Home » Elections, From The Readers, Letters to the Editor » Dear Editor: Fire Chief’s Chat in VOC

Dear Editor: Fire Chief’s Chat in VOC

Last night, Fire District Chief Hazime hosted a “Chief’s Chat “at Station 3 in the VOC. That meeting was intended for the taxpayers to ask the Chief pertinent questions of interest that would help them understand what happens in the fire district and why. Instead, it was immediately taken over by the rantings and ravings of Mr. Lowell Johnson and his slate against the Chief and his staff.

Their attitude seemed to be one of “don’t confuse me  facts, my mind is already made up.” Several people in the audience, disgusted by their behavior, left. When some people in the audience tried to get them to act sensibly,  they were told to be quiet. That was a real sign of democracy in action, wasn’t it?  

Mr. Johnson’s slate must feel very desperate to resort to this type of tactic in order to persuade the taxpayers to vote for them. It’s obvious to many of us within the District that this seems to be the only alternative left to someone used to having his way on everything, including manipulating people around.  When his slate resorts to stealing campaign signs from the opposition, (verbally) attacking the Chief and his professional staff, preventing others from speaking out at a community meeting, it gives the rest of us a very good idea of the type of slate they represent!

20 Comments

  1. c. grenn says:

    Sad that this is what our firefighters and the fire district as a whole has had to deal with for the past 2 years. I will never understand why some would be so angry an the people we all depend on in times of need. Fortunately there are some quality candidates to chose from this November. Please vote with care and keep Integrity in mind.

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Integrity-Matters-Sedona-Fire-Board-Candidates/154239541253353?ref=ts

  2. P. Chevalier says:

    I was not at this meeting and for the purposes on my comment I am taking the article above at face value as truthful. Certainly ‘ranting and raving’ is not a very useful way to solve issues.

    As I talk to people around the city about this election,the comment I almost always hear is that our Fire district costs are way out of line with the rest of the Verde Valley and Flagstaff. Clearly the public believes it is being asked to pay too much in taxes for the Fire District.

    Almost all the people I have talked about this election also think that not enough has been done to bring fire district costs down. I think the voters are going to elect the candidates for office who they believe will do the most effective job in reducing costs.

    If the candidates focus on this issue it will be the most productive thing they can do. Telling us that the current costs are justified won’t fly. Instead candidates should tell us what they will try and do, if elected, to get the costs competitive. Those that do that best will likely win.

  3. Eddie says:

    Who wrote the Dear Editor letter? Good comments from Grenn and Chevalier.

    Editor’s reply: It was written by Abe Koniarsky of Sedona AZ. It was an oversight that we left it off the post. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.

  4. Jerry Reynolds says:

    Read the ‘letter to the editor’ in the Wednesday, Sept 29, 2010 issue of the Red Rock News, written by David Zirinsky concerning the Fire Departments’ bloated budget. It basically spells out the concerns of some of our citizens.

    We all love the firefighters and the paramedics who keep us alive long enough to get to the hospital but it appears that their Union is responsible for these over-the-mark wages. I bet the firefighters just want to keep their jobs by not making waves with their union “boss”. If they were asked away from the intimidation of the union I’ll bet they would be happy to keep their jobs if they were paid 25% less than they are paid now.

    I remember years ago when I was 18 yrs ago I went to work for Douglas Aircraft Company as a “trainee”. I had to join the union or I couldn’t work there. Douglas had made a deal with the US Gov’t to have them pay the first 90 days of a new hires “training period”. This training (as a rivoter) took about a week but the Gov’t paid the wages of these new hires for the full 90 days. I, along with many others, were layed off after the 89th day and then they (Douglas) hired a new “trainee” under the same “plan” which the Gov’t paid for. The union looked the other way. They got their ‘dues’ for the 89 days but were nowhere to be found when we wondered why we were layed off for no reason other than the standart “lack of work”.

    The unions had a useful place years ago to prevent ‘child labor’, unhealthful work environment etc. but they are not helping their members beyond getting them more money than they were worth…ie: Detroit and the auto industry.

