Curmudgeon's Corner - All Comments

re: Village Buzz - January 8th...

heartbroken050303 — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:46:43 GMT

We are still waiting for your reply to this whole mess that got started with out reason! The people of Germantown deserve the right to trust our Fire Dept. and with you print non sense and untrue articles like you did you are causing us nothing but grief.

re: Village Buzz - January 7th...

Al Campbell — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:43:39 GMT

GTOWNIE,

Yes. This space is available for such a forum. Please advise if you have another question or two, as well. Once we have some questions in hand, we'll invite the candidates' responses.

re: Village Buzz - January 6th...

Runaway Bunny — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:34:01 GMT

Well, I stand corrected. And I'm glad that my comments have brought up such a reaction! These are the type of people we NEED on the fire department. I apologize if I used some incorrect information to prove a point, but please understand the message. It appears that a few of you have taken what I said as a personal attack of yourselves. I'm sorry to hear that.

It is heart warming to hear that there are some dedicated people who are willing to give up their free time to do the job. But please remind yourselves, you signed up for that job. Asking me where I was at 3 and 4 AM while an ambulance went on a call has nothing to do with this topic. I have gone on more runs than you can count, both day and night throughout my career. Regardless,this blog is not about me or my firefighting career. I have done my job every time I was asked without hesitation. And working 24 hr shifts every other day is quite a sacrifice as well. I have missed innumerable holidays, graduations, family events, etc. And I wasn't called away by a pager. I was at the firehouse. So please don't preach to me about sacrifice. I will give you the credit due, but don't you ever call my career into question.

I will just ignore the comments about my socks or anyone else's,for that matter. And by the way, Heartbroken050303, I am still in the fire business, and I was going off of the facts presented here. So maybe you should take the time to read between the lines, instead of attcking someone. All of my statements were made in response to the information provided here. If you had read with your mind, and not your heart, you would have seen that. I understand where you are coming from though. So no offense taken, nor meant here.

Now, what I WAS trying to say was, according to the blog posted before mine, was that there was a minimal turnout of POC firefighters for a working structure fire. I'm not sure how your department is run, but I assume a working structure fire is not just a normal call, but a page for EVERYONE to come help. I'm totally fine with calling for mutual aid for structure fires. You're right, you DO need help in those situations. But, according to the original post, there were only a handful of staff for this fire. If that is incorrect, I apologize again. I was only using the information presented to me. I still don't understand why an EMT was needed to staff an engine. What was his role? Was he just hitching a ride to the scene? How many other firefighters were in that engine? You are both proud of your positions on the fire department,and well you should be. But you said that everyone on the fire department is ready to take the call tonight and every night. Not according to the original blog, they weren't. Everyone has to make sacrifices in the fire service, it's just the nature of the job.

As for the uniforms, I'm sorry, but I find no excuse for wearing uniforms into bars. I don't care if you're only having soda. It presents the wrong image. Maybe that's the way I was brought up, or the fact that my department has a STRICT rule about it. You Germantown firefighters are looked up to for a reason. Back that up with your behavior. It sounds like some of you already are. I applaud you. But this old school guy still has a problem with uniforms in bars. Perhaps we will have to agree to disagree, but again, I feel it sends the wrong message.

So I am sorry if my blog offended you two. I can clearly see that you are passionate men who care and believe in what you do. Please don't take these blogs personally. I was addressing an issue, not you individually. Maybe someday when this is all old news, we can meet for a beer and discuss it. Only please leave your unifroms at home.

re: Village Buzz - January 7th...

GTownie — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:36:43 GMT

Yes, it is wonderful to see some new faces get involved! Al, would you consider hosting a forum on this blog in which citizens could submit questions for each of the candidates to answer? The question I have for the school board candidates is "What actions (if any) would you support to address the school space issues we currently face?" I think this could really help people make informed decisions on election day. Thanks!

re: Village Buzz - January 6th...

heartbroken050303 — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:32:25 GMT

Ok first of all the first person who started this email chain that you said "(whom I know, who has no axe to grind and who isn't a 'crackpot' in any way)" needs to get thier facts straight before going off half cocked.

