FMB fire fighters respond to chief statements
To the editor:
There are many truths in the recent article that FMB Fire Chief Mike Becker quoted in the Observer. The Fire District has been through some “rough times” over the past year but with a concerted effort on both sides (union and management) the district was able to pull through and service was impeccable as always. The Chief was quoted when talking about the 2009 budget hearings as saying, “At the same time I was trying to adapt to the environment, the union was trying to get me fired.”It is true that 83 percent of the fire fighters signed a letter of “no confidence” against Chief Becker. Fire fighters were tired and sickened by the habitual unprofessional behavior and fiscally irresponsible decisions being made by the fire chief and the letter of no confidence was our only voice. The fire fighters are held to a very high standard and only hoped that their supposed “leader” could at least be held to the same if not higher standard. However, the chief is not overseen by anyone at the department but instead by the fire commissioners, and the commissioners chose not to act on what an investigation revealed some misconduct had indeed occurred. It was only last month that the commissioners gave the chief a 64 percent approval rating on his handling/managing of the entire Fire Department.
The fire fighters of Fort Myers Beach are proud of the phenomenal services they provide and will continue to serve proudly despite any conflicts that may arise between union and management. The union’s intention is not to “bash” the chief or to “fire” him but instead, as shown with the concessions made last year, keep the same level of service expected by taxpayers and guests of Fort Myers Beach. The union commends the chief for ensuring fire fighter safety by fully staffing fire apparatus with three personnel. The union looks forward to negotiating with the chief and believes an agreement will be reached.
The union would like to emphatically ensure that the citizens of Fort Myers Beach will continue to receive the highest level of service with the utmost professionalism despite what labor/management issues are looming. We are in the business of public service and are proud to serve and take great pride in the excellent service we provide. The fire fighters/paramedics of Fort Myers Beach respond to fires, fire alarms, hazardous material incidents, motor vehicle collisions/fires, elevator rescues, wellness checks, various medical calls ranging from nose bleeds and string rays to heart attacks and strokes and just about every other emergency you can imagine. We are good at what we do and enjoy doing it. We will always be there when you call. Be safe and thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve.
Troy Mesick
FMB Fire Department