Life and Death in Dolan Springs The Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District: March 2019

Monday, March 18, 2019

If you’re new to Dolan Springs and the LMRFD in the past 5 years Please Read

If you’re new to Dolan Springs and the LMRFD please read these old blog posts in hope that it brings you up to speed on how we got from six ambulances and lot's of volunteers to where we are today… One ambulance and 2-3 firefighters..

2015

I'd rather have a hillbilly in a pickup truck who cares, than a paid EMT in a fancy ambulance who doesn't

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2015/09/id-rather-have-hill-billy-in-pickup.html

Many rural fire districts field a significant volunteer force, which yields a high degree of cost effectiveness for fire suppression and emergency services.

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2015/10/many-rural-fire-districts-field.html

2016

Who's Going to Pay for Out of District Fire Call like This One?

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2016/11/whos-going-to-pay-for-out-of-district.html

2017

Failing to fully treat a sick patient is one thing. But leaving a patient behind and not treating them at all after they called 9-1-1 is complete negligence

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2017/10/failing-to-fully-treat-sick-patient-is.html

For someone to belittle those of us who volunteer to help others should tell you something about that person

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2017/10/for-someone-belittle-those-of-us-who.html

2018

Common Sense? What Does Common Sense Tell You About this Picture?

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2018/06/common-sense-what-does-common-sense.html

There is a Difference Where You Train and I Found When You Train... How I've Found EMS Has Changed

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2018/06/there-is-difference-where-you-train-and.html

WE have been told over and over that "the LMRFD Certificate of Necessity Can NOT be Changed So WHO CHANGED IT?

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2018/06/we-have-been-told-over-and-over-that.html

A Perfect World We Would Have EMR’s Covering the 2200 square mile Ambulance CON

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2018/06/a-perfect-world-we-would-have-emrs.html

Volunteer Firefighters a Need NOT a Want for Rural Fire Districts

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2018/05/volunteer-firefighters-need-not-want.html

My NACFD Resignation

https://dolanemsproblems.blogspot.com/2018/05/my-nacfd-resignation.html

Employee's Volunteer's Requirements Drug Testing and Background Checks Part 3 of 3

Employee Volunteer Drug Testing and Background Checks
Part 3 of 3 Background Checks

Yes we need to do back ground checks on all personal. If someone is a known bad guy in the area, and we know who they are, does it matter if they pass a background check?

If someone committed a crime 20 years ago then what? Say they were convicted of stealing a car at 19 years old, they're 50 now and they've been a good citizen living in the area for years, why wouldn't you want them as a volunteer?

How far do back ground checks go and what gets included? If someone was accused of molesting a child 20 years ago and wasn't convicted, then what?

My son-in law molested a young girl here in Mohave County, twice. It was plea bargained and lowered and lowered even though the girls father said he would do it again. READ the MCSO Report He was finally convicted of indecent exposure. Read the report, having this lowered to indecent exposure will piss you off.
Convicted or not would you want him as a firefighter?

When considering someone as a volunteer for the LMRFD we need to do background checks, but the bottom line is what kind of person they are as a neighbor, and would you want that person's help in an emergency?

We need volunteers everyday for fire and EMS calls, but my real fear is that in a major disaster or event where Dolan Springs was cutoff from outside help we would be left with the 2-3 firefighters stuck here at the time. With no volunteers trained in fire and EMS services Dolan Springs residents would be in trouble.

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Employee's Volunteer's Requirements Drug Testing and Background Checks Part 2 of 3

Employee Volunteer Drug Testing and Background Checks in the LMRFD Part 2 of 3
Drug Testing

When I lived in Dolan Springs back in the 90's the fire department had six Advanced Life Support ambulances and lots of volunteers. They were often seen around the fire station with the doors open. What changed?

One reason was the economy went down, but there had to be more to it, after all volunteer firefighters save the U.S. millions of dollars each year and make up 70% of America's firefighters.

Another change was America was in the middle of President Reagan's war on drugs and drug testing was becoming big business.

Before anyone says anything let me say nobody should ever show up to work or on a call impaired, we simply don't need you there.

It seems the LMRFD lost many volunteers during that time and changes in drug policy may have had something to do with it.

When someone looks at the LMRFD drug policy it's confusing. It say's "under district policy alcohol is include within the meaning and prohibition of drugs". Application LINK It needs to be updated and please take Northern Arizona Consolidated Fire District's name out of the LMRFD application on pg 6.

It's 2019 and 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use, 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use.

Our neighboring states of California and Nevada are two of the states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use. If someone use marijuana legally in Las Vegas should they be fired for failing a drug test weeks later?

In 2013 AZFamily Report did a report on first responders and medical marijuana. Even back then several agencies including fire departments allowed medical marijuana use. That was six years ago...

Because of 50 years of drug war propaganda saying some drugs are bad, marijuana is stigmatized and we need to get over it. Why is it ok for a firefighter to get drunk and show up the next day hung over, but if they used marijuana a week ago and get drug tested they're fired?

It appears we lost many volunteers when drug testing was started in the 90's, it may be time to follow the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act and not discriminate against employees or volunteers who use medical marijuana.

Saturday, March 16, 2019

Employee's Volunteer's Requirements Drug Testing and Background Checks Part 1 of 3

Employee's Volunteer's Requirements Drug Testing and Background Checks in the LMRFD. Part 1 of 3

This is a three part series on Requirements, Drug Testing and Background Checks for volunteers and employees in the LMRFD

The first part is on the requirements to become an employee or volunteer for the LMRFD. Why people don't apply as volunteers and employees and what we can do to fix it?

One thing we can all agree on it the process needs to be fair with everyone held to the same requirements and training standards.

On the Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District's Employment page it says all applicants for Firefighter/EMS "must have Firefighter I & II, and at minimum an EMT Certification"

The LMRFD tells us they do have volunteers.
Do all current LMRFD employees and volunteers have these certifications?
If not, why not?
Are training records for volunteers and employees public?
Is there a double standard?

The last thing we need is a complaint that a current employee or volunteer doesn't meet the requirement that all applicants "must have Firefighter I & II, and at minimum an EMT Certification"

Volunteers
Let me make one thing clear, there is NO LAW in Arizona with specific training requirements for firefighters. What level firefighters are trained to is the decision of the fire chief.

I took several hundred hours of training with NACFD to become an external firefighter. At 67 I'm not putting on bunkers and an air pack to run into a burning house. BUT with proper training and equipment even us old guys can respond on fires as well as help on the ambulance.

Last year NACFD got a new 3000 gallon water tender with a top mounted monitor nozzle and joystick control. Even us old guys can sit in the cab and put water on a fire until more units arrive.

When it comes to Employee's Volunteer's Requirements Drug Testing and Background Checks in the LMRFD we need to rethink things...