Ambulance Association Supports Tax Increase for Second, Ninth Districts

Hijinx

Well-Known Member
Is this a serious response? I honestly can not believe that you are being serious here.

Ultimately it comes down to this question.

"Would YOU want these people responding to your home if your loved ones were trapped inside during a fire?" The ones who refuse to keep current on their training or even participate in the training and only show up for meetings, county fairs (not to volunteer but, to get the discounts and free food), and to stand around while the "younger guys" do all of the work.

Let me tell you about the discounts and free food at the County fair.
The ambulances at the County fair go there on a standby basis.
They are not paid, they go there for nothing.
They get to stay by that ambulance and waste 8 hrs of their day .
If they get food, they pay for it. They didn't have to pay at the gate because they are there as workers, not visitors.
It's a royal pain in the ass.

Why don't you go to the County Commissioners and tell them you want an age limit on the volunteers.
See what they say.
Go ahead take all of these older men out of the Volunteer system and see what you have left.
Punks like your friend who thinks these older men are worthless.

Tell your friend to stop spreading BS to you, and go to his meeting and bring up his complaints to the company.
If he has the balls.

In my experience when a person's home is on fire they are damned glad to see anyone respond.
 

Hijinx

Well-Known Member
It appears that this ambulance association's statement is muddying the waters. The original tax increase was proposed to pay for 2nd District's new Taj Mahal station. When public sentiment was overwhelming against, the idea of reimbursing the Rescue Squad was added. If reimbursing the Rescue Squad is a problem, make that a separate issue not tied to the new station.

I agree with you. The Ambulance Association should have stayed out of the argument for a new station.
The reimbursement is a separate problem and needs settlement as a separate issue.
 

This_person

Well-Known Member
In my experience when a person's home is on fire they are damned glad to see anyone respond.

The real question is, when 5 people show up at the person's home on fire, how many people are logged in at the firehouse as actually showing up?
 

LightRoasted

If I may ...
If I may ...

That’s all I could find also. So, if they are nothing, why are they made to look like something in the article? Looks like someone has an agenda......just sayin’

Well, the chairman, for the Ambulance and Rescue Association, St. Mary's County, Joe Wilkinson, is, or was, a member of the Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad.
And on his Facebook page has friends that include Members of the St. Mary's Emergency Services Committee such as;

Company #1 Keith Watts
Company #2 Paul Colonna
Company #19 Rocky Woodburn
Company #29 Marie Kurtz
Company #39 Gary Easley
Company #59 Ron Mattingly
Company #79 Stanley Williams

The phone number, 301-994-0528, for Ambulance and Rescue Association, St. Mary's County, seems to be associated and listed to Robert R Boles Jr, Naomi S Boles and Miriam E Boles of Leonardtown.
Also, there is no information on the Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squads website showing their executive or operational officers. But of course everything else about the company is there. So can't verify if Joe Wilkinson operates in any capacity there.

And found this, from 2007. Mrs. Roache has been an active member of the St. Mary’s County Advance Life Support Unit. She has been the Secretary-Treasurer of the St. Mary’s County Ambulance and Rescue Squad Association for the past 20 years.

I'm guessing it is a front organization made up of current or former volunteers, but mostly current Fire and EMS members. Since there is no public information available about this official sounding group. I wouldn't trust anything they say other than being a self serving group representing only the interests of volunteer Fire and EMS personnel, aka, a lobbing group. There is an agenda, and it is being driven my those that stand to benefit from it personally.
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
Its always easy to come up with reasons why it makes no sense to volunteer your time. Even better if you have some hearsay information that reinforces your existing prejudice about the volunteer system.

I have no doubt that there are 'social club' fire stations and departments that are not above board with their accounting of time and finances. It just hasn't been my experience. If you don't like to volunteer at your local station, go to one of busier FDs or rescue squads in the county. They are all looking for staff. To drive the ambulance, all you need is EMT (160 hrs) and emergency vehicle operations (36 hrs) plus whatever the station chief requires for in-house driver training. The busy stations typically have a 'duty crew' system where you actually wait in the station for calls to come in rather than the 'home response' system where you get paged out from home. So at a station with a 'duty crew' system, you dont need to live anywhere close if you wish to contribute. Come on down, put in your time. If you have first hand experience with the system, you too can legitimately complain about how its done. 'A buddy told me' doesn't count.
 

This_person

Well-Known Member
Its always easy to come up with reasons why it makes no sense to volunteer your time. Even better if you have some hearsay information that reinforces your existing prejudice about the volunteer system.

