Differentials – Additional compensation for specific duties, which have specifically been provided for by the City’s Pay Ordinance.She was hired as the ESU chief and has since been replaced. Therefore we cannot see how Chief Thomas is preforming additional duties which would grant her additional compensation.
Anyone have any answer to how this is justified?
If this is true, it is just one more example of how those in administration, namely Creecy is abusing his position to steal from the taxpayers. He is convinced that she is the best thing there is and nobody knows more than her. Her actions were responsible for AMR loosing their contract in Colorado, They moved her here and again her actions were a major factor in AMR loosing the contract in Richmond. They fired her and what happens? Creecy hires her at the request of Jerry Overton, who then skips town.
ReplyDeleteShe is a danger to our Department, as is Creecy and his actions of rewarding those that know nothing and take credit on the work the people who take pride in doing a good job.
Someone please please prove this wrong. With as much that is going on currently in this department please don't let this be fact.
ReplyDeleteTracy Thomas will continually run RFD into the ground until RFD's turnover rate is on par with RAA.
ReplyDeletePlease please please. Post the facts on this. Lets keep this based on facts not here say. Documentation, letters,e mails. Not just the word on the st. And please send everything on this to the local so it can be fact checked. My name is zack and I approve of this message. If you need the number to the local it is 804 353 5363
ReplyDeleteNot only is this true, the other REAL Chief's that occupied that position were not given any additional pay for it. BTW in case anyone forgot who they were, Chris Garret, Bobby Duffus, and Dave Pulliam. They should now all be entitled to back pay for that position since it is suddenly worthy of a raise.
ReplyDeleteKind of funny to see someone taking up for Opie. Poor guy used to get bashed on the watch desk years ago and now he is called a 'real' chief. History repeats itself.
ReplyDeleteI wish people would post there names. Chris garret was a real battalion chief. He was hired went thru rookies school and worked his way up thru the rank structure. He served his time in the engine house like it has always been in our traditional fire Dept. 3 or So years ago our current fire chief went to hr and changed the rule,so he could hire from the outside of our rank structure for the position of battalion chief. Traditionaly the fire department could only hire division chiefs and fire chief like that. Its the hole classified unclassified position thing. Why was this done you ask? The current fire chief told us in the open mic night that no one in the Richmond fire Dept had the qualities that he was looking for. Wow. Thanks chief for you love and trust of us. So we now have a battalion chief who has never been a fire fighter anywhere ( Carl Jackson). We have a battalion chief who only achieved. The rank of lt in Texas?. But is now the executive officer in the 4th oldest fire Dept in the nation and has never been in command of any fire at any rank in this river city. You would want to compare this to battalion chiefs duffus,pullam,madison,marshal or harknass? It cant be done.What has happened to our traditional fire department. This is not a personal attack,its only the facts. If I post it here I will also say it to your face. My name is zack and I approve of this post.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with promoting talent from within, but sometimes external help is needed. That's how it works in the corporate world, and for good reason. I know it goes against local gov't/fire union mentality, but these types of decisions will actually make your department stronger. RFD is good at fighting fire, but Henrico and Chesterfield have moved much farther ahead when it comes to other services offered to the citizens by the department (ALS, technical rescue, etc). It is not you all's fault, I would have to say that is the fault of the leadership in the 80's and very early 90's. It sounds like your leadership is now putting things in place to make you all that much better and ultimately provide better services to the citizens. The fire department was not formed for your individual happiness; it is there to serve and protect the citizens - keep that in mind. Turns out change is good for the citizens and that is what counts.
DeleteHello again anonymous. I see you are here again without a name. You are right that it is good to hire from the outside. Please tell us how this fit into what we are talking about? Leave out bat David creecy and use the other 2 ,that were hired outside the rank and file for battalion chief. I don't see how chief Lewis has hurt us in the 2000's. He always was there fighting for more staffing, better benifits, more modern and safer trucks and equipment. Again please enlighten us on the mistakes. Also understand that it is over 20 years later and hindsight is 20/20. Please also tell us how this current administration is putting. Things in place to make us all much better and ultimately provide better service to the citizens? Still buying 70,000 thousand pound quint's that are to big for the city intrastructure, or seagways, or a brushtruck to replace brushtruck 17 that does not fit into the station, or a platform at no one on the committee wanted and putting it into a station that it get damaged going in and out of, makering 3 company's out of service on any given day. These are just a small group of items that I would like you to address. I am not trying to bash you, I am just trying to understand your thinking. What I say here I will say to your face. My name is zack and I approve this post. Lets all play nice in the sand box.
