The current Five Fire Commissioners will not allow the Fire Chief to run the Fire Department why?
This is a paramilitary organization and the Chief’s in charge period but his agreement forces him to be quite or he could face being firing or else why? …… NO board member will ask him openly in a public meeting what he needs to run the department, why? So, have one on one meetings with the chief and micromanage him.
Let’s talk about the Lehigh Acres Fire Department in general. Despite the fact that nearly half of female candidates pass the physical tests, less than 4% of today’s firefighters are women. America’s first known woman firefighter, a slave named Molly Williams, became a part of the Oceanus Engine Company #11 nearly 200 years ago. But Lehigh Acres Fire department it’s less than 1% (5 females to a total of 93 of the rank and file.)
Recently the Lehigh Acres Gazette got a copy of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEO-4 report for Lehigh Acres Fire dept dated 08-28-2019
For Race / Ethnicity —-
Dept has 111 employees Hispanic or Latino 19 male 5 female, non- Hispanic Male 60 white, 12 black, 7 of two or more races. non- Hispanic Female 7 white, 1 of two or more races.
Harmless pranks are one thing, one source said in the Department, “They’d put the IV bag in the ceiling with the needle dripping down so it’d drip on someone’s head on and off all night long. Or they’d send a rookie for some fictitious tool on one of the rigs and they would look for hours.”
In addition to the other harmless pranks, there are also stunts that more closely resemble something you’d see in a fraternity. “There’s stuff you can’t even talk about,” the source says. We’ll let you use your imagination.
Remember this article “One Life to Burn: Sex Scandal Sears Fire Department” Then demoted Lt Larry Arfmann to a firefighter is now six-years later is a Captain in the Lehigh Acres Fire Department
After six years the department writes an SOP (Standard Operating Policy) on Personal & Family Relationships in the Workplace Effective: June 1, 2018, but was not approved by the board until Oct 2019. (Click here to read)
Remember Lt Carl Temple and his arrest for indecent exposure in public (Ft. Myers)
Remember the Lee County Sheriff investigation of the Lehigh Acres Fire Department of one of the Firefighter was a so-call member of a gang called the Black Pistons.
Remember Former Firefighter Pinheiro arrested for gun charges in Cape Coral and later he was let go by Lehigh Acres fire after attacking an LCSO V.O.I.C.E Officer.
There is so much more, but we believe we made the point for now ….. Fire Commissioners left the Chief run the Department if you can’t please resign today for the betterment of the department and the community of Lehigh Acres.