StraightAhead

I sent this letter to the editor at the Houston Chronicle.  Don’t know if it will ever make the paper or not.  It’s probably more than 250 words , but i sent it anyway. ” I’ve been a professional fireman for 34 years or so.  I was on the Memphis Tn. Fire Dept for 8 years then moved to the Houston area where I am now on a part paid part volunteer Department.  To me, there are remedies for the shortage of qualified professional firemen in Houston.  I know more about Houston since I live in the area and am somewhat in touch with what’s going on.  There are fire schools in this area that are graduating qualified firefighter/emt people on a regular basis.  I know some of these personally that are looking for jobs and not having much luck for one reason or another.  Houston wants to hire nothing but firefighter/paramedics and they want to send you through their school.  I suggest that they take advantage of the community Colleges in the area and start utilizing the graduates from these good fire schools as hires.  I suggest that they do this and merely put these men and women through a Houston F.D orientation school that wouldn’t have to be that long and also change the policy of only hireing paramedics that they train themselves.  Utilize these people that are ambitious and have received good training and are rareing to go to work.  EMT level training is sufficient for first responders(people who man the fire apparatus) and dare I say for the ambulances if there is at least one paramedic on board.  Even if Houston feels the need for all paramedics on the ambulances , you certainly don’t need them on the fire apparatus entirely. Just some fairly informed opinions I wanted to pass along. “