Saturday, December 4, 2010

Let's increase the mayor's staff but cut the FD?!?! WTF!!!


(Photo Design and Credit To Brian Bastinelli)
Hey Everyone,
The more I read about what the mayor in Harrisburg is trying to do to the Fire Department just pisses me off more and more.
The idiot mayor is attempting to layoff 10-15 firefighters and shut down a firehouse in the downtown section of Harrisburg and sell two pieces of fire apparatus. YET the mayor in all her infinite wisdom has stated that response times will not be affected but she wants to boost her staff while slashing the FD???!?!?! Seriously?!?!

This after the fact of a tragic fire in the city where five lives were lost and she is intent on slashing her "volunteer" fire department as she puts it. Yes, the Harrisburg Mayor is that stupid she called a career department volunteer.
My own opinon as to why she wants to shut down this particular firehouse?? When she was elected, she lost big time in that district. So her wanting to do that is nothing more then political retribution.
Folks, I understand that times are tough and that cuts have to be made. Public Safety is NOT an area that should be cut, but yet time and time again it is one of the VERY FIRST to hit the chopping block. As I said, the mayor wants to increase her staff budget by a large sum of $$(I do not know the exact amount) and also her staff. The mayor also wants to buy a $6,000 camera just so she can take pictures of her at events and with her "constituients"
Does that sound like responsible government to you??
Does that sound like someone who is responsible and capable to lead a city??
I did not think so...
The Harrisburg Bureau Of Fire is one of the most well trained and one of the best departments in Pennsylvania. Some people may think that all their local FD does is sit around and wait for a call. They also do Medical Calls, Inspections, Fire Preventions, Trainings just to name a few. Harrisburg is also a member of PA USTF1 which is a urban search and rescue team and was one of the teams activated to respond to the attacks at Ground Zero on 9/11.
The mayor is basing all this on her "consulting" firm that she spent a large sum of $$ on to help Harrisburg get out of their mony problem. This firm who has NO experts on their staff in the fire service and have no experiance in the fire service are deciding what's best for the public's safety.
Does not really make sense to me. Would you rather have people who are not from the area and have no clue what life is like in your town base a desicion like that without a clue as to what they are talking about??
Folks, if you have a situation like this in your town.... Layoff's and shutting a firehouse are NOT the way to go, demand to your leaders that they look for cuts elsewhere..
Do you really want to take a chance with your family if a firehouse is shutdown?? I know I would not..
Ok, I normally don't go off on a political tangent but I needed to vent..
Stay Safe!