Nantucket Fire Fighters

What's New at NPFF L-2509

Posted On: Mar 24, 2009 (12:28:50)
After reading written articles in local circulations and hearing public comment, I feel it necessary to bring certain facts forwards. Town administration has asked Departments to cut their budgets in several ways, and the Fire department has not been spared by these cuts. Operational expenses have been cut by 10% for the upcoming fiscal year starting in July. Operational costs cover everything from building expenses to training costs for the members. The other section of the Fire Departments budget is the personnel line. At last I was told, a final decision on its potential cuts has not been decided, but could equal another 5% of the budget. A Total reduction of the Fire departments budget of 15% would be devastating and irrational. When the personnel line of the departments budget is looked at for cuts it is certainly destructive. Print articles have stated we have 25 full time Firefighters in the department, this is not true. The Nantucket Fire Department at this moment has 23 full time employees. These include four administrative positions including; the departments Office Administrator, Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief and Fire Alarm Superintendant. The FD also has vacant administrative positions of Fire Inspector, whose duties would include Fire safety inspections and the public education. With this unfilled position, important missions of the department are not being meet and education in fire safety are not being accomplished. The administrative section of the department does not respond normally to emergency calls; that duty falls to the remanding members. But while administrations primary role is not emergency response, when all hands are needed they are there. The men and women that cover the station 24 hours a day right now, consists of 19 men and women (normally 20). Four shifts of Firefighters protect the Island 24 hours a day, providing Fire and Ambulance services. At any one time there may be as many as 5 or as few as 3 Firefighters on duty. When a Fire Engine shows up at the door of a fire, there may only be 2 Firefighters there to start the job. If the call comes when the duty crew is already working an emergency, then several valuable minutes will pass until members can respond from home to reach that emergency. We do not always have firefighters ready and waiting for the next call. In comparison to our Brother and Sister firefighters across the water, they arrive with many more and have the availability of neighboring towns and larger staffing to help. Departments equal to our population and yearly call average have several more Firefighters on duty for each shift and work with budgets much larger to operate with. We respond a call volume each year, equal to departments that have 2, 3, or 4 more firefighters on each shift. Yes we have a Call department that has been dedicated to the department, a few good people continue on with this tradition. They come out, working alongside, shoulder to shoulder, with Fulltime members getting the job done. As time changes, so does the fire service. It becomes difficult to ask of citizens to give so much of themselves. The time, commitment, dedication and huge amount of training entailed to become a firefighter is great. Having people that can commit to fill these positions is difficult. Adding the current economic times, there are few that can leave work for this obligation or any other. So for the few citizens that still give so much of themselves, we are grateful. This number of Call Firefighters is small and nowhere near numbers stated in the past, but is an appreciated group by the fulltime members. With this explained there are still two fulltime positions within the FD that are vacant. These are two positions that should be filled. Aside from what others have suggested, these positions cannot be made up by trying to find more call firefighters. Support should be loudly voiced by the Town government members and the public citizens. Several of the positions within the department are funded by the Ambulance Enterprise fund, creating relief on the tax base. So ideas like privatizing the Ambulance would further put positions at jeopardy. We cannot let Firefighter numbers drop. To let this occur raises the risk to the safety of our family, neighbors or visitors. Firefighter positions must be filled. The towns budget should not be cut at the risk of public safety. Decisions affecting any part of the Fire Departments budget are potentially disruptive in the service the department can provide. We are special people on Nantucket, always doing more with less. The members of the FD are no different. But, we cannot be expected to work in unsafe conditions, and lower staffing levels would do just that. Thank you for all your continuing support. Stephen A Murphy President Local 2509 International Association of Fire Fighters

Local Member to Run Hyannis marathon For American Cancer Society

Updated On: Feb 12, 2009 (11:19:00)

Sean is at 92% of his fund raising GOAL!!! Lets help put him over the top and make the $1500 mark, Please help

Our own Sean Mitchell will be running in the Hyannis Marathon on Sunday February 22, 2009. Firefighter Mitchell will be running 26.2 miles as a Charity Runner for The American Cancer Society.

Once again, one of our members is giving of themselves to raise money for a great cause. Our Local has helped Sean make a step toward his goal, now Local 2509 asks that you help as well.

Not all of us can run like Sean but what we can do is give donations toward his goal.

Please make a donation online at this link;

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/SeanMitchell

FF Mitchell with make the end of the Marathon, please help and make sure the finish line is made in "money" for the American Cancer Society.

Donate toward a great effort.

Thank you

Stephen Murphy

President, Local 2509

Open Burning Season Starts Today

Posted On: Jan 15, 2009 (17:48:39)

Open Burning Season starts today

January 15, 2009 is the start day of Open Burning Season. All Residents can come into the station and purchase a burn permit from the Town.

The Professional Firefighters of Nantucket want you to be safe and follow the regulations set forth by the State.

Rules & Regulations can be found here at theses sites;

http://tinyurl.com/OpenBurningSafety

Important rules to follow are:

1. Fires cannot be started before 10am or after 2pm

2. Fires must be out by 4pm

3. Fires must have a clear area of 75 feet around the fire in all direction

4. Fire must always be attended at all times.

5. A Water source must be available at the fire.

6. Watch the weather & especially the wind, Be prepared to put the fire out if wind condition get worse

7. A Cell phone or Cordless home phone should be with the person attending the fire. You must call the station when you start the fire as well as when it is out.

8. Never start a fire with gasoline or Flammable liquids.

9. Watch for overhead objects that may be damaged by the fire.

10. If you get in trouble call early, People conducting illegal burning, or who allow a fire to get out of control, may be held liable for costs of extinguishing a fire, fined, and even imprisoned (MGL c.48 s.13).

How Quick a floor can be unsafe

Posted On: Dec 26, 2008 (21:56:24)

This comes from Cambridge Local posting the information on their site. The Engineered I-Beams that are used so prevalently here on Island. Information we can use to think about how we should do our job safely.

Please watch the video out of Wisconsin

http://www.wisn.com/video/17971947/index.html

This is the home of the Professional Firefighters of Nantucket.

Mutual aid? We Don't need no Mutual Aid!