FMB Fire Chief placed on administrative leave with pay

Oct 21, 2009 5 min read

Fort Myers Beach Fire Chief Mike Becker was placed on administrative leave with pay at the FMB Fire Control District Board of Commissioners’ regular meeting at Station #31 Tuesday. This comes after the fire board put Becker under an immediate informal investigation at a special meeting Thursday afternoon. At that time, he was allowed to remain on the job during the investigation’s course, but the commissioners changed their position by agreeing to approve the leave by a 3-2 count.

Becker, who was looking to set up a H1N1 vaccination clinic on the Beach once vaccinations become available within Lee County, appeared surprised by the action after it was added to the commissioner’s Old Business agenda and voted on during the meeting. He could not be reached for comment.

For months, Chief Becker has been under fire due to allegations from the Local 1826 District 3 and 15 Union that he has proved to be inefficient as an administrator. New allegations such as prescription drug abuse and an intimate relationship with a district employee have arisen.

Commissioner Ted Reckwerdt made a motion to place the fire chief on leave as he did at the special meeting Thursday. Unlike that meeting, the motion was seconded and passed by the slim margin. Chairman John Scanlon and Commissioner Betty Goodacre dissented.

Assistant Chief Larry Evans was immediately appointed Acting Fire Chief. Evans, who was not given a three-year contract but offered one-year by the fire commission, said he still will retire Nov. 13 even with the change of command. That will leave the district without a chief and an assistant chief unless appointments are made in the next 2-3 weeks.

There were mixed feelings on putting Becker on leave. Reckwerdt and Commissioners Carol Morris and Joe Schmid believed such allegations warranted the move, while Scanlon and Goodacre were concerned with the district’s lack of administrative personnel.

“In the interest of fairness, I think we can move forward with the chief not there and not involved in the investigation,” said Morris.

“If you take away Chief Becker, you take away 25 percent of the administrative force,” said Scanlon.

Before the meeting, Becker thought the investigation would take a lot of stress and tension out of the workplace. He believed the charges came from the union and an ex-employee.

“I understood, at the time when the allegations were being made, a whole lot of pressure was being put on the organization,” said Becker. “That was not the time for me to respond. Now that the investigation has occurred, this is the appropriate time for me to respond to the specific allegations made against me. I think I can reasonably give explanations to the investigator to clear this matter up.”

As far as the informal investigation goes, the fire chief is confident the charges will be dropped. If the investigator sees fit to continue, the investigation will turn into a formal one.

Becker, who had back surgery earlier this year, was prescribed pain killers by his doctor for his condition and can prove that he no longer takes them.

“I honestly believe this will go away,” said Becker of the charges.

Beach Fire Department offers vaccinations

Fort Myers Beach will be joining H1N1 vaccination clinics throughout Lee County soon, according to Fire Chief Mike Becker. Once H1N1 vaccine arrives in Lee County, Key Estero Shopping Plaza will join 12 local high schools throughout the county to serve as clinic locations for the free vaccinations.

“We are hoping to do something for our community instead of sending everyone to the high schools,” said Becker. “It was kind of a collaborate idea between Community Emergency Response Team leader Al Agathen and I.”

Becker is unsure when the vaccinations will become available in Lee County. He’s hoping it won’t be much later than Oct. 1. The dates have been moved from Oct. 19 to Oct. 26 to an undetermined day.

Becker said the vaccinations will be administered through the Beach paramedics and CERT, the fire department’s volunteer group. Dr. Stephen F. Scholle, M.D., Ph.D., who practices in Key Estero Shopping Plaza, is also expected to be in the mix.

Everyone is expected to have a chance to eventually be vaccinated, but those in high risk categories will be given the first supplies of the vaccine. They include: 1) Children and young adults age 6 months through 24 years;

2) Pregnant women; 3) People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months old; 4) Health care workers and emergency medical services personnel; and 5) People ages 25-64 who have health conditions.

The Lee County Health Department has partnered with United Way 2-1-1 to assist residents that want to volunteer in the community effort against H1N1 (Swine Flu). For those residents that want to sign-up to be a volunteer they can dial 2-1-1 or visit www.LeeEOC.com