I just got in not to long ago, after taking part in a charity event, and found this at my door. This was given to me this morning by a neighbor of Union Fire Company, and I wanted to share it with you, and this is also going to the press.
I attended the meeting at the Union Fire Company and the Township meeting. I have also been following the news reports of the suspension of operations for the Union Fire Company. I listened as Fred Harran spoke about public safety issues. I have researched and discovered the following information. This information has given me greater belief that the danger to public safety sits in the Director of Public Safety’s Office and the Mayor’s office.
Harran point 1:
The Chief of the Union Fire Company has not attended a township fire chief’s meeting in 15 months.
What I learned:
Chief Troisi works at night and is unable to attend these meetings. What Fred Harran failed to mention was that Chief Troisi made sure that one of his command staff attended the meetings in his place.
Harran point 2:
Fred Harran has made numerous verbal and written requests for information regarding the purchase of the new marine unit.
What I learned:
The Union Fire Company began the process of upgrading its marine operations in 2005. Chief Troisi regularly updated Fred Harran regarding the scope of this project and its progress. Fred Harran asked no questions and frequently joked that the project would not get funded. Fred Harran offered no input or cooperation. In fact, when Chief Troisi asked Fred Harran for a written policy for the use of the new marine unit by the police department Fred Harran refused to provide input or a policy! When Chief Troisi notified Fred Harran and the township that he had received federal funding for the project, Fred Harran and Deputy Director of Public Safety Ponticelli contacted the grantor and attempted on five separate occasions to provide false information to the federal government to stop the funding process. When Union Fire Company complained to the Mayor he assured them that the interference would stop. Finally, the Federal Government told Bensalem to stop calling as ALL of their complaints were unfounded. This interference continued AFTER THE MAYOR TOLD FRED HARRAN TO STOP INTERFERING.
Union Fire Company provided a copy of their grant application to Fred Harran as requested. President Carmichael even took the time to explain how matching funds grant works to Fred Harran.
When the Union Fire Company and members of other township fire companies asked to see the SAFER grant, Fred Harran and the Mayor refused to provide the grant to them! This is the grant that funds the new paid fire service. Not until after the township had this grant for OVER A YEAR did Fred Harran and the Mayor advise the fire service that they would have to take money away from them to pay for the fire service. When the township was shown that the money that they were taking from the fire service was not enough to pay for the paid fire company, Fred Harran refused to address this issue. When several members of the fire service approached council members (Pilieri and Kisselback) regarding this reduction in funding, they were told by these councilmen that they were never told that money would be taken away from the volunteer fire service to pay for the paid crew. Reviewing council meetings I discovered Councilman Szafran asking Fred Harran how he intended to pay for paid fire crew. Fred Harran could not provide a way to pay for them!
As of this date, Fred Harran and the Mayor have not provided to the fire service or the citizens of Bensalem a plan for paying for the paid fire crew.
Harran point 3:
February 2010, the Union Fire Company was on location for ½ hour before they noticed an adjacent building on fire.
What I learned:
Union Fire Company dispatched to the 300 block of Camer Drive for a smoke investigation. It should be noted that the fire was eventually discovered in a building that was three businesses away from the building the Union Fire Company was dispatched to.
More alarming was the discovery that the Fire Marshal’s office and the police department had been investigating an arson fire in the building that the fire was eventually discovered in! This fire occurred a few days prior to the Union Fire Company being dispatched to the fire on Camer Drive. This arson fire had been discovered by workers reporting for work at that company. The fire was out when the employees arrived for work. The Union Fire Company was not aware of this arson attempt by the fire marshal’s office or the police department. Union Fire Company did not learn of the arson attempt until they discovered the fire in the business three businesses away from their originally dispatched location additional the company summoned additional help. When Cornwells Fire Company arrived on location, members of that fire company told the chief officers of the Union Fire Company of the previous arson.
When Union Fire Company contacted Fred Harran and advised them that their members were needlessly placed in harm’s way due to the information regarding the previous attempted arson at the commercial building was not provided to them he replied; “I do not release information on active investigations”. Does that mean it is more important to conduct the investigation then it is to protect the lives of firefighters responding to a building fire that has had previous attempts to burn it down? My Harran’s statement that the investigation is more important than the safety of fire personnel is RIDICULOUS at best and THOUGHTLESS AND DANGEROUS at the worst.
Fred Harran had the nerve to complain about the fire companies ½ locating the source of a smoke condition in a building three businesses away from the source of the fire when HE HAD SPECIFIC INFORMATION THAT WOULD HAVE REDUCED THE UNNECCESSARY EXPOSURE OF FIREFIGHTERS TO AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS CONDITION.