DeleteWill your surviors understand and accept the logic of the current leadership in RFD when they are given a American Flag in October at the National Fallen Firefighters ceremony?
ReplyDeleteI'm little confused about this post on this subject. Was it placed here by mistake? If not please explain what you mean by this. Thanks, Billy
Deletenever mind. I'm an idiot. I was reading it wrong at first. I thought you were saying something else. Billy
DeleteTo the post above external help is what we need. We have been without leadership internally and that is the reason the fire fighters of this department are reaching out. To place the credit on the current administration for the recent changes taking place is an insult. There are two common themes in our current administration and the first would be the "set it and forget it" mentality. Chief Creecy is famous for implementing grand ideas and plans with little research and then dropping them during their infancy phase only to move onto the next big thing. Unfortunately it is the fire fighters who are left to pick up the pieces and struggle to make it work all too often with no support or backing. Let’s use the ALS company for one. 6 years ago we were told by the Fire Chief that he was forming an ALS company at fire station 6. It hit the ground running when medics were moved into that station and equipment was purchased. There were promises made that showed the direction and future of the program. Now 6 years later station 6 is still the only ALS company in the city performing half of the job they were when they started filled with frustrated medics who still have no plan in place for continuing education, PPG's or administrative support. Please explain how the citizens are benefiting from this? The second common theme is REACTIVE. Nothing happens in this department until an emergency arises and at that point it is too late. The changes you describe were not put in place before an incident occurred. The members of these companies had been begging for equipment long before it was purchased and it was the officers and members in the the companies that secured funds and equipment not the Chief. Technical rescue??? How do you think the members of the team felt when they showed up to a true technical rescue with no equipment and had to rely on outside agencies for not only help but all of the resources to complete the task? It was not that they had not asked for the equipment or informed Creecy of the shortcomings because they had. It was simply that it was not a priority to administration until we were caught with our pants down. How did that help the citizens? How about the recent events with the dive team? We all know about the close call a member of the dive team had. This was a direct result of equipment failures. Equipment failures that have been reported over and over again to administration. Keep in mind that equipment being used today was in service on the calls Creecy stated he was involved with some 20 years ago. Now we all watched Creecy pat himself on the back in front of council for purchasing 50,000 in emergency equipment. If this was an option why was it not done before. The fact that purchase options were being looked at prior to the incident was not Creecy but the officers and fire fighters of that company as well. Shame it took this eye opening experience to get what they need. So again how did the citizens benefit there? There are issues and a lot of them. A true leader would do everything in his power to correct safety issues prior to these incidents arising. Problem is that our time is spent on feel good building bridges crap and not on operational priorities that would truely benefit the citizens and the great men and women of this department. We can discuss the incredibly flawed quint concept at a later point since they are here to stay yet again. this will give us another 15 years to plead our case on that topic. Please do not insult the members of this department and insinuate that personal feelings and emotions are a driving force. People gave up on their feelings a long time ago. I will leave you with this and will ask that you keep it in mind, it is the ultimate sacrifice to lay down your life for that of another but it is a tragedy to die as a result of an individual’s poor leadership.
ReplyDeleteI understand your point. I just think overall your union would have a lot more strength if you all promoted all of the good stuff the department, as well as the union, does. Then when a true issue arrises, you have the citizens support to get stuff changed. The union needs to get involved in the communitee, sponsor events for the citizens, etc. If done right, you will then have a powerful voice. I'm not saying Creecy is a good chief, as I don't know him or the personal details of everything he does. What I'm saying is at least give someone a chance (in this case Chief Thomas). I don't know her either. I've heard she can be difficult, but is excellent at what she does. If you work with her instead of against her you might find the results are better for the citizens as well as you all. Basically, what I take away from reading all of these posts - if change is initiated from the Chief then it is bad, and you all are against it. And you all feel you know best for everything. Even if that is the case, putting it all on here won't help. You need to unite your union and get it involved with the community. The citizen's voice has a lot of power, and when you really need them they will be there to call the elected officials. You all need twitter and facebook, but everything you post needs to be positive. Have the union hold community events; it take a little time and effort, but then you will have a voice. The citizens need to be informed, and right now they are not, and in reality, they don't care until they need you. If you really want him gone, the citizens can handle that.
DeleteWe do promote ourselfs ever day. You see us everyday on your streets, in your offices, in your schools and on your TV. We arethe ones that are thee when you home is on fire, you are having a medical problem, your car was hit by a truck, a tree falls on your power lines and you cable goes out, and even if your children have a birthday. This is what you expect of us to do for you everyday.. We donot need to get on TV and pound our chest and say...look at what we have done....everyone knows.....my name is zack and I approve of this post...lets play nice in the sand box.
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