Ad for fireman

Are you f#####ing kidding me…why are we looking for a full time fireman to sit on their ass and get paid a ridiculous wage when we should be looking for auxillary firemen like every other town in BC!!!New council…wake up!!!

I believe this is a replacement for a retiring firemen and not an additional hire. We will actually be saving money in this situation as the salary will likely be about 30,000 to 35,000 less per year for a new 1st year hire (I believe they start at 70 or 75K a year).

Here we go again.

You’re free to have your opinion but if you look back at your past posts on this same subject you’ll see that you don’t have much support. The points you bring up surrounding auxiliary firemen have also been discussed previously and I believe it was determined that the fire department tried to start an auxiliary department but it didn’t work. Can we just move on?

I may be wrong but I’m pretty sure first years make nowhere near 70k a year, I believe they start at around $27-30/hr

Has to be the most ludicrous thread for a long time… There are areas that money might be able to be saved but please don’t cut out fireman, auxillary works some places but please not here. I sleep better knowing real fireman are there for us!

Crazy is right!It was the city that advertised for aux firemen and the “union” at the fire hall that chased them away.We used to have 30+ aux in PR.And I will not quit till common sense(if there is such a thing in PR)prevails!

Frankly, I want a paid-for ambulance service; not some rickety barely stocked volunteer force that struggled to find enough qualified volunteers to do the job.

But I have an idea: if you don’t want a paid-for fire department, you ought to march on down to City Hall and tell them you are opting out of fire service. See if you can save a couple hundred bucks a year on your tax payment, but also accept that said fire department won’t respond to your house burning down because you “opted-out”.

You should also see what that would do to your home insurance. I’m sure insurers just love guaranteeing a property that isn’t covered by a qualified, trained fire service.

[quote=“TerriblePerson”]Frankly, I want a paid-for ambulance service; not some rickety barely stocked volunteer force that struggled to find enough qualified volunteers to do the job.

But I have an idea: if you don’t want a paid-for fire department, you ought to march on down to City Hall and tell them you are opting out of fire service. See if you can save a couple hundred bucks a year on your tax payment, but also accept that said fire department won’t respond to your house burning down because you “opted-out”.

You should also see what that would do to your home insurance. I’m sure insurers just love guaranteeing a property that isn’t covered by a qualified, trained fire service.[/quote]

Well said. I believe homeowners house insurance is less per year for a full time force vs aux.

[quote=“Crazy Train”]

Here we go again.

You’re free to have your opinion but if you look back at your past posts on this same subject you’ll see that you don’t have much support. The points you bring up surrounding auxiliary firemen have also been discussed previously and I believe it was determined that the fire department tried to start an auxiliary department but it didn’t work. Can we just move on?[/quote]

Well to be fair to his efforts to start up the discussion on the topic.

Mayor Mussallem did suggest during the Mayoralty forum that there was some kind of move afoot to try and re-introduce the concept of a volunteer option, though he didn’t really provide much evidence of that concept.

Still, if the Mayor is to be understood correctly, clearly someone in the community was talking about it besides saltybear.

Fire department discussions always seem to head off in the same direction, as if the choices are limited to a full-time professional force or a bunch of incompetent auxiliaries.

In other places along Highways 16 and 97 the approach fits neither of those extremes. I have lived or worked in places where there was a small full-time force augmented by auxiliaries (as the title itself suggests) who serve part time. Auxiliaries are trained and accumulate experience just like full-timers. I don’t know where the idea comes from that they are untrained. When taking industrial first aid the auxiliary fire fighters were among the best in the course because it was just a refresher for them.

From my observation auxiliaries are not looked down on in other communities. That is a respected way to serve the community and they are appropriately appreciated. I recall seeing in local papers pictures of the auxiliaries and their names, acknowledging their service. They would also have fire department stickers on their pickups to identify themselves as first responders.

I owned a house in one town with a small professional force and auxiliaries. I do not recall my insurance being any higher than in Rupert where I have also owned a house. Nor do I recall anyone mentioning it as an issue or concern. No one seemed to think that by having auxiliary members as part of the fire department citizens should fear for their safety or otherwise lose sleep over the matter.

There seems to be a very different narrative in Prince Rupert, for reasons that are difficult to decipher.

Growing up overseas I lived in a town about the same size as Prince Rupert. Our fire station there was and still is staffed by one fire chief and an assistant. The rest of the fire fighters there are all axillary. However, the municipal government gives preference to those axillary fire fighters when hiring for any positions be it city administration, bylaw officers, maintenance staff etc. That way, it is ensured that the fire fighters are immediately available should there be an emergency and they aren’t taken away from other employment or are out of town. They are working for the city and in the city, just in two capacities.

[quote=“CharlesMHays”]

Here we go again.

You’re free to have your opinion but if you look back at your past posts on this same subject you’ll see that you don’t have much support. The points you bring up surrounding auxiliary firemen have also been discussed previously and I believe it was determined that the fire department tried to start an auxiliary department but it didn’t work. Can we just move on?

