r/Firefighting • u/Few-Ability-7312 • 26d ago

General Discussion Who needs a Tiller that big?

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-14

u/benzino84 26d ago

At what point is the public going to question where their tax money is going?

23

u/grim_wizard Now with more bitter flavor 26d ago

As a taxpayer (not an employee ) to this locality they can keep on trucking.

Our tax money is being used for...

  1. Regional assets (hazmat/tech)

  2. Subsidized low/no cost ambulance service

  3. ISO 1 rating (it's ISO so idgaf, but still a bonus)

  4. One of the best paying and benefits heavy departments in the metro area.

The county has a population of almost 350,000 over 245 sq miles and continues to grow. It encompasses rural, suburban, and urban demographics.

There are absolutely no qualms here over this truck and it is being used in an environment that it is well suited for.

3

u/PotatoPop 26d ago

With how close Station 1 is the to city it'll probably see some mutual aid use too. I've heard since Richmond lost some federal funding some truck companies will be browned out.

3

u/throwingutah 26d ago

Not when we don't have an automatic mutual aid agreement with Henrico. They're gonna have to change that.

2

u/grim_wizard Now with more bitter flavor 26d ago

"Neighbor" homie

2

u/Prestigious-Way-7138 26d ago

Can confirm it will provide mutual aid response (I work in a neighboring jurisdiction). Henrico is the regional TRT north of the James River, and North/East of RVA just keeps growing.

2

u/Shoey124 25d ago

Henrico TRT is not a regional team, Chesterfield TRT is. Henrico has a regional hazmat team

1

u/Prestigious-Way-7138 25d ago

Fair point. I should have said "their TRT resources respond frequently enough as mutual aid to neighboring jurisdictions because they are the closest capable TRT North of the James and West of the City."

2

u/grim_wizard Now with more bitter flavor 26d ago

Doubt it tbh, mutual aid between RFD/HDFR has been rocky in the past and to my knowledge hasn't made great improvements and as far as I know there's no auto aid agreement still. I don't work for the city and most of the city guys I hung out with I don't see anymore, so take my words with a grain of salt

1

u/Shoey124 25d ago

Funding they lost was not for the fire Dept. Plus they should be in their final year since they got it in 2022. This year is when they get the least amount of money. I believe it was around $2.7 million. But it had also come out that no safer grant money was affected.

1

u/Shoey124 25d ago

Number 4 is wrong. Our pay falls behind the other depts in the area. We might start out good, but the other depts pass us very quickly. My equal south of the river makes about $18k more a year than I do. Benefits are ok, the other depts are better.

1

u/grim_wizard Now with more bitter flavor 25d ago

I know. One of the best, I know it's not the top especially when juxtaposed with NoVA, the CField/Henrico pay wars is amusing to watch from the outside looking in 😂. I haven't seen the benefits package in some years but I remember it being beefy. I'll listen to you though, you got the first hand experience:)

1

u/Shoey124 25d ago

I believe the pay war is over, at least on our end. We're back to being told we should be lucky that we have a job, look at the other places that are closing companies. Last time I heard talk like this we went 7 years without a raise. But they increased the starting pay each of those years so it's caused a big compression issue.

1

u/grim_wizard Now with more bitter flavor 25d ago

I would be happy to go to a county budget meeting to raise hell on y'alls behalf as long as I can get some solid public facing numbers and or talking points for non CIP related expenses.