Deerfield Beach Concerned Citizen's Email to City of Plantation's Fire Chief (more info))

Did you read the email?  We asked you to do a comparative study.  We know we aren't qualified to answer that question as to which will work best.  That is the point of commissioning a study to determine if there is any merit to it.  It is obviously a viable option as it has been implemented and is working in Plantation.  Since our fire chief will not look at all the options and indicated that I was not qualified to discuss this issue, so I took the issue to someone who is.  The Chief of the City that has the option we would like looked into for our City.  Since at every time our CIty is utilizing scare tactics to keep people from looking behind the "curtain", I had to take it upon myself.  The point is if you never do the study, then we will never know.  At no point has Brocato indicated that he did a comparison b/w a viable volunteer service, like Plantation, and ours.  He keeps tossing numbers around about Volunteer fire departments in rural areas, but he has a prime example of one in an actual City comparable to ours, which is Plantation.  So in his learned position why do you keep speaking about rural areas when you have a prime example not more than 20 minutes away?  That is the point!  I am not saying the way Deerfield Beach does it is wrong.  I haven't heard anybody say that.  What we have said is look at the options, do a study.  We do not want to take your word that a volunteer fire department that you compared in your head which is in a rural community isn't right for Deerfield.  What we want is for you to look at the model represented by Plantation and compare to see if it would work in Deerfield.  This does not mean change the system, this does not mean what you guys are doing is wrong, this just means do a study to see.  Who doesn't get that?  Oh Brocato and Stevens...Go figure, a Doctor and an ex-NASA employee, Ganz, Noland, Popelsky and 20 years of Commissioners, Managers, and others.  


For you to state that we are asking you to change your system is ludicrous and you don't need a degree to see that.  You don't need a degree to see that doing a comparative study does not kill people.  What is the real reason for this resistance?  Could it be that you don't want us to know that it could be done cheaper.  Like, I said before it is obvious that at least someone believes that, BSO, because they have looked at the model and have suggested cutting the personnel and they have reported that it would not reduce the level of service.  This is something that could have been done at the City level if anyone at the City was interested in looking at the Fire Department for cost savings.  That is all we are saying.


So, before ya'll go on the attack, read what I wrote.  It is you, not I that is  trying to scare people about the dangers of volunteers.  WHY?  We have a fully functioning volunteer fire department right in Broward County that you could use in your comparisons, but you always choose to talk about volunteers in rural areas.  


So, you say that me asking for a report is ludicrous.  Then you say that my assertions are unfounded because I don't have a degree and have no experience in fire fighting.  Then you get all upset that I asked for the opinion of someone who knows all to well how volunteer departments work, his department is at an ISO score of 2, as well...all I did was send him the minutes from the meeting where you discussed volunteers.  He can make up his own mind as to your meaning.


I just wanted a learned opinion since it has become plainly obvious that no one at Deerfield Beach City Hall is interested in actually looking at all the options for cost savings for the City.


I am done with even acknowledging your witorts and quips on Chaz's blog.  They are obviously the attempts of someone who doesn't want to help the City by looking at all cost saving options.  To commission a report does not endanger anyone, except those who benefit from doing business as usual.  


I tried talking to you about this to no avail.  I even brought this up at the meeting to no avail.  I brought it up at the Budget Workshop meeting to no avail.


So, I did what I had to do to see if we can save the City money by looking at all viable options for cost savings, since it's obvious that the City Manager and City Commissioners in 20 years have not considered it.