Monday, April 27, 2020
Standard Newspaper Dolan Springs fire chief arrested, charged with domestic violence
DOLAN SPRINGS – A tiny fire district headquartered in the rural community of Dolan Springs is under new leadership while its fire chief has been suspended following his arrest. It was announced late Monday morning that firefighter/paramedic Steve Winn is serving as acting Chief of the Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District (LMRFD).
Sunday, April 26, 2020
I Don't Have a Personal Problem with Chief Bonnee, I Have a Professional Problem with Chief Bonnee
Some people have said I have a personal problem with Chief Bonnee.I don't. I have a professional problem with Chief Bonnee.
I'm sorry for the family problems Chief Bonnee is suffering at this time. It's sometimes difficult to deal with family and tempers can flair. I hope Chief Bonnee and his family solve their problems in a timely manner.
I don't like that Chief Bonnee makes decisions based on personality rather than training and experience or the law, but I don't dislike Chief Bonnee.
I'm sorry for the family problems Chief Bonnee is suffering at this time. It's sometimes difficult to deal with family and tempers can flair. I hope Chief Bonnee and his family solve their problems in a timely manner.
I don't like that Chief Bonnee makes decisions based on personality rather than training and experience or the law, but I don't dislike Chief Bonnee.
Chief Bonnee on Administrative Leave after Arrest
Chief Bonnee on administrative leave after arrest for assault, disorderly conduct, and domestic violence LINK to Minutes
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Fire Chief Tim Bonnee Arrested for Assault, Disorderly Conduct, But NOT Domestic Violence... Why
Fire Chief Tim Bonnee was arrested for Assault, Disorderly Conduct, and Domestic Violence on April 23rd 2020
Question: WHY wasn't he arrested for Domestic Violence rather than disorderly conduct and assault?
UPDATE
I just added
Arizona Court Record on arrest 04/25-2020
Mohave County Jail Roster 04/25-2020
UPDATE
I just added
Arizona Court Record on arrest 04/25-2020
Mohave County Jail Roster 04/25-2020
Timothy Dean Bonnee
Arizona Court Record
04/25/2020
MCSO Jail Roster 04/25-2020
Timothy Dean Bonnee
Friday, April 24, 2020
Are LMRFD Ambulance Crews Fudging Response Times?
R415 the LMRFD ambulance was paged for a call around 06:12 this morning. The Dolan station crew advised they were in route at that time.
I was sitting on the front porch drinking my morning coffee, so I thought the ambulance would go by in a minute or so since I'm just a mile from the fire station.
I sat there drinking my coffee and nothing, minutes went by and nothing. I went and made another cup of coffee and returned to the porch. Still nothing so I figured I missed them going by and continued to sit there watching a pair of hawks nesting in our tree.
I was surprised to see the ambulance going by mile post 4 on Pierce Ferry at 06:24. If they were in route at 06:12 why did it take them 12 minutes to drive one mile?
In Route means the station doors are open and you're actually responding, not that you're just rolling out of bed and you'll get dressed and get going when you feel like it.
The Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System uses the data they receive from dispatch logs to judge EMS response times including the time it takes to get dispatched and the ambulance response times.
I understand we live in a rural area but the average EMS response time in the US is 7 minutes. In rural areas the median response time is 14 minutes from 911 call to arrival on scene.
The fact it takes the LMRFD ambulance crew 10 minutes just to leave the fire station is unacceptable.
Brain death occurs at about 6 minutes in a cardiac arrest. With the LMRFD crews taking 10 minutes to leave the fire station if you had a heart attack nextdoor at the Chamber of Commerce you'd be dead by the time they arrived only a few feet away.
I was sitting on the front porch drinking my morning coffee, so I thought the ambulance would go by in a minute or so since I'm just a mile from the fire station.
I sat there drinking my coffee and nothing, minutes went by and nothing. I went and made another cup of coffee and returned to the porch. Still nothing so I figured I missed them going by and continued to sit there watching a pair of hawks nesting in our tree.
I was surprised to see the ambulance going by mile post 4 on Pierce Ferry at 06:24. If they were in route at 06:12 why did it take them 12 minutes to drive one mile?
In Route means the station doors are open and you're actually responding, not that you're just rolling out of bed and you'll get dressed and get going when you feel like it.
The Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System uses the data they receive from dispatch logs to judge EMS response times including the time it takes to get dispatched and the ambulance response times.