The Christmas Day fire where supossedly an EMT was pulled off of the Ambulance to ride on a truck was untrue. That person came up on an all call and was taken to the scene by another truck, so that they could assist the other EMT's on the scene.

So that was mistake number one on your writers behalf. Then the statement about there only being a total of 4 personel on scene is wrong too. There were a total of 15 POC members at that fire. By the way they

are doing this job not for the money, but instead for the love of it.

The Firefighters and EMT's that we have on our Germantown company are proud and rightfully they should be of the work they do.

Funny Bunny or whatever you are called, where were you this morning when the POC crew were called out for an EMS call at 3 and then again at 4:45? They all have other jobs and were where they were supossed to be in a timely manner.

How about those cold nights or early mornings that tehy get called to the MVA's on the highways? Our POC dept. does everything that they possibly can to get the jobs done.

YES there are times that they need help from neighboring depts. to take care of an incident but don't most of you ask for help when you need it?

What would you like us to do? Maybe try to take care of it ourselves and either lose a life or perhaps a home for one of residence? I am not to sure as to what you think you could better than they can but maybe you should show them how you would like it done.

As for the house sistaining as much damage as it did it was not the POC fault. It was stated by the dispatch that by the time they had called it in the homeonwer say fire in the walls. By any means that would be a very advanced fire.

The POC both Fire and EMS are a wonderful, hardworking, and loyal group of people and for that I applaud them. Can you name 40 other people in our community that risk thier life while working everyday? I didn't think so.

Now onto the remarks about the uniform. We are proud to wear it in public, but don't think that it is our fashion statement. Most of the time when you see us in public with it on it is either because we have just finished our shifts or because we are on call and would still like to spend time with our families.

You Mr. Bunny make me sick! I know of a million other things that you could be ashamed of instead of the people that will one day have to help you or a family member.

Now as for the dept. I would trust anyone of them to pull me from a burning car, or a burning building or come to my home because it is on fire, but as for you thank god you are no longer in the fire business, because you can't even get your facts straight and I would be affraid that you would get my address wrong.

Oh and one more thing, would you give up your very own socks so that the family member at the house fire could go outside and be with thier other family members? No, but one of ours did just that!

Sincerely,

Proud POC

re: Village Buzz - January 6th...

DesertfoxUSMC — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:32:11 GMT

I'm not confused, I'm embarrassed too. I'm embarrassed that paid on call members of the Germantown Fire Dept. give up 102 hours or more of there week,(every two weeks), unable to leave town, waiting for their call for duty. I'm embarrassed that they give up 26 weekends a year, not able to leave town to visit family or friends. I'm embarrassed that they are scheduled to work holidays. I'm embarrassed that they only get paid if there is a call. I'm embarrassed that they are willing to take a call in the middle of the night, go home, and then head off to work at their day jobs. I'm embarressed that some members choose to be Firefighter/EMT's. I'm embarrassed that they may require mutual aid from neighboring communities. I'm embarrassed that some members share some camaraderie and go get some food and maybe a few drinks after practice when their duty week has ended. I'm embarrassed that some members who are now on call, go with them to get some food and they only drink soda. I'm embarrassed that some of them may be proud to wear a t-shirt that says GFD on it.

I guess I can see why someone else would be so embarrassed of the Fire Dept. in Germantown. I do know one thing though, the members of the GFD are not embarrassed. They are very proud and more than willing to make sacrifices in their lives. They are always ready to take the call. They are proud that neighboring communities are willing to lend a hand when called upon. I know the GFD will take the call tonight and every night.

They are also more than willing to hire someone with "A LOT" of firefighting experience, or send a qualified person to school thas has no experience at all.

I guess I am a little confused after all. I was just wondering about that call on Cristmas. How were there five firefighters just on the first arriving engine, but only four firefighters total showed up? Maybe because I dont rely on rumors!

re: Village Buzz - January 6th...

