WHY THROW DARTS....

So on Febuary 24th, 2012 the local paper in Corpus Christi Texas ran a article on it's website titled FIRE OFFICIALS: CORPUS CHRISTI NEEDS MORE FIREFIGHTERS.  

Now it is not so much the article itself that I wish to talk about today, but rather the public comments that were left on this website by citizens of Corpus Christi.

To quickly give a background on this article. Corpus Christi Fire officials are seeking federal funds (grant) to hire more firefighters. The Corpus Christi Fire Chief went before the city council to request to apply for a 2.4 million dollar S.A.F.E.R. federal grant, so that the city may hire 27 firefighters, according to the article.

As of right now the city has 384 firefighters and is 20 plus firefighters short. This shortage is expected to grow somewhere between 30 to 40 if something is not done. 

The article has the Corpus Christi Professional Firefighters Union President as saying he also informed the city council that the department needs more firefighters on the trucks to better fight fires. He references a 2010 study done by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which states 4 man crews are 1/3 more effective then 3 man crews. The study also proves that a 4 man crew puts out a fire 25% faster then a 3 man crew. This equals more lives saved and more property saved.

The Corpus Christi Fire Chief and the Union President agree that the department is doing the best they can with what they have. This is true, but in my opinion this is like saying that a hospital with 100 rooms and 100 patients being taking care of by 4 nurses and 1 doctor, are doing the best they can with what they have. Are they? Sure they are, does that mean they do not need additional staffing to help the patients?

According to the article the city of Corpus Christi has authorized the Fire Chief to make the hires, but if the grant goes through the city will save the expense from the city's general fund.

Let's back up a second. The city of Corpus Christi has 18 fire stations and 22 front line fire engines/trucks. Of the 22 engines/trucks only 1/3 use a 4 man crew and sometimes this number is less then that.

If you don't believe that staffing levels on fire engines/trucks affects you, and by a lot of the public comments left on this article there are many that do, PLEASE take a look at this article REDUCING STAFFING LEVELS AFFECTS YOU.

Now I ask you to please read the article on caller.com for yourself, because when I read it I get the sense that the city of Corpus Christi's Fire Chief and the departments Union President are trying to find ways to provide more man power to the citizens of this city. This will be better, faster, and safer for all parties BUT MAINLY THE PUBLIC. They are trying to help the city and their budget by using this federal (S.A.F.E.R.) grant. For this I must applaud them...

Now on to the comments made on the article on caller.com. I will not repeat any of them here, as I ask you to read them and interrupt them for yourself.  But all of you that read this, please share it with everyone you know. Let me say this....

I have the best job in the world. I am a firefighter. I do not call myself a hero, just a man that truly cares about the citizens of his city, even though I do not know most of them.

Ever since the days of the bucket brigades, firefighters have faced scrutiny in the public eye. You weren't here fast enough, you should have done more, you don't work that much while on duty. These are statements heard all too often. These comments are made even though they are doing the best they can with what they have.

As years have passed, the economy has been up and down (mostly down), communities and cities have continued to grow. Take the city of Corpus Christi in the last 20 years, it has grown tremendously in size and population. As these communities and cities grow so do the standards of firefighting and the need for added services increase. Again, look at the city of Corpus Christi where the citizens are now provided front line Advanced Life Support with every fire engine/truck. Wasn't always that way...

You see firefighters do not just fight fires. They run medical calls, cardiac arrests, MVAs, Haz-Mat calls, airport emergencies, terrorist attacks, refinery explosions, etc. They also are the ones that help your loved ones off the floor when they fall. They comfort you in you time of need. They ensure your child is safe in their car seat. They provide the security blanket we all sleep with, knowing that no matter what our problem is we can always call them. AND THEY ALWAYS SHOW UP...

Since the first of the year I believe the city of Corpus Christi has had multiple fatalities due to structure fires. That in itself is the reason the Fire Chief and the Union President would like to increase the man power. TO SAVE LIVES... The main reason to add these firefighters is to save more lives in the public. It is not to save more firefighters lives, they know what the risks of this job are. Would 4 man crews on all trucks/engines, which is a national standard, help accomplish this??

I can promise you this, even after reading all the negative comments left by the citizens they protect, they will hold their heads high because they know they did everything they could to help any person, any family, at any time. They do the best they can with what they have.

As for the other comments as to our pensions, insurance, and benefits. Please ask any firefighter active or retired if their pension, insurance, and benefits enough to take care of their family. It isn't. That is why you find retirees working jobs just so they can afford their highly expensive insurance. That is why it takes almost 3 incomes for a firefighter and their family to make ends meet. Most firefighters have to work 2 jobs and their spouse works full time as well. This has nothing to do with living beyond their means, this has everything to do with being treated unfair.

Before this gets too long and tires, I will start my closing....

Budgets are being cut, firefighters are being laid off. Our economic times are rough right now, we all understand this -  BUT PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD ALWAYS REMAIN AT THE FOREFRONT OF ANY COMMUNITY/CITY.

I only wish and hope that rather then THROWING DARTS at our local firefighters, people will stop to think about all possible factors and give them some credit. They are not trying to do anything more then to protect their city and it's citizens. THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN WITH WHAT THEY HAVE...