County terminates several EVAC EMTs and paramedics for violation of the county's no smoking policy.
Or were the terminations done to support other county agendas?
Updated January 3, 2012
Beware the fury of a patient man- Poet, John Dryden
Recently, Volusia County's EMS (EVAC) Director, Terry Sanders fired several county EMTs / paramedics for violating the county's no smoking policy. The county has a policy that forbids tobacco usage by any of it's uniform staff members.
Director Sanders has only recently (October 2011) taken over the reins as Director of EMS (EVAC). Prior to his assignment as the Director of EMS, Mr. Sanders was a Major within the Volusia County Sheriff Department.
VolusiaExposed.Com has noted that, although Director Sanders does not apparently wish to extend a second chance to these EMTs and paramedics, he was quoted in a 2004 Orlando Sentinel article explaining the VCSO's rationale for giving a VCSO applicant (Daniel Blais) a chance to redeem himself.
Daniel R. Blais was a 23 year ago man that had been arrested twice on the felony charge of impersonating a law enforcement officer. Mr. Blais was arrested for that charge, at the age of 17, by the Seminole County Sheriff Department, and again at 19, by the Volusia County Sheriff Department.
However, even with his arrest history, the Volusia County Sheriff Department (with the apparent knowledge of Sheriff Ben Johnson) decided to give Mr. Blais a third chance to prove that he could be a law abiding productive citizen. However, shortly after being hired by VCSO, as a dispatcher, he was again arrested by the VCSO, for impersonating a law enforcement officer.
Given Mr. Blais' history of impersonating a law enforcement officer and engaging in sex with children, he probably would have flourished within the Volusia County's Beach Patrol.
MEDIA ACCOUNTS REGARDING PROBLEMS WITHIN THE VOLUSIA BEACH PATROL
Surely, if Mr. Blais deserved the chance to redeem himself, from his criminal behavior, then common sense dictates, that several well respected EMTs and paramedics deserve another chance, to kick their nicotine addiction. Right, Director Sanders?
RETALIATION FOR UNION ACTIVITIES?
However, maybe the county has actually fired these public servants in order to forward a yet undisclosed agenda. Were these public servants terminated in order to disrupt a pending movement to form a labor union within the EVAC?
This whole situation with the terminations of several EMTs and paramedics stinks of retaliatory behavior by county administrators. Why jeopardize the health and welfare of the citizens of Volusia County, by terminating in mass, these critical public safety employees? After all, when the policy was first adopted, all current county employees were "grandfathered" in. To this date, many county employees, within the uniform ranks are active tobacco users. Why were these EVAC employees NOT treated in similar fashion, and grandfathered in?
To us, here at VolusiaExposed.Com, the answer appears to be very clear. These important public safety employees were terminated in a retaliatory scheme to forward the county's desire to keep EVAC from forming a union. We support our conclusion and opinion with the logical assumption that if a twice arrested (felony) person, that has put public safety at risk, deserved another chance, then several well respected public safety employees, in mere violation of county policy, should also deserve another chance.
SMOKING A CIGARETTE vs BEING A CONVICTED FELON
Volusia County has a rather long history of retaliating against employees that vocalize their opinions. In support of this - we invite you to read our report on the Officer Snider vs. Officer Watkins situations.
Both Snider and Watkins were correctional officers at the Volusia County Jail. However, Officer Snider successfully hid the fact, for almost 20 years, that he was a convicted felon. Once discovered, Officer Snider was allowed to immediately (no notice required) and quietly retire, with full benefits (benefits that he secured under a veil of fraud), to include payment of all his personal leave time. However, Officer Watkins, a very well respected public servant and law enforcement officer, was denied all of his personal leave time, due to the fact that he did not give the required 14 days notice of his retirement. (apparently Officer Watkins gave only a 9 day notice - however, remember, Officer Snider did not give any notice)
Apparently, Officer Watkins' retirement was hastened by his aggravation of county officials violating Florida law. Officer Watkins resignation letter is somewhat eye opening to the corruption on going within county government. VolusiaExposed.Com suspects that Officer Watkins' retirement letter was the true reason why he was denied payment for all his personal leave time.
We invite you to review both the VolusiaExposed articles on Officer Snider and Officer Watkins.
ARE THE HEALTH OF CITIZEN BEING PUT A RISK? -- ARE SEASONED EMPLOYEES BEING TARGETED FOR TERMINATION IN ORDER TO MAKE ROOM FOR LESS SEASONED AND LESS EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENTS?
VolusiaExposed.Com wonders, if the health of citizens are being put at risk by terminating such a large group of EMTs and paramedics for simply being in violation of the county's no smoking policy?
We questioned County Spokesman, Dave Byron on whether these mass terminations of EMTs and paramedics were placing the health and safety of Volusia County citizens at risk. We invite you to review our email to Mr. Byron, and his responses.
Mr. Byron advised us in the above email that "a substantial list of qualified applicants" were on file, "so there's no shortage of skilled people waiting in the wings."
It is of investigative significance, that Volusia County government officially took over responsibility for EVAC operations on October 1, 2011. However, prior to October 2011, Volusia County Public Protection Director (Coffin) was suggesting EVAC applicant(s) to the EVAC administration. We welcome you to review the below September 14, 2011 email from Director Coffin to EVAC administration, in which Coffin recommends an applicant.
Obviously, Director Coffin was eager to hire at least one applicant, even weeks prior to the county offically taking over the management of EVAC. VolusiaExposed.Com wonders, was there even a position opening for the candidate that Director Coffin wished his applicant to be considered for employment? Well, if there wasn't an open position then, there certainly are several open positions now - right?