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The D.C. Fire Department found itself in a crisis situation New Year’s Eve when more than a 100 firefighters called in sick. At least 11 ambulances went unstaffed and supervisors were forced to ask for help from Prince George’s County.
One man died waiting for an ambulance and a stabbing victim was transported to the hospital in a fire truck.
The Firefighter’s union denies it was behind a coordinated sick out and says the trouble New Year’s Eve could have been avoided if the department had staffed up as it did in recent years.
Ed Smith, the head of the union, says the department is choosing cost cutting over public safety.
That’s a claim the chief denies.
If you called for an ambulance in the District of Columbia New Year’s Eve you were likely left waiting for quite some time.
Multiple sources with internal department documents to back it up say ambulance crews were in constant motion crisscrossing the city trying to keep up with the demand.
On Lang Place Northeast, Fire Engine 30 transported a stabbing victim to the hospital because an ambulance wasn’t available. It’s highly unusual for a patient to be transported on a fire truck.
At a home on 44th Place Southeast it took 40 minutes for an ambulance to arrive from Prince George’s County for a man in cardiac arrest.
A relative says the man later died.
Chief Kenneth Ellerbe declined to point any fingers over the large number of firefighters calling out sick but admitted it was highly unusual.
“Today we have 26 people out sick” said Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe, “but it could be members waited because they have an option to use sick leave three times a year without going to the clinic, it’s called our minor illness program, New Year’s Eve, it could be our members wanted to be off or they were sick.”
Chief Ellerbe described the man power shortage as a challenge rather than a crisis and says he attempted to find replacements.
He asked the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety to waive the cap on overtime that prevents some firefighters from working extra hours.
“My understanding is he talked to the mayor and (City Council Chairman) Phil Mendelson” said Chief Ellerbe, “and there was an agreement that if we relaxed the cap we would do it for just this instance but as it turned out only two members took advantage of it so it doesn’t make sense for us to talk about those kind of things as opposed to just working together to make sure these things don’t happen again.”
Chief Ellerbe says when the department went looking for extra help New Year’s Eve 48 out of 50 fire fighters turned the department down.
It’s no secret the firefighters union and the Fire Chief have been at odds.
It was just about a year ago a room full of firefighters turned their backs on the Chief and walked out of a state of the department speech he had just given.
In 2010 the District put a law into place limiting the number of overtime hours a firefighter can work.
A law the firefighters union would like to see abolished.
The union says firefighters who want to work are prevented from doing so because of the law.
FOX 5 has obtained an internal document showing five medic units and eight ambulances needed for staffing News Year’s Eve for a total of 13.
Also on STATter911 …
- News reports: No ambulance available for DC motor cop struck. 18 minute wait for PGFD ambulance. FOP head again blasts fire chief. – March 6, 2013
- DC Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe says two recent news stories aren’t accurate. Sends out press releases on training academy sexual harassment & provides a timeline on New Year’s ambulance delay story. – February 22, 2013
- DC Chief Kenneth Ellerbe defends plan to remove all ALS transport units from overnight hours. Says citizens better served moving medics to peak demand hours. – November 13, 2012
- Controversy all around, DC’s Mayor says he has confidence in Fire Chief Ellerbe. Deputy Mayor wants to know why 10 ambulances were out of service when cop needed help. – March 7, 2013
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There you go again with your statement of a planned sickout….that’s absurd and not one fireman on the department, no matter what the hostile work conditions are presently, would jeopardize the lives of people to make a point…And since you keep mentioning it Xray….put up the evidence and stop with your accusations, as the public doesn’t care that you side with the minority of the department….So try and see if you can answer these 2 questions…
1. Explain why this situation on NYE has never occurred prior to 1-1-2011 ?
2. Explain why people are constantly being held over against their will on any given day of the week and why this has never been a problem with previous administrations ?
Don’t give me your one sided opinion…give me facts…I’m all about facts….the citizens need to know this too…
I think you already know the answer to that question and so do the citizens. As a matter of fact I know you the answer. An what majority are you speaking of?. Where is your proof to back up that statement since you say you deal with facts. Did you take a poll?.Because I never got one.
Hook you got alot of anger in you I think you could best channel that into something positive. If you really want to know the answers to the questions you ask me,go to the source.He has an open door policy.As a matter of fact why dont you do that and come back on this forum and let me now.Better yet you can call me.
