tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post4560932881306048833..comments2009-06-19T22:22:29.036-04:00Ben Burdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06372169478978720740ben@eagle.caBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post-32531429661940350042009-06-19T20:09:54.201-04:002009-06-19T20:09:54.201-04:00It is too bad that it came to this Ken. 42 years as a professional, lost when you walked out the door. Do you feel that the guys &quot;down home&quot; were not professional as well, what would they think of you, or is you beef only with the Cobourg guys. I see you have forgotten how the department works. Your comment, &quot;volunteer firefighters do most of the calls except medicals&quot; This was not the case when you wore the firefighter badge, and it is not the case now. Remember, volunteers are also paid volunteers. I agree with other comments that you are bitter, as that has been evident in how you have treated the guys that you spent 17 &quot;professional&quot; years with.<br />I work in this town, I own house in this town, I pay taxes in this town, and I spend in this town. This town has served me and my family very well and working as a firefighter in this town gives me a great opportunity to give all I can back to this town and the people in it, bitter or not.Firefighterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08652920549817592240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post-30313312716079663462009-06-19T08:10:18.418-04:002009-06-19T08:10:18.418-04:00To Firefighter:<br /><br />Mr. Jansen:<br /><br />If that is the case ie.( Legislation not covering future sickness for part-time,volunteer firefighters) then perhaps with your experience and time off ,you could lobby the Government for change. Champion a cause you believe in. Do it in a professional way without taking anything away from the professionals that stood by you all these years.<br /><br />Just my thoughtsKraven Morheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post-29305771075996402412009-06-18T22:39:08.759-04:002009-06-18T22:39:08.759-04:00I am not bitter in any way, as I did serve my time with great success, but I am concerned about the increase in all forms of cost&#39;s that the Town is facing and I fill if we don&#39;t watch them ,where are they going to end up and can the Town remain Sustainable in the long term.<br />Also as for the Horizon Fire which I attended and as per the Provincial new Legislation does not include part time or volunteer firefighters for future sickness.FireFighterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00492703650693255037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post-90760467666911180682009-06-18T21:22:07.907-04:002009-06-18T21:22:07.907-04:00Dear Kraven Morhead<br />I didn&#39;t attempt to get the facts I accomplished getting the facts!Ben Burdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06372169478978720740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post-81230681116305858382009-06-18T20:26:52.792-04:002009-06-18T20:26:52.792-04:00Ben: I like the fact that you go to the source and attempt to get the facts from the source.<br />I do have a concern with the volunteer firefighter&#39;s comments that were made in response to your blog.Most full -time firefighters do live in town and I fail to understand the significance of that statement made by Ken Jansen. I&#39;m sure they spend a majority of their wages they earn in the Town they serve.<br />How soon we forget incidents such as the 10 Million dollar fire at Horizon Plastics. I hope a few extra dollars per hour will somehow compensate those brave firefighters if and when the long term health affects become apparent.From the people I know the majority of calls are handled by the full-time firefighters and due to the nature of the call, part-time firefighters are called in when required. Good fiscal management and a good use of resources. Hats off to the full-time and part-time firefighters.<br />I don&#39;t believe anyone is not interested in giving back to the community. Is giving up Holidays, birthdays, anniversary&#39;s, weddings,long weekends etc, etc., when there is an emergency, not count in some small way?<br />You seem bitter Mr. JasenKraven Morheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post-78874214280309399292009-06-18T18:41:41.735-04:002009-06-18T18:41:41.735-04:00To LT56<br />My facts came from the man at the bargaining table Mr Robinson himself so I would consider them to be very accurate. What else is incorrect from me? Nothing So please do not get worked up about me reporting the facts no comments about any aspect of firefighter&#39;s work or attitudes so pardon me if I take this criticism personally get your arguments trained on the people who criticise you, not the reporting of the the pay award.Ben Burdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06372169478978720740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post-46940373318428957532009-06-18T17:46:50.189-04:002009-06-18T17:46:50.189-04:00Dear Mr Burd and Mr Jansen<br /><br />With all do respect to both of you gentlemen lets not get tied up in knots over this with out all the facts.