Comments on: Mayor Hotline June 26 to July 2

By: Zippo

Zippo — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 04:20:50 +0000

Greg: There is a concept known as fireman damage, this is another example. I don’t think it was an emergency, maybe training? Ruts not ok unless life was in danger. Even then, get one of those overly expensive seldom used shovels off the truck and fix the ruts.

PS: What do ya call 5 guys with a big red truck and a lawnmower? Money saving Multi-taskers.
PPS: I really don’t care what color you are so long as your not afraid to work and take the risks which you are very well paid for.

By: Matt

Matt — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 02:24:26 +0000

It makes someone look like a fool when make statements on diversity and don’t even know the racial and gender make- up of the department or union they are trying to make look bad. Larry and Nan E you need to do more homework before you make sweeping statements and judgements. Get yourself out of 1963. By the way, the union is not a racist org. That couldn’t be farther from the true. When you make statements that imply it is, you are personally insulting me. I don’t get offended easy, but I do by that.

By: neighbor

neighbor — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:11:28 +0000

Diversity huh?
We are talking about Boise, Idaho-right?
I’m pretty sure anybody can take that Civil Service test.

By: Nan E Mouse

Nan E Mouse — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 03:42:31 +0000

Larry’s right for the most part. The BFD, as are all unionized fire departments, is almost all white male. I think Boise’s had one black guy, one hispanic and one female in the last 20-25 years. Don’t know of any asians but there might be some or one.

It’s not a real hotbed of diversity, but then most unions (teachers and uaw excepted maybe) are not.

By: Just a thought....

Just a thought.... — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:04:09 +0000

Larry…you may want to research comments like that before you actually make them. Last time I checked, there are several minority groups employed by Boise Fire.

Referring to Butch Otter….amen brother! It’s the classic “good ol boy network” in action!

By: JJ

JJ — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:22:12 +0000

I think we all agree the fire department is performing a good service by training on the river, the issue is did the fire department make a visible effort to the public when the fire department destroyed some asphalt. If I were the chief I would have called Parks and Rec, remained on scene until parks arrived and showed them the damage. This would have demonstrated in a visible fashion to the public that the department was being responsible. Understand we don’t have all the facts, maybe the fire department did call into parks before leaving the scene, would be interesting to know. At issue is the fire department damaged something in view of the public and did they make an effort to show that same public that they would be responsible, or did they just flee the scene? We don’t have the all information, but it is an interesting question.

By: Larry Fortensky

Larry Fortensky — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:18:30 +0000

I’ve never seen a Boise firefighter of color — Hispanic, African American, Asian or whatever. It appears to be a lily-white fraternity that’s exclusive with its membership. The same holds true for management positions in state government. Butch Otter doesn’t care about diversity or minorities.

By: cyclops

cyclops — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 04:15:11 +0000

And women…..

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 03:05:31 +0000

People can complain about the Fire Departmenr all they want , but who do they call in an emergency. Firefighters risk their lives every day and you really feel you have the right to condemn these men. Maybe you should step back & put yourself in their position, could you really have done anything better? I think not, so before you go whining & complaining take a moment & think!

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:15:30 +0000

Jim, I believe that you are absoloutly right. If you drove your car up and down the greenbelt you might be arrested. Why then does the fire dept. have that privilage. Maybe because there are thousands of floaters every year that use the Boise River for recreation. And, every year many of those floaters find them selves in emergency situations that require assistance from the fire department’s dive team. Sometimes there unpleasant side effects of living in a society where these emergency services are provided for us all. Like having to step off the greenbelt to let a vehicle pass, or maybe stepping overs a rut at the edge of the river.