APD is no longer alone in having a staffing shortage that risks the lives of both its members and Albuquerque citizens. AFD is now so under funded that Chief Dave Downey has authorized AFD apparatus to be run short staffed. Trucks, which should be staffed by four firefighters, are now running with three crewmembers.
This is happening because AFD is understaffed and underfunded and this administration refuses to do anything about it.
During the worst economic times our country has known since the Great Depression, and in the city with the worst economy in the nation, the City of Albuquerque says it cannot hire firefighters! It appears there are unending funds to pay lawsuits but not enough money to staff AFD trucks.
The Albuquerque Fire Department’s entire training process and SOPs for fighting fires are built on running four man pumpers, not understaffed three-man units. The decision of Chief Downey to save money by running short-staffed units has put firefighter lives at risk and, worse than that, it jeopardizes the lives of Albuquerque residents. Each of the four persons on the truck have specific duties to do as it is and with three, they each have excessive duties.
The real responsibility of this staffing and budgetary crisis lies at the feet of Mayor Berry. He is responsible for leading Albuquerque into its current state of economic disaster, destruction of APD and now the dismantling of the Albuquerque Fire Department. I guess this is what Mayor Berry was referring to during this past election when he continually stated, “Albuquerque was about to turn the corner economically.” Except it was turning the corner away from recovery and INTO meltdown.
This morning orders came down from the top of the AFD administration that anyone who stated over the radio during an emergency response that they required an additional unit as a result of a short-staffed pumper would be disciplined. You read that correctly, if an AFD firefighter requests over the radio additional units do to a short-staffed pumper they will be disciplined!
AFD Deputy Chief of Operations Victor Padilla was recorded Sunday morning stating explicitly that the decision to short staff AFD apparatus was being done to save money and that AFD administration did not want this fact getting out.
Chief Padilla repeatedly stated that he disagreed with this decision but that it came from the Mayor’s Office. Chief Padilla explained that Chief Downey could obey the Mayor or look for another job. Chief Padilla also stated that Chief Downy had made the decision to short staff units endangering lives in a reactionary fashion due to AFD members calling of sick this weekend. If that is true, Chief Downey needs to be dismissed. Sick leave has been used for over one hundred years in AFD and there has always been more sick time used on the weekends.
Endangering the lives of firefighters and Albuquerque residents to punish AFD members who did show up for work is totally unacceptable and conduct unbecoming, by definition!
"If this gets out....Fuck You." In his statement, Chief Padilla spoke sarcastically about the well being of AFD personal. He holds the very members of AFD he has sworn to protect in contempt. It is totally intolerable that any Chief in AFD behaves in such a manner. During Chief Padilla’s disgusting and outrageous presentation he used profanity and conducted himself in an unprofessional manner. Chief Padilla needs to be immediately removed from his position. His handling of this AFD crisis has made a bad condition even worse! The time for AFD to receive the same scrutiny as APD has had for mismanagement is long over due.
59 comments:
I am anti RJ Berry through and through. However,nits about time someone in management has looked this issue. These trucks have been overstuffed for years and you guys know it. Sop and training standards can always be changed. You guys try to use union backed standards that are simply unrealistic. In the event there actually is a real fire, then a system can bee stablished to ensure the fire is battled effectively while maintaining the safety of the crew. The paramedics do the heavy lifting in this town. It's the same way you guys assign these ridiculous ranks to people who are in charge of nobody. It's time to make some changes. But you guys will allow your union to stir up a protest against any changes, this will stop you from being paid more money down the road after trimming the fat. Why don't you guys quit cruising central for girls or driving around for no reason at all. You waste so much fuel it's unreal. Quit living by 1980 ideology and get with it. You guys are a great department and the majority of you are good solid people. You deserve better pay and better equipment and all the support we can muster. But you have to get rid of these people steering you in the wrong direction and holding you back.
Anonymous, I suggest you sign up for a ride along with one of the stations along central to really see with your own eyes how it is before you speak in such a manner.
AFD is short staffed, APD has more officers working inside positions than taking calls...what the hell is going on? Put everyone in uniform and make them work in the field. Specialization and the numbers of senior personnel has gotten out of hand. There are way "to many chiefs and not enough Indians". Barry has turned city government into an insane asylum with the worst crazies on the top tier at the expense, and safety, of the citizens.
Overstuffed trucks, are you kidding me? We run 3-man ladders (used to be 4), 2-man rescues (used to be 3), and, until recently 4-man pumpers in accordance with NFPA 1710. We're not doing that because it's fun or because it allows more people to get paid, we do it because it's proven to be safer! How am I, a pipeman, supposed to force a door, or pull a line effectively, while my driver's at the pump and my lieutenant's performing a size-up without a second pipeman?
