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Penny-wise and Pound-foolish? NYS OFPC budget and training class cuts
Apparently the state-budgeted salad days for training new firefighter recruits are over for now in New York State.
Not only has the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control canceled a slew of classes state-wide due to overestimating the funds available to provide the instructors for these programs, county training coordinators in some locations have been told that the number of training hours they are normally allotted have been significantly reduced.
We ALL need to speak up, firefighters, line officers, state-wide fire service organizations and fight for the training that is so critically needed, particularly now when the volunteer fire service is also facing a severe recruitment and retention deficit.
THIS is the time when we all need to unite and be heard. Why is is that when the budget hits rough water, safety training is the first item tossed off the lifeboat? I don't get it.
Contact your legislator NOW and speak up; make your voice heard and fight for the training essential to the continuation of the entire fire service.
Not sure who your representative is?
Here's a link:
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/
Firefighter Training Cuts Frustrate Local Departments
(Rochester, N.Y.) -- For years, Rochester-area fire departments have struggled to keep enough firefighters on staff. On Friday, that task became even more difficult when the state announced it had run out of money for training.
Firefighting is the kind of job you really have to love. That's even truer for volunteer firefighters.
Gates-Chili Fire Deputy Fire Chief Jeff West said, “As a volunteer firefighter, you're going through 13 hours of recruit training a week, and with families and work commitments that's very, very tough.”
For most, the rigorous training is worth it. But, Friday’s announcement means that the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control has canceled training classes, meaning less firefighters.
Monroe County Fire Coordinator Ed Riley said, “It's the basic skills. We literally can't put them on the fire ground without them.”
Riley said the state requires training on HazMat, airborne pathogens, and safety. He's working to set up classes in March funded by the county, but that still won't meet state certification requirements.
“We have 80 firefighters right now waiting for that training in Monroe County,” he said.
Reasons why the state has run out of training money still aren't clear. And now, neither is the future of fire halls across the state struggling to keep enough members.
West has seven recruits who were up for training this week
“We have mandatory training we need to do and they need to find the money to get it done,” he said. “It's just very disappointing when we do get new members to join and we can't get them training in ample time.”
The State Office of Fire Prevention and Control said it hopes to start training again in April, pending the approval of next year's state budget.
http://www.inergizedigitalmedia.com/story.aspx?content_id=DCF02A9A-A047-4F86-9F31-B01B5C878D1E
Not only has the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control canceled a slew of classes state-wide due to overestimating the funds available to provide the instructors for these programs, county training coordinators in some locations have been told that the number of training hours they are normally allotted have been significantly reduced.
We ALL need to speak up, firefighters, line officers, state-wide fire service organizations and fight for the training that is so critically needed, particularly now when the volunteer fire service is also facing a severe recruitment and retention deficit.
THIS is the time when we all need to unite and be heard. Why is is that when the budget hits rough water, safety training is the first item tossed off the lifeboat? I don't get it.
Contact your legislator NOW and speak up; make your voice heard and fight for the training essential to the continuation of the entire fire service.
Not sure who your representative is?
Here's a link:
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/
Firefighter Training Cuts Frustrate Local Departments
(Rochester, N.Y.) -- For years, Rochester-area fire departments have struggled to keep enough firefighters on staff. On Friday, that task became even more difficult when the state announced it had run out of money for training.
Firefighting is the kind of job you really have to love. That's even truer for volunteer firefighters.
Gates-Chili Fire Deputy Fire Chief Jeff West said, “As a volunteer firefighter, you're going through 13 hours of recruit training a week, and with families and work commitments that's very, very tough.”
For most, the rigorous training is worth it. But, Friday’s announcement means that the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control has canceled training classes, meaning less firefighters.
Monroe County Fire Coordinator Ed Riley said, “It's the basic skills. We literally can't put them on the fire ground without them.”
Riley said the state requires training on HazMat, airborne pathogens, and safety. He's working to set up classes in March funded by the county, but that still won't meet state certification requirements.
“We have 80 firefighters right now waiting for that training in Monroe County,” he said.
Reasons why the state has run out of training money still aren't clear. And now, neither is the future of fire halls across the state struggling to keep enough members.
West has seven recruits who were up for training this week
“We have mandatory training we need to do and they need to find the money to get it done,” he said. “It's just very disappointing when we do get new members to join and we can't get them training in ample time.”
The State Office of Fire Prevention and Control said it hopes to start training again in April, pending the approval of next year's state budget.
http://www.inergizedigitalmedia.com/story.aspx?content_id=DCF02A9A-A047-4F86-9F31-B01B5C878D1E
Add a Comment
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Comment by Tiger Schmittendorf on February 27, 2008 at 11:32pm
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Holding 100-year-old grudges against males is a distinctly female trait.
Not being able to stay on topic is another one.
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Comment by Mary Ellen Shea on February 27, 2008 at 10:27pm
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sing it chickie.....I'm with you on that one....
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Comment by LadyChaplain on February 27, 2008 at 10:13pm
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Did I ever tell you why I want to be a fire chief someday...? I think it's pretty obvious that this whole system needs a FEMALE OVERHAUL.
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Peaches, you and I BOTH know that if women were running the show it would be a vastly different story.
Holding 100-year-old grudges is a distinctly male trait.
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because that would make too much sense..?!
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and doesn't that bring everything down to that one key point.....
Why can't the NYS fire organizations band together and create a single voice with one goal; improve the situation of the firefighter...
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Comment by Engineco913 on February 27, 2008 at 8:24pm
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Another major contributor would be for each states Association of Fire Chiefs not only to meet and agree, but to get the state change the laws reguarding safetly belt use in fire apparatus. When you have the fire chiefs representing the entire state lobbying for change, it will turn heads.
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as Tiger said so succinctly.....the money is there to train us to be bomb technicians before we can obtain FF1.
How does that make ANY sense?
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I don't live in New York, but I am a Willing slave of training. In todays fire service, there is NEVER enough training to be conducted. Training should be the paramount for ALL states reguadless of size. If they made an error, FIX IT, don't delete it. There are thousands of firefighters who are relying on this training and continuing training to learn ever advancing techniques in the fire service, and not providing this training is a truely sad situation. Perhaps they should cut some non vital aspects of the government to make up the differance. (aka salaries of highly ranked ELECTED officials)
Cutting the budget/removal of programs isn't the answer, move money from something that doesn't affect life safety and keep the firefighters training. Their lives depend on it, and somedayit just may mean your life also.
What if you called and Noone came?
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Thanks Mel... this is putting a lot of people at a huge UNNECESSARY disadvantage. I'll keep up on this as well - probably putting a flyer of sorts up at the firehouse or something.
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