Update on Stamford Merger

[mstrang1 213]

As we are being properly formal, Mr Cogliano and Mr Sqd47bfd, I think you are both misunderstanding my post. Maybe this is because I typed it at 200AM. I am not labeling BFD freeloaders. Quite the opposite, actually. I actually praised BFD for their willingness to step up to the plate and do the job at hand. Without quoting your post and wasting space, I will just respond to your post. It was my understanding that C and C/S residents (Belltown community specifically) paid for volunteer fire dept budgets, not SFRD. If I am wrong, I apologize.

The definition of freeloader is "One who depends on another for support without reciprocating". So, it was my understanding that the TAXPAYERS, NOT BFD, were freeloading off of the taxpayers who pay for SFRD. When there is a fire downtown, the residents of Belltown (with the exception, obviously, of volunteers) are not responding to that fire.

When I use the term "low trained firefighter" I am talking about fire dept members who have not completed FF1 and/or EMT. I find that, on some calls, we get a response from TOR members in a utility vehicle. On a medical call, a utility vehicle may be okay, as long as they are certified and they have the proper gear on board. Most SFRD and SEMS members, myself included, do not know if the guy walking in the room is an MRT, EMT, paramedic, doctor, whatever. It seems that TOR and SFCo (if they even get out)just get bodies out there without training.

"You probably don't know about it, but whenever there is an incident or fire in the city of Stamford that potentially could tap citywide resources, notifications go out to the BFD members and they man the station. BFD stands ready to answer the call outside their district, even responding downtown if needed."

I find this statement quite condescending. I have been a Stamford Firefighter for 10 years (anniversary in 2 weeks!), have been to several multiple alarm fires, seen and worked with volunteers at many of these, and also sat on the lone SFRD machine in service at HQ with BFD, GFD members, listening to the action on the radio. To assume that I am so high and mighty that I am not aware of the response to calls is shameful, really.

The PERKS I talk about were the aforementioned career response without paying taxes for a career dept. I discussed this earlier.

I was a volunteer at one point in my life as well, and understand the concept of learning on the street. In fact, even as a career firefighter, I am continually learning on the street. The problem I have is, as I stated earlier, when I ONLY get junior members as a response to a call.

[sqd47bfd 20]

I am being formal mostly because I don't know you personally, and think it is proper and respectful to use the title "Mr." when addressing someone.

Now, lets get to this post:

First off, I think the fact that at least 8, and probably 9, of the guys voted to go to SFRD is resounding. Secondly, how is a non guaranteed volunteer response better than a 4 person guaranteed response? In addition, an SFRD Engine from a neighboring district still goes on every call in BFDs district, thereby stripping that neighborhood of its resources to cover calls for Belltown. I am not saying that Mayor Malloys plan was perfect, but the residents of Belltown should have a career engine in their district. They went from having 2 career guys, plus a third on weekdays, to zero. This does not sound like the best interests of the district. ******Unless you count the freeloading that BFD takes from E1,5,6,7,8 ******. Sounds to me like, instead of the best interests of the district and department, those chose the interests of the department OVER the district.

These are your words, in black and white. BFD, as far as I know, stands for the Belltown Fire Department. I am reading and re-reading your latest response, but can't seem to make it look any different.

[mstrang1 213]

Mr. Sqd47bfd,

I rather enjoy the formality of it, please let us continue in this manner. I realize I said BFD, but I meant the district, NOT the actual Fire Dept. My apologies to all.

-Mr. Strangio

PS. While my real name is no where on my profile, it was easy for you to look at an SFRD roster and figure out my name and identity. There is no way for me to reciprocate. jus' sayin'...

[pjreilly 6]

And, while I am aware of the situation in TOR, that's not germane to the discussion I am having with you here, most specifically in your labelling the BFD and the residents of it's district as freeloaders.

The Germans got nothin to do with it. Sorry Pat I couldn't resist a Smokey and the Bandit reply. LMAO

[FFPCogs 863]

And, while I am aware of the situation in TOR, that's not germane to the discussion I am having with you here, most specifically in your labelling the BFD and the residents of it's district as freeloaders.

The Germans got nothin to do with it. Sorry Pat I couldn't resist a Smokey and the Bandit reply. LMAO

It's the Germanes you have to watch out for, they live in between Germany and Denmark

Cogs

[sqd47bfd 20]

And, while I am aware of the situation in TOR, that's not germane to the discussion I am having with you here, most specifically in your labelling the BFD and the residents of it's district as freeloaders.

