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problem with a terminated volunteer
I am experiencing a problem with a recently terminated member of my VFD. When he joined he showed up for new member orientation recieved a pager and a key and that was the last time we saw him. We tried to contact him several times before we terminated him but he would not return our phone calls. So here is the problem he will not return our calls but he talked to another member that he is friends with and told this other kid to let us know that he lost his pager. Now this was a brand new in the box Minitor 5 that was issued to him. I have seen different prices for these so I am not sure how much one of these runs brand new but I would imagine it is around $400 or so. My question to you is should we charge him for the lost equipment? What can we do if he refuses to pay for it? has anyone had a similar situation?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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This is theft- report him to the Police for them to follow up.
There's also an issue with security- he has a key which I assume is to the station. Police must get involved.
If it is a key to the station then I'd suggets the department needs to review it's policy on this -at least wait until after a probation period.
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Permalink Reply by Fire Capt. 1304 on
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It is a key to the station which has not been turned back in. We give our probies keys because they are allowed to respond to calls or come and work around the station. But on the other hand we have changed locks about five times in the last two years because of terminated members with keys.
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I'd suggest again that it needs to be reviewed.
They can still respond to the station and on the truck while a probie, but the reality is they aren't rolling in the truck without other more senior members, so they can wait at the station until a senior member gets there with a key.
As for working around the station, again they either wait or fit it in around other members being there....
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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Yes he should be charged for the "lost" items...and you do what we had to do a couple of times.....Let him know by Registered mail that he is responsible to return ALL Department property or else law enforcement will be notified.....then if no response you file a stolen property report and let the police deal with it.....It isn't pleasant but it is what you have to do....No department can "eat" that kind of loss routinely.....Paul
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Permalink Reply by Trainer on
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I don’t think I would get the police involved yet. Pager is closer to $500; let him know through his friend that police and lawyers will get involved if he does not come clean. Do you have a policy/sog if a pager is lost? He may have lost it but did you check eBay. The key on the other hand is a problem but I still don’t think there’s much you can do without a policy/sog. If no policy exists then there is little that can be done, other than threaten him, he was a member in good faith….well ok maybe just a member but still I don’t think you can do much. Have your lawyer send a certified letter, like return or else…but be careful about making him pay you might set a president you’ll regret later. We had a problem with keys some years back, to many retired people we just didn’t know how many were out there and to change locks would have been a nightmare, so we installed a non-electrical push button lock, then all you need to do is pass out the code.
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Permalink Reply by FIRE BEAR on
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I dont agree with not giveing a probie a key im a probie and i have stood outside in cold wet weather waiting for someone to show up thats not fair to us we are supposed to be part of the fire dept treat us as one yes we can t respond but we can be ready to and im not senior but i am a firefighter (im certified) but about the key get the police involved and if he wont pay for the pager and the key condier it a theft just cause he said it was lost dosent mean it was here we dont get new pagers as a probie we get minitor 2 till we are off probatin and for the key my background check was run during my 1st month so i did have to wait till that came back before i got the key
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Permalink Reply by Fire Chick on
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make him pay for it he is the one that lost it.... i know in my dept if u lose it or damage it, u pay... he really didnt want to be in the dept.. he only wanted the title of firefighter... we have had a few of these in the past year or so.... most of them are gone now.. we still might have one or two... maybe not..
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Permalink Reply by Oldman on
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Only some interior offices have keyed locks. We installed electronic locks on the exterior entrances of our stations, and the EMS supply room. This eliminates the problem with people not returning keys, or having so many keys running around. We assign an access number to each employee/member. The locks can be downloaded and display every activation showing the time and ID. Probationary members with our department are not allowed access numbers until they complete their 90 day probation.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Lambert on
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There was a similar problem a few years before I came into the department. They resolved it by installing a keypad that would activate the doors for quicker access. That way you don't have to fumble around for your keys. Then if a member would leave they would simply change the access code. As far as the lost pager we would make a of couple attempts to contact them then if that don't work we would turn it over to the County's Attorney. If that don't work then there is not much you can do after that. It would get too expensive and time consuming for a $400.00 pager. Hope that helps.
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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MINITOR_V Price:$385.90
Let's say $400 PLUS legal fee's, court costs and also pay for 1 person to have to go to court. Looking well over $1000. To get this equipment back you can do it a few different ways. The best way is to draft a letter asking for the equipment back. (sending it registered) On the letter give him a specific amount of time (14 calander days from receipt of the letter) to provide you the equipment back in good working condition or specify that legal action will occur. Taking him to court for 400 bucks seems unworthy, but small claims court will get a decision in your favor to get the money to purchase a replacement for the lost pager. As for the key, thats a tougher situation.
Having a "code entry" system is nice but costs money. Replacing the locks whenever someone leaves costs money. Not quite sure how you can remedy that. We have a keyless entry system (looks like a remote car starter without buttons) that we wave in front of a keypad that grants us access. This also records WHO and WHEN anyone enters the station.
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Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on
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I agree with Lutan get the police involved if he wont pay for the minitor. My dept. has a key card system. This system works great you place the card against a pad and it unlocks the door. The nice thing abo the system is the Chief can deactavate any card @ any time. If you want info on the key card system hit me up on my page and i'll get you info on it.
Good luck!!
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Permalink Reply by Chief Dino on
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My $.02. . . Sending a letter registered mail informing him of the replacement cost of the pager and the requirement that he return the pager or pay for the replacement seems the best option. You may not have a bylaw or sop/sog in place to deal with the issuance of gear/pagers/radios, if you don't I would get one in place. As for the key, if he won't return it, you have to change the locks. It becomes a security issue. Small claims court for the loss of the pager if all else fails.
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