Privatization Of The Fire Service At SRQ Airport-Part II... ::: From the Newsbull Weblog of: Matt Bruce
::: Read & Respond @: http://www.newsbull.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36625 Matt Bruce
Managing Editor & Publisher, News Sarasota   A Newsbull Contributing Columnist 

SUNCOAST FIRE FIGHTERS & PARAMEDICS TO PROTEST PRIVATIZATION OF THE AIRPORT'S FIREFIGHTERS...

SARASOTA, FL. (NS/IAFF2546) -

Representatives from the Suncoast Professional Firefighters & Paramedics and their members will be at the Sarasota-Manatee Airport on Tuesday September 19, 2006 to protest the recent hiring of "Rural Metro" to replace Fire Department employees; many with 20 + years on the job at the Airport...

"Our members are committed to making the community aware of the injustices that are occurring at this airport," said Mike Stephenson, President for the S.P.F.P. "Professional Firefighters (Currently Florida Certified) are being replaced by private industry firefighters who have up to one year to achieve the certifications currently held by each Airport Firefighter, and that is wrong." We believe the reduction
of service by not requiring Emergency Medical Technician or Florida's structural firefighting certifications is unwarranted as a means to save money, and put's the lives of the traveling public and the Airport's tenants at greater risk...

"The protest will begin at noon with Firefighters from Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties being joined by the brother and sister Firefighters and Paramedics from across the State" said Donald Seiler, Secretary for the S.F.P.F. "The Airport Firefighters are receiving support from across the country as well as elected officials, and now
we need to raise the level of public debate regarding the injustice to both the Firefighters and the flying public they serve," Seiler said...

Stephenson added, "Decisions affecting Sarasota and Manatee county taxpayers are being decided by a Governor appointed board. Taxpayers deserve more input into how their airport is managed. Safety should never be sacrificed to save a few dollars."...

The Suncoast Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics represent more than 900 professional firefighters, and EMS personnel from nine fire departments located in Charlotte, Sarasota and Manatee Counties...

Recently the IAFF 2546 has gotten FL. Gov. Jeb Bush involved and he has turned over the files sent to him by the Firefighters to his Chief of Staff...

The main issue here is Public Safety which IS in question when you place lesser qualified and unfamiliar Firefighters in a new and different surrounding...

There recently was an incident involving a Comair Jet with some 50 people aboard where the plane after taking off from SRQ International Airport was going from 3,000 to 5,000 feet when they lost an engine and had to limp back into SRQ on only one engine...

The SRQ Firefighters on duty responded quickly as they are trained to do and safely got everyone off the aircraft while they used their new Airport Fire Rescue Truck's infared camera to determine if the engine the plane lost was still a danger or threat...

Keep in mind that it took '4' months to train on this particular piece of Firefighting Equipment to be able to put it into service. New Firefighters coming in will not have the same level of experience or expertise to operate this Truck in the same manner...

There also is the issue of a current SRQ Airport Authority Board Member not putting on his application for appointment, a Felony arrest in 1979, and thereby possibly making him ineligible to even be a member of the SRQ Airport Authority Board...

All of this plus more has been uncovered by the IAFF 2546 Firefighters who are more than likely headed for a Court battle against the SRQ Airport Authority...

The scheduled replacement date is October 1st, 2006 when "Rural-Metro" takes over the SRQ Airport Firefighting duties which will NOT include structural responses which will not be handled by Sarasota and Manatee Counties...

Here in lies another problem with the Fire Taxes which were not paid by the SRQ Airport previously because their Airport Fire Dept. had responsibility for ALL calls within the Airport with the exception of Advanced Life Support which was provided by Sarasota County Fire...

All the Business inside the SRQ Airport as well as the Airport itself will now be taxed for the services of Sarasota and Manatee County Fire Dept.'s on structural and life saving responses...

This is something that has been previously 'overlooked', but maybe that's because up until now, SRQ Intl. Airport has been given a free ride with the Sarasota County IAFF 2546 Firefighters on duty inside the Airport...

For more and to learn how you can help, go to: http://www.iaff2546.com

Or you can call the IAFF 2546 Office: 941-485-5193

For Now, That's The Latest About Privatization At The SRQ Intl. Airport...

Matt Bruce
Managing Editor
News Sarasota.com
Sarasota, FL.

God Bless America & All Those Who Defend, Protect & Serve Her...

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