Also, as far as the allegations of "cruising for girls" or "driving around for no reason at all", the trucks all have GPS on them which monitors where we go. In the time I have been in the department, I have yet to "cruise for girls." The most needless trip I've taken was a trip to Starbucks (in district) to get some coffee and fresh air at the end of a long shift. Just because we're not rolling code-3 doesn't mean we're aimlessly driving around.
I do, however, appreciate the words of support towards the end of your comment, however I hardly think that the union is to blame. As far as I'm concerned they're the only ones willing to fight for my safety when the Chief and the Mayor have made it clear that they could care less.
The Fire department top brass has a history of intimidation and abusive tactics. These Fire Chiefs secretly live a double firefighter life and it's finally getting out to the public. They want to be the first ones to rush a honest hard working firefighter or paramedic into the Mayors office on a Friday for a disingenuous award. A veiled ceremony held for the real purpose of EXPLOITING courageous police and firefighters for the Mayor's public perception! What's really happening in the police and fire department? We hear complaints from the rank and file in APD about how their top brass use intimidation and retaliation on a regular basis. It seems to have fallen on deaf ears till now! It's obviously a trickle down effect from Mayor Berry and CAO Perry. And now it's finally caught on tape. Retaliation against workers!!!! That's how this city is run people! My applause to whomever leaked this tape. Please come forward so we can hold a parade in your honor. A real hero for all City Employees. Here is a reminder from 2010 that confirms years of employees being abused by Chiefs! Then Deputy Chief Sears abusive and unprofessional!
http://www.abqjournal.com/8749/abqnewsseeker/updated-abq-deputy-fire-chief-who-allegedly-went-on-tirade-is-retiring.html
IAFF244 the party is OVER! Welcome to the era of do more with less just like APD! Budgeted for well over 1000 cops and staffed below 800! Your next!
7:41
The Mayor is steering all of us and this city in the wrong direction! The Mayor his CAO and department heads are holding this city back. The Governor is holding this state back. See the big picture! They are keeping good service, jobs and quality education away from our communities! Get on board and expose them!
Wow, thanks for that word salad, jackass. You have no idea what you are talking about. These aren't union standards you dolt, they're national fire safety standards. They are the staffing model we've been using for, I don't know, 30+ years? Yes, SOPs can be changed, but don't you think the changes should be made BEFORE this administration starts short- staffing engines,endangering not only firefighters but the citizens we serve, including your ungrateful ass?
And please give me an example of a rank in our department who "is in charge of no one." I'll wait...
"You deserve all the support we can muster"..... Really??? Is this what passes for support in your corner of the trailer park? Thanks, but no thanks. Oh, and LOL at "cruising central for girls"... Bitter much??? You really should educate yourself before spewing that garbage all over the internets. Don't worry though, if you or your loved ones are ever having their worst day, it'll be a fireman who is there first. Despite the contempt you hold for us and our union.
Sounds like a disgruntled ambulance person that wrote that. @ 741
Maybe AFD can quit checking occupancy numbers (trolling for dates) at clubs and bars on the weekends and save money that way. Fire in your pants doesn't equate to an actual fire or fire hazard. Just sayin'.
"And please give me an example of a rank in our department who "is in charge of no one." I'll wait...
"You deserve all the support we can muster"....." @10:31
Here I will take a stab at it:
1.) Captain of Safety Division: Oversees 0 employees.
2.)Wildland Program Manager- Lt. oversees nobody; just a fancy title and a glorified paper pusher. AFD managed just fine all those years without this entitlement gift position.
3.) Haz-Mat Program Manager/Lt.- oversees nobody; a figure head with a fancy title and pushes paper all day. Same as above with this position.
4.) Captain of Special Operations: made-up position for events that have been taking place in Albuquerque for 25+ years ie.(Balloon Fiesta, Hydrant Inspections, State Fair) without the need for this hideout position.
5.) Captain of Logistics: Oversees nobody. Do I need to explain to you there is no need for a Captain to do what a civilian could do a whole lot cheaper?
6.) Public Information Officer (PIO): Paramedic who oversees no one and apparently has very little accountability to anyone. I thought your department has a shortage of paramedics?
7.) CIP Division: A uniformed paramedic Lieutenant who, get this, oversees 3-4 civilian employees who perform station repairs. Again, I thought the department had a shortage of paramedics, furthermore, how much did the taxpayer shell out to put this said person through paramedic school only to be overseeing maintenance men?
