The following information is being distributed in response to the letter of MYTH’s that City of Fort Myers City Manager William Mitchell is distributing out to members of the public in response to budget cuts made to the City of Fort Myers Fire Department.
Click here to view the letter.
City of Fort Myers Fire Department MYTH’s from City Manager William Mitchell Page 1 of 4
MYTH – The recent economic downturn and subsequent decline in property values throughout the area, has forced the City of Fort Myers to make significant cuts in all City Departments.
FACT – The City of Fort Myers City Council, Fort Myers Mayor, and Fort Myers City Managers allocated themselves a sizable amount of SLUSH MONEY to spend on any SPECIAL projects within their ward. The City of Fort Myers needs to renegotiate the amount of money they are paying vendors to rent space at city park facilities. The city is paying rates much higher than present commercial and CAM rental rates that have fallen significantly due to the recent economic downturn. Why is the City paying out higher than normal rents, pursuing special interest and pork barrel spending before they fully fund City of Fort Myers Fire and Police services?
MYTH – As a result, the City has eliminated 21 Firefighter positions. While there is an impact on its operations the Fire Department is making the necessary adjustments to maintain, dependable, quality services.
FACT – Fort Myers City Manager William Mitchell publicly admits in his statement that the ability of the City of Fort Myers Fire Department to respond, operate, protect property, and save lives has been reduced. The City of Fort Myers Fire Department cannot maintain dependable, quality services as referred to by the city manager by understaffing Engine Companies, grossly understaffing Truck/Ladder Companies, closing Rescue 11, Rescue 13 and Ladder 12, and implementing daily rotating company brownouts.
MYTH – Fort Myers City Manager William Mitchell states though there is a reduction in staffing, all six fire stations remain staffed with at least a fire engine and three Firefighters to maintain coverage throughout the City.
FACT – The International City Managers Association produced a book known as Managing Fire Services 2nd Edition. Through this City Managers guide to managing fire departments it proved through scientific and practical studies that by reducing Fire Company crew sizes from four to three reduced their effectiveness from 65% to 38% causing you to ask yourself, how safe is your Family? Are they worth more than 38% effectiveness?
An Austin, TX Fire Department study concluded that reduced staffing means “A higher risk for victims due to delays (that’s you).” The study also showed that when crews were reduced to 3 firefighters the result has been increased use of sick leave due to stress, doubling of the overtime budget, and a complete loss of morale.
The International Association of Fire Chief’s own documentation warns about the reduction of Firefighters per company and acknowledges that staffing levels on companies has already reached dangerously low levels. They further proclaim “To accept or support further reductions in Firefighter staffing is inappropriate.” The IAFC also recommends that the minimum Firefighters should be five Firefighters per company. The National Fire Protection Association, U.S. Fire Academy, the International City Management Association, Metropolitan Fire Chief’s, FEMA, OSHA, John Hopkins University, Ontario Fire Marshal study and fire departments from around the country including Austin TX, Columbus OH, Dallas TX, Providence RI and Seattle WA are of the opinion that 4 firefighters per engine company and ladder/truck company is minimum.
City of Fort Myers Fire Department MYTH’s from City Manager William Mitchell Page 2 of 4
MYTH – Fort Myers City Manager William Mitchell states that efforts are also being made to increase the availability of all staffed fire units through the use of priority dispatch. The new priority dispatching system improves efficiency by determining the severity of a medical emergency during the call taking process and sending the appropriate resources. Minor incidents that the Fire Department once sent a fire truck in addition to the Lee County Emergency Medical Unit now are handled only by the emergency medical unit.
FACT – Lee County Fire Chief’s Association President William “Bud” Elliot Fire Chief with the Iona McGregor Fire District Fire stated on November 1st, 2009 in a News Press article that even with the advent of medical priority dispatch “fire stations and fire companies still must meet minimum staffing levels should a fire occur.” The Medical Priority Dispatch in no way advocates or justifies understaffing Engine Companies, or closing fire companies. In 2008 Rescue 11, Rescue 13 and Ladder 12 covered close to 5250 requests for assistance. Who covers these calls now in addition to the other 13,000 requests for assistance the City of Fort Myers Fire Department responds to on an annual basis?
The medical priority dispatch system is primarily designed to help emergency dispatchers move smoothly through Case Entry and Key Questioning when taking 911 calls. This system only works if the caller knows exactly what is going wrong with the patient and on a regular basis callers usually provide poor quality information due to stress and have the expectation that both a Paramedic Fire Engine and Paramedic Ambulance will arrive within minutes.
The true goal of this system is to allow an overtaxed Lee County EMS system without enough ambulances to integrate Basic Life Support Care Ambulances into the EMS system decreasing the quality of care to the City of Fort Myers. No other metropolitan FIRE/EMS agency in South and Southwest Florida use BLS ambulances.
