PAFD –The Real Story
Perth-Andover Fireman Leigh Boone sets the record straight.
BFG: There are many misconceptions and misperceptions in the community as to why 6 Firemen have been “let go”. Can you please help the citizens of Perth-Andover who depend on our Fire fighters to understand the circumstances surrounding your dismissal?
Leigh: On February 25, 2013 a complaint was given to village council by former Assistant Chief Keith Taylor. Two weeks later on March 4, 2013 a second letter was given to Council by a group of 5 Firemen in support of our Assistant Chief’s complaint. Several weeks went by and we had no response from village council. Then the Mayor put a facebook post out saying that we had resigned over procedural issues. There were never any resignations handed in. We then went to council to make sure they understood the truth. We had merely turned in our pagers under protest for the original complaint to be addressed and investigated. We did not want to pass in our pagers but felt we had to morally and ethically. We joined the fire department to help people safely and we felt we were unable to do this under our current leadership. We indicated to village council at this second meeting that we would start responding again and along side the current leadership but not under them.
(See Letters # 1 & 2) BFG: Is this the only complaint that you have made against the Fire Chief?
Leigh: This is the first formal complaint. However, there have been leadership issues that have been brought forward unofficially to council members in the past.
BFG: What was your response from village council?
Leigh: A few councilors were consulted and we were encouraged to put the complaint in. After the complaint was investigated village council reported to us that is was valid and thanked us for the complaint. But then they said they were going to stick with the current Fire Chief and were letting us 5 Firemen and the Assistant Fire Chief go. We then all received a “form” letter thanking us for our service.
(See Letter 3 )
BFG: Any comments on your letter?
Leigh: The village council indicates that we have valid safety concerns and that they will work to improve all aspects of the Fire Department but yet they are letting us go?!
BFG: All this sounds a bit like Bizzaro World. So the village council agrees with and thanks you for you safety concerns, years of service to your community but see you later.
Leigh: Pretty much. Also there are some beliefs and talk that our complaints are because of personality conflicts. For the record our complaints are not because of personality conflicts. They are and have always been about the lack of our current leadership and the endangerment of public lives.
BFG: There was a recent article in another local news media that stated that you complained about the Platform Rescue procedure with reference to weight restrictions but apparently some information was misconstrued. Can you clarify this please?
Leigh: Yes they implied that I had given the wrong weight restrictions when I didn’t even mention weights. But the weight they said I gave were even incorrect. The rescue Platform(sled) used actually weighs 88 lbs and provides 600 lbs of floatation. In my interview I was only trying to get across that the rescue sled used was designed for use with 1 rescuer and 1 victim, not 2 rescuers. The sled was tied to shore(which was correct) but neither of the 2 rescuers were tied to shore(which was shown in the picture). And the safety line that should have been tied to them was in the hand of a rescuer. We could have lost a Fireman had a rescuer fallen through the ice. It was all about safety procedures.
BFG: So the question that remains for the citizens of Perth-Andover is why has the Village of Perth –Andover chose to eliminate 6 Firemen of whom 5 are Level 2 firefighters, 3 are Internationally recognized instructors and 1 Assistant Fire Chief to keep 1 Fire Chief when you all had valid concerns that were acknowledged?
Thanks Leigh for The Real Story- Stacey Kelley, Rogue Reporter
