FROM LEFT: Imperial County Firefighter Max Ongay stows equipment inside a fire engine compartment Monday at Niland Fire District in Niland. Imperial County Fire Department Capt. Juan Roledo Jr. said the ICFD took full operation of the Niland Fire District station at 7:30 a.m. Monday. (JOSELITO VILLERO) |
Experience counts as much as an education, said former Niland Fire Chief Mike Aleksick on Monday before a large gathering of people at a forum that addressed issues Niland Fire District board members are expected to cover Wednesday.
Allegations of fraud, falsifying documents and drinking on the job are some of the topics Aleksick said may be brought up during Wednesday’s meeting of the Niland Fire District board that recently laid off its staff of firefighters for what Niland Fire Board President John Almueti said was their lack of certification.
A longstanding concern Almueti said has drawn the attention of new board members was that none of the Niland firefighters is certified to be an Emergency Medical Technician, a requirement for which Aleksick said he has not seen a policy.
A 90-day evaluation of the Niland Fire District is under way while the Imperial County Fire Department would be contracted to provide fire protection.
In his explanation of what residents are likely to see during Wednesday’s session, Aleksick, who retired from his post last month, said that in spite of whatever certification Niland’s fire crew may not have the firefighters have years of experience in fighting fires and responding to medical aid calls.
Wednesday’s meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. at the Niland Fire Department. Some of the residents who showed up at Monday’s forum at the Buckshot Deli and Diner suggested launching a recall of the Niland fire board.
The Niland firefighters, who Almueti said were laid off during a special meeting Friday, collectively have responded to 1,050 calls, which included 500 to 600 medical aid and fire calls, Aleksick said.
A concern that could be an issue in terms of response times is the familiarity of the Imperial County firefighters have with the 525-square-mile territory ex-Niland firefighters already have, Aleksick said.
“You do the best that you can do with what you have, with what’s available to you,” Aleksick said.
People Monday were generally supportive of the firefighters.
Sergio Cardenas, a former 10-year member of the Niland Fire Department, spoke of the professionalism the North County firemen showed during a call involved a severely injured person in a sand rail incident. Cardenas also spoke of the internal strife in the department that has “pushed the good people out.”
“The people that we see here are the people we take care of,” Cardenas said.
Allegations of fraud, falsifying documents and drinking on the job are some of the topics Aleksick said may be brought up during Wednesday’s meeting of the Niland Fire District board that recently laid off its staff of firefighters for what Niland Fire Board President John Almueti said was their lack of certification.
A longstanding concern Almueti said has drawn the attention of new board members was that none of the Niland firefighters is certified to be an Emergency Medical Technician, a requirement for which Aleksick said he has not seen a policy.
A 90-day evaluation of the Niland Fire District is under way while the Imperial County Fire Department would be contracted to provide fire protection.
In his explanation of what residents are likely to see during Wednesday’s session, Aleksick, who retired from his post last month, said that in spite of whatever certification Niland’s fire crew may not have the firefighters have years of experience in fighting fires and responding to medical aid calls.
Wednesday’s meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. at the Niland Fire Department. Some of the residents who showed up at Monday’s forum at the Buckshot Deli and Diner suggested launching a recall of the Niland fire board.
The Niland firefighters, who Almueti said were laid off during a special meeting Friday, collectively have responded to 1,050 calls, which included 500 to 600 medical aid and fire calls, Aleksick said.
A concern that could be an issue in terms of response times is the familiarity of the Imperial County firefighters have with the 525-square-mile territory ex-Niland firefighters already have, Aleksick said.
“You do the best that you can do with what you have, with what’s available to you,” Aleksick said.
People Monday were generally supportive of the firefighters.
Sergio Cardenas, a former 10-year member of the Niland Fire Department, spoke of the professionalism the North County firemen showed during a call involved a severely injured person in a sand rail incident. Cardenas also spoke of the internal strife in the department that has “pushed the good people out.”
“The people that we see here are the people we take care of,” Cardenas said.