    We survived very nicely here in Sedona with an all volunteer fire department…they were fantistic. The “Brins Mesa” fire would never been allowed to go over Wilson Mountain to Oak Creek in those days. There would have been hundredsof fellow ctizens (all friends of the volunteers) up there with blankets and shovels to put it out before it got out of control (in the first hour after it was called in). Progress sometimes isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.

    My opinion.

  5. Dick says:

    It is easy to continue to repeat misinformation about the cost comparisons without having any facts. I moved to Sedona 6 months ago and have followed the Fire District issues with great interest. I worked for the Flagstaff Fire Dept for 28 years, and served as the Deputy Chief for over 3 years, managing the Department Budget. The Sedona District costs are far from being out of line. The Fire Districts around Flagstaff are comparable but don’t deliver the same level of service. You can’t do a comparison with the Flagstaff Fire Dept because it is a municipal department. I know who I will vote for and it will be based on facts, not rumours. I suggest everyone get educated before you vote. You may regret the results if you make a mistake.

  6. Ted Ball says:

    “Brins Mesa” fire would never been allowed to go over Wilson Mountain to Oak Creek in those days. There would have been hundredsof fellow ctizens (all friends of the volunteers) up there with blankets and shovels to put it out before it got out of control (in the first hour after it was called in).

    Mr. Reynolds,

    Seriously? Do you really remember the volunteers? Although they may have had the best intentions in mind (some I doubt), your statement above is way out of line. First, we would have to hope the volunteers could have received permission to leave their full-time profession to respond to the fire. Second, would they have met the physical demands to fight the fire? You seem very angry and speak prior to thinking about what you are really saying. You cannot really believe that the old system of volunteers could have saved the Brins fire from occurring, just as you honestly cannot believe La Barranca could have been stopped by the same group. Get a grip, drop the agenda and look at the facts. I am as tired of seeing the fire department on the front page as you are and hopefully, come Nov. 2, the voters vote for INTEGRITY and we can move past this. Please get your fact straight and stop belittling those that are not in-line with your agenda. Also, try spell check, it is an amazing tool!

  7. Jerry Reynolds says:

    Ted,
    Name one thing the SFD did to attact the Brins Mesa fire! I watched the fire from my back deck, even called to report the fire. And then took pictures from the start of the fire until dark…while listening to our scanner and the non-action of our fire dept. Sure, they said they couldn’t enter the ‘forest’ because it was out of their jurisdiction. The volunteers didn’t care…a fire was a fire. They would have at least tried to stop it before it got out of control. Just because they were not union boys you belittle them. They were citizens and neighbors of Sedona. Sorry if my misspelling bothers you. This blog doesn’t have spell-check.

  8. m allen says:

    Mr. Reynolds,
    You are starting to make quite a name for yourself in the community.
    So you know, the Coconino national Forest and SFD have mutual agreements so that intial attack of all fires that threaten Sedona begin without delay or need to worry about jurisdiction. I know this as a former FS employee. You watching from your house in west Sedona listening to a scanner and taking pictures hardly makes you capable of criticizing any fire response.

    Also your scanner wont pick up the tactical channels that are used on wildfire responses, so to say SFD did nothing is you not having a clue what you are talking about.

    The idea a group of geriatric volunteers with no wildland fire experience walking up the side of Wilson Mountain brings me to tears with laughter. A Helitack crew with a type 4 helicopter capable of water drops were unable to contain the fire. I dont think your volunteer army would have done much better.

    I dont know what your personel beef with SFD or its firefigthers is about, (you seem to be angry about everything) but leave the firefighting to the professionals. Go heckle someone else, preferably someone you wont need to call in an emergency.

    ’nuff said

  9. Jerry Reynolds says:

    So now you resort to threats? M. Allen I hope you are not with the SFD. When was this agreement between the SFD and the Coconino National Forest made? The old “geriatric” SFD volunteers will love to hear your depiction of them.

