Fire Dept. telephone disconnected

gfpd26

Member
May 21, 2010
331
Greenville, IL
This is a community in N. St. Louis County.. They have had trouble for years... Last winter, their garage door failed and they had a tarp strung over it most of the winter....


http://www.kmov.com/news/local/Kinloch-Fire-Department-loses-phone-services-112837364.html


(KMOV) – A St. Louis County fire department is so behind on its bills that its phone company has cut service.


In November, News 4 reported that the Kinloch Fire Department was struggling to pay its electric bills.


Now, the department says it is six months behind on phone bill payments, so service to the department’s non-emergency line was cut off.


911 calls are still getting through.


The department blames its troubles on low property tax revenues.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

ParkPiggy

Member
May 21, 2010
667
Northeast Ohio
I blame the loosing their phones on bad budgeting of their funds. I'm on two PDs and an FD. Times are tough-real tough in the town the FD is in. But, we have gone with the flow. Our Chiefs do not spend every penny. There are funds, established for when times are slim, to help cover the gap. Hopefully they can get some help now from council, and then get on a budget where they can establish a rainy day fund.
 

philyumpshus

Member
Jun 20, 2010
1,281
Malone, NY
The link shows a nice new Rosenbauer custom cab. How did they afford that if they can't pay their phone bills!?
 

MATT3045

Member
May 23, 2010
269
Akron Ohio area
I found a website for them I think, www.kinlochfire.com If this is their FD and they are a paid department, I think I found another problem with their money. They have 17 members shown on the website, 6 are chief officers, 2 are captains, and 9 firefighters, there were also a couple open spots. I think they are a little officer heavy. I did not read the website over to well, but maybe they should reduce their officer staff.
 

Respondcode3

Member
May 23, 2010
1,936
Northen Il USA
Its a Volunteer FD


I guess you didnt see that on the top of the "who we are" right before you click on personel


"The Kinloch Fire Protection District is made up of a group of


highly trained and dedicated volunteer personnel. The District, is


the only totally volunteer Fire Department in St. Louis County,


Missouri.


"
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
philyumpshus said:
The link shows a nice new Rosenbauer custom cab. How did they afford that if they can't pay their phone bills!?

I was gonna say the exact same thing but decided not to stir the pot cause I wasn't there. But it makes you wonder, LED lighting, Q siren, custom cab... where are their priorities?
 

theroofable

Member
May 23, 2010
1,379
New Jersey
Their station looks pretty nice. I dont know if those bays can fit two engines or not by the picture, but it seems fairly large for the amount of personell they have. On a side note, they should get Magic Jack :D
 

MATT3045

Member
May 23, 2010
269
Akron Ohio area
Respondcode3 said:
Its a Volunteer FD

I guess you didnt see that on the top of the "who we are" right before you click on personel


"The Kinloch Fire Protection District is made up of a group of


highly trained and dedicated volunteer personnel. The District, is


the only totally volunteer Fire Department in St. Louis County,


Missouri.


"
Are they TRUE volunteer, or do they get paid? I know a lot of places say they are volunteer, but there member get paid per call or some kind of yearly bonus type deal. I did not see that on the web page, like I said I did not look at it very closely because I was at work. Either way, what does that small of a FD need that many officers. Sounds like a power trip to me.
 

pixiguy

Member
Jul 22, 2010
122
Johnson City, NY
Its called the chain of command.... I am positive that their department had a bunch more members at one point, but when their town become poverty stricken due to the lack of funds NEEDED to operate people moved on. This would be the reason Kinlocks a ghost town. Apparently there is no work in or around the area either. I would love a homeless, unemployed welfare recipient to don a set of morning prides and repay his debt to the community, but somehow i dont for-see him paying for the fuel.
 

Station 3

Member
May 21, 2010
3,395
Edinburg Texas
When i used to work for a PD next to the Mexican Border our PDs emergency phone line was disconected several times since there were no funds. And also the internet was disconected and we did not have any funds to put fuel in the units. One time i even think one of the officers put fuel in the unit out of his own pocket so he could respond to calls.
 

PC Comms

Member
May 30, 2010
1,881
Beautiful southern Georgia!

Bigassfireman

Member
May 23, 2010
823
U. S. of A. Ohio

MATT3045

Member
May 23, 2010
269
Akron Ohio area
pixiguy said:
Its called the chain of command.... I am positive that their department had a bunch more members at one point, but when their town become poverty stricken due to the lack of funds NEEDED to operate people moved on. This would be the reason Kinlocks a ghost town. Apparently there is no work in or around the area either. I would love a homeless, unemployed welfare recipient to don a set of morning prides and repay his debt to the community, but somehow i dont for-see him paying for the fuel.
I know what a chain of command is, and understand it. But for 17 members now, and 8 of them are officers, that is pointless. My parttime FD has over 30 members, we have 4 officers, chief, asst. chief, capt, and a lt. Lt does not show up much and is really only on for scheduling and payroll. When money gets better (if it ever does) we would like to promote one more lt. We have trained our members well enough that if an officer is not there, you had better know what you are doing and get the help that is needed if it is needed. In the past they may have had a bigger department, they don't anymore.


I do not care if they a Jolly Volley's or IAFF union to the core, a department that small has NO need for that many officers. Nearly half of their department is an officer, and 1/3 are chief officers.
 

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