“and let me know”
People always use Dave their MIPs for the days they want to be off because with the leave restriction you can’t be off to do thing ls with you’re family travel things of that nature. This is nothing new. Management dropped the ball period point blank. It’s their job to make sure the dept. is staffed accordingly. This problem had never happened before because management always prepared early for people being off during the holidays. If the situation was that bad, and they couldn’t find staffing, we do have a call back policy which is in the books for such times where you need people. What was our fearless leaders choice, forget it just put the units out of service I’m not worried about staffing the dept. Great decision chief!! Another prime example of this administration dropping the ball is calling down whole battalions to get new IDs for inauguration. At one point you had the whole 4th, 2nd and 1st battalions all at the school standing in line for hours trying to get last minute Pics for IDs that the secret service will recognize while no units were left to protect those 3 battalions. Another great job of planning. I mean it only happens every 4 years right!!! The department is being run in the most inefficient manneri have ever seen. Look at the pec situation, the # of medics who have left . I could go on all day about his stuff. Apparatus not being repaired, but you can go to the shop so we can remove all DCFD stickers . Sorry you can’t get a new seat I. The tiller cage, the shop is horrible. Oh yeah and the dept still hasn’t issued coats for members to keep warm in the winter. But guess what when the bell rings we do our job, and we do it well. It’s not a race thing because I’m black and many of us feel the chief is all wrong for this dept. we gave him the benefit of the doubt, and he did what everyone said he would do. Be a vindictive arrogant, incompetent chief! Period point blank.
People always use Dave their MIPs for the days they want to be off because with the leave restriction you can’t be off to do thing ls with you’re family travel things of that nature. This is nothing new. Management dropped the ball period point blank. It’s their job to make sure the dept. is staffed accordingly. This problem had never happened before because management always prepared early for people being off during the holidays. If the situation was that bad, and they couldn’t find staffing, we do have a call back policy which is in the books for such times where you need people. What was our fearless leaders choice, forget it just put the units out of service I’m not worried about staffing the dept. Great decision chief!! Another prime example of this administration dropping the ball is calling down whole battalions to get new IDs for inauguration. At one point you had the whole 4th, 2nd and 1st battalions all at the school standing in line for hours trying to get last minute Pics for IDs that the secret service will recognize while no units were left to protect those 3 battalions. Another great job of planning. I mean it only happens every 4 years right!!! The department is being run in the most inefficient manneri have ever seen. Look at the pec situation, the # of medics who have left . I could go on all day about his stuff. Apparatus not being repaired, but you can go to the shop so we can remove all DCFD stickers .
Your answers are quite typical of a person who cannot engage in conversation, because you lack the mentality to provide honest and realistic comments. You lack anything close to reality, because you’re in this coveted amd protected world umder Ellerbe….You think he’s a great leader, however, both black, white etc., think he’s a vindictive, intimidating coward of a leader. A 6 year old could act more mature than tje levels this imbisul stooped too and continues to stoop….You believe these are the best times for seone like yourself and feel comfortable with this type of leadership….You’re probably one of few that harveled in seeing the paybacks Ellerbe has stooped to, because he just can’t let go of the past and why he was treated as such….leaders lead and rulers rule…are you intelligent enough to differenciate the two….I assume you can’t, because you consistently dodge the obvious questioms asked of you and rather would ignore those questions to ask me questions of where i can find the answers….Why…because you’re dumber than the days long…..Ill give you one last opportunity to answer one question and ill answer truthfully, any ? you might have…With that said, WHAT SHOULD CHIEF KENNETH ELLERBE’S PUNISHMENT BE FOR BEING FOUND GUILTY OF RETALIATION TOWARDS L36 PRESIDENT ED SMITH….surely you have an opinion of this since you’re a member of L36…..
I dont know whether to take you serious or not. Kinda reminds me of Mitt Romney how he flipped flopped on the issues.At one moment you were defending the chief like no other as I and many recall.Now that your back your like a ravenous dog with rabies.Surely as the world turns your probably going to step on your crank again.For some reason you dont know when or how to pick your battles,so that makes you a fool.As for your question thats not for me or you to decide.You have a problem with authority that has been your problem in the past we both know that.Its going to be your down fall again.What are you trying to do get back in the fellas good graces by proving your mettle bashing the chief.Like I said I dont know where you stand because you have flipped to the point,no one knows what side you will end on.You need a vacation take some time off and go reflect on somethings really.
Excuse me for my typos as i wrote my last comment on my tiny phone….
We are done with this convo Hook, until the next subject stay out of trouble and keep ya nose clean. Xray out.
