The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Entire Canadian Department Suspended Over Beer Theft
OLIVER, B.C. - Every member of the Oliver, B.C., fire department has agreed to accept a two week suspension as punishment for the removal of six beer kegs from a burning hotel.
Oliver Mayor Pat Hampson confirms the suspensions will be served by each member of the volunteer fire department.
Some of Oliver's nearly three dozen firefighters weren't even in the southern Okanagan community when the May 23 blaze destroyed the Mesa Hotel.
But Hampson says all the members have agreed to the suspensions as payback for removal of the beer - and the tapping of at least two of the kegs at the local firehall.
Hampson says the suspensions will be served in rotation, to ensure the community has adequate fire protection.
The firefighters who removed the kegs later paid the hotel owners for the beer but RCMP are still investigating and have not yet said if charges are likely. (CKQQ)
Related
Canadian Firefighters Admit to Fireground Beer Theft
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Oliver Mayor Pat Hampson confirms the suspensions will be served by each member of the volunteer fire department.
Some of Oliver's nearly three dozen firefighters weren't even in the southern Okanagan community when the May 23 blaze destroyed the Mesa Hotel.
But Hampson says all the members have agreed to the suspensions as payback for removal of the beer - and the tapping of at least two of the kegs at the local firehall.
Hampson says the suspensions will be served in rotation, to ensure the community has adequate fire protection.
The firefighters who removed the kegs later paid the hotel owners for the beer but RCMP are still investigating and have not yet said if charges are likely. (CKQQ)
Related
Canadian Firefighters Admit to Fireground Beer Theft
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on
-
WP,
I'm inclined to believe that as well. Could failure to read previous posts be analogous to failing to do a size up or walk around?
-
-
Brian,
I agree. Doing a quick google search brought up new and relevant information on the article which, while not absolving anyone of guilt does explain the suspensions. I think some people simply find that facts and information just get in the way of an opinion. But then, that's just my opinion.
-
Permalink Reply by Brian Mackie on
-
Yah, seems weird that his incident is garnering so much attention. I mean it is a serious enough mistake that was made by these goofball brothers, but it's by no means the most serious offence committed by firefighters. That said, it is nice to see the entire dept. stepping up and taking ownership to the lack of poor judgment, not as a "couple of idiot members" thing, but rather as a "department as a whole" thing. Something the younger members of today's fire service should take a close look at. I would hope that every fire dept. would stand behind their members when the going gets tough.(to a point of course)
This so called "suspension" is interesting. When many small communities are struggling to fill their rosters and their apparatus for calls, (particularly in the day time) these people state they won't be able to respond while they are doing time / serving their part of the sentence. I beg to differ! I suspect the first time there is a call, those suspended members will be going to the station to make sure there is enough personel to get the job done. If there isn't, I would bet they would not hesitate to jump on board. I know I would!
-
Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on
-
Jack,
Quite analogous, indeed.
And the members of the Oliver Volunteer Fire Department (Youse vollies...) are to be commended. They decided they would "all go down together". They sacrifice themselves like Marines, these Canadians. They're OK by me.
-
Permalink Reply by Roy Walker on
-
What seems to be forgotten is that the suspension is brought about by the department , the police may rule differently.
-
Permalink Reply by Ted Sscott on
-
What kind of a hotel is that would not donate the beer and have a party?
-
Permalink Reply by Tony P on
-
That's really not the point is it Ted. It wasn't offered, so what. They stole it, that is a problem.
-
Permalink Reply by Bekks on
-
Well, other than a show of "Brotherhood" to fellow firefighters (and maybe an attempt at "self-imposed group punishment" in an effort to save their friends from criminal charges);
...or a "sorry-we-didn't-stop-our-idiot-team-mates-from-doing-this-before-it-turned-into-a-crime-we-hope-you-still-trust-us" to the local citizens they are supposed to be protecting;
This amounts to little more than "scheduled coverage teams" so the members who are serving their "summertime suspension" can have a beer (or wine) whenever they want (or go on vacation) and not have to concern themselves with if there are going to be enough people showing up at the hall when the pager goes off.
I can understand the "pain" of seeing kegs of beer destroyed by fire... but COME ON!
I fully expect charges to be laid and the "ring leaders" terminated from the department, and so they should be (if convicted).
Oh yah, one last thing... Oliver is a small town in a MASSIVE country (Canada is the 2nd largest land mass in the world) with thousands of law-abiding firefighters (volunteer, part-time and career). You don't see similar stories titled "Entire American Department"... the headline is what has happened... not their citizenship.
-
-
Bekks,
This is an Associated Press (an American news agency) story. Of course they're going to mention Canada when the story originates in..........Canada. If an Air Canada plane crashes somewhere, the A.P. headline would probably read something like "Air Canada Plane Crash Kills All Aboard".
I think you might very well see a story titled "Entire American Department....." if the reporting news agency were Canadian.
-
-
Yah... I am familiar with the concept... lol... I used to work in the "media" myself many many years ago. I know that's how they write things. Every media outlet places their own emphasis on whatever they feel like. I didn't like it then and I still don't like it now... part of the 'bigger picture' of why I got out of the news business all those years ago! LOL
I'm not the only one posting to this discussion that took exception to the wording of the headline. Several others like Gary Hanson, thought it was misleading.
If I were reporting the story I would have wrote "Entire Fire Department Suspended Over Beer Theft" (AP) Oliver, British Columbia - The entire fire department in the small town of Oliver, British Columbia (XX miles from Vancouver, Canada) has been suspended... blah blah blah... Like that.
The headline is supposed to get you interested enough to read the story to find out WHERE this happened. Not set up an entire country to be painted with the same 'paintbrush of scorn' for people who don't read past the headlines.
As for your "Air Canada" example, that makes sense, as that is the airline's name.
When Canadian news outlets report news from the U.S., it is VERY rare to see the country's name put into the headline unless it relates on a national level (like "U.S. President meets with Prime Minister"). Canadian news outlets write headlines like: " Firefighters exhausted after battling California wildfires". NOT "American firefighters exhausted after battling California wildfires".
The fact that these guys were Canadian has no place in the headline unless the reporter or editor has either an (unlikely) anti-Canadian agenda or (more likely) figures they are exploiting a Canadian stereotype with our love for beer.
Either way it is unprofessional reporting/headline writing.
Just my 2 cents.
-
Permalink Reply by Oldman on
-
Breaking News....
An entire Fire Department located someplace on Earth was suspended for the removal of six beer kegs from a burning hotel.
The Mayor confirms the suspensions will be served by each member of the volunteer fire department. Some of nearly three dozen firefighters weren't even in the community when the May 23 blaze destroyed the hotel.
The firefighters who removed the kegs later paid the hotel owners for the beer but law officers are still investigating and have not yet said if charges are likely.
That's better. :o
-
-
It wasn't that the six kegs were removed, it's more a matter of where they were moved to. (An argument might have been made that they were moved to a secure location, save for the fact that two kegs were latter tapped. An effort to re-pressurized those two kegs perhaps?)
I though I read somewhere that the Oliver Fire Department has around 30 active members. Three dozen missing suggests the entire department (and then some) was on holiday.
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next ›
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