I understand we live in a rural area but the average EMS response time in the US is 7 minutes. In rural areas the median response time is 14 minutes from 911 call to arrival on scene.
The fact it takes the LMRFD ambulance crew 10 minutes just to leave the fire station is unacceptable.
Brain death occurs at about 6 minutes in a cardiac arrest. With the LMRFD crews taking 10 minutes to leave the fire station if you had a heart attack nextdoor at the Chamber of Commerce you'd be dead by the time they arrived only a few feet away.
Emergency Medical Services Response Times in Rural, Suburban, and Urban Areas
Emergency medical service units average 7 minutes from the time of a 911 call to arrival on scene. That median time increases to more than 14 minutes in rural settings, with nearly 1 of 10 encounters waiting almost a half hour for the arrival of EMS personnel. LINKThursday, April 23, 2020
Chief Bonnee Says We Don't Need Ham Radio Operators for Emergency Communications
Chief Bonnee says we don't need ham radio operators for emergency communications
Mohave County Emergency Services Thinks Differently
Mohave County's Ham Radio License WC7AAQ
Mohave County Emergency Services Thinks Differently
Mohave County's Ham Radio License WC7AAQ
Sunday, April 12, 2020
There's shortage of volunteer EMS workers for ambulances in rural America
NBC News Article
We live on the most dangerous section of the most dangerous highway in America
US-93
It's not uncommon for the LMRFD ambulance to take over an hour to respond. The golden hour to get a patient
to the hospital is stretched to it's limit here.
From the NBC News Article
“As the population in these communities shrinks, you’ve got a
finite pool of people who are willing to volunteer,” said Wayne Denny, chief of
Idaho’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness.
EMS volunteer work requires hours of initial training that costs
hundreds of dollars, even at the most basic levels. In North Dakota, for
example, emergency medical responders need 50 to 60 hours of training to learn
how to drive an ambulance and assist with basic CPR and first aid. Those
classes can cost at least $600, which must be shouldered by the unpaid
volunteer.
Inside the collapse of America's emergency medical services.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
I'll bet Chief Bonnee $100 that his lack of knowledge in communications puts us all in danger
I'll bet Chief Bonnee $100 that his lack of knowledge in communications puts us all in danger and I can prove it if the fire district will send a verification email.
A fire chief needs to have knowledge in a vast number of areas besides firefighting and EMS, especially how communications systems work.
One of Chief Bonnee's main concerns should be communications, especially communications during a major event when cellular systems are overloaded.
Without communications the fire trucks and firefighters are very limited on what they can do. Their radios would only work radio to radio, basically line of sight without mountain top repeaters.
Without someway to gather information on damages ,who's sick or injured and need help and then disseminate that to outside agencies, so we can't get that help.
It doesn't take much to overload a cellular systems because they're built for normal daily traffic, an earthquake in California or bridge collapse like in Minnesota quickly overloaded their cellular systems making them worthless for first responders.
BUT the government does have priority phone access for public safety agencies.
When Chief Bonnee first took over I asked if the station phone and cell phones used by firefighters were registered with WPS the Wireless Priority Service. He ignored me like he did with most communications problems I spoke to him about.
I'll bet Chief Bonnee $100 that he didn't register his cell phone with the Wireless Priority Service.
That means in a major disaster rather than having priority access to the cellular system, his chance of making a call on an overloaded system is the same as yours, slim to none...
We Can't bet Lives on an Inexperienced Fire Chief
A fire chief needs to have knowledge in a vast number of areas besides firefighting and EMS, especially how communications systems work.
One of Chief Bonnee's main concerns should be communications, especially communications during a major event when cellular systems are overloaded.
Without communications the fire trucks and firefighters are very limited on what they can do. Their radios would only work radio to radio, basically line of sight without mountain top repeaters.
Without someway to gather information on damages ,who's sick or injured and need help and then disseminate that to outside agencies, so we can't get that help.
It doesn't take much to overload a cellular systems because they're built for normal daily traffic, an earthquake in California or bridge collapse like in Minnesota quickly overloaded their cellular systems making them worthless for first responders.
BUT the government does have priority phone access for public safety agencies.
When Chief Bonnee first took over I asked if the station phone and cell phones used by firefighters were registered with WPS the Wireless Priority Service. He ignored me like he did with most communications problems I spoke to him about.