No Hoof Arted, nothing racist at all behind it. Just like your statement of the 40% of DC residence who dont pay taxes.What was behind that?. Point I was making was that people of the community reside within the city limits. Theres no discrimination going here, you have a job in our great city and i’m sure you dont live here.Which personally that doesn’t bother me as long as you care about the people you serve.
Xray…you were out about 10 comments ago, so I don’t understand why you keep coming back…Obviously I irritate you….As far as Chief Ellerbe goes, yes, I did believe in him and to a degree, supported him and made that vocal on thewatchdesk at times….I supported him at first, ONLY because I put the rumors about him to the side, because I’m the type of person who bases opinions about a person not on what others say, but what I know of personally.
When I first got to know him, it was HE that messaged me on thewatchdesk, as I DID NOT reach out to him. From there I began to have routine conversations and share information, due to being shafted (though in different ways) by Rubin&Co. At that time, did I once believe I could or couldn’t trust him or that I could consider him a friend. Well, I pondered the thought, but never gave it an answer. I would say our communication was mutual and that I did not see him as an enemy of mine.
I think just in my comments alone here, you can figure out (hopefully), why I came out in my usual way to expose what type of person Ellerbe is. I had no problems with what he did with Rubin’s 2 former AFC’s, though I thought he’d terminate them,because they’d been in their positions wrongfully and got away with it…. However, when the rest of his childish intimidating and vindictive behavior started to surface, which started with the beer incident to Alvarado’s incident to the whole dismantling of DCFD….sorry homie…I jumped off his bandwagon…maybe I held on longer than most, but I tried to put the rumors to the side, due to them being just that and without anything to back them up.
Maybe you sat back and enjoyed and by the sounds of things, still do, I on the otherhand grew up to treat people fairly and even when I’ve been done wrong, I don’t take the revengeful and retaliating approach to get back at that person or persons…not the way I raised mysef…and yes..I pretty much raised myself while you were still being spoon fed and given your binky…as I’ve said before, maybe its where I got my kahonnies and I am the way I am…but don’t tell me I disrespect authority….You want respect…then F****N earn it…don’t make up your own rules and go on a vindicive and retaliatory quest, then hold me to the rules & regs that you’re not following…YA FEEL ME…see Im not a suck ass and if you’re the type of person that will stand idle when you see wrongdoing, then continue to curl up in the fetal and watch it go down. I on the otherhand, will not.
You and a handful of others think I have a problem with authority..however, I respect any and all people, until disrespected. It amazes me the people (most of them are retiring because of the clown in charge) you respect the most, naturally deserve it, because they theirselves had a reputation in the department as being fireman and not cowards….However, the hardest people to get along with in the FD, are the ones who after 15-20 years on the job, still can’t perform their job and have zero ability to handle the most minute ordeal that goes on in the firehouse….they know what’s in the books and if the books say it, well then your gonna type, because I lack common sense or the ability to think outside the box…
In my short career, I can tell you that 99% of the time, I kept my mouth shut and let things pass, but I also am not 25 years old and I know right from wrong. A few years ago, I had to stand up for myself, when the organization I paid dues too, did not (do not feel this way today). Whether you agree or disagree, I did what I had to do and as you can see, I came out on top. So, if you think im going to fail again, that’s still your rightful opinion, however, I don’t do things to purposely get myself in trouble and when authority comes a knockin and they want to play games….guess what hoss…I’ll be ready. Have fun and enjoy the show….
Hookman that was touching,I think the Xman sheded a tear. Seriously thou you need to find a different path if seek change in the department.The route your seeking isn’t one of purity.Maybe the union I don’t know. Trimm the hard edges and maybe just maybe you could be useful. Cut out the disrespetful rhetoric and challenge your foes the right way.
Thank you Petunia for the wonderful advice and taking a moment of your evening to think about me…After reading your comment, you’ve inspired me to do no less than what I’ve been and continue to do…In a few years though, give me a shout, I might need someone to be my fulltime caddy when I retire….until then, keep your eyes focused on the path of life you’ve chosen and ill continue to walk proudly down the one I’ve chosen and am quite comfortable with ok….kisses…HOOKMAN
Ok Hookette,I’ll keep tabs as well as the score. You know they say God looks out for fools and babies.Continue walking that path you so graciously think is right.I really believe you’re not aware of your actions.You need to stop for a second take off your helment,and look around.Maybe you’ll smell the roses in time,but I think you haven’t learned your lesson.Till the next time watch out for debris and obstacles in the road ahead,it gets bumpy when you drive with bad shocks Ya feel meh!