The Germans got nothin to do with it. Sorry Pat I couldn't resist a Smokey and the Bandit reply. LMAO

PJ, that was great

[IzzyEng4 427]

The Germans got nothin to do with it. Sorry Pat I couldn't resist a Smokey and the Bandit reply. LMAO

"Ooooffff!"

[CTFF 65]

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For those who would like to see the mayors Powerpoint but don't care to search for it:

http://boardofreps.org/committees/pu...nt2_110209.pdf

and his Fiscal PPT

http://boardofreps.org/committees/pu...an2_110209.pdf

Also some of the petitions have shown up:

Quite humorous, I wonder if they told Blanca they taxes would rise on the property she lives in under the Mayors plan?

http://boardofreps.org/committees/pu...trs_110208.pdf

http://boardofreps.org/committees/pu...pet_110208.pdf

[jrf344 5]

You guys are starting to sound like Charlie Browns Teacher!

[Geppetto 31]

Subcommittee considers mayor's proposed fire service plan

KARA O'CONNOR

Stamford Times

02/10/11

STAMFORD -- A fire plan that the mayor says will consolidate and improve volunteer fire services in Stamford was reviewed and discussed Tuesday night at a Board of Representatives' subcommittee meeting....

http://www.thestamfordtimes.com/story/499148

[CTFF 65]

Board of Reps Members Request Projections for Fire Plan Alternatives

Despite chances that alternative plans to what Mayor Pavia is proposing may require city charter revisions, members of the Board of Reps still want the chance to analyze them.

http://stamford.patch.com/articles/board-of-reps-members-request-projections-for-fire-plan-alternatives

Edited February 11, 2011 by CTFF

[FD828 77]

Finally they are talking sense! Take off the rose colored glasses and see what is really happening!

[brianm1 1]

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Also some of the petitions have shown up:

Quite humorous, I wonder if they told Blanca they taxes would rise on the property she lives in under the Mayors plan?

In addition to Blanca Morales there are 165 others who live in the city fire district (A & B District) that signed the same generic letter stating they don't want there taxes to increase. Obviously these people were not told the truth.

If these people simply signed a pre written generic letter than isn't it actually a petition!

Would anyone else like some Kool-Aid? They are serving it up north like there is no tomorrow

[Geppetto 31]

Does Bobby Valentine cover the bases as public safety director?

Field of candidates included some heavy hitters

Jeff Morganteen

Stamford Advocate

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The resumes and applications, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, came from an eclectic and highly qualified group of candidates responding to the city's posting seeking someone with a "strong proven track record in public administration in a senior position" and giving preference to former city managers and administrators. Advanced degrees in public administration, public policy or business administration were required.

Among the candidates was a retired Army National Guard major with 25 years of "command level experience" and training in biological, chemical and nuclear weapons. Also included were two captains from fire and rescue departments, one a former union president with a law degree and the other a veteran firefighter with a master's degree in public administration.

A former public health director who served a community of 550,000 residents applied, as well as a government analyst in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security who handled staffing, budgetary and policy inquiries from the White House and Congress.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Does-Bobby-Valentine-cover-the-bases-as-public-1010979.php#page-1

[Geppetto 31]

Appointments Committee questions, then approves Valentine as safety director

March 7: Board of Representatives to vote on appointment

Jeff Morganteen And Kate King, Stamford Advocate

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

"If I'm in Stamford on a Sunday night, I'm going to be on TV," Valentine said after the Board of Representatives' Appointments Committee meeting at the Government Center."

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Appointments-Committee-questions-then-approves-1037107.php

[FD828 77]

I love it. Now when the guy is on TV doing his other full time job, he will have the head of legal affairs take over as the public safety director. Brilliant! How can they tell the residents of Stamford that their safety is priority #1 with a straight face?!

Edited March 2, 2011 by FD828

[FD828 77]

It's official.....

Bobby V

[FFPCogs 863]

From the Ragvocate this morning.

[The Department of Public Safety suffered the largest cut, totaling about $1.5 million. $500,000 from police overtime and $600,000 from fire overtime were cut.

Board vice chair Mary Lou Rinaldi, a Democrat, said the move was symbolic of the desire to monitor public safety overtime.

"I think the whole point of last night's actions was to get a better sense of how things are managed," Rinaldi said.

"At the end of the day, those cuts won't stay. I think those items will be put back in contingency funds."