<br /><br />Mr. Jansen I comend you on your years of service and you must be very proud and rightfully so of the service you have provided to the people of the communities you have served.<br /><br />Lets address a couple of things first shall we. We do not, I assume that we do not, live anywhere near Detroit or Philly. As we know on all levels that you can not compare major US cities to Cobourg. To get tied up in knots over that is wrong. The reasons those things are happening we will, I hope, never happen to a wonderful cummunity like ours.<br /><br />It it would be terribly ignorant to even compare Cornwall and Peterborough to Cobourg. Both those cities were never tied up in negotiations over money, much the same way the local that serves you and your family, did not spend more then 30 mins in talks about money. I am sure you did your research and realized that there were underlying issues with wording, legislation and such that delayed those negotiations. <br /><br />I Think that comparing Port Hope and Cobourg is a very old and worn down argument one way or the other. Cobourg has Firefighters that have been recognized in the province of Ontario for their ability at &quot; medical calls &quot;. You can question tierd response all you want. In Cobourg you have very capable paramedics and firefighters that are there when you need them and I hope you never do.<br /><br />That being said, I respect your thoughts but to understand what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to giving back to the community or fundraisers, every fire department does it and smiles with ever minute, maybe you have not seen all you should have seen.<br /><br />3 6 9 has never impacted a community period. They all know that that is the reality and it has been budgeted for. I could enlighten you on the reasons but you cant seem to grasp what a profesional firefighter does from day to day.<br /><br />Do you question the paper boy ?<br />You need him.<br />The tow truck driver ?<br />You need him.<br />The Bus driver ?<br />You need him.<br />The doctor ?<br />You need him<br /><br />I think that both of you, Mr. Burd and Mr Jansen have made a very valid and conversation creating moment here. I only encourage that you get the facts straight number wise and perhaps have a moment with you local. I hope you never have to use them, but if you do, you will find trained and profesional individuals that are trained and are there 24/7<br /><br />Thank you<br /><br />Any one canLT56http://www.blogger.com/profile/14418606003134236354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post-21949035740378255892009-06-18T17:24:14.759-04:002009-06-18T17:24:14.759-04:00At least I could leave my name.FireFighterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00492703650693255037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post-62249925918611538102009-06-18T17:02:37.678-04:002009-06-18T17:02:37.678-04:00Full time guy says...<br /><br />In response to Ken&#39;s comments...<br /><br />Your proficiency at writing an insightful rebuttal to the original post is equivalent to the proficiency you displayed on the fire ground.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23948057.post-31650843363643885222009-06-17T20:31:04.326-04:002009-06-17T20:31:04.326-04:00Hi Ben:<br /><br />I have to agree with you on the new Fire Fighters pay issue. After being on the Cobourg Force for 17 years and in the Fire Service for 42 years in total, I think that Cobourg is paying their force way to high for a small Town.Adding the 3 6 9 % rate is way over board as this will just increase the rates at a higher level after this contract runs out as it has in other communities. They are right in saying that any community who has gone to arbitration has been awarded large increase&#39;s . Like in Cornwall or Peterborough who went some 4 years in trying to get a new contract the arbitrator awarded 10 to 20 % increases . It has not started yet in Canada ,close in some small cities where they are looking at freezing hirings or thinking about closing halls because of the costs. In the US cities like Detroit, Philadelphja have started to close halls<br />I also fell that Cobourg could make do without full time firefighters, but I know this will not happen, but I fell that they should at least stay at their present level with more volunteer firefighters who do most of the calls now except for medical calls which some towns ( Port Hope) are looking at dropping some of these calls because what it is costing them.<br />Also I find the local full time guys are not interested in giving back to the local community in any way like fund raisers or anything else like other full time departments do for their towns and cities, I thing one of the reasons for this is that half of the full timers live out of town and do not even pay property taxes.<br />This is also true with Steve Peacock and others at Town Hall who are usually quite willing to spend our tax dollars.<br /><br />Just my Thoughts<br />Ken JansenFireFighterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00492703650693255037noreply@blogger.com