Privatizing firefighters

[Tony Montana]

I was forwarded some info about our career brothers and sisters in Northern Delaware. I am told someone is pushing to privatize them to be under a for profit company geared toward EMS. I am not totally versed on the whole jist of it, but I was concerned for these guys and gals when told of this. I believe the topic is under delawarefirefighter.com under the firefighter chat icon and open for your thoughts.

[RES2CUEFF/PM]

Private Fire Departments? Not the first by any means....it just starts with a private ambulance comany. In the midwest states this is already the case. Rural/Metro, a private ambulance company, already has contracts with jurisdictions in Tx, Az, Nm, and Ok, I beleive, for fire operations as well as 911 ambulance service. Seems to work well for those jurisdictions. Will it become true for ALL localities? Probably not..the volunteer service and paid fire departments already in service will have something to say about it.
Just some thoughts. It seems to me as if this privatizing of firefighters is only brought up in jurisdictions that don't have working paid or volley departments. *Without actually reading the delaware article, that is my nickel*

[cmegobuyu]

rural metro/AMR and the other companies area a BUCNH OF SCABS! i would go back to a 9to5 job before i worked for a SCAB company.

[FireGuard69]

I belive I may be wrong, but while watching an episode of "Paramedics" there was a Rural-Metro Fire Dept, out in the west. It was slime-lime, just like their rigs. Wether or not they are the same, is unknown to me.

[scfire86]

The requirements of providing fire protection on a large scale (such as a city) make profitability difficult for a private firm. It is one of the reasons Rural Metro is pulling out of Scottsdale, AZ in '05.

For industrial purposes it works. But typically, the personnel are paid food stamp wages.

[joefireman]

Even with AMR the public gets it stuck to them when a fire apparatus pops on scene. Profit only shows up in wants it is never seen in needs. Even in the grocery store your money is made selling "just pop it in the microwave" foods... but let someone who actually knows how to cook shop. Privatization only works for people that have low self esteem. Private industries just do not have the resources to make a profit in the firefighting business. That is why Firefighting has always been a public sector entity. Not even the public has the resources to make a profit from it. Let's face it... we don't make money we just keep the city from being sued by Insurance companies, and losing money.