Secondly lets go back to an article from 2008,
We understand this is a quote about EEO issues but we really feel like this is relating to other issues.“The highest compliment I’ve ever been paid came from my EEO/Diversity officer who has been on-the-job 37 years and working on this issue since he was among the second generation of African-American firefighters to join the department. He told someone that he has worked for nine different fire chiefs and I was the only one willing to take this issue head-on—with both hands and both feet—and not avoid it. And again I will point out that this is not courageous, just necessary.“What we’re doing is not bound by a set timeframe. We can’t say that in six months, we’ll kill all the bogeymen—that everyone and everything is fixed. We’re crafting a solution for what is really wrong and then we’re going to spend many years working at it collectively as an organization with a purposeful intention to accelerate change to our culture.“I often use metaphors to make a point. To do this otherwise would be like walking out into your back yard one day, looking around and seeing wire grass, crab grass, weeds, and matted leaves, and then deciding that you want to turn it into an English garden—one with very ordered rows of plantings, perfectly spaced. You take out a leaf rake and give the yard a quick once-over, and then throw a handful of seeds here and there and wait for your English garden to appear. Obviously, this will never work. You will have to diligently tend your soil and eradicate the weeds. You have to figure out what’s there to begin with—what can be kept what can be gotten rid of—and then you have to come up with a design. You have to select the right plants based on your plan, and then have to prepare the soil so the plants will flourish. Otherwise you’re going to fail all around.“Here in the Richmond Fire Department, our soil is good and our plants are of strong and hardy stock, but in places the sunlight has not been able to reach, we are finding entwined and choking weeds of hidden biases masked by what has been described as tolerance. Now we are creating a plan for a new garden and deciding what we have to do with our ‘soil’ to make it resistant to complacency and inappropriate behaviors and fertile for the values of inclusion and diversity. It’s that understanding we want to take root and grow within the organization.”
How are we allowing people to fail years tests but still be employed? How are we allowing them to just ride the hydrant seat because they refuse to wear face pieces? How are we allowing abuse of sick time by employees? How are we allowing them to file complaints that they are training too much?
Do you think you are fixing these issues?
Chief you are sowing more weeds than just EEO issues. You are killing all the grass which is the moral of this department.
Since blacks have been in the RFD there has only been 7 fire chiefs and not 9. Acting chiefs do not count. So whoever wrote the above has their facts wrong!!
ReplyDeleteChief,
ReplyDeleteI know you read this blog and i know that you right hand people (person) also reads this, just so we do not have to hear at the next public safety committee meeting "why didnt yall come to me with this" or "this is not the place " i would like to ask several questions
1.When are you going to wake up and understand that the Richmond Fire Department is not about YOU and everything YOU have done ? if anything you have totally trashed this place with YOUR ideas and YOUR lack of informed decision making.
2. When are you going to start listening to the people in the field ? The Fire service in general was started because of a need to save property and lives, that need has not changed ,you need good people with guts and courage to do those tasks (both of which you severely lack)
If the people in the field tell you we need a good low cost bread and butter fire engine and you go an order and top of the line every bell and whistle fire engine that goes out of service 13 or 14 days a month what have you accomplished ? nothing except serving your own wish list and depriving the citizens of basic services and wasting money.
3. Courage what is it ? having the ability or will to stand up and do something that others are not willing to do that can better enhance someones life , You DO NOT HAVE THIS ,why because you are not willing to stand up and fight for us and listen to us in any way shape or form you have apparently become the supreme dictator of the RFD.
4.How can you allow the things that go on here to continue ?
Lt. double dipping as a fire Lt and Football coach at the same time and being paid by the city for both ? Hello City auditor
A entire company complaining about training and not willing to do it any longer ? hello transfers
One person refuses to train with scba and then given a second chance after she leaves jail and now is trying to collect workers comp and is out of sick leave again? hello termination
One Battalion Chief refusing care to an elderly patient at a public event in which she was in uniform (to get in free off duty) this is basic EMT protocol and State department of health division of EMS guidelines that were broken (called abandonment and refusal of care) can you say demotion if not termination?
My point is this QUIT you have screwed this place up enough and remember HENRICO is Hiring
So.......where is the Fitch Report?
ReplyDeleteThe Fitch consulting firm has dealt with EMS until a certain battalion chief, not even a fireman, who by the way should be fired, got the fire dept to use them as a consultant. They know nothing about the operations of the fire dept. They are ambulances bean counters. Lord help the fire dept.
ReplyDeleteThe chief has never, and will never, apologize for the mistakes he has made or the inappropriate leniencies he has given individuals (OR the inappropriate punishments).
ReplyDeleteHe is ruled by his ego and does not see his actions as wrong; he is convinced that due to his degree and experience he is somehow the most knowledgeable individual on every subject that the Fire Department could possibly present him with, and as such will not listen to reason.
It will be interesting to see how many experienced firefighters leave Richmond for Henrico, and have their spots filled by rookies who won't wear their facemask (and force the City to hire overtime so their unit can ride with five) and rookies who can't pass their year's test.
ReplyDeleteRFD has been scraping the bottom of the barrel in their desperate attempt to promote "equality" and as a result has ensured that the quality of service they provide to taxpayers will continually decline through the next few generations.
Congratulations to the Chief on getting the ball rolling in the wrong direction...you won't be able to stop its momentum if you don't start NOW.