    My scanner did pick up the back and forth between the firemen and also the police dept. (Where was the fire Chief that day?). I have no beef with the firefighters and have said so before. My beef is with their so-called commanders who failed to order them into the forest early enough to stop the fire before it spread over Wilson Mt. to Oak Creek. Do you have any evidence that they were ordered to fight the fire at it’s inception? What I heard was that they and the police were requested to evacuate the Coffee Pot Cottages at the request of then mayor Pud Colquit (who lived there). That’s all…I have the photos showing the fire from 1:24pm thru 4:40pm the day of the fire, and they include the efforts of the two heliocopters scooping and dumping water in an effort to stop it from going over the mountain. If the wind were coming from the northeast instead of the southwest Sedona West could have been in jeopardy. All this took place long before the present situation with the SFD.

    I don’t think it’s out of line to be concerned about the money SFD receives from the taxpayers and how it is spent…why do you think it’s none of the citizens business?? Why do you want me to just ‘shut up and go away’? You already know everything and have no capacity to learn anything new? Heckle??? You are afraid of the rantings of a single Sedona Citizen? “Where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire”—no pun intended.

  10. Dick says:

    As a retired Fire commander with the Flagstaff Fire Dept who fought many large fires in, and around, the City of Flagstaff with the Coconino FD, I have to say I find Mr. Reynolds’s post incident analysis pretty far fetched.. Flagstaff, as well as Sedona (and all the other Northern Arizona Fire Districts) have written agreements in place that lay out response, communications plans, Unified Command protocals, etc. to protect our communties and forrests.
    I remember the limited capabilities of the old volunteer department in the area, and watched the Sedona Dept develop and become a very professional organization through the years. When I retired and moved to Sedona this year the high caliber of the Sedona Fire Department was one of the reasons why.
    What a shame that hate of labor unions would distort someones view of reality.

  11. m allen says:

    Mr Reynolds,

    I will simply point you to this article written about the Brins Fire and the
    multi-agency response required to bring such a large fire under control.

    http://firechief.com/tactics/firefighting_scenic_duty/

    Your total lack of understanding about emergency management, and in your words, “ranting” diatribe against SFD can speak for its self.
    As far as threats go you will get none from me. I have no way and no need to threaten you, I speak of simple eventualities.
    Please continue to write in your comments. I need a good laugh in these gloomy times.

  12. Jerry Reynolds says:

    M Allen,
    I read the entire article you supplied with the link in your message above.

    Nowhere in the article does it say what exactly the SFD did nor when it supposedly took action to fight the Brins Mesa Fire. The article was a grand whitewash and back slapping of State Fire Services in Arizona.

    The firefighters were not at fault. I repeat…the firefighters were not at fault for the inability of their ‘commanders’ to recognize the exact nature of the fire and to respond immediately with an order to the rank and file to go up there and try to put it out before it became the disaster it became. When I called to report the fire (around noon) the smoke plume was still narrow and the operator said “you mean the one just off Hwy 89 A?” No I said, the one behind the Storyteller Rock formation up Soldiers Pass. She said “oh, we already know about it”…and hung up. This can be verified by reviewing the tapes. That’s when I started listening to our scanner with my wife. When we heard the back and forth on the scanner between the fire department personnel we ascertained that they didn’t seem to know exactly where the fire was and the chief was not available (no one knew where he was). The chatter went on between the police dept and fire dept…that’s when we heard someone say “go to the Coffee Pot Cottages and evacuate at the request of Mayor Pud Colquit. This all occurred at about 12:00 to 1:00 PM on the day the fire started (incidentally by a transient homeless man who started a little fire for whatever reason). As far as we could ascertain no one from the SFD actually even went up there to see how bad the fire was. That was when I made a second call to the fire dept and the operator put a fireman on the phone with me. I told him that it was apparent to my wife and myself that the SFD was unaware of just where the fire was located because of the chatter we heard on our scanner. I said that if he could send one of his men up to our house with a two-way radio and binoculars we could help the fire dept manage the activity of the firemen in attacking the fire…he blew me off…this is also verifiable with the tapes of the day’s calls. Why would I lie about such a thing? We understand that the SFD people are human and subject to error and were only trying to help. We didn’t know at the time that they had egos as big as all outdoors and were disposed to rather ‘cover their asses’ rather than admit a little confusion on their part. Well we all know the fire which started behind the “Storyteller” (pictures don’t lie) took all afternoon to get to the western slope of Wilson’s Mountain and the helicopters effort didn’t start until then (around 4 pm). We watched the valiant effort made by these pilots to stop the fire there but it was too late. It was, by then, out of control.

