From Rich Dempsey (aka Fireman)
It’s not the Woodstock I live in (responding to Jonathan), but maybe it’s because I live in the valley.
Let’s talk facts.
The school budget is $15,757,205.00 (that’s over fifteen and a half million dollars) after a $54,000.00 increase this year. The rest of the towns’ budget pales in comparison.
I can speak with some education regarding your “drunk ,redneck” bully fire department. The total fire budget for 2013 is $442,550.00. That’s 31 times smaller than the school dept. budget. Nobody on today’s fire department begrudges funding education; we understand and agree the kids are the future. They are our kids too. Don’t put us at odds with the school department. They learnt us good
The largest chunk of the Fire department budget is the much aligned “apparatus fund”. The $129,000.00/yr fund is split between three departments, or $43,000.00 per station. Some of that money goes to pay off existing loans and some may go into a fund that allows for down payments of newer vehicles.
Note I said newer not new. While it may be best in some cases to purchase new fire apparatus, depending on the task the vehicle will be providing, the station officers will many times find a “like new” truck. I can speak from experience that the last two trucks that Bungay bought were used vehicles. We were able to pay “cash” for each from the fund and avoided financing, thus saving the town money. Each station relies heavily on that fund and will often put off a seriously needed purchase because the fund is too low.
Fire apparatus, just so you know, isn’t cheap. Expect to pay $300,000.00 for a new truck, properly equipped.
I don’t know what has happened in the past but there is no playing footsie with those funds now. Screwing with that fund will kill people, mainly us, plain and simple. If the folks that volunteer their time didn’t have reliable equipment at the ready to save your life and property you’d be one of the first to complain.
There have been several serious structure fires recently in this very town where property was saved due to the right equipment, with the right crew. Additionally, Woodstock EMS and the fire department volunteers are responding to medical calls daily.
I know nearly every member of all the fire departments in this town. I regard every one of them as a hero. I’ve seen the sacrifice, hard work and dedication they put into keeping themselves and the equipment up to date and ready for the next run. Did I mention this is all unpaid?
Their families also share in that sacrifice, while mom or dad or sis or brother are either at a drill, going to school or a meeting or out on a call, they wait and hope they come back.
Did I just describe the ignorant, drunk, angry rednecks in your post? These people?
You clearly don’t get out much.
Does anyone know how much apparatus, in either number of vehicles or dollars, Woodstock has per capita and how this compares to other towns?
Rich,
Who are you addressing and who called whom “ignorant, drunk, angry rednecks”? Lots of comments on this site and I want to read that one for sure.
I’ve known and my father dealt with a lot of firefighters in a few other town and they were always treated very much like returning US Soldiers are today – handshakes wherever they go and many “Thanks” and “Thanks for your service”, with plenty of personalized encounters at places like the Grocery, etc. where a Grandmother would literally take a firefighter aside to say thanks and talk about how her son and his family were rescued, or how a teen had been peeled out of a crumpled car.
Funny thing is I couldn’t tell you whether they were truly humble – they definitely seemed it – because above all they were all very quiet and soft-spoken (maybe not on a night out, I imagine). Unique people.
Sorry to treat you like the answer-man, but I’ve always wondered when I contribute to the boots at fund raising traffic stops – does Woodstock have one or more of the specialized thermal imaging devices to locate passed-out children in the crawlspace of a burning house and the like? I’ve seen a TV Segment on some Public TV show that described the devices and the task they perform. Judging from that show, some amazing results are possible when the devices are used properly. Just very curious, if you happen to know (and/or can expand on these devices)? Thanks.
The article doesn’t say the town’s firemen are ignorant, drink, angry, bullies or rednecks. It says the CPS supporters at town meetings were acted this way. I witnessed this myself on a number of occasions. I do agree with Steve Adams that most people in town who support Prop 46 are strong fiscal conservatives and would never act this way. I think most public servants are heroes – including the teachers, cops and firemen nationwide who Mitt Romney believes are superfluous and a waste of taxpayers money
I remember this article being published here several years ago. Looks like an old argument. Curious it is being republished now without the original date as is
admin’s normal practice. Looks like someone is trying to stir up an old argument.
You are wrong about this assertion JTO. Rick posted this yesterday afternoon in response to Jonathan’s article. Admin
Fireman:
Well put, it’s easy to bash volunteers. Almost expected from the crowd here.
