Post by commonsense on Jul 23, 2008 15:51:24 GMT -5
Well all I got to say is some day your going to get old & stupid.
Fire police talk respect
BY AMANDA CHRISTMAN
STAFF WRITER
Published: Monday, July 21, 2008 4:19 AM EDT
Fire police face a dangerous task each time they respond to an accident or fire.
And they get little respect for it, according to state fire academy instructors
who spoke at the Pennsylvania State Fire Police Association meeting in White
Haven on Sunday.
State Fire Academy instructor Tony Riccardi, who has taught fire protection for
over 50 years and is an active member of the Harleysville Fire Co., said the
biggest complaint he hears across the state is that fire police don’t get
respect. He recalled once seeing a fire policeman directing traffic wearing
pink, floral spandex shorts and a muscle shirt with flip-flops.
Though the description drew a few chuckles from the 100-person crowd at St.
Patrick’s Church Hall, Riccardi was making a serious point. Riccardi contends
that fire police who do not wear a uniform will not get respect. But many other
changes have to occur statewide before fire police will be treated well,
Riccardi said.
All fire police should be trained though the state, he said. They also need
proper equipment and financial help to obtain proper equipment.
Unless these things are accomplished, “you will never, ever, ever get out of a
second-class category,” he said.
He challenged the crowd, which included representatives from statewide fire
police units, to advocate, train and support fire police work.
State fire Commissioner Edward Mann said fire police are the most “misused” and
“abused” parts of a fire department.
“If you want respect, you have to do something to stir it,” he said.
State laws regarding fire police are antiquated and need to be changed, Mann said. He said the state association needs to start urging lawmakers to
make these changes.
State fire academy instructor Mike DalPezzo attended the event because he wants
to see the changes that Mann and Riccardi were asking for. DalPezzo, who works
at two fire companies in York County, said the state association needs to take a
more active approach to see that fire police have the tools necessary to protect
themselves, firefighters and the public. DalPezzo said the family of a fire
police member who dies while on duty may not receive financial aid for funeral
expenses because of how the law is written.
Most fire police use their own vehicles to respond to emergencies while most
firefighters and police officers use official vehicles. Fire police are treated
like “a second-class citizen,” DalPezzo said.
Robert Hill, president of the Luzerne County Fire Police Association and member
of the Dennison Township Fire Co., said the job of fire police is very
dangerous. Fire police, Hill said, have to battle aggressive drivers and distracted motorists and simultaneously protect
firefighters and themselves from vehicles. Those problems have become worse over
the years, he said. He compared vehicles driving through an accident scene to “a
3,000-pound bullet,” that fire police have to divert.
The state association holds regional meetings across the state quarterly, Hill
said. Luzerne County Fire Police Association hosted the meeting on Sunday, the
first time a meeting was held locally.
achristman@standardspeaker.com
Fire police talk respect
BY AMANDA CHRISTMAN
STAFF WRITER
Published: Monday, July 21, 2008 4:19 AM EDT
Fire police face a dangerous task each time they respond to an accident or fire.
And they get little respect for it, according to state fire academy instructors
who spoke at the Pennsylvania State Fire Police Association meeting in White
Haven on Sunday.
State Fire Academy instructor Tony Riccardi, who has taught fire protection for
over 50 years and is an active member of the Harleysville Fire Co., said the
biggest complaint he hears across the state is that fire police don’t get
respect. He recalled once seeing a fire policeman directing traffic wearing
pink, floral spandex shorts and a muscle shirt with flip-flops.
Though the description drew a few chuckles from the 100-person crowd at St.
Patrick’s Church Hall, Riccardi was making a serious point. Riccardi contends
that fire police who do not wear a uniform will not get respect. But many other
changes have to occur statewide before fire police will be treated well,
Riccardi said.
All fire police should be trained though the state, he said. They also need
proper equipment and financial help to obtain proper equipment.
Unless these things are accomplished, “you will never, ever, ever get out of a
second-class category,” he said.
He challenged the crowd, which included representatives from statewide fire
police units, to advocate, train and support fire police work.
State fire Commissioner Edward Mann said fire police are the most “misused” and
“abused” parts of a fire department.
“If you want respect, you have to do something to stir it,” he said.
State laws regarding fire police are antiquated and need to be changed, Mann said. He said the state association needs to start urging lawmakers to
make these changes.
State fire academy instructor Mike DalPezzo attended the event because he wants
to see the changes that Mann and Riccardi were asking for. DalPezzo, who works
at two fire companies in York County, said the state association needs to take a
more active approach to see that fire police have the tools necessary to protect
themselves, firefighters and the public. DalPezzo said the family of a fire
police member who dies while on duty may not receive financial aid for funeral
expenses because of how the law is written.
Most fire police use their own vehicles to respond to emergencies while most
firefighters and police officers use official vehicles. Fire police are treated
like “a second-class citizen,” DalPezzo said.
Robert Hill, president of the Luzerne County Fire Police Association and member
of the Dennison Township Fire Co., said the job of fire police is very
dangerous. Fire police, Hill said, have to battle aggressive drivers and distracted motorists and simultaneously protect
firefighters and themselves from vehicles. Those problems have become worse over
the years, he said. He compared vehicles driving through an accident scene to “a
3,000-pound bullet,” that fire police have to divert.
The state association holds regional meetings across the state quarterly, Hill
said. Luzerne County Fire Police Association hosted the meeting on Sunday, the
first time a meeting was held locally.
achristman@standardspeaker.com