[cifnmedia] City fire equipment action riles volunteers
- From: <gmcgrath@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Sean Aaron" <cifn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,"Brad Dietrick" <bradfurniturefirst@xxxxxxxxxxx>,<cifnmedia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "BRAD DIETRICK" <badleybreak@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 4 May 2004 11:25:51 -0400
Tuesday, May 4, 2004
Local News
City fire equipment action riles volunteers
By John Vandiver
Daily Times Staff Writer
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SALISBURY -- Officials for the Salisbury Fire Department and some
volunteer firefighters from Station 2 are at odds again, this time concerning
the city's appropriation of equipment.
Fire Chief David See said the department is consolidating its two rescue
vehicles to eliminate redundancy of services. By combining specialized tools
and equipment onto one truck, See said rescue missions will be made more
efficiently.
One of the rescue vehicles will be taken out of service and its equipment
will be transferred to the newer truck from Station 2 on Naylor Street. The
modified rescue vehicle will be assigned to the Fire Department's North
Division Street station.
However, Station 2 volunteer President Harold Scott said the city has no
right to the equipment.
"The chief has the right to move city-owned equipment. The rescue truck
belongs to the city, but the equipment was purchased by the volunteers," he
said Monday.
Scott said the city took possession of roughly $100,000 worth of
equipment Saturday that was purchased with Wicomico County funds and state
grants. The property is used to extricate accident victims from automobiles.
City officials and members of Station 2 have frequently been at odds.
Last year, volunteers threatened to secede over what they said was mistreatment
of their members by city officials, who made changes in command structures and
staffing in the department.
Though a memorandum of understanding was reached by the two sides last
May, Scott said conflict has again resurfaced.
See said the city is entitled to the property and that consolidating
Salisbury's rescue vehicles is part of an ongoing effort to streamline the fire
department.
"This is not a career versus volunteer issue," See said.
Reach John Vandiver at 410-845-4656 or
jvandive@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Email this story
Originally published Tuesday, May 4, 2004
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