From the “Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey”….
The City of Brigantine, NJ has a serious union issue now. The City is planning to not replace retired firefighters and will not be hiring any new EMT/ Firefighters. You may see advertised statewide that the City is offering part time per diem EMT/Firefighter positions. These jobs would be in direct conflict with our union work. The jobs offer no health benefits, no pension and no job security.
There are plenty of cities that hire Firefighter/EMTs legitimately and with benefits and there are many areas where these types of opportunities are available with no conflict to our union work.
The PFANJ and its executive board are requesting that no PFANJ member, family member, or PFANJ supporter seek employment with the City of Brigantine or any city for that matter who attempt to cut firefighter positions and fill them with part-time per diem employees. Please help us protect our Brother and Sister’s jobs in Brigantine and statewide. Please pass this message to as many friends and family as possible.
Thank you
Dominick Marino
President; PFANJ
Subscribe BrigantineNOW
They have already done this with the Dispatchers and Police. Do you think part time per diem people will be as efficient as Full Time people there all the time? I hope you or your family never have to find out if Public Safety Services are needed. Personally, I want someone working who knows the job FULLY if me or my family DO need Public Safety services
In response to Dominick Marino letter: Many towns have VOLUNTEER Departments…. ie: Haddon Twp. in Camden County- with more square miles and a larger population. Some towns have Paid AND Volunteer mixed services. ie: Deptford Twp. in Gloucester County – a much larger town (with malls, etc) and a much larger population 27,000 (daytime shopping pop=100,000). Brigantine should NOT be a paid department. PERIOD. Brigantine can no longer support the bloat that developed through the years. I wholeheartedly support efforts to get the problems under copntrol that will bankrupt the town. If the town is bankrupted, all those that relied on pensions and sky-high salaries (out of touch with reality) will be out in the cold. Attrition and Volunteers are the answers- BUT per diem is a workable alternative. ‘We Can’t’ means ‘We won’t”…. so if the FF don’t want to cooperate for the good of all, then let them allllll go.
Don’t forget, our Firefighters ALSO provide EMS service. This is not Camden County or Gloucester County. MOST if not all Atlantic County municipalities have gone to paid EMS services in the last 5 to 10 years because 10-15 minutes response for an ambulance is unacceptable. And deadly. While some other municipalities can rely on mutual aid for multiple or large events, isolated Brigantine cannot count on a timely response from other cities in the event of multiple EMS runs which happens more than you think.
The last 5-10 years of Paid EMS services have proved a poor decision. I say hire a company to provide City services. … and yes, this is not Camden or Gloucester county, it is much, much smaller. The costs in Brigantine are out of touch with reality. I have a family member that is a paramedic… Your scare tactics are NOT appreciated. The City must be protected from the financial disasters happening to towns that are not fiscally responsible. Alternatives are available that do not create hazards to safety of the island. I thank those people that are making the tough but necessary decisions.
I’ve lived and owned a home here for over 25 yrs, needed an ambulance one time 3 years ago for my wife. Two weeks later I got a bill for $600. Public Safety Supporter, please explain to me why we’re paying our ff/emt $90k + great lifetime benefits,fat pensions and I get a $600 bill for a 3.5 mile ambulance ride to AC med center???
I believe that the fire dept. will accept any money that your insurance company pays and mark your bill “PAID IN FULL”. As far as part timers, Andy Simpson voiced a realistic plan for new hires that would keep the payroll within reason. The Democrats seem to have their own agenda that puts a financial burden the taxpayers.