Removing rims from basketball courts is just mean. Refusing to service Allentown's fire engines is criminal negligence. After accusing Allentown firefighters of playing politics and denying they had a problem, Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski finally has their attention.
According to the Firefighters Facebook page, Fed Ed has been prodded to take the following steps:
1. The purchase of a Demonstration model Fire Engine. It came with 21,000 miles, NO generator, and is too big to fit in the previous engine's designated bay. Unfortunately that is Reactionary spending. It does help the Crisis but it is a long way from a fix.Firefighters continue to advocate a vehicle replacement plan and two new engines over the net two years. As Tony Clauser suggested, "Maybe the mayor needs to start suiting up when the alarms ring."
2. The contract with the Fleet Maintenance provider limited the amount of vehicles the Fire Department was allowed to have. Since April that number has been eliminated, enabling them to rehab a previously abandoned piece of equipment and place it back into service. Another temporary band aid.
3. For the first time ever the Fire and Police Administrations have been asked to be part of the Request For Proposal committee which dictates what will be in the Fleet Maintenance Contract which expires at the end of the year.
4. One of the new proposals for the future contract is that the mechanics which work on Emergency vehicles for the City will be sent for specialized training (Emergency Vehicle Technician). In the past the Fleet Maintenance Contractor had not been required to have certified Emergency Vehicle Technicians.
5. The most noticeable change since April is the prompt response that we now receive from the maintenance provider when our equipment has an issue. Something that should have been happening all along. Had this service been provided proactively some of the maintenance issues that contributed to the degradation of the City's fire apparatus could have been avoided.
32 comments:
something is better than nothing, stop complaining
A new Mayor is what is needed for the citizens and firefighters of Allentown. It looks like his mismanagement of the Fire Department won't go away. Why didn't the Mayor get out and pose with the new engine? I can only assume he wants this to go away.Its good to see someone forced King Ed into doing something instead of the other way around.
Here s an idea apply the Basketball Rim solution to the fire trucks. Allow them to use the trucks during the day and take them away at night to save wear and tear on the trucks. He s full of great ideas! In the past 3 months he has shown his distain for the children and Firefighters of the city. His campaign manager is a genius!
I hope he sticks to his promise of the 2 new engines in the next 2 years. The budget is coming up. So is the election. let s see!
You know that city council approves the budget in Allentown?
Now start blaming them and stop listening to the new union president and believe that everything he is feeding you is real.
Somewhere a prison band is awaiting a new drummer.
Look at the grill of the new truck in the photo. What is tied to the grill? is that supposed to be a dead cartoon duck, or something???
This is the sort of thing that happens when you have a criminal from Philadelphia as a Managing Director and your number two guy.
7:18 What s the matter Mayor you can't run away from your Mismanagement of the Fire Department. Approve the new trucks and let s see what council does. It really is a simple fix like basketball rims for children.
Ed is not a crook.
7:18 It seem to me "Mr. Mayor" that the Firefighters have the documentation to back up there claims yet all we hear from you is how you " care" about the citizens' and Firefighters' safety. I guess YOU need to prove it. Why should we trust you, a disgraced politician that has tried to bail on the City twice and only did what s right when forced during an election? I trust the Firefighters. Oh by the way nice shoring up the bulk of your votes on the Eastside with Rim Gate.
Certified Emergency Vehicle Technicians? Sounds like it was made up in order to charge more for services. Any good mechanic will identify and address issues according to how a vehicle is used.
NFPA standards
He can run, but he cannot hide. For months all we heard that this was political nature and not reality. Well something must of set in in his engorged, arrogant mind.
This is a REAL and dangerous situation that the mayor for life has neglected for his three terms and now he wants credit for bandage solutions. You screwed up with the rim's issue, you screwed up with this issue, and in general, except with maybe Hamilton Street, you have let the city rot and lawlessness abound. Besides your extortion pay to play scheme, rigged contracting and immersing campaign contributors with large city contracts, [which he and the city will pay the price for], his grandiose Chicago style of leadership is not needed in this once proud city.
@7:40
I noticed that as well. It looks lame it has no purpose on a fire engine. These firefighters take themselves way way way too seriously.