I have no doubt that there are 'social club' fire stations and departments that are not above board with their accounting of time and finances. It just hasn't been my experience. If you don't like to volunteer at your local station, go to one of busier FDs or rescue squads in the county. They are all looking for staff. To drive the ambulance, all you need is EMT (160 hrs) and emergency vehicle operations (36 hrs) plus whatever the station chief requires for in-house driver training. The busy stations typically have a 'duty crew' system where you actually wait in the station for calls to come in rather than the 'home response' system where you get paged out from home. So at a station with a 'duty crew' system, you dont need to live anywhere close if you wish to contribute. Come on down, put in your time. If you have first hand experience with the system, you too can legitimately complain about how its done. 'A buddy told me' doesn't count.

I'm glad it is not your experience. No buddy told me, I've seen it firsthand. Buddies talking about it to others show the system is flawed as it exists, because people are unhappy within the system.

The obvious inference from the part I turned red is "unless you do it, STFU." Since we're taxpayers, we ARE involved - putting our money where our mouths are as well. The "you can't talk about it unless you are a volunteer yourself" attitude is wrong on every level when speaking to a taxpayer-funded enterprise. If your position were valid, none of us could complain about a single law unless we get elected to make laws at that level.

Do you see what I mean?
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
I'm guessing it is a front organization made up of current or former volunteers, but mostly current Fire and EMS members. Since there is no public information available about this official sounding group. I wouldn't trust anything they say other than being a self serving group representing only the interests of volunteer Fire and EMS personnel, aka, a lobbing group. There is an agenda, and it is being driven my those that stand to benefit from it personally.

You do understand that under the constitution of this country, people have the right to band together to 'seek redress of grievances' and to lobby their elected officials for whatever lawful cause they choose. There is no requirement for an organization to have a formal corporate structure or registration. The ambulance and rescue association is just as legit as the 'citizens committee' opposing the station. If you want St Marys County to move to a full time paid fire and EMS system, feel free to get blackdog and whoever else wants to join you to form the 'St Marys county committee for sky-high taxes and union bull#### (SMCCFSHUB)' and get to work.
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
The obvious inference from the part I turned red is "unless you do it, STFU." Since we're taxpayers, we ARE involved - putting our money where our mouths are as well. The "you can't talk about it unless you are a volunteer yourself" attitude is wrong on every level when speaking to a taxpayer-funded enterprise. If your position were valid, none of us could complain about a single law unless we get elected to make laws at that level.

Oh, feel free to complain about the amount of your fire&ems tax.

Just dont complain if the ambulance had to scratch or the fire truck that showed up with 3 guys in their 60s during a mid-day response. The reason the ambulance had to scratch is because YOU were no there to staff it. The reason the engine showed up with a crew that may not be in shape to do interior operations is because YOU didn't decide to hang out the station that day.

You want a career response, pay for it. If you don't want to pay: volunteer.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Oh, feel free to complain about the amount of your fire&ems tax.

The reason the engine showed up with a crew that may not be in shape to do interior operations is because YOU didn't decide to hang out the station that day.
.

How about when a whole bunch of people and multiple apparati show up but they can't get water moving on to the fire?...

When is someone going to answer very specifically how an 8 million dollar palace is going to improve effectiveness?
 

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
County restrictions on their current location?

Can't be that...or they would not be proposing to build the new palace at that location.

I had heard from a local that the current building is a patchwork of additions that doesn't allow for further expansion. I'm guessing this person meant expanding up. There seems to be plenty of space to expand out.
 

black dog

Free America
You do understand that under the constitution of this country, people have the right to band together to 'seek redress of grievances' and to lobby their elected officials for whatever lawful cause they choose. There is no requirement for an organization to have a formal corporate structure or registration. The ambulance and rescue association is just as legit as the 'citizens committee' opposing the station. If you want St Marys County to move to a full time paid fire and EMS system, feel free to get blackdog and whoever else wants to join you to form the 'St Marys county committee for sky-high taxes and union bull#### (SMCCFSHUB)' and get to work.


That's so full of bull$hit, in the township I live in the average home tax's are under 500 dollars a year. I bought a intown 3 bay service station last year that's zoned heavy Industrial and the taxes are under a grand...
We have a fully paid fire Dept, with modern equipment in a building that just got a addition last year for two more pieces of equipment..
With the tax bases in southern Maryland, The money is already there..
I would question where all the money is going...
 

This_person

Well-Known Member
Oh, feel free to complain about the amount of your fire&ems tax.

Just dont complain if the ambulance had to scratch or the fire truck that showed up with 3 guys in their 60s during a mid-day response. The reason the ambulance had to scratch is because YOU were no there to staff it. The reason the engine showed up with a crew that may not be in shape to do interior operations is because YOU didn't decide to hang out the station that day.

You want a career response, pay for it. If you don't want to pay: volunteer.