8.) Lieutenant of Tech Services: Who oversee... well, nobody knows exactly, because the Lt. is on a 40hr work week and the Tech Services drivers are on a 42 hour work week. Huge accountability and chain of command issues here, but let's not digress, moving on.
I will leave there... your turn!
Department of Homeland Security nationally requires a minimum of four men on a truck and recommends five or six not including paramedics.
How much grant money did we just risk losing by being non compliant?
Thats the mayor's doing. He requires paramedics walk around the bars looking for "issues that put Albuquerque in a bad light" every weekend. (Like the little girl who sadly died at State Expo's rave last year because the permit was given for a rave but no cops were ordered in for catching the dealers who would be there).
Here's an idea spend some money on cops to arrest the drug dealers and schools so kids will know better and paramedics wont be scooping up kids who are high or having gang fights every weekend.
Blame the source of the wounds, not the people ordered to Bandaid it.
Maybe you'll can ask Berry and company to ask Las Vegas metro what should be done since they can't figure out anything on their own. Remember last year Berry was boasting that APD was a leader and one of the best police departments in the country. Now they're in Las Vegas partying it up as to what should be done. So much bullshit can't even see through it.
@ 9:07;
I guess maybe we'd better ask the mayor?
Where is that wart, anyway?
Oh, yeah! Vegas, baby!!
I wonder how many Albuquerqueans are out that way, watching, videoing..?
Because you know, if he and his were caught fucking around when they claimed to be trying to help ALbuquerque(on their dime, no doubt) it sure would help his detractors destroy his credibility, huh?
Why is Deputy Chief Padilla at work today? Shouldn't he on Administrative leave? Shouldn't he be under investigation for rules violations and conduct unbecoming of a Chief Officer? Here again is another example of problems with the leadership among the cities administrators; "Do as I say not as I do"! Union members if you are ever up on conduct unbecoming charges and treated differently file a law suit immediately! If anyone has been disciplined by Downy file a suit now for a double standard, inconsistent practices and interpretation of the disciplinary guidelines, directives and rules and regs.
Typical cover up! The link has been disabled. What was reported on Chief Sears is he was placed on immediate administrative leave, an investigation was initiated and based on the facts of the case he then reached an agreement with the City and retired from the Fire Department.
His conduct was undoubtedly found to be UNBECOMING!
Numbers 1-6 are required or we will lose millions in homeland grants. All of these people are not full time positions but are titles given in addition to other duties so that we can get the grant money.
#7 is there to make someone accountable for things like those air scrubbers you went to the media about.
#8 is there so our dispatch laptops and 911 doesnt get as bad as APDs
But we can get rid of all of these according to you.
According to you we are broke so let's just get rid of some things that actually make us money. Then we can keep 3 man teams so the feds take the rest of the funds.
You've got the money to make up for the 40% of funding we will lose because the mayor couldnt see the forest for the trees again. When will you be sending us money instead?
But by all means bitch some more about how long it takes us to scoop and run when you hit the wall on Paseo yet again.
The city is so financially broke that only political donors like the chamber of commerce went to vegas. Not the police oversight commission, not city councilors, not any cops who actually take calls but hey lets take some political donors.
So the answer to the Omaree case is "care officers". We need to train certain Officers in how to deal with this? If only we had something like a team? Maybe a Unit? We can call them Care And Compassion Unit? CACU for short.
I think I hear that Detective who died a couple years back, after decades in this CACU, turning over in her grave. That is, if she isnt busy also fuming that her name is no longer associated with the building according to the City website.
Don't forget the mapping Lt. In change of No One!
The FOC Commander in charge 3 lowest ranking firefighters and apparently a failing sick leave policy.
Becky Marota given a managers position she isn't qualified for in charge of No One.
Deputy Chief Green and Gil Santistevan in charge of what exactly?
And the giant elephant in the room Deputy Chief Padilla who obvilusly can't maintain control over his own mouth.
Why would a group of "civil servants" have to GO to Las Vegas and spend (our) money there to obtain information that could be obtained easily by computer, telephone with NO public financed party time? I'll bet you will never find these fumble-butts scheduling a fact finding bash in Dayton, OH or Kansas City, MO.
Sisi saens Miranda can take her "care" officers and stick them up her ass. What about the 20 calls holding? Where are the care officers for that? What about the four P1s holding including the in-progress burglary? WHere's the care officer for that. never ever ends with this place. oh but hey lets protect shitbags like WIlloughby and that dumb uneducated twit Stephaie Lopez. But who cares as long as psychos like Gonterman are running things....
@11:26
Now I know you're full of shit!
Specifically, name each Federal Grant, what federal department granted it and the amount for each individual starting with number 1 and proceed to 6.