Runaway Bunny — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:02:55 GMT

I'm so confused. As a person with A LOT of firefighting experience, AND a resident of Germantown, I would LOVE to know the reasoning behind pulling an EMT off of an ambulance to staff an engine! What is the point? Why would something so ludicris be acceptable or even necessary? Was he going to work the pump for the trained firefighter with him? Or better yet, go inside the burning building with nothing more than a JACKET on? PLEASE, enlighten me!

Then there is the obvious problem of only having 4 trained fire personel on scene of a working structure fire! I for one am appalled! So that's where my tax dollars are going? How about the people who's house 'sustained a lot of damage'? How did they feel when only 3 people showed up on the first (And only?) engine? For thoseof you who don't understand what that means, I will educate you all (And that includes the members of this fire department who think it's ok to show up to a fire ground with only 3 people). Of those three people, one is the HEO (Heavy Equipment Operator), who drives the truck and mans the pump to get water on the fire. He does NOT man a hose or fight the fire himself. The second person, who I assume to be an officer of some sort, would assume Command of the fire scene. This means they would gather as much information as possible about the nature of the fire, the resources he has at his disposal (I use that term loosely, in regards to what we know about his response of personel), and whathelp is needed. He does NOT man a hose, or fight the fire himself. The third person is a firefighter (I'm assuming he too was not simply an EMT), trained to fight fires with a various set of means. What he is NOT trained to do, is fight a housefire by himself. He may man a hose, but does not enter the building to get at the seat of the fire, nor does he fight the fire himself.

So what did you get? A serious need for mutual aid from neighboring departments, and no way to begin a fire attack. I am embarrassed for any brother firefighter who finds themselves in that situation. All the training in the world cannot prepare you for lack of personnel. Shame on EVERYONE who ignored their pagers that day! Shame on the person who less than a year ago, on this very blog, stated that she felt these paid on call members were providing above average protection for this village. MY village.

To the 4 firefighters and EMT who DIDrespond, I say thank you and BRAVO! To the rest of you, (and I know there are a lot of you, since I see you all overtown, in restaurants, in church, at the store, in BARS (Shame on you, uniforms are to be worn at work,and not while drunk in public) wearing your uniform shirts, proudly stating to all that you are a member of the fire department, I challenge you all to ask yourselves, 'Why am I on this fire department? Is it to help my neighbors (for example, by showing up to one of the actual fires you have every year)? Or is it for show? For (undeserving) praise by your peers? Or is it to look cool in your uniforms walking around town?

When you have honestly taken a look inside yourselves, and come up with an honest answer, please respond tome here. I'd love to hear all of your reasons!

But please include the reasons why you didn't do your duty on Christmas day and show up to save your neighbor's property. And THANK GOD no one was hurt! How would you live with yourselves if your negligence, which is what it was, caused the death of someone, a wife, a mother, a father, a child!!!??? Again, shame on you all. You are an embarrassment to my beloved profession.

re: Village Buzz - January 5th...

taxedtothemax — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:40:59 GMT

I agree Al - this is definitely the type of thinking that would not have taken place had not the citizens of Germantown told the board to find another way. And yet they pouted and fought that all the way. We were told that there "was no other way - we're the board - you just sit there and pay the taxes - we'll spend it."

Maybe this idea won't work out - but at least they are trying something besides deciding how big the next referendum will be.

re: Village Buzz - December 29th...

GTT — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:57:31 GMT

Where do the rest of the Trustee's stand on this issue???

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re: Celebrities Lost In 2008...

