tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post6316719056711997303..comments2008-07-25T08:47:43.047-07:00J.P. St. Pierrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18042166065116849388funkyleucadian@gmail.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-4490886295678526812008-07-25T08:47:00.000-07:002008-07-25T08:47:00.000-07:00Their union cause the profession to loose shine.<BR/><BR/>They make boo koo buck and ridiculous retirement benefits. 100% pay at 55. <BR/><BR/>Now they are getting oceanview $5 million dollar McMansions built for them.<BR/><BR/>Totally unnecessary. I rather have a partially volunteer fire department like Hungtington and we could use 1/3 or the city's budget on parks and other City needs like more cops and funding our landscaping districts. We could still have a paramedic service.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-91931012723078447372008-07-24T09:00:00.000-07:002008-07-24T09:00:00.000-07:00I'm a Leucadia resident who happens to be sitting on Long Island at the moment, here for a friend's wedding. Yesterday, in the middle of the day, an air raid siren went off somewhere in this very affluent neighborhood of Long Island's Huntington Township. Was it an air raid? No. Was it a tsunami? No. Was it 9/11 Part 2? No. It was the siren for the volunteer fire department.<BR/><BR/>Yes, unbelievably, these people have an Andy Griffith, Mayberry-style volunteer fire department, complete with a siren to let them know when to come to the fire station. And I'm not sittin' out in the boonies here. This the one of the hubs of developed, pricey, strip mall, Starbucks-laiden, trade-up-your-Mercedes-every-year parts of Long Island. <BR/><BR/>And the kicker is that they have crazy property tax rates (and I mean nutty, compared with ours in Encinitas)! Yesterday I was talking with a retired couple living in a 1200 sq. ft. house, and found out that they pay $12,000/yr. in property taxes! Yet, they still have a volunteer fire department?!!! WTF! Where's all that money going? The roads here pretty much suck also (compared to ours), and the signage is terrible (a.k.a. I got lost while driving yesterday - heh heh ;-).<BR/><BR/>So, when I read the comments about our fire department in Encinitas, I just have to say that we're luckier than we realize when it comes to public services in general. Imagine a banner next to the new glitzy fire station that read, "We need volunteers! Help your community! And attend the BBQ on July 26th". They have such a banner here. <BR/><BR/>My question is, what happens if nobody shows up to volunteer? And how can they possibly be as good as professionally trained firefighters/paramedics? It's like sending only weekend National Guard people to fight a whole war on their own, or asking moms from the bake sale to VG Doughnuts. It just wouldn't turn out the same. <BR/><BR/>So, I'm pretty happy with the Fire Dept. and the rest of our services, even if I think Jerome Stocks is a bit of a tool, city government needs some fixing, and Fire Chief Mark Muir should stop meddling in the politics of education with his wife, and instead hit the gym so that he at least comes somewhere close to the fitness/readiness standard that his firefighters have to maintain. Have you seen him? Not to be unkind, but if I were a fire fighter who'd busted my ass to get a job in a city like Encinitas by passing the rigorous fitness testing among everything else, I'd be a little pissed that my boss could probably barely climb into a fire engine. Hypocrite. Anyway, I think our fire department is well-equipped and does a good job for us, Chief Roly-Poly aside.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-39778315247638960972008-07-22T20:13:00.000-07:002008-07-22T20:13:00.000-07:00I think it’s a positive comment. <BR/><BR/>The fire department deserves all the comments considering they think they are entitled to $5 million dollar facelifts for each fire station. <BR/><BR/>Fire fighters get paid high wages and have the most lucrative pensions and life health care benefits. Spending 1/3 of all the City's money first on all your salaries and benefits is one thing. But then tapping out the rest of the City budget for all new fire stations is pure gluttony.<BR/><BR/>Stop the crazy ass spending on fire services especially fire stations. Once the fire department (actually the City Manager) acts more responsibly, the fire department will regain its prior former glory. <BR/><BR/>The City has other needs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-7056700537065573182008-07-22T18:51:00.000-07:002008-07-22T18:51:00.000-07:00Why do people have to continue to bust on the firefighters. I don't get it? They did a great job.tired of the negative commentsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-18661662746627370472008-07-22T17:02:00.000-07:002008-07-22T17:02:00.000-07:00I agree with Bob. We should count our blessings.Charlienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-14565134164943497962008-07-22T16:08:00.000-07:002008-07-22T16:08:00.000-07:00They kept the fire to ten acres, no structures lost. It could have been so much worse.<BR/><BR/>Hate on the fire department if you need to. I say job well done.BoBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17259662419671752407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-20046314797703038212008-07-22T15:49:00.000-07:002008-07-22T15:49:00.000-07:00So in the 3rd photo from the top, the firefighters are standing around while the fire burns. I guess they are waiting for the fire to come to them, then they'll spring into action!!<BR/><BR/>As Bob said, we are blessed with a first rate fire department (and their 5 million dollar fire mansions.) Not that should make any difference in their response times.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-1069945274685097562008-07-22T13:42:00.000-07:002008-07-22T13:42:00.000-07:00Got on the I-5 south at Birmingham yesterday morning at 7:45 am and it was smooth sailing. <BR/>Makes me wish I could still afford to drive.w2noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-43537716067587694302008-07-22T09:59:00.000-07:002008-07-22T09:59:00.000-07:00How much nicer is our lives without traffic congestion?<BR/><BR/>Let's remember that when we elect our representatives to office.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-27680802048069455842008-07-22T07:59:00.000-07:002008-07-22T07:59:00.000-07:00Wow. Last night rush hour on I5 was a breeze. In fact, there is no more rush hour. No traffic gridlock throughout Encinitas.<BR/><BR/>Things are looking great.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-48078568220947689192008-07-22T07:51:00.000-07:002008-07-22T07:51:00.000-07:00Encinitas is glad it has access to the regional air supportAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-62824636533254163442008-07-22T05:56:00.000-07:002008-07-22T05:56:00.000-07:00Encinitas is blessed with a first rate fire department.BoBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17259662419671752407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12885680.post-28372744061569179122008-07-21T21:25:00.000-07:002008-07-21T21:25:00.000-07:00The firefighters did a great job knocking this down before it got out of control.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com