wilkes

To get the answers your looking for Bill I suggest you contact both departments.

Maybe they could create an incentive program for the DOT workers to encourage them to answer their phone. Something like pairing them couples only in their pickup or even let them deal the cards next game. Something to excite them is what they need.

The comm. center has a list of DOT employees phone numbers for trees down. They simply don't answer their phones and the comm. center has no choice but to ping the volunteer firefighters. It's wrong to say the least.

DOT is saving the leaning trees so they can look busy just before the election. Have you never noticed how busy they get before an election? Right now there is Rummy to be played on side roads.

I agree with Bill. The fire departments can't get volunteers these days anyway. Someone needs to have a "sit down" conversation with the DOT. They should not be expecting the fire departments to do this. They already have to clean up after accidents and respond to their regular calls too.

I;m not sure how this all got started with the dot pawning off the cutting of trees from the roadways but its wrong. I agree with firemarshalbill that its the dot responsibility to clear a state roadway. They have people on call 24/7 for such but somehow this has been pawned off by clever heads in the dot over the last 30 years or so.

All of our Fire Departments RULE.
INCLUDING of VFD's. "Good People". :)

linesbite, Im not talking about kids. We have young guys 25yrs old that hang out at the fire department. My gosh anyone under 18 yrs old dont belong to a fire department. You all get the troopers up there to carry chainsaws with them. I really dont care.Never had that problem where I live.

Mostly because the fire departments want the extra calls to justify their existence. Several will get in their trucks and actively go ride around looking for a down tree after a storm, just to call it it so they can add it to their log. Same reason they all create an event for going to the parades or for training.

I don't believe it should be pawned off on the Highway Patrol. I think DOT needs to be held to a higher standard and made to get up... that's what they're paid to do!
If not, these Fire Departments should start sending a bill to the DOT. Although they're non profit organizations, they can still bill to recoup their expenses.
Another issue is when people call 911 for trees down, dispatch immediately sends the Fire Departments. They need to be educated that they call DOT. If the Fire Departments would stop going... things would change! Then when taxpayers come and complain they can be referred to the DOT offices.

Oh lord, FireMarshallBill must be a democrat. I suggest you go to the dot offices an kick their *** an get them on the trees that are down.

The Highway Patrol can block the road till DOT and cut it, isn't this the reason for those organizations, to take care of the roadways. I can't stand hearing, called DOT and got no answer. They aren't answering because they want the Fire Departments to do the work for free so they don't have to.

Most of the time it happens on the weekends... HAHA You're Hilarious
I've heard Fire Departments dispatched in the middle of the day during the week when there is a plethora of DOT personnel sitting on 115 in their offices.
It doesn't make sense for the Fire Departments to do it...
1) IT IS NOT THEIR JOB!
2) REFER TO #1

Seems like a community coming together to do what needs to be done. I don't see an issue here.

It makes sense that the VFD would come an cut a tree out of the road before you could roundup a Dot worker. Most of the time it happens on the weekend anyway. An like Anonymoosesaid they work hand in hand with other agencies anyway. Well we got that out of the way.

Yikes.

Someone need to change their screen name to just Bill.

If there is an emergency and access is needed, cut away what's needed to access or take an alternate route. At the end of the day, IT IS NOT THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS JOB TO CUT TREES! Period!
Majority of the Fire Departments in Wilkes are ALL VOLUNTEER and some responding to upwards of 800-1000 calls a year... how much more can you possibly pile on to those who are already busy responding to actual emergencies and maintaining 100 plus hours of training per year.

Anonymoose, thats what they do in the county im in. They cut the trees out of the road so you can travel an then the dot comes along and clears the trees out of the ROW. Our VFDS have young guys that hang out at the departments daily an are handy to cut a tree out of the road. They dont get up the debri. I like it myself. Fire marshall bill has never been blocked by a tree down apparantly.

The dog agrees with firemarshalbill, hose jockeys should not be cutting trees from roads for the dot. If they have an emergency only then cut a hole large enough to get the engine through.