Questions

Service to the People:
1. Is the Fire Department put in a situation that makes things hard but doesn’t necessarily cut out rendering a service for helping people?

2. In the Cedar fires 2400 homes were burned down, it is reported that one of the reasons that not all the houses were saved is because of staffing levels and lack of available resources. Do you think that if these were not a factor then the fire department could have saved more houses?

3. Do you think that 2400 houses is a lot compared to all of what you saved?

4. “The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard is to arrive on scene of an emergency within six minutes 90 percent of the time; in San Diego, we hit six minutes less than 50 percent of the time.” This quote is from the Local 145 website. Why is this, is this due to staffing levels and available resources?

5. How do you feel about overtime vs. more engine companies? Will this help the people in the long run or just save money, will this ware out the firefighters faster? "Studies indicate that firefighters and police officers lose a substantial amount of time off their lifespan due to stresses, exposures and physical impairment (thus lessening the liability to the retirement system)."
-Quote from the Local 145.

Budget
6. Cutting down the size of the academies and instead of having two academies this year only having one. How will this affect the way that the departments have shifts? Are there any other concerns because of this?

7. Former Chief Bowman said that he could not do anything to improve staffing levels and available resources. This has been a problem in the national response time. He said that he could not do anything to help better the situation, Chief Jarman said in regards to cutting down the number of firefighters, “It will compound the problem a bit, but this was the best option available.” How do you feel about this, knowing that the chief has limited options, options that will cut peoples jobs that are necessary to protecting life and property?
-Quote from SignonSanDiego.com

8. Budget cuts affect the public safety, how?

Problem Solving:
9. How do firefighters, like you, cope with the current financial crisis we are facing in the economy? (Personally/as an organization)

10. What motivates you to put your life on the line in a situation for fighting a major fire? Is it more of community rallying and team effort or is there something that motivates you from inside?

11. Do you feel supported by the government?

12. How do you feel that situations like this could better be handled?

13. What have you done to help better situations like this?

14. How many firefighters do you think are actively involved in trying to have better working situations? (1,319 Local 145 members)

15. Do you think that the effort put in is getting the department anywhere? (Examples)