I'll bet Chief Bonnee $100 that he didn't register his cell phone with the Wireless Priority Service.
That means in a major disaster rather than having priority access to the cellular system, his chance of making a call on an overloaded system is the same as yours, slim to none...
We Can't bet Lives on an Inexperienced Fire Chief
Monday, March 30, 2020
I rarely talk about this to anyone…. PTSD
I know I don't attend gatherings in Dolan and didn't hang around the fire station after calls and training.
I hope this explains why. I tried to tell Chief Bonnee, he said he totally understood and then complained that I didn't hang around the station.
This is a copy of a message sent to Chief Bonnee
I hope this explains why. I tried to tell Chief Bonnee, he said he totally understood and then complained that I didn't hang around the station.
|
Oct 16, 2019, 5:45 PM
|  | ||
| ||||
Tim
I rarely talk about this to anyone and don't want it getting around so I'm sending it to your
personal email
personal email
Tim
I
rarely talk about this to anyone….
I’m
sorry I don’t hang around the station when we have training.
Working undercover
as long as I did really screws up your ability to get close or
trust anyone. I don’t know how to explain it other than it’s a dirty business and what
we do to people isn’t right. You get close to people and their family during long term
operations. At the end when their whole life is destroyed it’s not anger in their eyes,
its disappointment.
trust anyone. I don’t know how to explain it other than it’s a dirty business and what
we do to people isn’t right. You get close to people and their family during long term
operations. At the end when their whole life is destroyed it’s not anger in their eyes,
its disappointment.
When
I came out from undercover the shrink asked me if I thought anyone was
watching me or wanted to hurt me… When I showed the newspapers he wrote this…
watching me or wanted to hurt me… When I showed the newspapers he wrote this…
It
just takes me some time…
|
Oct 16, 2019, 7:48 PM
| | ||
| ||||
I totally understand I have been diagnosed also with ptsd from my career I understand and I am ok
with it all just glad to have u volunteering for us thank you but I do know what it is like it’s hard for
me sometimes I have to leave and take a drive to meadview or around Dolan to escape it
with it all just glad to have u volunteering for us thank you but I do know what it is like it’s hard for
me sometimes I have to leave and take a drive to meadview or around Dolan to escape it
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Volunteer Fire Departments and EMS
This article is a little off topic but the point is that 80% or more of the calls in the LMRFD are medical calls for ambulance transport and not fires.
Yet the two LMRFD volunteer's that took the 80 hours of EMR training allowing them to assist and drive the ambulance were never used by Chief Bonnee. If you had to wait an hour or two for an ambulance ask the chief why? If someone had a worse outcome or died because of the delay please contact me.
Yet the two LMRFD volunteer's that took the 80 hours of EMR training allowing them to assist and drive the ambulance were never used by Chief Bonnee. If you had to wait an hour or two for an ambulance ask the chief why? If someone had a worse outcome or died because of the delay please contact me.
Women are better caretakers, my opinion.
I've said many times that we need to separate the ambulance and firefighting portions of the LMRFD. Very few women have any interest in being a firefighter. Only about 4% of firefighters are women, yet women make up more than 50% of private EMS.
Chief Bonnee won't say he agrees me, but he hired a female paramedic who worked shifts as a firefighter but didn't fight fire.
What about the Firefighter I Firefighter II requirement? This was ok on EMS calls but sucked for the taxpayers and her partner on a fire call if they needed to do a rescue in a structure fire. She's gone now.
The regulations... NFPA 1500 and OSHA requires that a minimum of four firefighters be on the scene before entering the hazard area at a working structure fire. Two of these firefighters must be outside the hazard area ready to rescue or help the team entering the area. This is commonly referred to as the two-in/two-out rule.
In an article by Joseph V. Maruca writing for the National
Volunteer Fire Council in Fire Engineering, Volunteer Fire Departments: Bait-and-Switch and a Question of Identity
He says "there’s a major difference between what firefighters do every day and what everyone (and that includes us) thinks that we do". We think of ourselves as firefighters. The public sees us as firefighters. But the reality is most of what we do have nothing to do with firefighting. And people don’t think they can or should volunteer with our departments because they don’t picture themselves as firefighters.
Finally the article...
Friday, March 27, 2020
Fire Chief say's “We can’t abandon our community that is paying for our services” FD's first responsibility is to town
Fire Chief David Strayer from the community of Florence Arizona apparently understands his responsibility to taxpayers in his community better than Chief Bonnee.
