EDITORIAL: Time to consider unified fire system
A recent online poll of this newspaper’s website, indicated strong support for the merging of the county’s multiple fire districts under one umbrella (JacksonHeraldTODAY.com).
Some 64 percent of those who responded said they would support a unified county fire department while 27 percent were opposed.
That’s something of a major shift in opinion for Jackson County. Traditionally, citizens have been very protective of maintaining separate small departments.
In theory, that sounds good. Under Jackson County’s system (with the exception of West Jackson, Jefferson and Commerce), local fire departments are governed by a local fire board. The fire board levies a property tax and from that, funds the department it oversees.
The problem is that in reality, there is little separation of fire departments and fire boards; they are often on in the same. In addition, fire board elections have become an insider game with little real public input.
That has created a few “kingdoms” around the county where one or two people set local fire tax rates and competition for the newest “toys” has departments spending tax dollars without any real oversight.
This mix of some 10 separate fire districts also makes local elections and the local tax structure extremely complex. Jackson County has the most tax districts of any county in Georgia because of the variety of fire taxes.
But the biggest problem is the lack of equal and cohesive fire services across the county. Some fire districts are wealthier than others because their local tax digest is larger.
A better system would be for the county government to levy one county-wide fire tax rate under a unified fire structure. Departments would make budget requests to the county and the elected board of commissioners would determine where the most pressing needs for fire protection are in the county.
Such a system would create greater oversight and accountability than the current structure and in the long run, provide more uniform fire services countywide.
This is a touchy issue, one politically charged. For that reason, the county government has been reluctant to discuss changing the status quo.
Perhaps with this recent show of support for a countywide system, it’s time for the BOC to have that discussion.
That’s something of a major shift in opinion for Jackson County. Traditionally, citizens have been very protective of maintaining separate small departments.
In theory, that sounds good. Under Jackson County’s system (with the exception of West Jackson, Jefferson and Commerce), local fire departments are governed by a local fire board. The fire board levies a property tax and from that, funds the department it oversees.
The problem is that in reality, there is little separation of fire departments and fire boards; they are often on in the same. In addition, fire board elections have become an insider game with little real public input.
That has created a few “kingdoms” around the county where one or two people set local fire tax rates and competition for the newest “toys” has departments spending tax dollars without any real oversight.
This mix of some 10 separate fire districts also makes local elections and the local tax structure extremely complex. Jackson County has the most tax districts of any county in Georgia because of the variety of fire taxes.
But the biggest problem is the lack of equal and cohesive fire services across the county. Some fire districts are wealthier than others because their local tax digest is larger.
A better system would be for the county government to levy one county-wide fire tax rate under a unified fire structure. Departments would make budget requests to the county and the elected board of commissioners would determine where the most pressing needs for fire protection are in the county.
Such a system would create greater oversight and accountability than the current structure and in the long run, provide more uniform fire services countywide.
This is a touchy issue, one politically charged. For that reason, the county government has been reluctant to discuss changing the status quo.
Perhaps with this recent show of support for a countywide system, it’s time for the BOC to have that discussion.
Now, let me see if I get this straight...Commerce handles its own area independent (for the most part) of the BOC, and Jefferson handles its own area independent (for the most part) of the BOC...and Nicholson is the focal point of all things done for the better by the Board of Commissioners? All of the other citys in Jackson County play "second fiddle" to Nicholson, as far as what the BOC does?
I don't know which parallel universe YOU live in, but in the universe that I live in, that's certainly NOT the case.
I would think you would have checked some facts and figures to back up that tall tale before you put it out here for everyone to see.
I wonder why people try to answer questions by changing the point rather than answering the question that is asked. Could it be because they know they have no reasonable answer to the actual question that was asked to start with? Hmmmm....
the only solution is for the commision to put this topic on the november balot to establish a county fire department instead of the multi departments we have today.
as for the cost?
a fire tax is in place so no taxes will need to be raised just better control of these departments
im sure if it was put to a vote it will pass the county fire services could fall under the director of Emergency Services as a division
lets hope this debate does not die and something positive becomes of this issiue, if we have firefighters that is dead set against this going before the voters then they are in this for the wrong reason .
the only reason we are here is for our citizens.
The Fire service in Jackson has been broke for years but no one wants to talk about it.
I spent years watching guys falsify training records and documents, waste money etc
I also approached 3 separate BOC Chair people about this twice with proof. Guess what happened.NOTHING.
