It’s hard to watch the news and not wonder and reflect about how life has changed forever for the people of Northern Japan. What they have just endured was something that their country has been “preparing for” not just “planning” for, and despite the horrible and unbelievable devastation, their country has done something’s very well in responding to the disaster. Will their response be perfect? No. Will there be issues and failures in operations? Of course…It’s a disaster after all.

There are some true learning issues for us in Washington State and in Lacey proper. The first issue that we need to understand is this type of event is going to happen in Washington State. We will have a catastrophic earthquake in Lacey, and it will cause substantial damage to Lacey and Thurston County. Will it happen tomorrow or next year? Probably not, but it will happen someday. So are we ready?

I know that a lot of agencies would offer a pre-designed disaster game plan but the key is to understand that the initial response potentially for days is going to be done with a local response and with local resources. A disaster plan that sits on the shelf at city hall or county chambers is just that…A plan that still needs to be administered by people and resources.

One of the outfalls of our state budget cuts and local governments trying to keep it ‘lean and mean’ is the loss of surge capacity or the ability to provide resources during high demand. Locally, our hospital has been very busy with at times not having certain types of beds available. Our fire department and others have at times been completely out of resources responding to just routine events. And city and county governments are not replacing or hiring positions and doing everything they can just to prevent layoffs.
The real question to be asked if we don’t fund or support certain aspects of government or ensure that we have enough locally responders, is to ask then what is acceptable for response? Is it ok to say that sometimes if you have heart attack that response might take 10 minutes? If your house is on fire, it’s ok that sometimes only 4 fire fighters will show up in the first 10 minutes? Is it OK that when an earthquake hits, that building extrication won’t happen?

Ultimately government is making decisions that perhaps many citizens won’t like or expect when a disaster comes, it’s not happening overnight but it is happening slow and insidious fashion. The take home point is to learn is that when the disaster hits, that there is no extra fire department ready to go in some hidden garage in Lacey. That there is no switch to flip that immediately releases more police officers onto the street. That when several hundred casualties and injured people suddenly need definitive care, that the hospitals will be overwhelmed. Funding of emergency services has to continue and be commensurate with growth; otherwise, having enough resources for routine let alone disasters just isn’t going to happen. So, do you want a plan or do you want to be prepared?

Last night in the Monroe State prison, a single guard was working in a prison chapel of all places by herself with a convicted three strikes felon who had done such things as rape, set his victim on fire, and assault while in possession of a firearm. Yet this guard who had complained previously about safety issues and the lack of staffing was ignored. Now that she is dead because of her very concern. Will management now take her seriously? Despite saving a few bucks at the prison, the amount of money that will now be spent in litigation and settlements will likely rival and surpass what was saved. Makes a lot of sense doesn’t it.

This week also saw the tragedy of a fallen officer in Federal Way whose family is now being punished because of gap in state law or policy. Even though police officers can be involved in a shoot out, be very active on the crime scene, and perhaps even be physically confrontational with a perpetrator of crime, labor and industries rules that the death of Officer Brian Walsh who died in March of 2010 was not in the line of duty. That decision cost the officer’s family hundreds of thousands of dollars and other benefits. It’s hard logic gap to fathom considering he had a heart attack following being shot at, and being very physically active. As far as we are concerned, the bullet did the same amount of damage weather it traveled “harmlessly by” or stuck him square in the head.

The real frustration is that the Association of Washington Cities has come out against any changes to policy and law and agrees with the findings of L&I that would deprive officer’s Walsh’s widow and three children of benefits. Is cost really the issue? If nothing else fairness and equality definitely is.

I know it seem strange that a fire fighter’s blog was all about law enforcement this time, but it reinforces a few common reoccurring themes. If there was ever a reason to be organized to help fight bad managerial decisions the time is now, and that there is a huge disconnect frequently between the voters/public’s expectation of government management and reality.

Support HB-1445. And a link explaining the story is here.

By Harold Schaitberger

Workers have been under siege since the recession began. Allowing states to go into bankruptcy and
walk away from their moral and legal obligations to public employees would continue the assault and
hasten the destruction of the middle class.

The bankruptcy scheme designed by Newt Gingrich has the appearance of a think‐tank white paper
drafted by bean counters and policy wonks who prefer to envision the world as they wish it could be,
not as it really is.

If we decided during the recession that banks are too big to fail, it stands to reason that states also are
too big to fail.

Given the opportunity to file for bankruptcy, states would have the latitude in court to abrogate
contractual obligations, skewer wages, pensions and benefits. The pension plan and health care benefits
that Mr. Gingrich and other current and former members of Congress are entitled to would remain
intact. Hypocritical politicians would be spared from making any sacrifice.
So where is this clarion call coming from?

Mr. Gingrich is taking his direction from bankers, who desperately want to convert defined benefit plans
to defined contribution plans so they can have access to the billions of dollars of retirement savings that
they can’t touch now.

He is looking out for Wall Street bond traders and investment houses, because a state’s ability to wipe
away pension obligations would ensure that it has more capital to pay creditors.

