And Part II
Aldermen Ferrari and Perez along with Mayor Harl to discuss getting facts and figures about the Fire Department and possibly having their own ambulance.
A year ago I would have been impressed with the possibility but now I have serious doubts due to so many allegations that have been lodged against the Peru FD and I have heard of nothing showing the community they have changed anything.
21 comments:
With all the issues that have been exposed about the Peru Fire Department it presently is not stable enough to add additional public safety issues over and above its present responsibilities. Often times a group will vote the most popular as its leader rather than the most capable when allowed to. It must be remembered that this is supposed to be a public safety department for the city and not a elected office conducted with similarities to a high school homecoming KING or as a garage beer party.
This I don't understand. There has been controversy and questions regarding PVAS and their operations for quite some time. When La Salle broke loose and went with PSI many suggested it would not work. I believe our fire chief presented and prepared a proposal for the fire department to take over the ambulance service. At that time his proposal fell on deaf ears. Then, along comes some controversy and questions regarding our fire department. And now we want to look into using PSI and working together with our fire department? Something just doesn't add up.
Speaking of the fire department does anyone else understand why the "ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF" needs a F250 crew cab vehicle for his own use everyday? The understanding is that he takes it to work, home, pretty much uses it for his personal use because he might get a fire call when the chief is out of town. I assume the city pays for insurance, gas, and maintenance. Why? When asked the chief said because he had a vehicle as long as he was chief. Can't the assistant get to a fire fast enough if he doesn't own a $28,000 F250 crew cab that the tax payers pay for? I personally think this is an unnecessary expense!
Perez has long wanted to get his buddy King in as a full time fire cheif. To do this he need to take over the ambulance service to make it look like he does more work. He failed on his attempt to get his own so now he is going to try PSI. This man is a joke.
what a slap in the face of the rank and file ambulance people! They did all the training, fundraisers and FREE public service events and so now they read in the paper Peru is Going out of town for services. Guess we are not good enough, despite the lives saved and the recognition the city gave us before.
Thanks to Perez and King for screwing over the town for their own agenda. Go drink some more beer together and quit screwing up our town.
How is PVAS losing IVCH transfers? Who is going to take them over?
Does anyone know when the next election is Perez needs to go.
3:01 PM
I'm trying to find our what is going on with IVCH.
most assistant chiefs drive their own personal vehicle, including some chiefs to the scene.
10:05 AM
Any details on any other nearby communities and how they handle the vehicle needs vs wants?
More tax money going out to the fire department. This fire department has ran for years with the volunteers covering calls now once Perez gets on the village board they want a full time department and ambulance service out of the fire department. I feel the only reason Perez ran for the board was to help his little fire chief friend get a full time job. How sad for Peru my hometown.
How can a person with no FT experience, no EMS background, no FT fire command background, etc... be the Peru Fire Chief? Oh...he was voted on by the boys club (Liberty) then appointed by the mayor!! I get it!!! More of the same in Peru!! How sad!! So many departments that are even larger than Peru or LaSalle have all volunteer/POC staff and have higher ISO ratings!!! Wonder why Peru feels the need to waste tax payer money!!!
Support our Volunteers!!!
Anon 3:47 At $32.00+/hour we are!!!!!
1:36 PM
Perez abstained from a vote of this because it was a conflict of interest.
NO ONE working on the Peru Ambulance makes $32 per hour. We wish! The starting pay for an EMT is $10 per hour, and a Medic / supervisor is a few dollars higher. It has been the same for several years now. Lately all we received from our board is a 1 percent pay raise, thats 10 cents.
what does $48,000 buy you with PVAS? 19 EMT's, and 18 Advanced providers (mostly paramedics.) Thats 37 total responders available. Most have advanced life saving, pediatric and trauma rescue certificates. there are 6 stocked ambulances. two "bike medic" vehicles (seen at 4th of July and sometimes the running events) and a 4 wheel off road vehicle for trail and rural rescues. oh, and community services like CPR training, blood pressure and health screens, grade school emergency services talks, presence at most public events for safe and fast EMS response (4th of July, blizzards, fairs, parades, Baker lake events etc. High school CNA introduction. High school Explorer program which several members becoming paramedics and a part of the service. And the knowledge that community people are taking care of you when you call. Maybe it's just me, but I think this is the bargain of a life time! If you think so too, tell the mayor!
Anonymous at at 8:15
do you live in Peru?
When times are tough you use what you have . You don't go out buying a $30,000 vehicle for an assistant chief to drive to work . And by the time they buy lights , decals , and all the extras this truck will cost over $50,000 ! Good way to spend the citizens tax dollars !
Anon 2:18 In any time, good or bad, you should not buy city officials and/or city employees vehicles that are to be utilized for personal use. This is one and only one of the reasons that today's government bodies are deep in debt even though the citizens are paying taxes beyond everyone's expectations and all creative financing methods (which also have increased gov't debt) are being endorsed. Additionally it is wrong to create debt for your children and grandchildren.
Anon 10:41 , This is true , don't spend money when u have something that still serves the purpose of what you want to buy to replace it . How many vehicles has the Police Chief had since he's been in Peru , 3 ? I'm glad i DO NOT live in Peru . My town doesnt buy a vehicle for it's chiefs or assistant chiefs . And if you look around at other towns around us very few have a vehicle for the chief let alone the assistant chief . Also it seems like the only reason certain people are pushing for an ambulance in the fire department is to justify making the fire chief a full time employee . WHY ? PVAS only costs the city of Peru $48,000 and PVAS pays all their bills and the city is off the hook for everything else .Why would the city want to change that . If PVAS has management problems then thats up to them to fix along with the board . The city will pay double that , probably triple that just in the new chiefs salary if he goes full time .Not to mention they have to purchase all the equipment from PVAS or someone else if Peru Fire runs EMS . That equipment and vehicles doesn't belong to the city . Must be so nice that your town is so rich that you can start an ambulance service from scratch just so the fire chief can be a fulltime employee . I think the citizens would rather see that money go to a public pool rather than support a controversial public figure . Seems like a waste of time for PSI to even come in to take about a deal . The citizens will voice their disapproval with votes come next election . Potthoff was always the alderman to vote no just to vote no , however by reading the newspaper he seems to be the only one looking out for the citizens anymore .
Peru's fire chief king DOESN'T have the QUALIFICATIONS to be paid as a full time chief. No degrees! How could he oversee an ambulance service when he himself wouldn't qualify to be an employee for the ambulance!
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