MYTH – City Manager William Mitchell states that the City of Fort Myers Fire Department has also increased the number of units dispatched to a fire scene. Having the necessary number of Firefighters at a fire scene is essential to effective and safe operations. Additional responding units provide the necessary staffing to perform the required tasks.
FACT – Sending more Fire Engines does not make up for inadequately understaffed Fire Engines. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health a division of the Federal Governments Centers for Disease Control, completed several studies in Houston TX regarding the deaths of four firefighters between 2000 and 2005.
NIOSH concluded that understaffed fire apparatus on the fire ground was a leading cause of death to the FOUR Houston Firefighters. In addition proper company staffing is necessary to perform “FIREFIGHTER RESCUE,” and “RAPID INTERVENTION” if a firefighter is lost, trapped, missing, out of air, or suffers some other emergency. Unfortunately it took the deaths of FOUR Houston Firefighters to convince the city to return to four firefighter engine and ladder/truck companies.
City of Fort Myers Fire Department MYTH’s from City Manager William Mitchell Page 3 of 4
MYTH – The Fort Myers City Manager states mutual aid from other fire departments may also be requested to supplement City resources as necessary.
FACT – Presently if there was a house fire in the City of Fort Myers it would require the response of five understaffed Engine Companies, one understaffed Ladder/Truck Company, and the Battalion Chief. This effectively leaves only one understaffed Engine Company to cover the rest of the City of Fort Myers.
Other Lee County area fire departments are running short already. How long will it take and how many calls will be missed while a task force of five engine companies are moved in to cover the City of Fort Myers during a house fire. What happens if you have an emergency at your home during this time and help is UNAVAILABLE?
MYTH – City Manager Mitchell states that the Fire Department is currently installing mobile data computers in all fire units to improve communications and provide vital information about the emergency scene. These computers will also be equipped with GPS, allowing dispatchers to send the closest unit, which will improve response times. These changes increase Fire Department efficiency and limit the impact on response time to no more than a minute and a half on days when the Fire Department staffing is at its lowest due to employee use of leave time.
FACT – The mobile data computers presently being installed in the fire units provide the street address, cross streets, and come equipped with a mapping feature allowing units to locate the call using the computer. This information has already been provided to date over the radio by a dispatcher and via a map book in the fire units.
The GPS on the fire units does pin point their exact locations but the same units are going to be responding from the same firehouses throughout the city. This is why the fire units are already strategically placed throughout the city. To date there has been no manpower or GIS deployment study completed to provide factual data to back up the City Managers claim that the impact on response time will be no more than a minute and a half.
According to the American Heart Association every minute that passes before defibrillation in a cardiac arrest reduces survival rates by 7 – 10 percent. According to the City of Fort Myers City Manager this is acceptable to your loved ones survival. Do you agree? We do not!
MYTH – Fort Myers City Manager William Mitchell states “I can assure you the Fort Myers Fire Department will continue to provide effective fire and emergency services to the citizens of Fort Myers.
FACT – City Manager Mitchell stated there is a negative impact on the operations of the City of Fort Myers Fire Department based on present cuts to manpower, layoff’s, and closed units.
City of Fort Myers Fire Department MYTH’s from City Manager William Mitchell Page 4 of 4
Based upon these FACT’s and MYTH’s will the City of Fort Myers Fire Department be able to respond adequately to your emergency? We encourage you to contact the City Mayor’s Office, and members of the City Council. Ask these officials to restore the City of Fort Myers Fire Department to its prior safe staffing levels by restoring the laid off Firefighters to ensure the safety of all who live, work, visit and travel through the City of Fort Myers.
Walt Stevens
President
Southwest Florida Professional Firefighters & Paramedics L-1826, IAFF, Inc.
City of Fort Myers “Who are You Going to Call to Rehire The Fire”
Return to the “Rehire the Fire” “Save Fort Myers Fire” Homepage
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In conjunction with the swearing in of the new City of Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson, we will be having an informational picket on November 16, 2009 to “ReHireTheFire” and restore other cuts made to the level of emergency services in the City of Fort Myers Fire Department.
October 23, 2009 There is exciting news in our pursuit to 
October 20th, 2009 CALL TO ACTION !!! City of Fort Myers Residents, Citizens, Visitors, Businesses, Employees, and Patrons please follow this link below to download a 
October 18th, 2009 Today a group of Laid Off Firefighters and Firefighters from other area agencies joined together at City of Fort Myers Station # 16 on Veronica Shoemaker Blvd.
October 17th, 2009 The 
Mr. Mitchell,
On January 22, 2009 there was a hearing held in the City of Fort Myers with the State of Florida Public Employees Relations Commission Special Magistrate, Martin O. Holland who was ruling on a reduction unit staffing.
Tuesday March 31st 2009 – In an unprecedented move during contract negotiations between the Fort Myers City Manager and IAFF Local 1826 SW FLA Professional Firefighters City Manager William “Billy” Mitchell wants to reduce Engine Company and Truck Company staffing reducing safety and placing the lives of Firefighters and Citizens at risk of peril.