Well to be fair to his efforts to start up the discussion on the topic.

Mayor Mussallem did suggest during the Mayoralty forum that there was some kind of move afoot to try and re-introduce the concept of a volunteer option, though he didn’t really provide much evidence of that concept.

Still, if the Mayor is to be understood correctly, clearly someone in the community was talking about it besides saltybear.[/quote]

If he was discussing the topic I’d agree with you. This member has a history of bitching and complaining but doesn’t really offer up anything constructive.

I believe that this is what you were referring to:

"As part of his opening remarks to Tuesday evening’s forum, the Mayor asked for the support of the voters in order to stop what he said was a move by some in the community to close down the City’s Fire Department, and according to the Mayor turn it into a volunteer based organization. A prospect that the Mayor was quite determined to advise the gathering that he was against.

To further expand on his concerns at any perceived threat to the city’s Fire Department, the Mayor reviewed the nature of the current industrial base in the region and to list off some of the proposed developments that may come our way, stressing for the audience the need for the City to retain trained, professional firefighters."

northcoastreview.blogspot.ca/201 … e.html?m=1

I don’t know why the issue was brought up by Jack. Maybe it’s something that has been discussed in his circles.

I can imagine that there may be tension for any working person required to train and work with individuals who threaten their livelihood. I’m not necessarily against auxiliary firemen but those that were part of it in the past must have been put into a difficult situation. Can you imagine someone coming into your workplace offering to do your job for little or no pay, and you having to show them how to do it, and with a smile on your face?

Even if the auxiliary firefighters weren’t well received by the regular firemen, the decisions around management and initiatives such as this lie with city hall and the fire chief.

Interesting concept. I understand your former town is the same size as this town, but
is it a major international port? Does it have an airport on an island with no fire department of it’s own for emergency landings or grain elevator, coal terminal or pellet plant? Not to mention future possible developments such as potash terminal or Lng complexes or possible new industries not even being discussed as yet? I’m not making a judgement on your concept just wondering if the towns are really that comparable? Anyone have any thoughts?

This keeps coming up, thanks to Saltyguy’s obsession.

The bottom line is that insurance is cheaper with ‘career’ firefighters, whether they are assisted by auxiliaries or not. Any less than 3 professionals on duty, and your rates will be higher.

http://forum.hackingthemainframe.com/t/fire-dept/14940/35

That info is more than a couple of years old, but it’s still relevant. Doesn’t matter to Saltyguy, because he doesn’t care about the evidence. Apparently he would rather pay more in insurance than in taxes.

That was the case in the last thread too: Prince Rupert Fire Department

And here’s him complaining about the fire truck 4 years ago: Fire department in prince rupert (notice replies from actual firefighters)

So here’s how it goes:

  1. Saltybear freaks out about something fire department related.
  2. Someone digs up the info and proves him wrong.
  3. He says “it’s not true!” and waits a few more months before posting the same thing again.

I think we’re on round 5 now, Saltybear. So go ahead and post the “it’s not true!” post so we can move on.

[quote]Interesting concept. I understand your former town is the same size as this town, but
is it a major international port? [/quote]

And how far away is the next town with a large fire department that can assist if needed?

I also grew up overseas in a small town with a full-time chief and two assistants. They also drove the ambulance. And there were a lot of volunteers and auxiliaries. But 15 minutes away was a town with a full fire department, and 25 minutes away was a major city with an even larger department. And houses made of brick, not wood :smile:

So Mig where are you getting your info from? Sounds like you are a fireman and just because YOU say I am wrong,let anyone who thinks you are right,check it out for themselves!Like I did!You are full of it!
Check Terrace rates,also Smithers which is a volunteer dept.We are $800,000.00 higher fire dept cost than Terrace!You just re enforce the Prince Rupert union mentality.

So if members don’t agree with you then they’re full of it. Dial down the rhetoric please.
Thank you.

[quote=“saltybear”]So Mig where are you getting your info from? Sounds like you are a fireman and just because YOU say I am wrong,let anyone who thinks you are right,check it out for themselves!Like I did!You are full of it!
Check Terrace rates,also Smithers which is a volunteer dept.We are $800,000.00 higher fire dept cost than Terrace!You just re enforce the Prince Rupert union mentality.[/quote]

Quit your “effin” whining. You don’t like that Rupert has a full time fire department, too damn bad.

Saltybear you said the same thing last time. And the time before that. And the time before that too.

Here’s the info: Fire dept

Next time you bring it up, I’m sure you’ll say the same thing again.

Bottom line is that insurance rates are higher if you don’t have 3 professional firefighters on duty, whether they are assisted by auxiliaries and volunteers or not.

Hey Big international energy companies! Come to Prince Rupert and build your LNG terminals! We have a volunteer fire department! Or go to Kitimat, which has a professional fire department. Your choice!