COVER UP AT 222

Gee, look what made its way to my doorstep this morning!! It seems to me that the very firefighters, who were being told lies by you Haman, are no longer falling for them, and have had it with you. I guess it's like Princess Lea said in Star Wars, "The more you tighten your grip, the more galaxies will slip through your fingers."

We as members of the Bensalem Fire Service thought we would bring a few issues that we have been monitoring to your attention.

1. A paid firefighter from the Bensalem Fire-Rescue department drove his personal vehicle to the Newport Fire Company in a highly intoxicated state. On arrival, he assaulted a Newport volunteer firefighter and vandalized the firefighter's vehicle. The intoxicated paid firefighter then got into his vehicle and left after speaking with the head of the Bensalem Fire-Rescue department by phone. Before the intoxicated paid firefighter left the firehouse, he threatened the witnesses to the assault!! The police and an ambulance were summoned to the scene of the assault. The victim of the assault was transported to the hospital for treatment. Was the victim or the witnesses interviewed by detectives from the Bensalem Police Department? NO. Were charges filed against the paid firefighter for the assault and vandalism? NO. Were charges filed against the paid firefighter for the threats made to the witnesses? NO. Was the paid firefighter charged with DUI that was witnessed by the victim and the witnesses? NO. Did the Public Safety Director call a press conference to state that this paid firefighter was a danger to the public and the emergency services? NO. Have township officials reached out to the victim and encouraged him NOT to pursue the matter? YES. Is the whole incident being hushed up by the Public Safety Director? YES. Where is the press release that he loves to give?

2. A rumor was circulating from several sources within a township fire company that one of its chief officers who is also a paid firefighter for the Bensalem Fire-Rescue department took pornographic pictures of himself and sent them to a female volunteer firefighter. Within two days of the rumors surfacing, the Director of Public Safety sent an e-mail to the volunteer fire companies stating that the rumor was unfounded. IN JUST TWO DAYS!

3. Considering that the Director of Public Safety personally assigned a detective to conduct a two month investigation, concerning the "water incident" with Union Fire Co., interviewed numerous people, (Except the officer in charge of the incident!), and the outside agency witnesses who tried to provide statements and video evidence contradicting the claim made by a source that has yet to be revealed to the victims of the false allegations, we find it amazing that the Director of Public Safety completed the investigation into the paid firefighter's pornographic pictures in just two days.

4. Has the Director of Public Safety asked to have a committee appointed to oversee the paid fire service that has been over budget since its inception? No. Has the Director of Public Safety asked to have a committee appointed to oversee the paid fire service that has consistently failed to inspect all the businesses in the township at least once per year since its inception? No. Has the Director of Public Safety asked to have a committee appointed to oversee the paid fire service that has consistently failed to provide inspection reports to the volunteer fire service for use in pre-planning? No.

5. Has the Director of Public Safety addressed the failures of the township training facility to meet the needs of the fire service as were indicated in the pre-build study?

It seems to us that if you connected to the township government you can get away with anything. We noted in the latest "What's going on around town" political publication that the paid members of the police department were noted as supporting the 2012 Special Olympics Polar Plunge (there first year doing so), yet the volunteers who have done so for years were not mentions. Your lack of attention to the volunteers in our township is duly noted.

LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ON TO YOU HAMAN!!