The board also eliminated a $360,00 matching grant from the city to fund hiring of firefighters in volunteer districts]

(not sure if it's 36,000 or 360,000, since as usual the Rag writers don't proof read their entries...but the point is made)

And so the saga continues.........

Cogs

Edited April 9, 2011 by FFPCogs

[Guest gotasmokerhere]

The following is a letter from a volunteer chief of the Turn of River Volunteer Fire Dept that was submitted to the city's Board of Representatives. This personal attack on union firefighters has pretty much ruined the relationship between union firefighters and TOR volunteers. Also it should be noted that when TOR had paid drivers that were union members, they received the exact benefits that this individual is now attacking. In fact, most of these benefits (i.e. night differentials) were first created in the TOR dept, only to later be added to the contract of the downtown firefighters. One other point this individual seems to have left out is that the average union ff logs 6 sick days a year- the lowest of any dept in the city, and well below the national average. This letter was copied and pasted (gramatical errors and all) from the city of stamford web site.

Members of the Board:

Below are some facts about Stamford's paid fire fighters that you may be surprised to hear.

Stamford Fire Rescue work schedule: With the exception of the Chief and 2 Assistant Chiefs, all other officers and Firefighters work a 24 hour day, then have 3 days off then work another 24 hour shift. What does this really mean? SFR Firefighters work on average 7 days per month, yes 7! That's only 84 days per year. There is 104 weekend days in the year. So they are work fewer days than the average person has off from work on weekends. This is before any vacation days or sick days are used.

Over the course of that 24 hour shift, they are allowed to sleep. So theoretically they can sleep for 1/3 of their shift and maybe even more while getting paid to do so. There another perk they get paid extra money to work at night. This is called a night differential. This dates back to their old schedule when they worked 3 days on, 3 off, 3 nights on. Then it was deemed a "hardship" to work nights. But now working nights is anything but that.

Unlimited sick time with pay, yes, I said unlimited, even if it's not job related. For example, a firefighter tears their ACL while skiing on their paid vacation and needs to have surgery and rehab and end up being out of work for 1 year; they get paid their salary for that whole year.

The contributions they make toward their medical benefits are lower than the national average for unionized workers and the average union workers contributes less than the average private sector worker.

Let's talk about pensions now. A fire fighter who has at least 15 years of service is entitled to receive a pension. Let look further into this. A firefighter who came on the job in 1999 would make contributions to the pension fund. By the year 2014, their 15th year, they would have paid in approximately $55,000. For that $55,000 payment they could start to receive their pension as early of an age of 48. The amount they would receive is approximately $27,000 per year for the rest of their natural life and if their spouse outlives the firefighter they collect it until their death. Hypothetically, if a firefighter and /or their spouse can collect for 30 years; that's $810,000, at 40 years or age of 88, that's $1,080,000. So I ask you what is that benefit really worth? One thing I can tell you it worth a lot more the $55,000.

These are just some of the perks SFR firefighter's have. Their work schedule gives them the flexibility to work more than one job. Other things like getting time and a half for overtime, 4 hours minimum pay overtime even if they only work for 1 hour, and paid vacations and holidays make this job very lucrative for them. Remember, we are all tax payers in this town and we pay for these benefits. Most of the members of Local 786 are not residents of this town and their only motivation, though under the guise of public safety, is to protect the finical fiefdom they have created over the years.

These are just some of the reasons Mayor Pavia's plan should be implemented. The tax payers deserve a more fiscally responsible and efficient system.

Sincerely,

Matthew Maounis

Resident & Tax Payer

[CTFF 65]

It's hard to guess the intentions of this letter, I'm sure it was sent with a purpose.

Is he hoping to draw us into a fight like the Chief of Springdale likes to do?

Would he like to claim he was threatened like Bobby V's dubious claim?

Is he trying to create a bigger rift between the Dept's so he can say "see they won't work with us!"?

Or was he simply upset the BOR cut money to from the VFD's and he fired off a letter full of errors because he didn't take the time to look over his latest pièce de résistance?

[gamewell45 258]

It's hard to guess the intentions of this letter, I'm sure it was sent with a purpose.

Is he hoping to draw us into a fight like the Chief of Springdale likes to do?

Would he like to claim he was threatened like Bobby V's dubious claim?

Is he trying to create a bigger rift between the Dept's so he can say "see they won't work with us!"?

Or was he simply upset the BOR cut money to from the VFD's and he fired off a letter full of errors because he didn't take the time to look over his latest pièce de résistance?