Fire Chief David Straye says what I've been saying for years. “We can’t abandon our community that is paying for our services” to respond to areas that have been repeatedly told they have no service, and have actually rebuffed attempts to provide them fire coverage, Strayer said. “Our first duty is to our citizens.”
Sound Familiar? Read the Article HERE
What Are We Doing?
When the LMRFD does respond outside the fire district it takes so long to get there the only thing left is the foundation. When no lives or other property are in danger, why respond? From the people I've talked to who live outside the fire district if they get a bill for putting out their smoldering foundation the'll tell them where to put it. What would you do?
Is this what the LMRFD does to families outside the fire district who just lost everything?
An Arizona couple recently left homeless when their mobile home burned to the ground couldn’t believe their eyes when they received a bill for nearly $20,000
READ the Article HERE
Fire Chief David Straye says what I've been saying for years. “We can’t abandon our community that is paying for our services” to respond to areas that have been repeatedly told they have no service, and have actually rebuffed attempts to provide them fire coverage, Strayer said. “Our first duty is to our citizens.”
Sound Familiar? Read the Article HERE
What Are We Doing?
When the LMRFD does respond outside the fire district it takes so long to get there the only thing left is the foundation. When no lives or other property are in danger, why respond? From the people I've talked to who live outside the fire district if they get a bill for putting out their smoldering foundation the'll tell them where to put it. What would you do?
Is this what the LMRFD does to families outside the fire district who just lost everything?
An Arizona couple recently left homeless when their mobile home burned to the ground couldn’t believe their eyes when they received a bill for nearly $20,000
READ the Article HERE
There is no mandate for a fire district to respond outside of its geographic boundaries
Why does the LMRFD provide free fire service for people outside the fire district leaving taxpayers with no protection?
How many of these calls has the fire district been paid for?
“In Arizona, there is no mandate for a fire district to respond outside of its geographic boundaries,” Barger said. “And while some people could work out a subscription arrangement with an adjacent fire district, the district has no obligation to do so because the primary concern of a fire district is the protection of those who agreed to be in the district and pay the taxes to protect them.” Robert Barger, Arizona State Fire Marshal https://www.tucsonlocalmedia.com/news/article_940304a2-7b50-11e0-b832-001cc4c002e0.html
When all the fire districts resources are 30 miles outside the fire district and your home is on fire or your family member has a life threatening medical event two miles from the fire station, was responding outside the district worth your home or family members life?
People need to step up and pay property tax to the LMRFD or not expect them to respond.
How many of these calls has the fire district been paid for?
“In Arizona, there is no mandate for a fire district to respond outside of its geographic boundaries,” Barger said. “And while some people could work out a subscription arrangement with an adjacent fire district, the district has no obligation to do so because the primary concern of a fire district is the protection of those who agreed to be in the district and pay the taxes to protect them.” Robert Barger, Arizona State Fire Marshal https://www.tucsonlocalmedia.com/news/article_940304a2-7b50-11e0-b832-001cc4c002e0.html
When all the fire districts resources are 30 miles outside the fire district and your home is on fire or your family member has a life threatening medical event two miles from the fire station, was responding outside the district worth your home or family members life?
People need to step up and pay property tax to the LMRFD or not expect them to respond.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Taking Your Suggestion
I just wanted to tell the letter writer thank you for the information, and I'm looking into it with friends...
Jay
Jay
Monday, March 23, 2020
The Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District is a Special Taxing District Do We Need a Vote?
The Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District is a Special Taxing District
A fire district is a form of special district of the State, formed for the protection of persons and property (Arizona Revised Statutes – Title 48 – Special Taxing Districts). Special districts deliver only the public programs and public facilities that their constituents want. Cities provide multiple programs, some of them mandated by the federal and statement governments.
Special districts provide focused service delivery throughout their boundaries providing a single service (i.e. emergency services) allowing them to concentrate and excel at that activity unlike municipalities which provide a variety of services throughout their boundaries. Special districts provide the public services that the public wants and localizes the costs and benefits of public services.
Special districts provide focused service delivery throughout their boundaries providing a single service (i.e. emergency services) allowing them to concentrate and excel at that activity unlike municipalities which provide a variety of services throughout their boundaries. Special districts provide the public services that the public wants and localizes the costs and benefits of public services.
