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PROCEED WITH CAUTION
As most of you know from the recent “All Call” to all stations, the Fire Chief sent out a "DEPARTMENT UPDATE" video message. In the video message, the Fire Chief levies some serious threats to the rank and file members of this Department. In the video, the Fire Chief mentions, "substantial discipline, including suspensions without pay and outright dismissals". The Fire Chief also stated that none of this will be tolerated "on my watch".
Shortly before the Fire Chief’s video message, the Department sent out EA-109 on March 17th, requesting volunteer Fire Captain Raters for the Firefighter Trainee Oral Interview Panel. In this EA, the voluntary raters are asked to affirm to 16 provisions of an attached Firefighter Trainee Security Agreement. These security provisions will be strictly adhered to, unyielding and unbending. In light of the recent “issues” at the Firefighter Trainee written exam (7 hours for a cumulative 51 minutes of test, disorganization, restroom issues, etc...) one can only imagine the issues we can expect scheduling and administering an oral interview exam for several thousand candidates. This executive staff has shown that when given over 3 years to prepare for a written entrance exam, it was unable to deliver the exam without several embarrassing issues. Keep this in mind when you are deciding whether or not to volunteer your services to the Department as a perspective rater for the upcoming oral interview portion of the Firefighter Trainee Exam. While Local 1014’s stance has always been to encourage all the membership to be active and participate in Department Committee’s and activities, it is Local 1014’s recommendation to not participate as a rater. If you do choose to proceed with participating as a rater, please proceed with extreme caution.
Local 1014 is actively in the process of representing several members who have been named in the recent investigations by the Auditor Controller’s office, at the request of this Fire Chief Again, keep this in mind as you send in your request to be a rater in this upcoming exam. If you have sent in a request to participate in the oral exam process and now choose NOT to participate, please send an Email request to Patricia Bennett, Human Resources Division at Patricia.Bennett@fire.lacounty.gov.
Something else to keep in mind....in the future, if you find yourself being investigated from this exam process, or anything else for that matter, notify Local 1014 IMMEDIATELY for representation.
Your Local 1014 Executive Board.
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