Al Campbell — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:14:30 GMT

Bruce Warnimont wrote with a correction and additions to the list:

~Van Johnson died on December 12th rather than February 12th

~Bette Paige, pin-up legend, died on December 11th

~Michael Crichton, author, died November 4th

~Studs Terkel died October 31st

~Edie Adams died October 15th

~Gene Upshaw died August 21st

~Skip Carey, sportscaster, died August 3rd

~Alexander Solzhenitsyn died August 3rd

~Jerome Holtzman, baseball writer, died July 19th

~Dr. Michael DeBakey died July 11th

~Mel Ferrer died June 2nd

~Yves Saint-Laurent died June 1st

~Director Sydney Pollack died May 26th

~Dick Martin died May 24th

~Eddy Arnold died May 8th

~Arthur C.Clark died March 18th

~Mary Margaret Truman died January 29th

~Heath Ledger died January 22nd

Sir Edmund hillary died January 11th

re: Some Random Thoughts...

Eagle Keeper — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:49:07 GMT

The global warming debate is a big joke. Science tells us about several ice ages in our past. In order to have have several, there would have to be periods of warming in between. If our current warming period is caused only by industrialization, then what happened prior to the evolution of modern humans? Those Neanderthals must've held some pretty big mastadon barbeques to cause those glaciers to melt.

re: Village Buzz - December 29th...

Al Campbell — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:57:27 GMT

Trustee Dean Wolter sent the following e-mail:

I read your blog today about SEWRPC and its plan to expand Lake Michigan water sales to outlying regions.

The Germantown Village Board has not been approached or briefed on any of this information.

With the expense of the new well and water treatment plant now being built in Germantown, I would be against this pact.

Germantown water has its issues with rust and low levels of radium, but that is nothing compared to the boondoggle that would come from Germantown buying water from Milwaukee. I would be against this type of agreement and would do everything in my power as a Trustee to keep it from happening.

Regards,

Dean M. Wolter

Germantown Village Trustee, District #4

re: Reflections - 2008

Mark Maley — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 16:44:12 GMT

A very thoughtful and well-written post...

Happy Holidays to you and your family, Al!

re: Normal, Fair & Well-Prepared...

james hull — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 18:23:45 GMT

Test

re: Global Warming Debate...

Al Campbell — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:27:51 GMT

I have yet to weigh in on a lot of responses and your assumption that my silence indicates that I condone the comments is erroneous. The comments were troubling to me but they were the comments of the writer and I do not edit the comments nor do I make judgements about them. I have the ability to either permit a comment to be printed or to exclude a comment. I've chosen, rightly or wrongly can be argued, to permit all comments to date to be published. Each commenter must take the responsibility for his or her comment. I recognize that sooner or later someone will cross the imaginery line and I'll invoke the right to exclude the comment. I've not found that line yet. Free speech is very important even if sometimes offensive to one or another. Without that, we'd not have this opportunity to debate and opine.

re: Global Warming Debate...

lhavas — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:22:36 GMT

I find it interesting that Al has yet to weigh in on this point. Surely he must read comments to his postings. Silence equals consent, which suggests that Al does not find this pejorative language offensive.

One would like to think that's not the case, but given no evidence to the contrary, the reader is left to assume the worst.

re: Village Buzz - December 19th...

Chief Peter Hoell — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:05:57 GMT

Al,

While you’re on this theme, I would like to take the opportunity to publicly commend our Department of Public works for a job well done. I realize there may be those who disagree; those who maybe lost a mailbox or felt their street was not cleared fast enough, etc. However I feel that the job of keeping our streets clear is much more difficult than one may think.

Take into consideration the very poor visibility. During the storm, there were times that the snow was coming down what appeared to be sideways. With the snow blowing from the wind and or their plow blade, I am sure it caused visibility difficulties. All the drivers have been working many hard and long hours to keep our roads drivable. I am sure they feel like they have been living in their plow trucks lately. Another consideration is that the plow drivers need to deal with some vehicle drivers who are less than considerate or just do not know how to react when they have a plow traveling on the same road as they are.

All in all, I think they are doing a great job!

re: This & That...

CMS — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:33:33 GMT

Global warming, be it man made or natural, has NOTHING to do with any specific weather pattern. It has everything to do with the overall rate of temperature change.

re: Global Warming Debate...

CMS — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:24:58 GMT

Touche, LHAVAS!