FROM the Arizona Fire & Medical Authority, the North County Fire & Medical District, and the South County Fire & Medical District web page..
Currently the LMRFD responds outside the 144 square mile fire district for fire calls leaving the people who pay tax to the fire district without fire or medical services.
If White Hills and the other areas outside the fire district want fire service join the LMRFD or start your own.
We have a lot of new property owners in the last few years.
We need to ask them if they want our firefighters responding outside the fire district?
We need an accounting of how many times the district gets paid for these out of district responses and how much we've been paid?
Currently the LMRFD responds outside the 144 square mile fire district for fire calls leaving the people who pay tax to the fire district without fire or medical services.
If White Hills and the other areas outside the fire district want fire service join the LMRFD or start your own.
We have a lot of new property owners in the last few years.
We need to ask them if they want our firefighters responding outside the fire district?
We need an accounting of how many times the district gets paid for these out of district responses and how much we've been paid?
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Americans are obtaining more ham radio licenses as the LMRFD has no backup communications
The number of Americans obtaining their ham radio licenses is soaring as the country comes to grips with the coronavirus pandemic. Almost every fire district including GVFD and NACFD have ham radios available for emergency communications.
Just as shoppers are hoarding necessities and food in panic buying, more people have quickly studied to become amateur radio operators to ensure they can maintain communications with others in emergency situations and disasters.
Truth is the LMRFD is in big trouble as far as emergency communications because our fire chief doesn't have a basic understanding of two-way radio systems let alone emergency communications.
The Dispatch Agreement between LMRFD and Kingman Fire Department basically says Kingman Fire will provide dispatch services and record radio traffic, period....
There is NOTHING about providing communications assistance during a disaster.
There is NOTHING about providing additional radios or personal assistance during a disaster.
Mohave County Emergency Services has very limited communications resources that would go to other more populated areas......
So Again I ask Chief Bonnee how would the LMRFD communicate if local emergency service repeaters and cell phones should go down?
Answer: We Couldn't
Sunday, March 15, 2020
I get nothing for my property tax paid to the LMRFD so I'm looking into annexing OUT of the LMRFD
I get nothing for hundreds in property tax I pay the LMRFD so I'm looking into annexing OUT of the LMRFD.
If you live in the NACFD and call 911 a paramedic can take your blood pressure or give a breathing treatment and you can refuse transport by AMR. The call costs you nothing if you're not transported.
If you live in the LMRFD and call 911 a paramedic can take your blood pressure or give a breathing treatment and you CAN NOT refuse transport or you get billed $2000 anyway.
White Hills and Meadview City pay no property tax and get the same fire and EMS services.
Chief Bonnee doesn't understand the law just like he didn't understand the law pertaining to EMR's driving our ambulance.
I have hundreds of hours more training in EMS and firefighting than any other volunteer. Yet I was fired as a LMRFD volunteer for not agreeing with Chief Bonnee. So why pay property tax?
If you live in the NACFD and call 911 a paramedic can take your blood pressure or give a breathing treatment and you can refuse transport by AMR. The call costs you nothing if you're not transported.
If you live in the LMRFD and call 911 a paramedic can take your blood pressure or give a breathing treatment and you CAN NOT refuse transport or you get billed $2000 anyway.
White Hills and Meadview City pay no property tax and get the same fire and EMS services.
Chief Bonnee doesn't understand the law just like he didn't understand the law pertaining to EMR's driving our ambulance.
I have hundreds of hours more training in EMS and firefighting than any other volunteer. Yet I was fired as a LMRFD volunteer for not agreeing with Chief Bonnee. So why pay property tax?
Monday, March 2, 2020
More Shortcuts? Three out of four in the photo can't use a SCBA to rescue you...
The chief a LMRFD firefighter and one volunteer in this photo couldn't get a good seal on their SCBA breathing apparatus if they needed to enter a burning building. This puts your life at risk as well as their life!
NFPA 1500 clearly states in 5-3.8, "A growth of beard or facial hair at any point where the SCBA facepiece is designed to seal with the face shall be prohibited for members required to use SCBA."
Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CFR 1910.134 – “…shall not permit respirators with
tight-fitting facepieces to be worn by employees who have:” Facial hair that comes between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that
interferes with valve function; or Any condition that interferes with the face-to-facepiece seal or valve function
Much of the equipment the LMRFD uses is outdated. I was issued a SCBA mask made in 1984 that's a 36 year old mask that your life depends on in a structure fire. Also a fit test is REQUIRED but not done.