I'm particularly interested in the grant for the PIO position and the CIP position.
Let me stop laughing at your post for a minute and ask you this: If you DID have federal grants money for these positions (which you don't), exactly when did the feds start granting federal funds for PIO's and supervisors for maintenance men?
Any Federal or state grants AFD has recieved are easily searchable through a number of databases and guess what? I didn't find a single grant that pays for these positions as you are disengously are suggesting.
Sell your bullshit elsewhere, buddy!
9/10@11:28 we aren't broke! Didn't Mayor fork over a million plus dollars last week to build a feel good Pavilion for Balloon Pilots, we can't possibly be broke. All we have to do is get rid of construction workers at the zoo or cut after school programs for kids or not give raises to employees . Problem solved, time for more Kool Aid
There's all the proof we need. The dirty union would rather see millions pumped into the scam sick call list to fatten the pockets of people who don't do anything as it is. Then they turn around and try to create a staffing shortage problem. BS. Time to get rid of your sick time scam so we can staff your trucks! Dirty dirty dirty.
I found this interesting and thought you would too:
USA Today's Kevin Johnson wrote
Before Ferguson there was Albuquerque
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/10/cops-fatal-shootings/15277951/
wow .... some real haters out there. These are men and women who risk their own health and safety to provide life and property saving actions; under the most difficult circumstances anyone can imagine.Everyone in AFD will put themselves in harms way for your ungrateful self.Show a little respect . Sept 11 2001 300 NYFD
Still trying to cash in on 9/11??? You guys need to get a life. You couldn't ever compare yourself to the NYFD. Let's make these cuts so we can give the paramedics a raise.
Well said!
I guess now we know what the mayors CFO meant when he addressed the firefighters during the last election after barry won when he said "you guys are screwed" having a husband in the department, this infuriates me that while the mayor, cfo, and fire chief go home to their families every night, they dont give a crap about the men and women in AFD who have families that do without their spouse as it is 56 hours a week and now have to be even more concerned for their safety because of this BS. You think the city has law suits on its hands already, wait to see what happens if our spouses are injured or worse lose a life because of this. Better be prepared to hand out a hell of a lot more than paying sick time or what it would have cost to make sure proper safety guidelines were in place. This is total BS!
This wont get better until Barry and his team are out.This city does burn and there will be higher losses if, the city keeps playing games with public safety.
Eden is like a wet noodle in a river. He will bend and twist and say anything he has to. He has no spine and has proven it over and over. He has no presence and carries himself like a sissy. Those that are supposed to lead this city couldn't lead anyone out of a gingerbread house. Not one of them. From drunk caos showing up at shooting scenes, to lying spineless greedy mayors, to assholes who taze people's ears off. The cycle of morons and incompetents keeps going. This place makes ferguson look like a joke. These people continue to feather their nests, have crack head conniving pios lie for them and play word games, and have the city attorney's office delay the inevitable, stall, cheat lie and do whatever else they need done to push back the firestorm until they can get their cowardly asses out of here and behind cover with their big fat pera pensions that they stole.
Slopez is desperate to deflect this anywhere as the public will know she's one of the employees east of Eden is talking about. This int a "shock" or a "slap in the face" Stephanie Lopez, we want people like you gone. We want our department back. It starts with very people who shouldn't be a cop anymore, that's you. So keep running your mouth and trying to deflect responsibility. It's only going to make you look more like the thug you really are. Let's get on with this already so we can focus on what we signed up to do. Disband or dismantle the APOA and let's build a newer better system for ourselves. With 12 Years in myself I think we can get this done over the next year and still have time to see good days return for us who will retire 2021 or so.
Hey sept. 10@ 5:40 HERO. It's FDNY
Gordon Eden proves he will lie locally but not nationally.
Child Abuse Response Evaluators, that was Eden's brain child, please don't give CiCi credit for all the work the Department has already done. The CARE officers volunteered for the assignment, its not taking units out of the field dip shit!
Hey Chief Eden a lot of the officers that you feel have no business being on the department are the ones working on the 5th floor. What a pile of horse shit his statement was in today's paper. A person does not become BAD after becoming an officer. The problem starts in the recruitment process. I know of several applicants that are now officers that had their bad behavior over looked due to APD needing numbers a few years back. And just because your mom or dad, husband or wife is a cop does not mean you get to jump to the front of the line to become one. The back ground checks have got to be more than an MVD and credit history.
ALL Department of Homeland Security funds require angencies in cities over 500,000 to have all positions presignated in the event of NIMS activation.
Saying name the grant that requires APD 34s not to have been convicted of a felony. Every single one requires Officers to not be a felony.
