Posted on 09/07/2011 8:16:21 AM PDT by The Bronze Titan
According to KVUE-TV, the state of Texas, under Gov. Rick Perry, cut state funding for the volunteer fire departments that protect most of the state from wildfires. Firefighters have actually been dipping into their own pockets to fight fires.
Volunteer departments that were already facing financial strain had their funding cut from $30 million to $7 million. There are 879 volunteer fire departments in Texas; 114 are paid fire departments, while 187 departments are a combination of volunteer and paid.
At a press conference Monday, Perry promised to seek federal disaster relief and said that FEMA would be in the state by Wednesday.
While the Texas governor has been highly critical of FEMA in the past, he dodged questions from CBS’ Erica Hill on Tuesday's 'Early Show,' insisting that now was not the time to worry about reforming the agency.
Perry said: “The issue is taking care of these people right now. We can work our way through any conversations about how to make agencies more efficient, how to make Department of Defense equipment, for instance, more available. There are a lot of issues we can talk about, but the fact of the matter is now is not the time to be trying to work out the details of how to make these agencies more efficient. Let’s get people out of harm’s way.”
See, SARAH! would never have let this happen. If Alaska were on fire, she would have personally been out there, shooting it with a water cannon out of a helicopter.
Well I wasn’t being anti-Perry, I was just thinking back to about a month ago and that ad that was run trying to drum up a “hottie or a stripper” that Perry was “with” it seems so many will do anything to discredit anyone except their “best bet to beat” the Kenyan.
So now bummer’s going to prevent Texas from fighting the fires so he can blame Perry.
Anything else we need to say against Perry, let it be said now, audibly — and edibly, because next year we will be eating those words.
Yeah, it’s definitely heading in to ‘deja-vu’ territory. What do you expect, another one coming out of Texas, take cover.
Volunteer firefighters are the backbone of most of the communities in the country. Sorry, but you need money to operate and maintain the resource capabilities for emergency response.
vol·un·teers plural 1. somebody who works for nothing: somebody who works without being paid
I was not accusing you, per se. I was simply pointing out how any threads having to do with Perry quickly devolve into madness.
Except she didn’t stay on the job long enough to have to worry about making tough budget cuts under the 0bama depression.
Yeah they seem too.
PDS is strong on FR
Contract Dispute Grounds Firefighting Planes...
See post #38...
Nearly half of the federal government’s firefighting air tankers are siting idle at a California airport, grounded by the Obama administration in a contract dispute just weeks before wildfires swept through Texas killing a mother and her child, and destroying 100,000 acres.
Laz, they do “pony up.”
We’re a big state with lots of rural communities, spread far apart, not necessarily even incorporated. No city taxes of funding.
As residents, those of us physically able to train and fight, do. Others hold fundraisers, give generously. When needed, these small departments all rush to help each other.
In a normal year, that’s enough.
This year is not normal. You just have no idea how bad it is.
It takes a lot of money to buy high-priced trucks and effective equipment. That’s where state and federal grant money comes in, generally for specific expenses.
I don’t think any volunteer department gets ongoing operational funding from the state.
We live in a little unincorporated area in WI called Harrisville (population about 200), which has a 100% volunteer fire department.
Every year they have a BratFest. It’s the largest single day event in the state and brings in more money for equipment and services for Harrisville than the paid departments get from taxes. It was just held this last weekend and it drew 1000’s (if not tens of thousands) of people. The community makes it happen, not the government.
That being said, when there is a major problem all of the firefighting and rescue units respond to help each other.
God bless them all for the work they do and the dangers they face.
Most of the trucks the VFD’s get are from larger cities that were “retired” vehicles
Many of the trucks are former military vehicles that are retro fitted with water tanks and brush guards.
Our VFD’s do so much and the communities in which they serve know it.
That is the way we do it here in PA. All fundraising and my dept runs old, but well maintained equipment. Other states and municipalities have pay to play. That encourages donations.
As the article is written, Perry is staving these groups in TX of expected cash. I would rather see FEMA step in and treat this like any other natural disaster instead of having bloated fire depts sitting around waiting for this once in a couple generations disaster happening. I don’t see where Perry is at fault here.
Ugh! Paleface Governator fail to ask Indian brothers to do heap big Kickapoo Rain Dance!!
Sounds like Global Warming to me. I blame Al Gore. But Perry once supported Gore ... so I guess it really is Perry's fault.
The Bronze Titan likes it when the government wipes his bottom?
Yes, the volunteers don't get paid.
But, the trucks need to be fed.
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