There is no doubt that investors and bankers rank higher than workers in Mr. Gingrich’s think‐tank plan.
But the bankruptcy scheme would cause more fiscal carnage than the economic devastation we’ve
witnessed over the past two years by destroying the retirement security of middle class workers, the
economic foundation of our great country. Allowing states to file for bankruptcy isn’t just misguided, it is
economically irresponsible.

It’s also unnecessary. Mr. Gingrich and other opponents of public employees repeatedly trumpet the
same mistruths about public employee pensions – pension obligations are out of control, they are a
financial albatross, fiscal doom is on the horizon unless the outrageous benefits of these untouchable
elitists aren’t reigned in.

The gaping hole in the logic is large enough to carry the freight train holding Mr. Gingrich’s personal
wealth. Most pension funds for fire fighters remain sound. Those that aren’t can be repaired.
First responders aren’t economists, but even fire fighters and paramedics understand that these are
challenging times. That’s why so many have gone back to the bargaining table, agreeing to pay cuts and
negotiating concessions to reduce wages and benefits. First responders will continue to help public
officials overcome fiscal hardships because everyone has a role to play in overcoming this brutal
recession. Not just workers.

Governors, talking heads and presidential hopefuls like Mr. Gingrich all want a scapegoat. Public
employees have provided intellectually lazy finger pointers with an easy target for their bottomless pit
of attacks.

But the discussion surrounding public employee pensions is riddled with mistruths and generalizations.
The pension funds of fire fighters – most of whom do not receive Social Security benefits – are in good
fiscal health in many states. Drastic pension underfunding is the exception, not the rule.
Newly‐elected Governor Rick Scott, in Florida, blames public employees for that state’s financial
problems, but that state’s pension fund for fire fighters is 90 percent funded, which independent
analysts consider extremely fiscally healthy.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, blames public employees for his state’s fiscal problems, but that
state’s pension fund for fire fighters is funded at 105 percent.

In Indiana, the pension fund for fire fighters is funded at 93 percent.

Wall Street’s recklessness caused our nation’s financial collapse. Public employee pensions didn’t cause
the problem, and enabling states to walk away from their obligations won’t solve a single problem. But it
will help further enrich Wall Street at the expense of the middle class.

The middle class has paid dearly over the past two years. As our country struggles to emerge from the
lingering effects of a debilitating recession, we need to concentrate on creating jobs and getting people
back to work. We need to concentrate on rehabilitating the middle class. Taking aim at workers with
laws that will destroy the retirement security of millions of Americans won’t contribute to our nation’s
recovery.

Someone who wants to run for president should be able to understand that.

Harold Schaitberger is the general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

The developing business sense of the Nisqually nation is impressive. Most “outsiders” think that the lone source of tribal income and opportunity is just the typical tribal casino or government funding. The gradual capital expansion and careful planning from cradle to completion of the casino is great example of good investment tied to careful research and clearly planned for future expansion with considerations towards marketing and competition. But we should not forget that a large part of their balance sheet on the revenue side also includes business and industries such as Nisqually Aquatic Technologies and their criminal justice services. Nisqually Aquatic Technologies (NAT) should be a Google must and take into consideration that NAT provides critical services around the state and beyond that are in high demand. Are you on city or community water system on the Westside of the state? There is a pretty good chance that NAT did some work on your local water system. The same holds true for the criminal justice system and the housing of inmates. If some communities had to provide jailing services internally for many of their inmates, considering the current budget crisis, it would likely mean significant reductions to arrests or incarceration for many communities.

With the success of the Nisqually nations business and other investments, perhaps the most telling aspect of the Nisqually leadership has been their reinvestment into the community. Their community schools are first rate; their students and youth are encouraged and supported to attend higher education, and the facilities and opportunities for their youth are competitive if not exceeding most off reservation intuitions. Our union believes that education and skill building is a critical asset to ensuring a community’s future success and ensuring succession of competent leadership. While our society off reservation is cutting education and raising tuition to the point of inaccessibility for short term solvency of financial issues, the Nisqually Nation is investing in their future generation. No more “lost generations” for these people who have been through so much.

As fire fighters we also commend their forward thinking in emergency management by making plans and investing into public safety. The new community center that also doubles as an emergency operations center and shelter for the tribe exceeds anything else in the county. The Nisqually tribe also frequently has more officers on duty than the entire expanse of Thurston County through the Sherriff’s Office. While our community is cutting without consideration to the short and long-term impacts to fire and law enforcement, the Nisqually nation is investing and preparing. They are doing a far better job than most communities in heeding warnings and advice of future natural disasters or community needs in times of emergency. Don’t worry about the Nisqually nation during the next major earthquake, they’re preparing and getting ready and are years beyond most communities in Washington.

