The apparatus that will arrive this summer were order 18-24 months ago. They might be paid by today’s money, but the actual order was a long time ago. This is rube meeting contracts made by previous chiefs. In fact you can say we still feeling the effect of frank t and his ideas. Amb's however take about 12 months to fill, so today Amb's were ordered under the rube.

Capital budget has nothing to do with maintenance [i.e. fixing the heat, lights, cleaning supplies etc] These items are the result of those who work at property and submitting the budget to rube who interns submit to city council under the general FD budget. It’s Jan; let’s see how the air conditioners work in Aug.

Truth as far as promotions to BFC before Thompson, senior system, basic two list system one black one white with the some exceptions for those who took the real crap assignments. The current Fire Marshal dad one of the last lawsuits to confirm this system. A/FC Tip was the last chief who promoted straight from the senior captain list, Chief Few danced around the senior system, but if you look on who he promoted he basically followed it except for the black chiefs, but if you examine that side he actually followed their senior system.

If you take the time and examine the old promotions list and compare it to the old food chain list you see the correlation. Was this system good, correct, wrong etc, does not matter; it is not used. The DCFD is now subject to the new system created since Thompson, only history will tell if it’s a better system or worse.

An interesting side note is the question of the BFC promotions, since they do not follow the merit guidelines, are they now a at-will employee, and subject to that side of regulations?

[Truth]

Truth

I am not sure on how long you have been on, but apparatus orders take about one to two years to fill. The last pumpers and trucks to arrive were ordered under Thompson administration. The apparatus that will arrive this summer were order 18-24 months ago.
Capital budget has nothing to do with maintenance [i.e. fixing the heat, lights, cleaning supplies etc] These items are the result of those who work at property and submitting the budget to rube who interns submit to city council under the general FD budget. It’s Jan; let’s see how the air conditioners work in Aug.


I disagree, Thompson's order consisted of 13 wagons if I remember correctly, which was delivered in "06 and "07. And capital improvements has everything to do with upgrades to heating and AC equipment as well maintenance. But we are splitting hairs here. My point is Rubin is a politician, which is exactly what a Fire Chief is supposed to be. If someone is to take the blame for idiotic ideas it should be his Asst's that can't seem to stop micromanaging everything.

[dcfdslv]

Ok; I agree with the splitting hairs item, as far as the wagon truck ambs orders, I need to go back into my research notes and see what apparatus DFC signed off, and compare the administration.

We do both agree that the rube is a politician, however the DCFD setup is the fire chief is also a administrator and responsible for the operation of the fire department. If he just wanted to be a politician – should have gone to a city that has a fire commissioner, not a fire chief.

In this city, the rube should have this sign on his desk, “the buck stops here”

[Truth]

Ok; I agree with the splitting hairs item, as far as the wagon truck ambs orders, I need to go back into my research notes and see what apparatus DFC signed off, and compare the administration.

We do both agree that the rube is a politician, however the DCFD setup is the fire chief is also a administrator and responsible for the operation of the fire department. If he just wanted to be a politician – should have gone to a city that has a fire commissioner, not a fire chief.

In this city, the rube should have this sign on his desk, “the buck stops here”

I agree with that.

[WhoF'inCares]

sign should say "the bullshit starts here"