the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, in regards to your post today about Ridgewood EMTs – this is an issue manufactured by the Fire Chief in a time that they have been responding to less and less fires. These issues started in 2019 when we made a presentation to Susan Knudsen, who saw the writing on the wall that the fire department is too expensive when compared to EMS. She is working to protect her son’s job on the fire department. A letter was sent to the Village Council the day after the Chief of Emergency Services was blindsided at the public budget meeting. This will not provide 100% coverage of EMS, as the Fire Department has provided no plan of who would respond to EMS calls in town or handle fire rehab if there is a working fire – the firefighters are still being assigned double-duty on fire apparatus and ambulances, which has already caused issues in the past. Also, this will not be cost savings as stated by the manager. All per diem EMT salaries combined are under $70,000 a year ($20.83 max pay per hour, not all employees at max × 13 hours a day × 5 days a week × 52 weeks a year) while the announced salary of the new firefighters would be $37,000 × 2, plus pensions, benefits, and training costs, with raises up to $110,000 a year each for these positions, making them the most expensive EMTs in the state – triple the average EMTs salary. I would be happy to provide a copy of the letter via email if you contact me with a good address to reach you.
Tell you what, my wife and kids will do it for $90K firm for three years. No need to train them. Save you a ton!
All of the Per Diem EMTs cost more than 2 new firefighters, it’s a sound budgetary decision. Anyone who says otherwise is not telling the truth.
The per diem EMTs are cheaper. Look at the past budgets. It’s all there. Ridgewood Fire costs over 5.5 Million a year! The only lies are from Heather and Susan
No worries….
becaaaaaause …
We are RICH and STUPID
All we know the the village is receiving a lot of money from the federal government. This is all about the big plan. We told you last year there’s more coming. It’s starting. Just change your underwear.
“All of the Per Diem EMTs cost more than 2 new firefighters, it’s a sound budgetary decision. Anyone who says otherwise is not telling the truth.” I guess you didn’t count the cost of the Firefighters pension and medical benefits .
The Fire department is so political.It really is ridiculous.
As they say in Baseball, three strikes and your out. Obviously the paid EMTs have only themselves to blame for this situation.
Any delay in dispatching an ambulance can mean the difference in life and death. Go ahead and argue that with me……you ca’t I bet.
The FD has delayed EMS responses over and over again when they have fire calls. They will do it again. I’ll argue that any day.
They attempt to cancel themselves off every covid call…. they dont want to do it per one firefighter, “we have families.” Those assholes have almost all gotten covid, claiming on the job exposure and being paid 2 weeks pay to be sicks for having a superbowl party where most got exposed. The mayors kid got covid by saying “fuck the covid protocols” and wore only a mask in to a covid positive pts home, got covid 2 daya later. They also crash why stealing calls from other towns.
This should never have been brought up on a blog. Obviously the paid EMTs are throwing a temper tantrum. Based on what I have read here they were NOT following the rules and apparently thought the rules should not apply to them. Fire them all , now. I will gladly pay for more professional fire fighters than have this embarrassing foolishness tarnish the Village, our Village Management and our Fire fighters.
Some Cry Baby said, The FD has delayed EMS responses over and over again when they have fire calls. They will do it again. I’ll argue that any day.
Nice try, but that is a blatant lie.
Knock down the emergency Service building and put an extension on the fire department on Glen Avenue,
Outsource FD and PD, move to volunteer or shared services. We can’t keep increasing taxes
Hey taxed ,
I can solve your problem with one word
M O V E.
and stick you will all the taxes, oh that right you have to have a job first
The REAL money being spent is in the schools.
hey ‘taxed’ if you lived here and actually paid property taxes, you would know that the majority of a property tax bill is for the bloated school budget.
The municipal portion for police, fire, streets, sanitation is within reason, considering the extra ‘fat’ within all departments. Fortunately we have some large houses in town with massive tax bills that contribute to both budgets, thus easing the burden on the rest of us with modest homes. Check the tax rate in Glen Rock.. its HIGHER and they don’t have paid FD to respond.
I’ve lived here since the 1960’s and having a paid fire department is one of the more important considerations for those of us choosing to stay here .