If the information contained in his letter is not accurate, then the union would be smart to counter it with a rebuttal so the public doesn't swallow the information hook, line and sinker.

[FFPCogs 863]

If the information contained in his letter is not accurate, then the union would be smart to counter it with a rebuttal so the public doesn't swallow the information hook, line and sinker.

Agreed. If inaccurate information has been presented than it should be addressed and refuted with the verifiable facts.

Cogs

[Guest gotasmokerhere]

There really isn't much of a need to refute this. The public safety committee is knowledgeable enough to recognize that this is merely a desperatley feeble attempt at attacking career ff's benefits. I suppose that according to this person, when/if TOR hires its own paid ff's that they will not be receiving any benefits, and will be working for a flat hourly rate far less than that of the union ff's, thereby resetting the fire protection model back to the way it was 20 years ago!

[Alpinerunner 61]

24 on 72 off = 48 hr work week. This is MORE than the standard 40 hr work week.

[CTFF 65]

the 24 on 72 off schedule averages (over 13 weeks?) a 42 hour work week.

The DC of training and the two captains in training do not work 24's

the Capt and 4 Lt's at 911 don't work 24's

The Fire Mechanic does not work a 24

Nor do any members of the Fire Marshall's division.

This of course can be verified by a quick reading of the Contract.

[JohnnyOV 2]

Before you submit a letter of this intent to any board, or any formal letter, make sure you have someone proofread your work. Makes you seem very uneducated when you're trying to convey a point, and all that people can stare at are the multiple grammatical/spelling errors.

Would I have agreed with what he was saying, absolutely not regardless of his grammatical mistakes... they may work only 7 days a month, however, they are working 24 hour shifts. 24x7 = 168 hrs/mo x 12mo = 2016 hrs/yr. Take a normal work week of 40 hrs/wk x 52 wks/yr = 2080 "working week day hours" in a year. or a difference in 2.6 work days per normal year. Add in a few company holidays and it appears that the normal buisness man actually works less then the firefighter, and I'm sure he gets his holiday, sick and vacation time as well on top of this...

I'm sick and tired of people attempting to skew data to make it appear what it is not. Present the facts, not your personal agenda.

[brianm1 1]

It's scumbags like this that are a disgrace to the fire service. Here is someone who not only holds rank (Assistant chief) but is also a senior member of his department. If he is the kind of person who would officially submit a letter like this which is full of lies and rumors, then what do you think he is telling the other members of his dept??

I can only imagine the brainwashing that’s he does! Especially to newer and younger members. And people wonder why there is a so called rift between volunteer and paid firefighters here in Stamford! What a joke it is and how unfortunate it is that we have people like this spoiling and brainwashing what would probably be good willed firefighters who otherwise might have truly had public safety as there #1 concern!!

There’s no need to write a rebuttal, the BOR knows the deal. Are people like this the reason the system in Stamford is so mest up? Or are people like this holding rank and titles as a result of things being so mest up?

Edited April 18, 2011 by brianm1

[CTFF 65]

Before you submit a letter of this intent to any board, or any formal letter, make sure you have someone proofread your work. Makes you seem very uneducated when you're trying to convey a point, and all that people can stare at are the multiple grammatical/spelling errors.

Would I have agreed with what he was saying, absolutely not regardless of his grammatical mistakes... they may work only 7 days a month, however, they are working 24 hour shifts. 24x7 = 168 hrs/mo x 12mo = 2016 hrs/yr. Take a normal work week of 40 hrs/wk x 52 wks/yr = 2080 "working week day hours" in a year. or a difference in 2.6 work days per normal year. Add in a few company holidays and it appears that the normal buisness man actually works less then the firefighter, and I'm sure he gets his holiday, sick and vacation time as well on top of this...

I'm sick and tired of people attempting to skew data to make it appear what it is not. Present the facts, not your personal agenda.

Johnny with a 42 hour work week 42*52 the number is 2184 hours scheduled per year for a firefighter. We work 8 24hr shifts a month more often then we have 7 day work months.

[TimesUp 148]

I'm wondering how many times the author took a test to become a career firefighter.

[JohnnyOV 2]

Johnny with a 42 hour work week 42*52 the number is 2184 hours scheduled per year for a firefighter. We work 8 24hr shifts a month more often then we have 7 day work months.

Thanks for clearing that up, I was just going off the information he was feeding the koolaid drinkers... Be careful everyone, its starting to get warm outside, don't drink the spiked punch.