And he's financed by Amherst taxpayers.
Amherst Town Manager Larry Shaffer touted the new $635,000 hardware at Monday night's Select Board meeting, but did not mention that the AFD is hard pressed to even staff it, considering the Quint seats 6 fully equipped firefighters. Not too mention the Town Mangler has yet to settle a contract (expired for over TWO YEARS now) with the few professional firefighters that still remain.
Most trucks like that will only carry 4 to a fire, but often with ambulance calls there will be 1 or none of the on duty crew available to staff it.
ReplyDeleteYou know what is really funny, Larry had the story of the truck's arrival more than a month before the Gazzette.
Yeah, that's why I did not think it imperative to upload this late Monday night. I already scooped them.
ReplyDeleteAnd notice they were to lazy/cheap to send a photographer, so they simply tell readers to go to the AFD website for a photo (you know, the website address that USED to be available on the main official taxpayer funded town website but suddenly disappeared a while back.)
And at this point I've gotten gotten four stories out of Monday's SB meeting (counting this upload) and I still have one more in the pipeline (which the Gazette should have picked up on but…)
Only a matter of time before Shaffer is on here again, as an anon poster, extolling the vitures of an all volunteer fire department.
ReplyDeleteYeah, probably from a remote location outside of Amherst on a cell phone, while drive his car, that the taxpayers now pick up to the tune of $450 per month.
ReplyDeleteIs Mr. Shaffer's dealings with the Amherst FD his Waterloo?
ReplyDeleteHell no.
ReplyDeleteHe just received a two-year extension on his contract, so what the Hell does he care?
If the SB fired him tomorrow he would collect quite a bit of taxpayer $ to buy out his newly extended contract.
Nice lighting in this photo, Larry.
ReplyDeleteAll the more reason we should expand the fired department by switching to a volunteer force.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary,
ReplyDeleteI actually took six photos (usually I only take two) and this was the best. A little to phallic; and I don't like the bottom right shadow obscuring the front half of the Quint.
But hey, I'll take it (not getting paid and all).
"All the more reason we should expand the fired department by switching to a volunteer force."
ReplyDeleteWhat is your reasoning? Shaffer can't negotiate a contract for them after 2 years but his is renewed? Crazy but not a good reason. He won't let them have a link on the TOWN website but allows one for the student force? Nope, still not a reason. They are understaffed and overworked? Definately not a reason to switch to volunteers who wont be able to leave their jobs and cover the town for hours on end.
All the more reason we should expand the fired department by switching to a volunteer force
ReplyDeleteKnew it would not take you long to show up. If you remember from the last thread, everytime you posted some idiotic, non-sensical reason for wanting volunteers it was exposed as being without merit and not applicable to Amherst. So start the debate and everytime you post you will be shotdown and humiliated again and again and again.
Great photo!
ReplyDeleteGotta love that Freudian slip "fired department" for Fire Department.
ReplyDeleteThe new Quint will look great in the parade next weekend though, on the beautiful new asphalt on Pleasant St.
ReplyDeleteYou will never see a town of this size, this population, and this amount of EMS/Fire call volume go volunteer. Name any other VOLUNTEER town that does over 3000 EMS calls a year, AND provides top-notch Paramedic service. These are top of the line guys who deserve a hell of a lot more credit than they get. Was listening to the scanner last night, as I couldnt sleep due to a large party next door, and heard Norhtampton and belchertown ambulances responding into amherst for medicals because amherst "ran out" of on-duty guys. I talked to a friend of mine today who was working at the fire dept last night how many guys they had on duty.. .the answer.. 7! 7 Firefighters to handle a Fri night which historically is crazy this time of the year. 7 guys- 2 per ambulance is 3 ambulances. all it takes is 3 medicals and there goes your fire protection.. what can 1 guy do alone? drive a truck? God help you if you or a loved one is trapped in a car or house and 1 guy shows up. time for the time manager to get off his sec errr butt and wake, and give these guys what they deserve!!!
ReplyDeleteRobert K.
Yeah, I remember 8-10 years ago when there was a major multiple alarm fire in the city of Greenfield and Ch 40 TV got lucky by having a reporter handy that night.
ReplyDeleteShe was interviewing the Chief on the scene and he said when the lone Firetruck pulled up to the conflagration only he and one other guy were aboard.
He just had this haunting, helpless, shocked, dazed look on his face because obviously there was little they could do (the building was a total loss, although fortunately it was abandoned so no fatalities.)
I agree... Amherst Fire roll the dice multiple times each day... and get lucky, im afraid what will happen when the luck runs out. Wish the public knew more and would make a stand and back these guys up. They need it. Nice Job Larry.
ReplyDeleteRobert
Larry has a new story about this, but also a story in the Gazette today. Read it if you get the chance.
ReplyDeleteHuh? Now you are arguing for less equipment? Tell that to Southwest dorms if people ever get trapped on the upper floors. Staffing it can be solved but 10 firemen with a 20-foot ladder doesn't solve the problem.
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