TaylorMade
01-06-09, 23:21
All of the talk in here has been pretty doom and gloom for the last several weeks. I have quietly observed. The concern expressed by the younger firemen is not without cause. Every city and every county is feeling a financial pinch.
We continue to hear more and more about Firefighter hiring freezes and layoffs.
Take consolation in knowing that our job will always be needed. In 99% of Fire Departments out there, the Fire Chief is NOT the enemy. With that said, we must try our best to pass on lessons learned from previous union/administration relationships. We must ensure that we stand as one voice for all of our organizations and fight the battle of maintaining as many positions and benefits as possible.
I have watched us gain and lose many things over the last 26 years, but for the most part we have gained for the betterment of the Fire profession. Those that were forward thinking expanded their organizations as much as possible during sound economic times.
Those that did, will now be trimming the "fat" that were once the nice-to-have's and not the necessities of daily fire department operation.
We continue to hear more and more about Firefighter hiring freezes and layoffs.
Take consolation in knowing that our job will always be needed. In 99% of Fire Departments out there, the Fire Chief is NOT the enemy. With that said, we must try our best to pass on lessons learned from previous union/administration relationships. We must ensure that we stand as one voice for all of our organizations and fight the battle of maintaining as many positions and benefits as possible.
I have watched us gain and lose many things over the last 26 years, but for the most part we have gained for the betterment of the Fire profession. Those that were forward thinking expanded their organizations as much as possible during sound economic times.
Those that did, will now be trimming the "fat" that were once the nice-to-have's and not the necessities of daily fire department operation.