    The fire started around noon. Judging by the scanner chatter it was chaos. You seem, by your comments and refusal to investigate yourself, to be blindly going along with the cover up and are chastising anyone who wishes to enlighten you. You have become part of the problem.

    This community does not find fault with the firemen nor the job they do for their district. But when people try to whitewash reports and resist accountability to those who pay their salaries…yes we do pay their salaries!!, then a red flag goes up and the more you try to ‘bully’ your way around the issue and intimidate the questioners the more suspicious people become of the management of the SFD. (not the firemen).

    Yes I do lack knowledge of the emergency management area but I do recognize when someone is trying to pull the wool over my eyes. So do others in the community and this election will prove that bully tactics do not work on a knowledgeable public. You have destroyed the reputations of some honorable men who volunteered to help the SFD be fiscally responsible. Fear of uncovering some activity which does not speak well of the SFD has driven you to ‘close ranks’ and blame the blamers. An old union tactic which won’t work anymore.

    I was raised to take responsibility for my words and deeds. Today, it’s “the ends justify the means”…anything goes!

    Now you can go and have a good laugh at yourself because you have revealed that you have absolutely no idea about the Brins Mesa Fire other than the ‘mantra’ you’ve been given by those scoundrels you have defended. You have drunk the cool-aid of the left if you believe what was written in the article you yourself provided. Anyone would, without the vantage point we had of the fire. You probably, given the likes of those you have chosen to blindly defend, depend on their approval for your self-worth. God help you and all of us. You see SFD seems more interested these days in keeping the lid on their activities than doing their jobs. Why do you suppose that is?

    As far as ‘Dick the commander’ is concerned I think he is a union wonk…he has no idea of the Brins Mesa Fire either…and he was ‘Fire Commander” in Flagstaff at the time of the fire. Boy, you guys do take yourselves seriously don’t you? Real hero’s. But not exactly rocket scientists either…agreed?

    Why are our excellent firefighters holding signs at the corners in Sedona publicly endorsing the candidates of their choice (union boys all)? Should our employees be publicly taking sides in an election? Why don’t you pose these questions…never occurred to you? Hah!!

    This is my last missive. You don’t seem educatable to me (my new word). Why bother?

  13. Don Davis says:

    Mr. Reynolds,

    As a citizen, I find your remarks highly distasteful at best. Did you even live here during the volunteer days? Although I am sure they had the best interest of all in mind, I am almost positive they would never have been able to perform the functions as you describe above. I also doubt they are as well trained and dedicated as those who have chosen this profession as a career and not a hobby. Using unions as a scapegoat is cheap and cowardly. If it were not for unions, we would still be working in third-world sweat factories and mills. Although some unions have begun to get bad reputations, I believe the firefighter’s union is one that most are proud to be a part of and endorsed by. Did you not see their endorsement during the 2008 presidential election and now John McCain is proud to have the firefighters as a friend. Have you ever met these union firefighters? Have you not seen the extra work they put into the community? How can individuals refer to them as thugs and money hungry monsters? This is ludicrous and you are not helping the situation.

    I followed this dialogue from the beginning and have noticed a very negative and sometimes, hateful tone in your depiction of thoughts. May I ask why this is? If you have a problem with an individual, you should take it directly to them and not belittle the bunch in attempt to get your point across. There are enough slanderous and libelous documents floating around currently and the last thing our town needs is another venue for this misinformation to be spread. I have seen the documents with the false and misleading numbers concerning salaries and monies spent and now I see your attempt to sway others opinions about the fire department. I personally saw the actions these brave men and women took during the Brins fire and was extremely grateful for their presence. I would ask in the future, if you have questions or concerns regarding the actions or perceived inactions of public safety individuals, you would go straight to the source. This bantering back and forth is childish at best. So, please stop the nonsense and get educated to the correct facts or move on.

    Thank you

  14. Jerry Reynolds says:

    We moved here in 1983. You?