The corruption and misuse of tax payers money is so deep folks that Mike B could retire with this story but you will never see it happen because people like "heck no" get there BBQ tickets and shake those boys hands and get snowed.
The real victims are the line firefighters that answer calls every day in this county that really care. There are several that would love to man stations in the county and not go to Athens or Hall county to work but because we want to approach the fire service with a 1977 mind set this won't happen.
I give Mike a big thumbs up for writing this and Tom Crow a big thumbs down for not telling the truth as a BOC commissioner but helping out his "old friends".
Mike- using Open Record laws, look into these other fire services and report FACTS. If they're doing something unethical, then REPORT it. This supposition that "something might be a certain way so let's fix a non-existent problem" has got to stop! Once we have FACTS, changes can be made IF needed.
"The rescue squads in this county DO NOT have a budget." Well the fire departments do so obviously they are more capable of providing a better service to the community.
"The fire departments in these(sic) county do not have the proper training to run rescue." I know for a fact that there are far more trained EMTs and PARAMEDICS on the fire departments than there are on the volunteer rescue squads. If I needed help I would certainly rather have my local fire department come to help me instead of a bunch of high school kids with in most cases not even MINIMAL EMS training showing up and then telling me that "the ambulance is on the way" well no $#it Sherlock, I know the ambulance is on the way because I called 911! Now instead of just standing there like an idiot DO SOMETHING!
You are right, most citizens have no clue what "rescue" is because where we came from the Fire Department handled fire/extrication and assisted with EMS. We didn't have some backwards system that had fire and rescue separate. All the other fire departments in the county have gotten with the program and started doing their job so why doesnt Maysville, Commerce, and Jefferson? Also to clarify for our readers: Yes Jefferson rescue goes to car wrecks to perform extrication, but so does Jefferson Fire department so there is a duplication of services there. Same thing in Commerce. Now the "rescue" guys and the firemen don't get along because the paramedics and emt's on the fire trucks disagree with the lack of skill and training of the rescue squads. "I'm in charge because nothing is burning!" "No I'm in charge because the fire department handles Incident Command." "No I'm in charge because my truck says rescue on the side!" "No I'm in charge because we are Paramedics and you only have CPR and 1st Responder training." Wouldn't you rather there be ONE department coming to take care of you if you were trapped in your car and them working as a TEAM to get you out because they are all on the same department? Well if you live everywhere else in the county except Jefferson, Commerce, or Maysville then that is how it already is!
So far as your comment on doing this service for free; there are several fire departments that dont pay per call (which is what you were referring to). South Jackson doesn't, Harrisburg doesn't, even West Jackson still has some volunteers that don't get paid for anything they do. So don't get all high and mighty about how you do it for free! Also since you brought it up, the busiest fire/rescue department in jackson county is West Jackson. Jefferson Rescue runs more "rescue" calls than West Jackson, Jefferson Fire runs more fire calls than West Jackson, however West Jackson does its ENTIRE job of responding to both types of calls so their combined total is bigger than both of the Jefferson, both of the Commerce and of course both of the Maysville departments. See I get to see the county run report each month too.
Anyone who has ever been involved in Jackson County Fire and EMS knows the two areas that our holding it up but as of yet no one wants to do whats right.Rescue is the least of our problems in Jackson County sir.
Thank You to all the firefighters, first responders and volunteers that make the system work even the government may not have their ducks quite in a perfect row.
Wrong boys..hang on and pay attention BOC.
1.We already have 2 men on staff in Steve Nichols and David McCoy who are more the qualfied to be our 2 county Fire/EMS coordinators.
2. All budgets need to go through those 2 before being approved by the fire boards to insure that no one is spending $$$ for garbage.
3. All trucks in the county should be loaded the same, how you load hose in South Jackson you do at North Jackson, if you find a axe in the truck at Maysville it should be in the same place in Plainview.
4. The expense is here, hire a full time county wide training officer who will train all departments the same and keep with each departments training records. Yes we need a clerk for this employee as to ensure that training is done correctly.
Each department should have to train so many hours each month in each discipline including basic EMS/ extraction for it to continue to get funding.
5. After getting this set up we should continue volunteer but look at adding day staff to busy stations like Jackson Trail and North Jackson. 2 men a day 5 days a week to cover gaps.
So no Tom and James and the other half dozen screamers your horror story is untrue.
You will be held accountable and your departments will train and conform to a unified system insuring Jackson County gets there bang for the buck.