Perhaps you didn't read any - not a single one - of my previous posts in this thread. I'm all for an increase in the tax if it results in a professional force vs. a hobbyist force. That, my friend, would be worth the money.

If they're looking for more money to replace bandages, charge the users. If we can't muster up a qualified force to do the job, then I'm guessing we are left with no choice but to go to a paid/professional force.

As I've repeatedly posted, I think the vast majority of those who volunteer are doing their hobby top notch -equivalent to a professional force. I thank them for it, and for the time they put into it. But, we know what they're asking for, and what they're asking for is not to pay for a professional force. Their words are that they need money to replace bandages and the like.

But, if you are aware that we have had to turn down ambulance calls based on insufficient volunteers, or the qualifications of the volunteers is not adequate, I suggest you go to the BOCC and let them know, so they can start working on repairing this fault. No one has accused the forces of being like that in here until you brought it up. The accusations made are that older members are not pulling their weight, but still receiving the benefits from back when they did.

So, which is it, you know of a problem, or you're throwing up an answer to an argument not made so you can feel all grand and better-than-thou?
 

Hijinx

Well-Known Member
Perhaps you didn't read any - not a single one - of my previous posts in this thread. I'm all for an increase in the tax if it results in a professional force vs. a hobbyist force. That, my friend, would be worth the money.

If they're looking for more money to replace bandages, charge the users. If we can't muster up a qualified force to do the job, then I'm guessing we are left with no choice but to go to a paid/professional force.

As I've repeatedly posted, I think the vast majority of those who volunteer are doing their hobby top notch -equivalent to a professional force. I thank them for it, and for the time they put into it. But, we know what they're asking for, and what they're asking for is not to pay for a professional force. Their words are that they need money to replace bandages and the like.

But, if you are aware that we have had to turn down ambulance calls based on insufficient volunteers, or the qualifications of the volunteers is not adequate, I suggest you go to the BOCC and let them know, so they can start working on repairing this fault. No one has accused the forces of being like that in here until you brought it up. The accusations made are that older members are not pulling their weight, but still receiving the benefits from back when they did.

So, which is it, you know of a problem, or you're throwing up an answer to an argument not made so you can feel all grand and better-than-thou?

The County Commissioners are well aware of the problem of some companies having problems with man power and believe it or not they are working on it.
Your punk friend who IMO is a crybaby should be a man and stand up in a meeting of his company and make his complaints instead of crying to you.
In almost every organisation up to and including Congress the young turks seeking upward movement cry about the old people getting in their way.
I know I cry about Nancy Pelosi aged 77, Diane Feinstein, 84 , Maxine Waters, 70 and Ginsberg 84, myself, and I am not seeking their job.

I don't know much about the building they are in , but I was told this morning by a Firefighter, that when they are transferred there they have to leave their apparatus outside because the doors are not high enough for them to get in..
Apparatus is getting bigger than it was back in the 50's and it takes more room. Is it cheaper to tear out walls and ceilings or rebuild.

back in the old days you got on the back step the tank held 500 gallons and the hose was even smaller.
Today the tanks hold more water, some as much as 3,000 gallons
It's against the law to stand on the back step, you have to have a crew cab, making the apparatus longer and higher.
Todays Rescue squads are sometimes tandem axles
Ladder trucks are higher than ever with a tiller assembly.

I don't live there so I don't know he condition of the building or its capacity to fulfill their needs, and I haven't heard it discussed here.
All I have seen is a hue and cry over the expense.
 

black dog

Free America
You've heard of Baltimore?

Here's last year's County budget.. Fire Depts are under Public Safety..

The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County have adopted the General Fund budget for fiscal year 2017 at $222.1 million, a decrease of 2.3% over fiscal 2016. The balanced budget was adopted without raising property tax or income tax rates. Nearly 63% of the approved budget funding is earmarked for education and public safety. The approved budget also invests in furthering economic development in the county and capital improvement projects.

Among the budget highlights:

Revenues

No change in the real property tax rate of $.8523 per $100 of assessed value. The rate in St. Mary’s is the 4th lowest in the state of Maryland.
Local income tax rate remains unchanged at 3% of net taxable income – the 6th lowest in Maryland.
Education

Funding to the Board of Education totals $102.6 million, an increase of $4.6 million over FY16. The county’s recurring investment of $99.7 million supports the full cost of merit increases provided in FY16 and required increases for health insurance. $2.9 million in reverted Capital Investment Project (CIP) Pay-Go is being used for one-time funding of Technology and Science book replacements. When combined with State dollars, the Board of Education’s overall funding increase is $5.9 million.
College of Southern Maryland funding increases by $9,250 for the Water Safety Program for 5th graders.
Public Safety

A 9.8% compensation increase for Sheriff’s Office Sworn employees and a 7% increase for Corrections employees.
$10,000 for software training for emergency services dispatchers; $297,383 for NextGen 800MHz/Radio System maintenance.
Emergency Services Support tax rises from $016 to $.024 due to increased costs for LOSAP’s current retirees and trust fund.