Fed Ed andLady McBeth, You've been reduced to anonymous personal attacks at guys who put their liveson the line every day. Good luck with that!
Ed has never had a real man as a true friend.
Why should we be surprised that he can't relate to fire fighters or athletes ?
Bernie, do you think this affects the chances of convicting Pawlowski?
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/13/nyregion/sheldon-silvers-conviction-is-overturned.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
As stated this is a Band-Aid. Allentown should be buying their fire trucks that meet certain specifications. The first specification should be that they are severe duty trucks as is the case with any municipality of our size. Demonstration models do last under the continual use of a city fire department. But then what does the incompetent Fed-Ed know about any emergency equipment. To him if it is red and has a siren with flashing lights it is a fire truck. I'm surprised he did not get a pump mounted on a light duty chassis that used to fight brush fires.
Before the incompetent Fed-Ed or one of his supporters make the accusation, I am no and have never been a fire fighter. I am simply someone that has been involved with volunteer emergency responders who has an education and common sense which Fed-Ed clearly does not.
City Council approves/disapproves the budget provided to them by the Mayor and the administration. There currently are many positions in all departments of the city that are budgeted by City Council and not filled by the Mayor. Anon@7:18 is the incompetent Mayor attempting to deflect his responsibilities onto others. Responses such as his at 7:18 truly show how small minded he truly is.
Canary, your comment is OT, but to answe, no. The McDonnell case clarifies what constitutes official action for purposes of honest services fraud. Bid rigging and bribery are still prosecutable.
@8:35,
NFPA standards aren't law, they are guidelines. EV Technician won't make a difference when lawyers are involved.
Can't fix years of deliberate inattention and bad management in a few months, Ed.
Sincerely,
Everything in the City not named NIZ
Charlie, just maybe thats representaional of a dead rabbit as rabbits are hard to find!
Thanks Bernie and apologies for the OT comment.
Francis took care of all the issues with the Fire Dept.
Damn shame Ed doesn't have Fran to rely on any longer.
Damn shame.
@7:00AM,
Even if there are 2 engines in 2 years, it will take at least 3 years for it to come to fruition. There is no sales lot for new fire trucks. All are built to order, and take up to 1 year to manufacture.
fleck friend on bus matters could sell you a used truck if haldeman was still opened on thilman.
These firefighters take their job very seriously when they are called upon for an emergency and when they need to be professional, but as far as taking themselves "way way way too seriously", as you state, I think the bird on the grill speaks for that and that it does serve a great purpose. You should see the smile, attention and curiosity that this bird puts on people's faces, children and adults a like. It actually gives them a subject of conversation, in a non serious manner, and in a non serious emergency. Sounds to me like a great thing. Yes, I've seen it first hand.
Charlie, this reply was meant to answer @9:36
Allentown Firefighters are some of the best in this country. They are perhaps of top 8 percent of all in their industry. The TRUCK they got is a Pierce, one of the best manufacturers of fire trucks on this planet . These firefighters are really serious about their equipment and they are honest forthright civil servants. Firefighting IS the closest occupation held by civilians that is closest to COMBAT of the INFANTRY when they go to war.. You go to war with what you have. God bless them .
Well said Peter. I hope firefighters read your comment.
Well Bernie I probably misspoke. They are some the finest on the planet. See ,They are all almost all 'PRO BOARD certified and the culture of those under 40 is they are all really athletes that have to by their peers 'be in shape' and ALLENTOWN has been a respected training academy both PA. state and NATIONAL certifications . SubjectS as hydraulics and EMT medical to driving in traffic safety and ladder truck operations and tactics .Independent agencies are always evaluating them for compliance. This outfit deserves to be on the pedestal.
BERNIE , for your reader i will offer my short justification as to why i state what i said, I have been to both INFANTRY SCHOOLS both the the U.S.ARMY and the U.S MARINE CORPS with a 2 two year short deal with theU.S.NAVY as a GMT on as 5 inch 38 mount guy --but most of my time 28 years were in INFANTRY type MOS'S and 24 yrs of service as a FIREFIGHTER - City of Easton and also a Marine 0311 during Vietnam War. SO - I say these FIREFIGHTERS need support to do their job and trust me when i say this, POLITICS should not sacrifice public safety. I'M 64.5 yrs old now.
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