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Huge Layoff in Florida Department
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LEHIGH ACRES - Layoffs have come to the Lehigh Acres fire district that appear to be the largest cuts a department has faced, nationwide. Due to a loss of 49 percent of taxable property value the district has cut 35 firefighters and three administrative staff positions.
Ambulance service has also been cut, from five stations down to three. Firefighters heard about the layoffs when they reported to work this morning.
Chief Don Adams said that keeping the firefighters on would make balancing the budget hard.
72 firefighters are left to cover the department's four stations.
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Lehigh Acres district lays off 35 firefighters, 3 staff
LEHIGH ACRES - Layoffs have come to the Lehigh Acres fire district that appear to be the largest cuts a department has faced, nationwide. Due to a loss of 49 percent of taxable property value the district has cut 35 firefighters and three administrative staff positions.
Ambulance service has also been cut, from five stations down to three. Firefighters heard about the layoffs when they reported to work this morning.
Chief Don Adams said that keeping the firefighters on would make balancing the budget hard.
72 firefighters are left to cover the department's four stations.
Related
Lehigh Acres district lays off 35 firefighters, 3 staff
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Cole on
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35 firefighters. And they learn this when they report for duty? Were there any other cuts? How about police, or public works, or libraries? EMS cut, stations closed...does the public even care?
Does half or the US fire service even care? Seems as long as it doesn't effect others, it's just a quick thought, gee that's a shame...
And what's worse is that the majority of people, even those in OUR business don't feel it's time for a federal assist of some type. We can bail out private industry, we can send billions to tsunami relief, and millions to other nations that efuse to help themselves, but the good ol' American service, of which the largest part is comprised of FREE labor, cannot seem to understand that the problems that affect our Nations cities and even smaller towns ARE the responsibility of government on a larger scale. Our Nations safety translates into each community's safety.
Yet, somehow the big piece of the US fire service closes it's eye's, ears, rolls over, and declares it a local problem. As long as the local station has those new tower ladders, and the latest turnouts, well who cares about those who are losing their jobs?
Personally it makes me sick.
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Permalink Reply by sarah on
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I work for Lehigh and yesterday was a sad day....we lost a lot of good people. It is sad and disheartening but the public doesn't even really seem to care. They think we are over payed. I've never felt so under apppreciated....we don't ask for much...we don't ask for praise or to be called heroes, or even for a thank you. A little support for the ones we risk our very lives for would be nice. We could possibly lose another 30, that leaves about 43 people total on 3 shifts to cover 143 sq miles with 4 stations. I try to keep a positive attitude.....
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Permalink Reply by Kevin Nelson on
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While this does suck big time! You need to know that Ft. Myers, which Lehigh Acres is just out of had the #1 foreclosure in the U.S and at least in FL is the worst unemployment area...
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