That's a pretty healthy raise for the boys in blue...
The money is there... 130 million in public safety.....maybe cut back on few excessive land purchases along with roads to nowhere and throttle back on the amount of county employees..
 

Hijinx

Well-Known Member
Here's last year's County budget.. Fire Depts are under Public Safety..

The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County have adopted the General Fund budget for fiscal year 2017 at $222.1 million, a decrease of 2.3% over fiscal 2016. The balanced budget was adopted without raising property tax or income tax rates. Nearly 63% of the approved budget funding is earmarked for education and public safety. The approved budget also invests in furthering economic development in the county and capital improvement projects.

Among the budget highlights:

Revenues

No change in the real property tax rate of $.8523 per $100 of assessed value. The rate in St. Mary’s is the 4th lowest in the state of Maryland.
Local income tax rate remains unchanged at 3% of net taxable income – the 6th lowest in Maryland.
Education

Funding to the Board of Education totals $102.6 million, an increase of $4.6 million over FY16. The county’s recurring investment of $99.7 million supports the full cost of merit increases provided in FY16 and required increases for health insurance. $2.9 million in reverted Capital Investment Project (CIP) Pay-Go is being used for one-time funding of Technology and Science book replacements. When combined with State dollars, the Board of Education’s overall funding increase is $5.9 million.
College of Southern Maryland funding increases by $9,250 for the Water Safety Program for 5th graders.
Public Safety

A 9.8% compensation increase for Sheriff’s Office Sworn employees and a 7% increase for Corrections employees.
$10,000 for software training for emergency services dispatchers; $297,383 for NextGen 800MHz/Radio System maintenance.
Emergency Services Support tax rises from $016 to $.024 due to increased costs for LOSAP’s current retirees and trust fund.

That's a pretty healthy raise for the boys in blue...
The money is there... 130 million in public safety.....maybe cut back on few excessive land purchases along with roads to nowhere and throttle back on the amount of county employees..

You say Throttle back while at the same time we are getting growth.
Growth requires more services.
 

black dog

Free America
You say Throttle back while at the same time we are getting growth.
Growth requires more services.

Generally with more growth and population density services per person cost less.

What I am saying is huge amounts of County's need to be better stewards with taxpayers money. Like in St Mary's Co, exorbitant amounts of cash paid for tracks of land to roads to nowhere.. Including giving Deputys almost a 10% raise..
Twenty plus years as a Union Elevator man and I never got anywhere close to a 10% raise for doing the same job.. 2-3% at best in my pocket..
 

MiddleGround

Well-Known Member
Let me tell you about the discounts and free food at the County fair.
The ambulances at the County fair go there on a standby basis.
They are not paid, they go there for nothing.
They get to stay by that ambulance and waste 8 hrs of their day .
If they get food, they pay for it. They didn't have to pay at the gate because they are there as workers, not visitors.
It's a royal pain in the ass.

Why don't you go to the County Commissioners and tell them you want an age limit on the volunteers.
See what they say.
Go ahead take all of these older men out of the Volunteer system and see what you have left.
Punks like your friend who thinks these older men are worthless.

Tell your friend to stop spreading BS to you, and go to his meeting and bring up his complaints to the company.
If he has the balls.

In my experience when a person's home is on fire they are damned glad to see anyone respond.

It sounds like someone either has a problem with their age progression or they are one of the volunteers who "doesn't need to participate because they have been there so long, the rules don't apply to them."

Even better if you have some hearsay information that reinforces your existing prejudice about the volunteer system.
If you have first hand experience with the system, you too can legitimately complain about how its done. 'A buddy told me' doesn't count.

First of all, How is it hearsay if it is a first-hand account from a volunteer? Second, are you trying to say that my volunteer friend's accounts and opinions do not matter because I am not there with him? Or, that it makes it any less true?

I also looked up the unanswered questions. When will those be responded to?
 

black dog

Free America
It sounds like someone either has a problem with their age progression or they are one of the volunteers who "doesn't need to participate because they have been there so long, the rules don't apply to them."



First of all, How is it hearsay if it is a first-hand account from a volunteer? Second, are you trying to say that my volunteer friend's accounts and opinions do not matter because I am not there with him? Or, that it makes it any less true?

I also looked up the unanswered questions. When will those be responded to?

They aren't going to answer them...
I wonder if they know how big of a steel building can be built for a few hundred grand?
 
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