One sure way to get ALL taxes to increase is to chase out those of us who never used the schools, or no longer have children in the schools. Why? Because without exception, every NY transplant that moves here has kids utilizing the schools. There has always been a historical turnover of residents, but when its ‘accellerated’ (due to NJ State tax increases, or the Village taxes increasing at a greater rate than usual), more old-timers move it. We don’t expect a ‘thank you’ note with our tax bills, but just STFU and leave well enough alone. We like our Paid professional firefighters and I’m sure they can handle the ambulance calls. (years ago the Police use to pick up the ‘2 post’ walking man to drive the old cadillac ambulance… by the time they arrived at a call it would have been easier to just call Feeneys or Van Emburgs)!
Why is a paid fire department so important to you anyway, they just let it all burn! See Bagelicious…
Some moron said
“Why is a paid fire department so important to you anyway, they just let it all burn! See Bagelicious…
I see you are a special kind of moron!
Why is the paid FD so important??
Its called response time.
My understanding is that the bagel shop fire was going on for a long time prior to being reported.
Was there a fire alarm monitoring system there? did it fail? (apparently so)
The FD comes when called. If you call when its fully involved and its an old tinderbox, thank them for keeping it from spreading to the surrounding structures.
I know they do a good job based on my living here since the 1960s.
All you cheap shits should get a burglar/fire alarm… and don’t forget to enable it! (and it saves you 20% on your homeowners premuim as well)
Does anyone know if Bagelicious is ever coming back to Ridgewood ???
It’s not about being a hero anymore, it’s just about just a control the fire. We don’t need any fire employees entering the building, unless they definitely know someone’s inside to rescue them. Surround the flame and socket.
Regarding the can of worms yes it’s open now. Now all this shit is going to come out. On both ends. There’s a lot of dirty shit going on in this town. And we are just sick of it. Do you know what it’s time to get the media involved major news networks.
Do you know what it’s time to get the media involved major news networks.
😆😅😂🤣 yea right. Someone is smoking some good stuff.
Was on the Village Council meeting tonight where I stated to table their 2021 budget where they want to DEFUND the EMT
And hire two more fire fighters
At a cost to us
The taxpayers
Call and email them
Tell them to table this idea
Where our safety will be compromised when we are short the first responders EMTs
Tell them to
Be transparent to the Village
Tell us their plan
Where are their numbers in labor
Calls and need for the village during a pandemic !!
We demand your plan
In detail
Before they make a mistake that will alter
The well being of Ridgewood
Was on the Village Council meeting tonight where I stated to table their 2021 budget where they want to DEFUND the EMT
And hire two more fire fighters
At a cost to us
The taxpayers
Yes they said it .. on the Feb 2021 meeting. see for yourself
The EMT cost $70000 annually for the entire dept.. Two paid Fire Fighters cost 180, 687 per year plus rides for calls and OVERTIME which will happen when the EMT are Defunded and leave.
Not to mention,, the Fire Dept already got One paid Fire Fighter in December 2020,,, why need more in two months????
Also ALL of the community involvement with EMT and Ridgewood, such as RHS TIES will Vanish.
Call and email them
Tell them to table this idea
Where our safety will be compromised when we are short the first responders EMTs
Tell them to
Be transparent to the Village
Tell us their plan
Where are their numbers in labor
Calls and need for the village during a pandemic !!
We demand your plan
In detail
Before they make a mistake that will alter
The well being of Ridgewood
There she’s is again Susan Smith. FYI she is actually that 🥜 nutty Linda Scarpa who is fighting for her son to keep his paid EMT position. Ignore her she is a pathological liar. Having 2 more firefighter EMTs and eliminating the part time EMTs and keeping ALL of the volunteers EMTs makes perfect sense.
just curious how it makes “perfect sense” ???
Just outsource and stop giving jobs to the mayors family! The town fails to tell everybody they are flat broke and they’re going to need a huge tax increase the next few years one of like nobody’s ever seen to cover the budget gap! But then again it’s a badge of honor to pay high taxes and Ridgewood! That’s why all the yoga moms have a smile on their face because they all bend over and take it!