  15. Phil says:

    On page 3A of today’s OTHER paper, Dave Blauert, commenting about the SFD fire association, is quoted as saying ” The union has destroyed this country.” A large number of employees within our district are members of a variety of unions(hospital workers, supermarket employees, teachers, police, sheriff deputies, fire, etc). What would they be earning if it weren’t for the unions watching out for their wages and benefits? Have we all forgotten why they began in the first place? Doesn’t Mr. Blauert remember his days starting out in the construction industry? Since when is it a crime to be a union member and get decent comparable wages and benefits? . I suggest that those of us in this District who are members of any union think twice before seriously considering voting for such a slate.

  16. Phil says:

    “Mr. Johnson’s slate must feel very desperate to resort to this type of tactic in order to persuade the taxpayers to vote for them. It’s obvious to many of us within the District that this seems to be the only alternative left to someone used to having his way on everything, including manipulating people around. When his slate resorts to stealing campaign signs from the opposition, (verbally) attacking the Chief and his professional staff, preventing others from speaking out at a community meeting, it gives the rest of us a very good idea of the type of slate they represent!”

    As I re-red part of one of the previous posts, I couldn’t help notice the above quote. Now that we find out that Mr. Johnson is caught red-handed stealing the opposition’s signs, we know for sure the type of slate they represent!

    Just received this email:

    “As you may have noticed, campaign signs in Sedona and the surrounding fire district for Dick Fishel, Doug Fitzpatrick, and Ty Montgomery have been disappearing for some time. Their opponents’ signs have not been disturbed. Frustrated by this unethical and illegal action, the campaign team set up a camera to see if we could find out who has been taking our signs. All of our signs have had permission from the owners of the respective properties.

    Clicking the link below will take you to a slide show of a sign theft in progress. The man in the pictures has been identified as Lowell Johnson, who has been a vocal critic of the SFD, and a staunch supporter of the opposing slate of Demme, Blauert, and Erick. The pictures clearly show him driving up onto private property, removing our signs, and carrying them back to his car.

    This behavior only serves to further show the complete lack of any integrity, ethics, or desire to represent the residents of our district fairly by the opposing campaign. This is the epitome of low class dirty politics. It is also a crime. Tampering with a campaign sign is a class 2 misdemeanor, not to mention theft and trespassing.

    We also have evidence of Mr. Johnson removing our signs in the Village of Oak Creek. Police reports are being filed with the Sedona Police Department and the Yavapai County Sherriff’s Office.”

    http://cmd.shutterfly.com/commands/pictures/slideshow?site=sfdcampaignsignstealing&page=sfdcampaignsignstealing/pictures&album=10

  17. Concerned Citizen says:

    Mr. Johnson shouldnt be the target. He’s not running for the board. He is just one of many here in Sedona trying to get taxes lowered. He has been here for 30yrs and has seen the Sedona Fire dept. grow into this over inflated cartel. He has nothing against any employees that work for the Fire Dept. He is just sticking up for himself and others that are behind the scene. Every body is broke. If the Sedona Fire Dept. would just give a little back to the Sedona residences this all would go away!

  18. concerned Citizen says:

    Whats wrong with the Sedona Fire Dept.? Its not their money to spend how they like and when they like! Its are money and they need to listen to us, and not to bully every one in Sedona. Its our Fire Stations and they work for us!

  19. a burak says:

    The Sedona fire board just dropped the mil levy to the lowest in the state. Proportionality we pay the very least but get better service than anywhere else in AZ. SFD is the only fire department that has an ambulance service that the tax payers won’t get a bill from. What else would you like them to do? Fire and EMS are expensive public endeavors. Would you rather see it all go away?

  20. Don Davis says:

    Mr. Reynolds,

    We moved to the Verde Valley in 1972. So, I would venture to guess we have seen a few more changes than you. It is apparent you are a very angry individual with a hidden agenda of your own. Unfortunately, the slate you are backing has lost all creditability with their recent shenanigans and lies. Best of luck to you, but the Fitzpatrick, Fishel and Montgomery slate have my vote Tuesday! “Integrity Matters”

Leave a Reply

Copyright © 2008-2017 · Sedona Eye · All Rights Reserved · Posts · Comments · Facebook · Twitter ·