NFPA 1500 clearly states in 5-3.8, "A growth of beard or facial hair at any point where the SCBA facepiece is designed to seal with the face shall be prohibited for members required to use SCBA."
Much of the equipment the LMRFD uses is outdated. I was issued a SCBA mask made in 1984 that's a 36 year old mask that your life depends on in a structure fire. Also a fit test is REQUIRED but not done.
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Too Many ShortCuts at LMRFD Things the FIRE DISTRICT SHALL Do Under the Law
Is the LMRFD taking too many shortcuts with volunteers?
The one thing almost unanimous on Facebook when talking about volunteers for the LMRFD was Background Checks and the Arizona Revised Statutes 48-805 agrees.
When I volunteered for the NACFD the first thing the chief did was send me down to the sheriff's office to have fingerprints taken for a background check.
I asked Chief Bonnee about background checks. He said he "didn't do a background check on me because he knew me". At that time I had met the chief about 5 times, he knew nothing about me except what he read on Facebook and much of that he disagreed with before deleting posts.
The Law says the FIRE DISTRICT SHALL:
Require probationary employees in a paid sworn firefighter position, a reserve firefighter, or a volunteer position to submit a full set of fingerprints to the fire district for the purpose of obtaining a state and federal criminal records check. §48-805
ARS 48-805 Require all current and prospective employees and volunteers to submit a full set of fingerprints to the fire district, joint powers authority, fire authority, fire and medical authority or fire and ambulance authority that is formed with that fire district pursuant to section 48-805.01.
48-805.01, fire authority, fire and medical authority or fire and ambulance authority shall submit the fingerprints to the department of public safety for the purpose of obtaining a state and federal criminal records check.
It doesn't say what the fire district is required to do once they obtain the background check. The chief said "everybody deserves a second chance". I believe as long as the crime doesn't violate the public's trust, people deserve a second chance.
Drug Testing
When I joined LMRFD as a volunteer I told Chief Bonnee I used medical marijuana, he said, "I don't care what you do at home".
I drove fire trucks for the LMRFD as a volunteer for many months. But because 80% of our calls are medical and not fire calls I pushed to use my Emergency Medical Responder so I could drive the ambulance when we need a second ambulance.
After months of driving fire trucks now I had to take a drug test to drive the ambulance because the Bureau of EMS & Trauma System required it.
Again the chief doesn't understand the law.
Actually the only mention of drug testing in the Bureau of EMS & Trauma System Statutes and Rules is in ARS 36-2204.02. Emergency medical services providers will do investigations after an allegation of illegal drug use.
Drug testing today is a policy matter and many agencies including DEA have changed their policy and are choosing to find employees.
As an Emergency Medical Responder I could have been driving the second ambulance since I joined months ago. Then middle of November the chief said he would have EMR protocols by Christmas so I could drive the ambulance. Christmas came and went.
Email to Chief Bonnee January 4th
Tim
I am still putting them together I was in phoenix for training and was out sick I am still working on it I haven't forgot about you and I'm not sure what continued education you are looking for but river medical puts on a BLS refresher
He forgot to mention he was gone hunting rather than writing protocols so our second ambulance could be in service.
I think LMRFD had a $10,000 for training should the "chief" know what continuing education was needed for his people?
I never got any of the required continuing education from the LMRFD and I guess it's moot now since Chief Bonnee fired me a couple weeks ago. I guess you be a yes man because if you don't agree with the chief you get fire as a volunteer...
Firefighters have a long history with alcohol use and abuse. I believe firefighters should have a choice to use medical marijuana. I said so when interviewed in this 2013 CBS News Investigation Medical marijuana rules unclear for First Responders
Physical Examinations
While at NACFD I saw doctors two times for a firefighter physical. A doctor in a 5th wheel came to Kingman to do the physicals for fire departments.
When I joined the LMRFD nothing was ever said about taking a physical. In the 9 months since joining nothing has been said about taking the annual physical.
This is very important because we have several firefighters who weigh over 300 pounds and if they have a heart condition we need to know.
In the case of a firefighters death resulting from heart attack or stroke, after participation in emergency response or training activity within the 24-hour timeframe before the cardiovascular event it's considered a LODD Line of Duty Death.
