Don't blame the firemen - talk to the guy in the facy red truck!(Capyian , Chief, Whatever)

typo - "fancy red truck"

It all starts at the top. The firefighters need to be commended.

Yes, I agree with the last comment. It does start at the top. With the Mayor! He thinks he knows everything and appoint a guy that couldn't climb a ladder to save his life, which is probable in the line of work he is in. What's wrong with that picture. Campaign promise? When do the people of Greenwood come first? He is a coward!

The Fire chief is not a bad guy he just isnt qualified for the position. Yes the mayor is to blame but also the city council. We need to hire someone who has at least fire fighter 1 and 2 from the academy. Look at Barling there fire chief is trained. Why are we stuck with another good old boy that is in way over his head. All I have seen from him is a smoke screen with new badges and uniforms. I was on that department for awhile and I think they are a great group of guys just no leadership.

I see where they have purchased two more new trucks and one is a rescue truck. Why would you spend all that money on something that the local ambulance service is going to be doing in an emergency anyway? What a waste. I thought they have been preaching for a ladder truck

Again, my tax dollars are NOT at work. The tax we voted to pass in 2006 specifically stated that it would fund a "FULL TIME FIRE DEPARTMENT"....wha the hell happened? You can have a hundred new red shiny trucks, but if you don't have fully trained personnel, then what have you got? 100 empty trucks for tile layers, bankers, carpenters, brick layers, buisness men, etc. responding to save your house....or worse, your life! I love the volunteers and their spirit, I just want my tax dollars used like it was intended.....

I think the problem has been stated above, the fire chief is an untrained volunteer! why not take someone that has the certifications, and the training, and oh yea, the background to run emergency services and hire him. If we want greenwood to excel, we wouldn't settle for a fire department where members show up on alarm calls with no shirt and shoes.... much less bunker gear!

Greenwood needs fully certified academy trained personel. I was told that alot of them are attending classes and are working in that direction. My biggest issue is they hired a fire chief that only had the basic fire fighting classes and is not in physically fit enough to complete the whole fire academy. It is hard to tell a fire fighter what to do when you have never done it. Experence is what Greenwood needs not the good old boy system that we have had in the past. I personally feel that if Mr Bryant had any idea about fire fighting he wouldnt be wasting the tax payers money on new equipment that is not needed such as a chiefs vehicle that I see in Fort Smith more than Greenwood and a Rescue truck. There is no telling what that has cost the city. I know that Mr. Bryant better by all the toys he can because when the tax comes back up for a vote I am not going to be for it!!!!!

As of January 1, 2004, Arkansas state law requires that all full-time paid firefighters obtain certification within one (1) year of employment (Act 2003, No. 1396. Arkansas Code 20-22-811.) Persons who do not meet this certification requirement are prohibited from performing fire fighting duties.

Furthermore, there is questions among this forum and several others about money being wasted. From what I gain the wish list or to date purchases include:$900,000 ladder truck,$175,000 rescue/brush truck and $50,000 chief's truck for a total expense of $1,125,000. All of these vehicles are elaborate and equipped with items that are excessive and not needed. The only benefit to be obtained from them is pretty looks. Instead of going all out and buying "Cadillac's" the fire department could purchase a brand new ladder truck for $434,000, two brand new engines/pumpers from several vendors for around $440,000, Rescue truck for $110,000 and a Durango (though not as fancy as a Tahoe) for $20,000 off the state contract that would make a wonderful chief's vehicle. The cost of the later totals $1,004,000, which if purchased from the same vendor would probably benefit from a large bulk order discount. Hmm!$1.125 million for three trucks compared to $1.004 million for five trucks. By-the-way, regardless of the fancy features, all these trucks receive the same amount of ISO points to lower insurance premiums (plus you get two extra trucks on the second option which would afford even more insurance premiums discounts.)

Wasn't the fire department tax to pay for full-time firefighters? The story is that the chief wants to purchase the equipment before hiring firefighters so that expense is already out of the way. The savings of $121,000 from option two above would more than cover the cost match required by the staffing grant the city received to hire 10 full-time firefighters. All this new equipment and full-time firefighters for the cost of what the chief wants to spend on three vehicles. Unfortunately, the city turned down the grant award for the benefit of pretty trucks. When did the beauty of firetrucks far out weigh the safety and well-being of the general public? Do you think that someone that offered you free money would offer you free money again if you turned down their offer the first time?

Well put MonkeyNutts, This would be a great article for the paper!!! Not that it would be printed do to the fact the reporter is also a Greenwood City fire fighter. Thanks for your imput.