Harran point 4:
When the township requested that all fire companies permit the township to audit their books, the Union Fire Company responded with a letter from their attorney.
What I learned:
Union Fire Company DID NOT object to the audit. Union Fire Company objected to the fire company having to pay for an audit that the township requested. In fact, the township changed its policy and agreed with the Union Fire Company that the township would pay for the audit.
Harran point 5:
Union Fire Company did not attend a training program for all township command personnel.
What I learned:
Union Fire Company had a previous commitment scheduled well in advance of this training session. Despite numerous requests by the Union Fire Company Fred Harran has NOT provided a copy of the Township Emergency Management Plan to the fire company. In fact, I checked with the other five fire companies. They DO NOT have a copy of the plan or the command structure for the township in the event of a disaster. I checked with the township, there is not a copy of the Township Emergency Management Plan available to the community either! This is in direct violation of Federal and State laws pertaining to emergency management. This despite the township has adopted the National Incident Management System and the National Response Plan.
Harran point 6:
Union Fire Company has responded with two personnel on a fire truck to beat the paid fire company to the scene of a fire.
What I learned:
First, the two members of the fire company that were responding this way are no longer members of the fire company!
Second, there is no evidence that they were doing this to beat the paid fire company to the scene of a fire.
Third, the paid fire engine responds with two people on the fire truck. This is in violation of the national standard for a paid fire company (NFPA 1710). The paid fire engine is supported by two additional paid firefighters responding in a non-firefighting vehicle and the fire inspectors. What is the difference if the fire inspectors support the volunteer fire company (as was their original intent) or the paid fire engine with two members?
When asked about this, Fred Harran responded; “we are here to discuss the Union Fire Company, not the paid fire company.”
Harran point 7:
During a trench rescue, a Chief acted unsafely.
What I learned:
The Chief that was coordinating the rescue is a member of the Bucks County Technical Rescue Team. Fred Harran would not say what the chief had done unsafely. In fact, this chief coordinated a rescue that limited exposure to danger to the first responders calmed the person in distress and affected a text book rescue. I further learned that Fred Harran made no mention of this to the Union Fire Company until the public meeting!
Harran point 8:
Chief Troisi left the scene of a building fire to respond to an alarm call.
What I learned:
Chief Troisi arrived late to the building fire. A command structure was already in place and functioning properly. Before being briefed by the incident commander to assume command, the alarm call came out and he responded with the cover companies. Though many disagreed with the Chief’s decision, there was no danger placed on the personnel operating at the building fire.
Harran point 9:
Information from Chiefs meetings is being leaked out on the internet.
What I learned:
Fred Harran provided no evidence that the information being leaked out on the internet was coming from the Union Fire Company. There were five other fire companies and one rescue squad in attendance at these meetings.
Harran point 10:
April 19, 2011 members of the Union Fire Company responded to the fire department five minutes after the after recall.
What I learned:
This occurs in all six of the volunteer fire companies. Once the firefighter’s pager is activated the firefighters respond to the emergency. Until the firefighters reach the fire station and man a piece of equipment equipped with a radio they WOULD NOT LEARN OF THE RECALL OF THE ASSIGNMENT. There is no recall activated over the paging system for the firefighters.
Either Fred Harran is unaware of the way the volunteer system works, which would be shocking considering he is the Public Safety Director or this is a sad attempt to discredit the dedicated members of the Union Fire Company. It is interesting to note that Fred Harran did not say that the responding firefighters were in violation of any law or driving recklessly. He only stated that they were utilizing a blue light to respond to their fire station in accordance with the law.
Harran point 11:
April 19 2011, Union Fire Company delayed supplying water to the paid fire company.
What I learned:
Initially Chief Troisi was accused of refusing to supply water to the paid fire company at a fire on State Road. When the Union Fire Company heard of these rumors they contacted Chief Troisi. When Chief Troisi contacted Fred Harran to address these rumors Fred Harran threatened to arrest the chief for interfering with an investigation.
When it was learned that Chief Troisi DID NOT refuse to give water to the paid fire company it changed to DELAYED GIVING WATER to the paid fire company. When Union Fire Company requested to know who accused the chief of refusing to give water to the paid fire company, Fred Harran refused to provide the information.
The crew of the Union Fire Company engine that DID supply water to the paid fire company was NEVER INTERVIEWED by Detective Clark. There is no evidence that the Union Fire Company refused to or delayed supplying water to the paid fire company.
In the month of April, the Union Fire Company filed a complaint against Fred Harran for his continued harassment of Chief Troisi and his unprofessional conduct. As of June, this complaint has NOT BEEN RESPONDED TO BY THE MAYOR.