Background checks and physicians need to be done on all new LMRFD employees and volunteers.
Because they had a background check years ago when joining another fire district doesn't mean anything. The law is pretty specific The Fire District Shall require all current and prospective employees and volunteers to submit a full set of fingerprints
The one thing almost unanimous on Facebook when talking about volunteers for the LMRFD was Background Checks and the Arizona Revised Statutes 48-805 agrees.
When I volunteered for the NACFD the first thing the chief did was send me down to the sheriff's office to have fingerprints taken for a background check.
When I volunteered for the LMRFD
No background check was done
I asked Chief Bonnee about background checks. He said he "didn't do a background check on me because he knew me". At that time I had met the chief about 5 times, he knew nothing about me except what he read on Facebook and much of that he disagreed with before deleting posts.
The Law says the FIRE DISTRICT SHALL:
Require probationary employees in a paid sworn firefighter position, a reserve firefighter, or a volunteer position to submit a full set of fingerprints to the fire district for the purpose of obtaining a state and federal criminal records check. §48-805
ARS 48-805 Require all current and prospective employees and volunteers to submit a full set of fingerprints to the fire district, joint powers authority, fire authority, fire and medical authority or fire and ambulance authority that is formed with that fire district pursuant to section 48-805.01.
48-805.01, fire authority, fire and medical authority or fire and ambulance authority shall submit the fingerprints to the department of public safety for the purpose of obtaining a state and federal criminal records check.
It doesn't say what the fire district is required to do once they obtain the background check. The chief said "everybody deserves a second chance". I believe as long as the crime doesn't violate the public's trust, people deserve a second chance.
Drug Testing
When I joined LMRFD as a volunteer I told Chief Bonnee I used medical marijuana, he said, "I don't care what you do at home".
I drove fire trucks for the LMRFD as a volunteer for many months. But because 80% of our calls are medical and not fire calls I pushed to use my Emergency Medical Responder so I could drive the ambulance when we need a second ambulance.
After months of driving fire trucks now I had to take a drug test to drive the ambulance because the Bureau of EMS & Trauma System required it.
Again the chief doesn't understand the law.
Actually the only mention of drug testing in the Bureau of EMS & Trauma System Statutes and Rules is in ARS 36-2204.02. Emergency medical services providers will do investigations after an allegation of illegal drug use.
Drug testing today is a policy matter and many agencies including DEA have changed their policy and are choosing to find employees.
As an Emergency Medical Responder I could have been driving the second ambulance since I joined months ago. Then middle of November the chief said he would have EMR protocols by Christmas so I could drive the ambulance. Christmas came and went.
Email to Chief Bonnee January 4th
Tim
Did you get the EMR Protocols done?
Chief's answer January 6th
Jay,I am still putting them together I was in phoenix for training and was out sick I am still working on it I haven't forgot about you and I'm not sure what continued education you are looking for but river medical puts on a BLS refresher
He forgot to mention he was gone hunting rather than writing protocols so our second ambulance could be in service.
I think LMRFD had a $10,000 for training should the "chief" know what continuing education was needed for his people?
I never got any of the required continuing education from the LMRFD and I guess it's moot now since Chief Bonnee fired me a couple weeks ago. I guess you be a yes man because if you don't agree with the chief you get fire as a volunteer...
Firefighters have a long history with alcohol use and abuse. I believe firefighters should have a choice to use medical marijuana. I said so when interviewed in this 2013 CBS News Investigation Medical marijuana rules unclear for First Responders
Physical Examinations
While at NACFD I saw doctors two times for a firefighter physical. A doctor in a 5th wheel came to Kingman to do the physicals for fire departments.
When I joined the LMRFD nothing was ever said about taking a physical. In the 9 months since joining nothing has been said about taking the annual physical.
This is very important because we have several firefighters who weigh over 300 pounds and if they have a heart condition we need to know.
In the case of a firefighters death resulting from heart attack or stroke, after participation in emergency response or training activity within the 24-hour timeframe before the cardiovascular event it's considered a LODD Line of Duty Death.
Background checks and physicians need to be done on all new LMRFD employees and volunteers.
Because they had a background check years ago when joining another fire district doesn't mean anything. The law is pretty specific The Fire District Shall require all current and prospective employees and volunteers to submit a full set of fingerprints
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