tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post1858258349456812925..comments2023-08-25T05:18:29.312-06:00Comments on Madville Times: Madison Firefighter Arrested for DUI in Firetruckcaheidelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03261598066395322681noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post-58590572696313083752010-09-09T07:41:46.914-06:002010-09-09T07:41:46.914-06:00Ken, I thought alcohol was flammable!
Dave, I agr...Ken, I thought alcohol was flammable!<br /><br />Dave, I agree, this incident calls for some tough-love management. The only gray area is the arresting officer's action. We don't know yet (and the press hasn't gone after this angle, only the back-channel "won't put my name to it" gossip) what that crossing of paths consisted of, how much drinking the fireman had done, or what actions he committed that might or might not have risen to the level of arrestable action at that point. What is plain from the public statements is that we have some shoddy management at the fire department... or at least an inability to comment intelligently to the press.caheidelbergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03261598066395322681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post-26522836757594351252010-09-08T23:33:56.955-06:002010-09-08T23:33:56.955-06:00During my adult life I have worked in many differe...During my adult life I have worked in many different disciplines of public safety in both a volunteer and career capacity as a firefighter, a medic, a special deputy with the sheriff’s department, and now as a department head in homeland security/emergency management, so I can look at this from many different perspectives… <br /><br />The firefighter… If you’re a volunteer and the tones drop and you’ve been drinking, you don’t respond, plain and simple!!! I don’t care if you’ve only had 1 drink or you’ve had 20 drinks. I have 30 volunteers who currently work for me and here’s MY policy on the subject of alcohol and substance abuse… If any of them show up to an incident scene after they have been drinking, they all know that they will be thanked for their service and then asked to turn in their equipment and leave the agency as their services will no longer be required. The firefighter should have never been allowed on the incident scene, let alone behind the wheel of a piece of fire apparatus!!! <br /><br />Now onto the arresting officer… From what I have gathered from KELO and the Daily Leader, it appears the officer had crossed paths with the firefighter earlier in the evening before they both responded to the call and the officer had a suspicion that he could be under the influence… Oh, I have a MAJOR issue with that… If that is true, the officer should be reprimanded for his actions as well!!! Why, do you ask? What if my wife and grandkids were driving down the road and were hit by the fire truck being driven by a drunk firefighter which was being followed by a police officer who had his suspicions on the scene that the firefighter was drunk, but chose to allow said firefighter to get behind the wheel and drive back to the firehouse? I know it’s a lot of woulda, coulda, shoulda, but my point is that if the officer had his suspicions, he should have dealt with the situation at the scene, NOT after allowing him to drive back to the firehouse which had the potential to endanger the lives of the very people they swore an oath to protect!!! <br /><br />Now onto the Chief… All I can say about that is if this was one of my volunteers, and I gave statements like that to the media, I can say with the utmost certainty that I would no longer hold the title of Executive Director!!!<br /><br />David B.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post-74740551634820238882010-09-08T22:40:50.505-06:002010-09-08T22:40:50.505-06:00This is my favorite local blogosphere story of the...This is my favorite local blogosphere story of the week. I think that you are not considering all the angles here, Cory. A toasted firefighter might be more resistant to flame, and he carries an extra reservoir of fluid with him into the battle.Ken Blanchardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09580209017016829598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post-58079625644348899912010-09-08T09:00:57.628-06:002010-09-08T09:00:57.628-06:00I think the Chief had more to say to KELO than to...I think the Chief had more to say to KELO than to me. http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=104656 My copy btw is a combo from APAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18416191500695089044noreply@blogger.com