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Aguirre on Emergency Committee; Governor Sought Advice
Oh please! "As to NIMS, ICS, UASI: since Aguirre is on the City's emergency management committee, his knowledge is not superficial. Best, Don Bauder" Since you and City Attorney are professionals. What specific training did he get. We all know people get appointed to committees all the time with little or no qualifications. Come on Don, quit making unsupported statements like the one above and just tell us what training he's taken that qualifies him to "plan" the evacuation of 1.3 million people. Remember you said it: "Honest Journalism".— October 25, 2007 7:37 a.m.
U-T Uses Fire to Smear Aguirre -- Inaccurately, As Always
Don, I already posted a “Comment” on Matt's “Breaking Stories: Fire Press” story yesterday emphasizing the Fallen Heroes and Baghdad Landscapes consequences of U-T establishment corruption of San Diego politicians. Further with respect to your Blog above, the root cause of our problems in San Diego is that the paramount fact of life in American politics today is that Special Interest Democracy has replaced We The People Democracy. The most problematic consequence is that corruption of local, state and federal politicians have allowed our “Made in America” economy to be replaced by a “Made in China” economy. We still have a choice, which must implemented with a sense of urgency because time and opportunities decreasing, we must demand a new breed of Independent politician to replace the corrupt republican and democrat establishments. What we are losing in the meantime are quality jobs and benefits, opportunities for middle class achievement, and quality of life, and The Reader generation will suffer the consequences of our current legacy of complacency that has failed to protect We The People American Democracy. Meanwhile the U-T continues its deranged rant editorials, resulting in unacceptable consequences that you keep exposing. Keep up your great reporting Don and Matt, hopefully We The People will wake up and do the right things in time. Tony St. John— October 25, 2007 3:03 a.m.
Frye Requested Bigger Brush Management Staff
I linked this to SignOnSanDiego Forums > Wildfires 2007 Politics & Fire I'm logged in there as channelsurfer. I did read the above anonymous and know that the history of the decision making process is very insightful. But it is a luxury we can't afford. We will simply have to do what needs to be done, very concretely and responsibly. The canyons have got to be cleared. Donna Frye needs to revisit this issue RIGHT NOW while the iron is hot!!! The eyes have seen and the ears are listening. Go for it, Donna!!— October 24, 2007 10:42 p.m.
U-T Uses Fire to Smear Aguirre -- Inaccurately, As Always
FEMA TRAINING? Let's get specific! Exactly what FEMA training did Mr. Aguirre tell you he has taken. FEMA's "Underwater Basket Weaving in New Orleans post Katrina 101" might not equate to developing plans to evaculate 1.3 million people out of San Diego. So what training has he taken?— October 24, 2007 8:45 p.m.
Aguirre on Emergency Committee; Governor Sought Advice
Don Are yyou referring to the FEMA training; NIMS (National Incident Management System) ICS (Incident Command System). If so, all city employees and especially Dept. Heads, were instructed to complete the online training course(s) as part of the UASI grants(Urban Area Security Initiative) sorry for all the accronyms. The City had to show training compliance to keep the Federal dollars flowing. Honestly, I hardly call a couple of online multiple guess test training sessions the end all of higher education in Emergency Management. I suspect the City might just have a few people more qualified than our esteemed City Attorney to develop massive evacuation plans. Since none of those course had anything to do with evacuation planning. I hope that I'm wrong about the FEMA training you mentioned, because if the classes I and other city employees had to take,are the ones you are referring to, then you're just as guilty as the UT by spinning the facts to fit your agenda. And that's not the Don Bauder we've I've read for years and grown to respect.— October 24, 2007 8:38 p.m.
Aguirre on Emergency Committee; Governor Sought Advice
I'm calling and emailing KUSI, but before I do I just want to post this question: Was Herb Klein held to some standard for his comments by the KUSI anchors? Did they allow him to speak unchallenged? To be honest with you, I have ignored this city's news stations for the last 4 years until this fire. Now I'm paying attention. KUSI is a journalistic entity and should be required to back up everything they allow on air. They should be investigating this slander and preparing a retraction!!! I guess now that I'm retired I have time to cause trouble!— October 24, 2007 8:37 p.m.
U-T Uses Fire to Smear Aguirre -- Inaccurately, As Always
I have to agree with comment #1, Don: Implement: transitive verb, to carry into effect; fulfill; accomplish. It makes perfect sense to me that Aguirre was calling for the plan to be made, not for it to be carried out, fulfilled, or accomplished, but his choice of words was poor.— October 24, 2007 6:04 p.m.
Frye Requested Bigger Brush Management Staff
The so-called "police buddies" were fleeing the city for better pay and benefits in this county and other agencies throughout California. The Mayor's independent consultants, BUCK Associates confirmed the pay problems. If the Mayor chose to go ANOTHER year without a pay raise for Police how many more seasoned officers would leave. At a cost to taxpayers of over $500K to get a rookie officer to journeyman level how much are you willing to pay. If you'd like to turn San Diego into California training ground for new cops fine. With an aging population crime has been trending downward and we are all blessed by that, but in the near future this will turn around. And, I for one, hope our Police are prepared. As for the Fire Rescue Department, the Mayor has admitted it's grossly understaff compared to NATIONAL URBAN STANDARDS in both human and equipment resources. Prop 172 money initially for fire resources has been diverted to other projects to AVOID raising taxes. Because we all know, in San Diego as a politician, if you raise taxes, or merely suggest raising taxes, you're done, voted out of office. And what career oriented politician wants to end his or her gravy train!— October 24, 2007 2:43 p.m.
U-T Uses Fire to Smear Aguirre -- Inaccurately, As Always
Don, You, I and others will interpret the City Attorney’s memo in all sorts of ways. All I wonder is why he has this uncontrollable urge, desire, to advocate any and everything. Wasn’t he elected to be the City Attorney? Can’t he just stay focused on the duties of his office and accomplish something POSITIVE for the City just ONCE? In this case, I see his suggestions as you called them, time taken away official decision makers working the incident to consider his thoughts. Hopefully, they dismissed the "suggestions" quickly.— October 24, 2007 2:29 p.m.
For City to Stave Off Bankruptcy, There Must Be Sacrifices
As a Public Safety employee of the City of San Diego I paid for 1.2 years of pension service credits. And, I read in the City's own report, safety members who purchased service credits have actually MADE money, some $2.98 million in profit, for SDCERS. It's odd that this gets overlooked in every story. Yes the net is a 146 underfunding and I actually agree, if SDCERS grossly underpriced through some mathematical prediction errors, the costs of purchsing credits for anyone the DIFFERNCE SHOULD BE PAID or time offset. Sure they'll all whine about it, but I'll bet they pay it rather than lose the time.— October 24, 2007 2:11 p.m.