CCP 07-25-1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

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K' 'M.. - ~'fj . ~ Q.T~ ,~ The city has a responsibility too ~ A recent news clipping ,eported that a city Not only is this an abdication of responsibility, would no longer let city employees serve it's a slap in the face to the business owners in town on the volunteer fire department. It was who are willing to let their employees go when the "too disruptive of regular city business," it said, alarm sounds. "Employees should be doing the job they were The city and the fire department are deeply hired for," it said. beholden to these employers for the large contri- Since when is fire protection not the city's bution they make to the protection of the commu- business? nity, Without the cooperation of local industry, What kind of an example is this for the many there just wouldn't be a volunteer fire service, companies that do release employees' For the While all are aware of the personal sacrifice volunteer/small business owner who drops every- volunteers make in serving their communities, thing when the alarm rings' sometimes the disruption suffered by business is It may make sense to restrict public works unrecognized or taken for granted, employees or police officers who might be needed Many fire departments acknowledge their debt . on the scene of a fire to perform in their own to the business community with special awards, capacities - although there's no reason they And remember to remind the general public of the couldn't volunteer in their off-duty hours, if backed contribution it makes, up by on-duty employees. Fire chiefs know how much they rely on the But would city government be shut down if good will of community-minded local employers other non-essential employees were released for to muster an effective response, fire fighting duties' Would it suffer any more than Should the city's contribution be any less' a private employer suffers when volunteers are released' Some are left with a skeleton crew to TONY RICHARDSON, man the shop when the siren sounds, The self- Editor employed, sole proprietor locks up and goes, Where should the priority lie? Is continuity of non- essential city business more important than the potential saving of the community's economic base by a timely and adequate fire department response? Fire stations are frequently located in or near city hall. City employees can be the first and quickest to respond when the siren blows. In these times of a growing inability to staff the fire department during daytime hours, should cities cut off this dependable source of a fire fighting crew' . JUL Y/AUGUST 1994 3