As final thought, the politics of the Nisqually tribe are not entrenched in demagoguery and eternal campaign rhetoric but are largely about responsible growth and addressing community needs in a balanced and sustainable approach. It’s a common criticism that because they don’t have the same taxation and regulation structures that exist off reservation that they are successful, but that’s naïve considering how far they have come and how successful they have been especially in comparing tribes throughout North America. The Nisqually people and their Elders have done something unique and they should be proud. For those of us off reservation, we should look at them now as example of government truly of, for, and by the people. A government and people that recognizes investment in the community is key and developing business that re-invests and supports a community while existing in a highly profitable environment. It’s not about raising taxes, it’s about increasing business and revenue in an equitable and suitable manner as executed in careful community planning and management.

We’re lucky. The fire fighter’s of Lacey Fire District hope we can continue to be part of their community for the next 60 years and are grateful for the friendship and support.

What about Jeff Powell? Jeff is a prominent local businessman and president of the local chamber of commerce. The fire fighters have already stated in earlier blogs that we would bend over backwards for business if given the chance and we want to be a proponent for business initiatives. We are keenly aware that the success of our local small business sector makes all the difference for the entire community and we believe that we agree with many of the goals of the local chamber. But for some reason, Mr. Powell has been a frequent opponent to the fire district even before the city district fight in Lacey. Why? We frequently find that our critics, who stand from a distance and never step into a fire station or talk to those actually doing the job, are at a significant disadvantage when understanding the issues. So this is an invitation to change that and for other critics to see for yourself what’s accurate and what’s not when it comes to local fire and EMS service.
As a final thought, everyone needs to work to prevent this from happening again. The amount of misinformation that was disseminated and then held as truth during the height of the district/city mess was very troubling. It’s been said that “truth is the first casualty of war”, and in this fight this statement was absolutely the case. From 17% pay raises, to only 5 calls a day, or the “per capita” taxation figures that a former politician spun to make his case, it was all “bull spit” to support a political mirage. Prevention through accurate information, political action through good and honest politics in our elected officials, and through reasonable and citizen focused community leaders is what must occur.

So is it over? The Olympian had an editorial a few weeks ago calling for political tranquility and to move on and it’s been something we’ve been thinking about. One of our mistakes in the past is that we trusted certain administrators and politicians to make the right decisions. One of our lessons learned is that no citizen should take a “hands off” approach especially in our local political system. And that should go for any organization, community group, and business entity; people need to be involved and care about what your local politicians are doing. We’ve seen the damage that self serving politicians and empire builders can do to a community. It was our wakeup call that the safety of the community and those that serve the people should not rest to chance and the current political whim.
With that said, you will continue to see fire fighters showing up at meetings, supporting schools and other community service groups, and caring about who gets elected or holds office. We encourage everyone who is also concerned and caring about what goes on in your community to make the same efforts and show up at meetings, support good candidates, and ask hard questions of your leaders.
Thank you for supporting the people serving you.

“Red Cross Medical Rescue Heroes
Award Sponsor: Providence St. Peter Hospital

Firefighters Ethan Kruse and Mike Perry of Lacey Fire Department were on duty February 13, 2010 when they were dispatched to an emergency call involving a 10-month-old infant in cardiac arrest. While en route to the scene, the team reviewed their protocols and planned their course of action in an effort to not waste a single precious second during the response.

Upon arrival at the scene, Firefighters Kruse and Perry were told by the family that baby Jesse had a known history of cardiac problems. He had been found unconscious and not breathing.

While it was a stressful situation, both Firefighters Kruse and Perry stayed calm and focused. They took over the scene and the cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from the grandfather who had been the initial responder. Their training and experience allowed them to quickly assess the baby’s condition.

Firefighter Kruse performed chest compressions on the little boy as Firefighter Perry took care of the airway. The smaller features of the baby made it more difficult, but soon they detected a pulse and breathing.

Baby Jesse was immediately transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital until stabililzed and then transferred to Children’s Hospital in Seattle. He is making slow, but significant steps towards his recovery.

Since the incident, Jesse’s family has taken proactive steps and made the commitment get trained in first aid and CPR. They want to be prepared in case of another emergency and help increase their chances for a positive outcome.

Baby Jesse was recently discharged from the hospital just in time to celebrate this first birthday at home with his family and friends. “

Photo Used by permission from Fitgerald's Photography.

In Lacey, it wasn’t even a decade ago where people worked shifts at the Olympia Brewery, worked at a much busier Weyerhaeser and George Pacific Mills, Hardel lumber and Cascade Pole, Kay Packaging, or even Lacey Plywood. It was shift work and people had the time and income to do such things as fire fighting even during the weekdays. Or the farmers and students who lived in very rural areas of South Lacey had all night to respond and leave and return to their jobs at day without upsetting a boss.

We’re not anti-volunteer, we just ask that you consider the world that we’re in and understand that volunteers in the fire service are becoming harder to find as communities change, costs and training requirements are quite substantial and growing, and its not accurate to assume that paid fire fighters are out to eliminate volunteers.

If you don’t believe us, look here: Few volunteers news.

In other news, in Cowlitz County, they are looking at forming “taxing districts” in order to offset growth and build. I have never heard of this mentioned locally (or ever heard of this process for districts as being an option for that matter), but its noteworthy for how other areas are dealing with growth especially in sub-urban communities.

Fire District Taxing area.