A Shady Fire Department, Training Center, and an Even Shadier Harran!!

A Shady Fire Department, Training Center, and an Even Shadier Harran!!

This bit of information was given to me last year, and I had to re-post:

I have been a firefighter in Bensalem for over 10 years. I believe in the Mayor and will be surprised if this makes it onto your site. Developments over the last several years involving a few power hungry people in the fire service have had a negative impact on a majority of the volunteer firefighters in our community.

Some of these power hungry people are attempting to justify a paid fire service in our township. We have seen these people obtain positions within the Fire Marshal's office. I have met the Fire Marshal several times and find him to be an honorable man. However, several of those in his employ have been less then honorable towards him. The Fire Marshal either refuses to see what these people are doing, or feels he is in a position that prevents him from stopping them. They use their positions within his office to undermine him at every chance. Despite the increase in personnel in that office, all the businesses in our community are not inspected on a yearly basis. Surrounding municipalities with an equal number of inspectors (some with fewer inspectors) manage to inspect their entire commercial property list each year. When we ask for building inspection reports to update our personnel, we are given the run around.

Several of the fire inspector's vehicles are frequently seen parked for several hours each day at township fire stations. When several township councilmen were advised of this situation, they replied: "We are aware of them spending ours at the fire house when they should be inspecting businesses. We will put a stop to it." Needless to say, it continues to this day. These inspectors are supposed to respond to the nearest fire house and man apparatus. Frequently, there are 4 or 5 inspector's vehicles at the scene of an incident when we arrive. Maybe they don't know where the fire stations are that they don't sit at.

This same group that wants a paid fire department was involved in the changing of box assignments. Now, fire stations that are close to an incident are not being dispatched to an emergency so that one that is farther away can be dispatched. They have also increased the number of fire stations dispatched to calls. This is an attempt to run up the numbers of responses for the year. If anyone bothers to look into this they would see that each one of these fire companies counts the call as an assignment. In this way, one dispatch can be turned into four or five incidents when the fire stations provide yearly totals. If the township wants a true amount of actual dispatches, obtain a yearly print out for the township. This would provide a more accurate number and may reduce the number of fire responses by one half to two thirds. The farther away company is part of the click which wants to eliminate the fire stations that are not supporting their plan for a paid fire department. If any of these people would tell the truth, they would tell you that the cost of a paid fire department will use up all of the casino money.

When I attended the dedication ceremony at the new training center, I noted that the Director of Public Safety could only mention one township fire chief and the head of the rescue squad. Many of the fire chief's that he failed to mention were not permitted to give any input into this training center. Many had concerns regarding the operation of the facility that were never answered by the Director of Public Safety.

Their concerns have become reality. First, there is no water system or sewer system at the facility. We only have the tank water carried by the apparatus to train with. Second, they failed to include a heat generating system at the facility. There is a smoke generating system. Without the combination of heat and smoke this facility is providing the same training we currently achieve when we place wax paper over the face masks of our breathing apparatus when training. This wax paper simulates a smoke condition. Without the ability to train live hose lines on live fire, we still don't have the minimum training facility that we were lead to believe this would be. Third, we were told we would no longer have to travel to the training center in Doylestown to obtain the required training and certifications. We still have to travel to the training center in Doylestown to attend training programs to receive certiation in the various required training levels. The five million dollars spent on this training cfitecenr would have been better utilized to recruit new members by creating the medical benefits program. We were pleased with the proposed medical benefits program after a significant amount of service to our community. Not only would this attract people to the volunteer service, it would also provide medical coverage to those current active members who have already given so much to the township. Instead, we get $500.00 a year! Is that what we are worth? Township councilpersons get more then ten times that!

This power hungry group has provided information to the Mayor that we needed this training center. The Mayor (I hope) asked them what they needed and he provided it. This training center has done nothing but confirm that a small group of people looking out for themselves and not the fire service and the community we service can waste large amounts of money.

It is time for the Mayor to reach out to the rest of us. Let us voice our concerns and provide input for the fire service in our township that benefits the entire fire service and the community we serve. We tried speaking with the Director of Public Safety that went no where.

If the Mayor would take the time to meet with each fire department for one hour, he would be shocked to learn what has been happening with the fire service. He would also be given long term, low cost solutions regarding recruitment of personnel.

Again, if I see this on your site, I will be surprised.

UPDATE:

As of this date, they have "laid off" Scanlon, established the paid fire department under ILLEGAL circumstances (Violated the Township's municipal code.), and get this, the Training Center (A.K.A. The $five million dollar disaster) that adorns Street Road is literally falling a part!! That means, that there is a potential for either a severe injury, or fatality, for anyone hit by the debris from this eye sore!! Now, we have a illegal fire department, and multi-level lawsuit waiting to happen!!

WAY TO GO HARRAN!!!