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Lowering standards ... for Political Favors?
Mon, 01/29/2007 - 00:21 — admin
Seems that Chuckie and the big 4 are up to their old games. This time courting favor with the former firefighter turned- Deputy Chief in Mendon.
Our friend RiffRaff of Mendon reports that the next hire on BFD will actually be an old one. Seems that life playing second fiddle to the Chief/Chief in Mendon isn't what it is cracked up to be and it is now "time for this one to come home" as in that cartoon from the 60's.
When the budget was approved in the spring of '06, I though we voted to hire new Paramedic level FF/EMT's. Suddenly is this not the case, or are we going to break the rules, again to take care of one of the "good old boys"?
Sounds like a rather dubious start for the new Town Administrator, don't you think. Didn't you learn anything about not following the rules during your time overseeing the bridge in Newport?
Blackstone's taxpayers are deprived of services, in order to take care of the status quo. Shame on you all , again!
Comments
As a concerned tax payer, I
As a concerned tax payer, I have a few questions and comments about whats going on here. I have never questioned or commented about anything in the town before but there seems to be somethng seriously wrong in the fire department. After reading all of these comments, I have some concerns about what I heard Chief Sweeney say at the benefit for Steve Goulet. When the fire department was called up on stage three firemen and the Fire Chief went up there. The Fire Chief then gave a speech about how he did this and he did that. Everything he said was about HIM. To my knowledge I don't even think he went to the Millerville Mens club the night of the rescue call. I think I heard that the three firemen should have been the real heros the night of the benefit not him. Last year when the two brothers were hired,I think that they had to be Paramedics in order to be hired. How did Chief Sweeney provide that training for them like he said that night? Especially if they had to be Paramedics to get the job. But listening to Chief Sweeney, you would figure that HE IS the only one in that fire department that does anything. Lots of the articles in this blog talk about him being for himself and a very few individual members of HIS department. Believe me I saw it that night. Hopefully the Board of Selectmen, Town Administrator and other towns people see what Chief Sweeney is real like and what he's doing . Maybe then they WILL take the appropiate actions that need to be taken to correct the problems.
Sweeney Fire Dept
Your absolutely right. The chief wasn't at the Millerville Mens club that night. They had to call assistance from Woonsocket Fire Dept to get EMT Cardiacs because BFD didn't know who would show up on the run. So now, its OK to hire BASIC EMTS again?
Sweeney takes all the credit and leaves out who really does the work in town... the firefighters. Sweeney takes his 2 hr lunch break at home, drives aimlessly around town looking like he's busy when he's sucking a hefty salary from the taxpayers to do absolutely nothing.
Jumping?
Are we sure that the Chief is going to hire the Mendon Deputy? If he is not the best candidate for the job isn't it his responsibility to hire the person who is? Why are we not hiring a paramedic? If the Chief does not act in the best interest of the town is that just cause to have him removed before he retires and would that nullify a possible appointment of the Mendon Deputy? That town has enough issues of it's own, we don't need to take them upon ourselves.
The reason for asking the
The reason for asking the BOS to allow a waiver to hire a basic EMT was to hire Mendon's Deputy Chief. If the fire department is at the paramedic level as like the Fire Chief's says, why is he looking at a waiver for basics?
The reason is......
To hire his pal/buddy. The chief states that the dept is a the Paramedic level. I believe that is only 1 paramedic per shift (they run 3 shifts). What happens if a paramedic takes vacation or calls in sick? Will he be replaced by another Paramedic or will the rescue run with 2 basics? That is the big question that needs to be answered!We need a gaurantee that a paramedic will be on every EMS run!
Lowering the standards is the wrong answer.