Admin has been very supportive of us but he is the exception. The level of State
mandated training/certification has been steadily on the rise. The costs of the equipment and gear has also skyrocketed. Combine that with the shrinking budgets and here we are. The Federal funds are limited but some of the grants have helped, like many groups we face unfunded mandates.
I personally know that we are due for replacement of our interior breathing gear.
SCBAs, much like scuba equipment it allows us to breath safely in a hostile environment.
These will cost thousands per fireman, although not every fireman is “interior certified” the cost will be substantial.
Interior fires have changed dramatically in the past decade, they are hotter and more deadly, the smoke much more toxic. Look around you literally everything is plastic or synthetic. When heated or burned they emit a laundry list of deadly chemicals.
We have had some great saves lately you are correct no doubt those folks
are happy to have us show up.
Db
Almost every fireman I know has a child in school or has had a child in the Woodstock school system so I am not sure where this us vs them attitude
is comming from?
Con:
The boot drives we have done have been for the heating fund for Woodstock
residents.
As to the thermal cams yes we have them and yes they work awesome. They really came into heavy availability after that terrible fire in Worcester when they
lost all those fireman.
I have seen them used in room searches for victims, also seen them used at night car crashes looking into the woods for additional victims who might have crawled or wandered off. Where they really shine is for house fires you can “look into” walls for hotspots. That saves us (and the home owner) from tearing away all the drywall or plaster from the area or ceiling.
Next time you see a truck on display ask to check one out they are really a valuable tool we have.
Db
Again, the reference in Jonathan’s article is clearly to the behavior of CPS supporters at town meetings, not the WFD.
John, I meant Jonathan’s article, of course, I thought this would be obvious by the direct reference to it’s content. I just assumed you wanted the issue discussed or you would not have republished a five year old article. If the issue is going to be discussed, it should be discussed honestly. If not, I’ll simply drop the matter.
And please, no petty retaliatory threats, I think all your contributors have seen enough.
Db-
I have never seen anyone on the cafe “bash” our volunteers. The issues that divide center primarily on fiscal transparency, but certainly not on the generous work of our volunteers. It is well recognized by everyone that our fire and emergency medical teams are on the front line, in the trenches, and deserve quality equipment and training that serves both the community and the safety of our volunteers.
As to fiscal transparency, would you not agree, as a taxpayer, that it is absolutely appropriate and wise to question how our hard earned money is being spent? Would you not see it as prudent that the need for, the use of, and the risk-benefit ratio for spending be discussed and calculated so that a limited pool of resources can be allocated fairly? Do you believe that an inquiry into departmental spending by a taxpayer implies that they think poorly of those who work in that department? Is the expectation for transparent accountability a reasonable one or should the taxpayer merely write a blank check- carte blanc if you prefer french?
If you answer no to these questions, then the division you perceive is well deserved.
If you answer yes to these questions, then you have no other choice but to respect the conversations on the cafe that have always centered on the expectation of fiscal transparency and certainly not on the quality or respect of our volunteers.
While I greatly appreciate the comments made by you and Rich regarding the fire dept., this is the only place where I have obtained any such information. Other than this, is there a place for A Taxpayer to garner information on the itemized use of fire equipment, the usage data, the number of fires, the cost incurred, etc. Without this level of transparent data, it is easy for someone to assume that are fire departments are over equipped and under utilized. I have over heard some say that we are buying lots of fire “toys” who’s largest use is to parade them down East Woodstock on the 4th of July.
I think a more transparent data base would go a long way in dispelling this myth- or at least it seems so given the information you both have provided.
“I have over heard some say that we are buying lots of fire “toys” who’s largest use is to parade them down East Woodstock on the 4th of July.”
Thank you for the example I was looking for…
I knew you would pull through for us.
Db
Db-
The example I provided you calls into question the propriety of fire equipment funding and the perception by some that there may be over funding. This example supported the point I was trying to make and it is not an example of volunteer bashing that, perhaps, you were looking for. Sorry to let you down.
I know I can speak for all the other volunteers when I say thank you for the supportive comments made here. … (see Rich’s new article. Admin).
Rich:
Spot on.
The ladder was a significant player at a chimney fire I went to, keeping firemen off snow covered, steep roofs was one of the safest things I have witnessed,
as well as limiting property damage for the homeowner.
Rich becareful what you post here, Admin is very supportive but I have had things taken out of context by others.
Db