I want to know what the OTHER fireman commissioner thinks of this. I haven't heard him speak since he got elected, so this might be a good time to start. This fence can't be straddled any longer. We are hurting out here with taxes and the troubled economy.
I would suggest that you contact Steve Nichols at 707-367-5202 or by email at: snichols@jacksoncountygov.com so that you can get answers from the source. He is a county employee and I am sure that he would be happy to answer a citizen's questions!
Thank you,
Ben Stephens, Fire Chief
West Jackson Fire Department
706-654-2500
bstephens@westjacksonfd.com
Those 3 trucks where not bought by Steve but by Chad Hope..go ahead check it out !
Maysville doesn't deserve a rescue truck as it hardly runs any calls the trucks went where they could be used to help the citezens of Jackson county not where big shots like you want them....you just proved the point one unified fire-ems ! No more my town first..my station gets it first...the only good old boy posting so far has been tired of the good old boys.
My solution costs less and provides more...guess you don't want to train and earn your way and work as a team. You are the weakest link...good bye.
My thoughts is clean hose...start from the ground up with ONE department and equal station houses across the county!
You don't need but 1 admin asst not 2-3 nor do we need all the money you and yours keep crying wolf about.
We have the core in house in Jackson County already. As for your system works copmment , if it did thenn why do a vast majority as proven by the poll in this paper want consolidation ?
Because there tired of the good old boy folks like Crow and Lyles and there little private fire departments taking tax payers $$$ and not having ANY oversite.
The tax boards only set the millage rate, they can't control operations or keep a Chief in check. If you want your tax $$$ flying around with no control then please BOC do nothing but what you have done in the past. Turn a blind eye to the tax payers!
We have way too many guys who are "wannabe's " Jefferson has 2 on their dept that wannabe big shots that frankly need to be escorted right out of Jackson County.
But this whole mess happens all the time and has for years yet until now no one cared to print it.
The citzens are getting hosed and something has to give soon.
Parker Griffith
Second after that debacle at H.Wilson you don't get to talk about anything. That was a disgusting display and it's all about JFD ego.
Third...Fire association is a friggen joke and you know it,the fact you brought that up means old Lyles is pulling your strings.
Fourth I have 21 years in so don't try your lecture on me. Whats been said needed to come out and that is that jackson county needs one county department and that doesn't effect Jefferson West Jackson or Commerce so you boys and your Chiefs kindly butt out for once and leave it to those of us that it does.
Bottom line Parker heres a quarter call someone who really cars !
Also, trust me; Jefferson Commerce and West Jackson all have a "dog" in the fight because idiots like you are their "2nd due" responders. So having one fire department surrounding Jefferson instead of six IS JFD's business. I bet they are LOVING the idea of combining, just like many of the rest of the volunteer firefighters... You should do us all a favor and help Jackson County firefighting as a whole and retire. You've spent enough years working against the other departments which translates into working against the citizens.
Parker had no business spouting off like he did and many firefighters know it.
Fireguy you and your West Jackson group need to knock that chip off your shoulder because your making everyone in the fire service look bad.
Do a little research on ISO 1 departments it shouldn't be hard to find where I came from genius. How many of you have had the officer training at The National Fire Academy ?? I doubt it since your reply is filled with nothing but junk.
Jefferson and Commerce are city departments and West is an independent district. Your not going to get involved in this per say but yes you would be effected by a BETTER trained and MORE stable County department backing you up.
Don't worry though I won't take my experience and training and use it in Jackson much longer, then you can have those fine high school kids with mod 1 backing you up after all someone who is passionate enough to care has no business in Jackson right fire guy?
•Develop, implement, and enforce a written Incident Management System to be followed at all emergency incident operations- Are we doing that in Jackson ?
•Train fire fighters to communicate interior conditions to the Incident Commander as soon as possible and to provide regular updates- Ditto?
•Ensure that a separate Incident Safety Officer, independent from the Incident Commander, is appointed at each structure fire- Not going on here is it ?
•Ensure that fire fighters wear a full array of turnout clothing and personal protective equipment appropriate for the assigned task while participating in fire suppression and overhaul activities- We still have one department that doesn't follow this do they ?
•Consider establishing and enforcing standardized resource deployment approaches and utilize dispatch entities to move resources to fill service gaps.
•Ensure that all fire fighters and line officers receive fundamental and annual refresher training according to NFPA 1001 and NFPA 1021- Not happening here.
Bottom line keep throwing stones because a unified Fire system makes sense period.