I wouldnt be so quick to lay blame on the fablous 5 for this one. If blame is to be placed it should be on the spineless Fire Chief. If I understand right 1 of the 5 was not in favor of the rehire. Back when the person left for greener pastures, and a promotion it was told to the selectmen and townspeople on channel 8 that the Blackstone Fire Department would no longer be hireing just basic EMTs. He stated that he would be hiring only paramedics. Now with friendship thicker than career it has been said that he will be hireing a basic EMT. The residents of Blackstone should be outraged at this statement. The genius of the fire department has what is called Strong Chiefs Law and it states he can hire or fire at will, for just cause and there is nothing that can be done about it. If this practice takes place the fablous 5 should take note when appointments take place this year. If they let it slip by like usual then the townspeople should take notice next election. This department has come a long way since 2005 when the person left for greener pastures. Its too bad it will go backwards to the tyrant rule when the buisness owners and homeowners were belittled and yelled at by some. The current department has 4 Paramedics now and should continue to add them to the roster not go backwards to the basic EMT. The people of Blackstone deserve the very best in emergency medical care not just average. It is funny how 5 of the 7 full time staff sent a letter to the Chief and Town Administrator saying that they do not want that person back and were told "To bad, I am hireing him anyways". That should be good for morale. The other 2 that did not want to add thier names were of course friends of the rehire. I think the townspeople should take a long hard look at this and see if this is what they want. Please let your favorite selectmen know how dissatisfied you are with this back door workings.The rumor mill is that the Fire Chief is going to leave at the end of June and that would leave the door open for a former Deputy Chief to move right in. Bad news for Blackstone.
Friendship is better than whats right.
Obviously the friendship between the Fire Chief and the person he wants to rehire must be stronger than ever. Think about it, why would the Fire Chief hire a basic EMT instead of a Paramedic? Why did the Fire Chief at a Board of Selectmen's meeting mislead the selectmen? Aren't inspections and training being done? Or have the inspections and training of the fire department members been left and have been building up til the golden child returns? Why did some of the fulltime firefighters write a letter to the Fire Chief and Town Administrator requesting that he not be rehired? Did the Town Administrator or Board of Selectmen ask the fulltimers why they felt this way? Oh wait, bottom line the Chief has Strong Chief's Law in the State of Massachusetts. He can hire who he wants to no matter if it's in the best interest for the Town or not. Why after the Lt. left did three members of the call department return? Are they going to leave again or be forced out by him coming back? The Town of Blackstone should not accept anyone other than a Paramedic being hired. For the Board of Selectmen to do a 180 degree change from last year based on lies by some is unbelievable. There are extremely qualified Paramedics that are willing to work in the Town of Blackstone. But the good old boy network is working and what means to say the rehire won't leave again for a promotion in another Town. Rumor has it, at the Woonsocket area Chief's meeting on January 25th, Chief Sweeney told the area Chief's that he would be retiring shortly. Is bringing back his basic EMT a plan to make him Fire Chief. Hopefully not, because no one really knows all the problems encountered in the Blackstone Fire Department while he was working here. Oh wait it's not the Chief's buddy but other members are to blame. On January 28th a ad went out in the area news papers for a job of a firefighter. Did the Mendon Deputy Chief apply again? Or is his application that was submitted when the ad for paramedics was in the paper being used? How many Paramedics have applied for this position? So why is the Town going to step backwards and allow a basic EMT to be hired instead of a paramedic? REASON: FIRE CHIEF SWEENEY RULES AND WILL DO WHAT HE WANTS TO! FRIENDS COME FIRST!!!!!!!!
Sounds to me like there's
Sounds to me like there's not much confidence in Chief Sweeney or his decisions.
NO RESPECT
How can we have confidence in a chief that is reactive and not proactive? He has no people skills, can't run a fire scene nor does he even have a degree! Its who u know in this town to get a job, not the qualifications or skills required. Hire a basic emt instead of a paramedic?? Whats wrong with that guy? What happened to hiring all paramedics? I know I don't feel safe anymore.
This dept is so messed up it needs a complete overhaul from the top down and we, the taxpayers are paying for this!
Sounds like we may be
Sounds like we may be turning into "mother".