Way to focus on that needle but miss the haystack dude.
Can't We All Get Along?
Ha! U obviously know nothing about the fire department. All the city employed paramedics are firefighters.... Dum Dum. Those white ambulances that say Albuquerque ambulance, they are a privately owned company that have no affiliation with the fire department
I so tired of these FF crying about everything. MTFU already. Put them on 3 man crews & eliminate the waste. This FD is a joke. A bunch on overpaid cry babies. The top brass is doing a great job! They need to have a no bitching class in the academy so that way you know what you sign up for. Not that you already know when you signed up. Quit if you don't like it. Theres always other Fire Dept you can go too.
Why do we need so many FF's when we have Albuquerque Ambulance. Start cutting positions and let AA run the EMS calls. 800 FF are you kidding me. We need more Cops instead. Have APD start getting EMT-Bs and solved!! It might be a good idea.
This USA Today fiasco is a riot.
It has been quiet and you would think that Eden Berry and the rest of the idiots would stay under their rocks. When will these dopes learn that every time they try to do something to make themselves look good or manipulate public opinion it backfires right in their faces because they are not on the side of right. You can't make a wrong a right, no matter how many lies you tell.
Vegas = Wasted trip because they didn't learn a thing.
I seriously can't believe these comments against AFD. You will all talk shit until it's you affected by an understaffed engine. Do you seriously think we are making a stink over this for kicks? This is a SERIOUS safety issue. Not only for us but the citizens as well. You act like we're getting rich doing what we do. Most restaurant managers make more. NEVER question out commitment to albuquerque citizens
Many large fire departments run with only 3 or even 2 man fire engines. Most departments in the state run with 2. Rio rancho and Santa Fe are just as busy as AFD but their workload is twice that of AFD because they actually transport patients to the hospital and don't just stand there awkwardly staring at a patient and waiting for Albuquerque Ambulance to show up and do the work so they can go back to the station and lift weights so they look pretty the next time they go on a call to wait for AA.
6:25 and 6:23,
Don't call 911 when your sig other or child needs medical attention. AAS is the bottom feeders that can't be Firefighters. AAS is always at level zero (no units) or at least a 15 minute response time. If your a cop, you would know. Remember, the public loves firemen and hates cops. Ask Stephanie why she is always getting advice from L244. The rest of you, put up or shut up. Bunch of whiny cops that won't run for APOA because they lack balls. L244 made Downey and Padilla look like piss ants because they have balls. L244 runs the FD, not the administration.
I agree with some things Dan Klein said on Joe M blog. Dirt I will never call Schultz a Chief ever again. The Officers should not have been promoted. But most had already been discp for lapel cameras and other violations that Eden can't reopen the investigation after time has expired. As shifty as bb it worked out, Officers do have rights.
Calling Schultz a chief is an insult to every human being who holds that position and actually tries to do the right thing.
Hey APD and AFD are in the same boat. We are short handed and have a administration that could give a hang about us. Let's not fight over things we can't control.
How hard can it be to put a fire out? They don't need that many firefighters wasting our tax paying money. I took a fire science class and I could probably put it out myself. They are greedy assholes always whining about wanting more money. They just like to chase after those slutty ambulance girls and hang around the clubs on central. Try actually working for once instead of asking 55 for an ETA
Haha let AAS run calls? Ok let's see how well that works when they are always at level zero. U expect one AAS paramedic to run a whole call by themselves? Good luck with that one. Half the time they don't even touch a patient let alone put on a pair of gloves. Then most of the 55 girls would probably quit without firemen to parade themselves on front of
^^ sounds like a disgruntled 34. Jealous much??
10:50,
There you go being the same asshole posing as a cop using the 10 code to start shit again here. If you want to find out how good you are at putting out fires, take your sneaky political operative ass outside and pour some gasoline over your head. Next, light a match.
You are making it worse for yourself. Anyone trying to stir shit here is playing games to screw with the blog and cause dissent. The people that read this site and are terrified and hate it, are those supporting the mayor, the chief, and the dirty governor. Now we know how the mayor, his cronies and governor feel about first responders. Not that we haven't already by their overt and covert actions. The lowest form of scum is what these parasites are.
well said!
@ September 13, 2014 at 10:50:00 PM MDT
To September 14, 2014 at 12:14:00 PM MDT
Stop complimenting yourself jerk-off.
If the public thinks the rank and file police and firefighters are greedy (which I do not), then these guys are pikers compared to Perry, Berry, Tourek and from I hear most of the brass at APD. Greedy doesn't even come close to describe these leaches on the public teat.
That is because these city admin puke are beyond criminal. They are criminals.
f
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