When the Union Fire Company contacted Fred Harran regarding a member of the rescue squad giving orders to the fire company and walking around and into the building that was on fire without any protective equipment, no action was taken.
Harran point 12:
April 19, 2011 two non-firefighting members of the Union Fire Company were allowed on the scene of a fire in command vests.
What I learned:
They were photographers for the fire company that photograph the incidents for the fire service. They were never in the “hot zone” or exposed to hazardous conditions. They were wearing reflective vests, not with command designations.
I investigated and learned that the other five fire companies also have personnel that are photographers for their organizations. The other five fire companies have never had these issued addressed by Fred Harran.
Harran point 13:
April Chiefs meeting Union Fire Company Deputy Chief yelled and acted inappropriately.
What I learned:
The Deputy Chief was upset with the Townships continued attempts to take money away from the volunteer fire service. The Deputy Chief was upset with the township now trying to take away money (Foreign Insurance Tax) money that the fire companies receive from the state. Union Fire Company properly manages its Foreign Insurance Tax monies which they use to purchase safety equipment for its firefighters and fire apparatus.
The Union Fire Company (and several of the other five fire companies that are too afraid to speak out) has no confidence in the townships ability to manage this money as they have shown they had no plan or ability to pay for and operate the paid fire company.
THE POOLING OF THE MONEY WOULD BENEFIT THE TOWNSHIP AND THE ONE VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY THAT HAS A HISTORY OF POORLY MANAGING THEIR FINANCES.
The Deputy Chief was further upset with the system that the township wants to establish for the use of the Foreign Insurance Tax money. First, a committee would be created with representation from each fire company, after the committee agrees on what should be funded; it proceeds to Fred Harran for approval. Fred Harran has stated on numerous occasions that he has little to no training regarding the fire service. Why should he be placed in a position to approve or deny funding? After Fred Harran, it would go to the Mayor for approval. Does the Mayor have any fire training? Or will these two continue to rely on the same people who spent over $5,000,000.00 on a fire training center that you CANNOT CONDUCT LIVE FIRE TRAINING IN?
I WOULD BE UPSET TO IF MY ORGANIZATION WAS COMPETENT IN HANDLING ITS FINANCES AND THEN LEARN THAT THEIR FINANCES WOULD BE TURNED OVER TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE A HISTORY OF MISMANAGEMENT OF FINANCES. DON’T BELIEVE ME? JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE $6,500,000.00 TOWNSHIP DEFICIT FOR 2010!
Harran point 14:
Union Fire Company does not submit background checks for all its members.
What I learned:
Union Fire Company DOES supply a list of all its current members and new members to the township.
Harran point 15:
Statement has been made over the phone by Chief Troisi that he does not have to follow the directions of the township or the Director of Public Safety.
What I learned:
There is NO EVIDENCE that this ever occurred. Chief Troisi denies making the statement (I overheard this denial at the township meeting). The only evidenced that this occurred is the statement of Fred Harran.
Harran point 16:
During a call a Union Fire truck left the scene to return to the fire station and pick up additional personnel.
What I learned:
It is not uncommon for apparatus not committed to operations on a fire scene to return and pick up additional members of the fire company to work at the scene. Fred Harran did not specify what type of fire truck left the scene. Was it a truck that was pumping water then left the scene? I learned that it was the fire company TAC truck that left the scene returned to the fire station, picked up additional personnel and returned to the scene.
I also learned that another fire company frequently permits its members to respond to the scene of calls outside of its first response area. They do not report to specific on scene commanders. This is in violation of national safety standards.
I continued looking into this and discovered that part time paid personnel respond in their fire company vehicles to calls after they are no longer working in the township and their fire companies are not dispatched to the incident. This is in violation of township procedures and national standards.
I learned that the Union Fire Company expressed concerns about the location and type of construction of the training center to Fred Harran. These concerns were never addressed. AS A RESULT WE AS TAXPAYERS HAVE WASTED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
When Union Fire Company attempts to improve service to the community (by adding an advanced life support ambulance) IT IS INTERFERED WITH BY FRED HARRAN AND TOLD THAT IT IS NOT NEEDED. Even though as a result of the Union Fire Company’s effort to establish an ambulance service, the Bensalem Rescue Squad moved an ambulance to the Cornwells Fire Company (on a part time basis).
The public should feel free to contact the Union Fire Company (as I did) to discuss their plans to increase services while reducing the tax burden on the community.
Or we could continue to wait for Fred Harran to admit he needs yet another tax increase to support programs he has created.
P.S.
If anyone knows the other two Fred Harran points can you send them to this blogger to be posted so that I can investigate them?
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