Firefighters? Anyone?

Do you not like my signature lines? lol.

Is it the local firefighters union? I seem to remember them doing in the last round of elections also.

Hopefully they support this person enough to pick up all the signs after the election.:roll:

I hope they didn't use tax payer gas to put them up.

It is my understanding they are required to pick them up and they are not placing the signes while on duty. Off duty only.

I don't understand WHY the firefighter's union is endorsing candidates.

Are there people running on a fire suppression/forest management platform or other fire related topics I am unaware of?

Why should they not. I respectfully think that they are concerned about the political landscape just as much as anybody in SOWAL. I would speculate they they are extremely interested in the WCSO race as the Sheriff would be shoulder to shoulder with their boss during a time of crisis like hurricanes. I would also think they are extrememly interested in those positions on the BCC that represent the citizens of South Walton as they are responsible for their (citizens) safety.

That makes much more sense - I haven't seen the signs, so in my head I was wondering why they were weighing in on something like the school board race.

I totally support their decision to endorse candidates, I just wish they'd have an editorial in the paper or a post on a website explaining WHY the are endorsing a candidate, rather than just throw up signs. It is my inclination to give some weight to the firefighters' recommendations, but I want to hear a reason for the endorsement, not just a bunch of signs.


And SJ, I have seen your reasoning for your support on this board...so I like your signature line. I'm also kinda surprised how many choices we have in common!

Ditto - 'Firefighters support candidate "x" because they can be depended on in an emergency' carries much more weight IMO.

I am SO sick of all the campaign signs - so much visual litter, especially the folks who post them in clumps so they have multiple signs within 10-15' of each other or at pretty vistas over the coastal dune lakes! :angry:

I Googled and found the following website. I am looking for a contact number

www.local3516.com

Some of those yellow signs were illegally placed. They are since gone. It seems that the sign posse is in high gear. Many of the sheriff's candidates signs are illegally placed also.

I have yet to see 100% of any candidate's signs legally placed. Sometimes, I wish the big mowers would put a cowgate on the front and run them over.

I had a lovely fantasy of closely placed campaign signs going "whumpity, whumpity" 'neath my tires/bumper.

They're lucky I love my car/don't have a cattle catcher!

I had a lovely fantasy of closely placed campaign signs going "whumpity, whumpity" 'neath my tires/bumper.

They're lucky I love my car/don't have a cattle catcher!

Yeah, I was about to mention that the little wire spikes they put in the ground are sharper than they appear to be. Might not be good for the bug's tires. ;-)

Hey Enfuego,
I checked out the website you found & found some general reasons why the firefighters are involved in politics. Seems there is a method to their madness.

Why do firefighters get involved in Local, State, and National Politics? You may know that during an election year/political campaign, candidates will attempt to form an inside connection with voters/voting groups, and tell the voters what they want to hear. For obvious reasons, this rhetoric cannot be trusted as fact to determine which candidate to endorsement unless the candidate has done in the past what he or she is promising to do if elected. As a Firefighter Association, our support and endorsement must reflect the candidate’s past voting record regarding issues that affect firefighters and the communities we serve; for example: safety, training, resource management and allocation, and a proven commitment to help us better serve our citizens. As firefighters, we chose this profession because inside each of us resides a passion to help people. To that end, we are dedicated to the safety and constant improvement of our community, our service, and ourselves. Furthermore, we attempt to align ourselves with candidates who share our passion, not just in verse, but also in deed. We endorse candidates who have proven this by their actions and not simply voiced it when asking for our vote or endorsement. We truly connect with you, the voters, because you are the same citizens we serve. We feel that a big part of doing the best job we can for you is to help you find elected officials who do the best job possible managing the resources that you provide for our services. This helps us maintain safer communities for you.


Our National Politics:
The International Association of Fire Fighters endorses political candidates based on the candidate's past voting record of support regarding issues that affect firefighters and the communities they serve. This support includes sponsoring/supporting legislation to improve the safety, well being, and improvement of the American/Canadian firefighter.


Our State Politics:
The Florida Professional Firefighters endorse political candidates based on the candidate's past voting record of support regarding issues that affect firefighters and the community they serve. This support includes sponsoring/supporting legislation to improve the safety, well being, and improvement of firefighters throughout Florida.


Our Local Politics:
The South Walton Professional Firefighters Association is comprised of highly trained professional firefighters, EMTs, Paramedics, Rescue Technicians, and Dispatchers. We are the men and women who arrive in fire trucks and ambulances and help you resolve your emergencies. Who in our community knows more about what is needed to provide a prompt, competent, and caring response in your time of need than the very firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and dispatchers who respond and mitigate your emergencies? Our local politics follow a similar paradigm in that we endorse candidates who have proven their support of these ideals throughout their term, and not just talked about it during their campaign.

Thank you for your interest in this important subject.

As for the signs; We are actively seeking more efficient (and more beautiful) means of participating in candidate support. Ideas are welcome.

South Walton Professional Firefighters Assoc.

The other side of this issue

Just so everone one knows the truth, I recieved a question list from the firefighters UNION. I contacted their secretary (Coy Surprise) twice by phone and told him I had numerous questions in order to respond to the firefighters. I voiced my concern that the questions seemed to be written by a union attorney and told them I would not take a position on several of the subjects unless I was presented the facts and documents referred to in the questions. Coy called me back and said the president would get back with me and I said great! I suggested we have a forum for the candidates to attend a firefighters meeting and answer the questions in person. I even said I would be willing to do two sessions so the people who had duty the first session would have a fair shot to evaluate their next commissioner. This was met with silence. As someone who stood duty as a public servant for over 22 years I FULLY understand and RESPECT the need for these extremely important parts of our emergency personnel team. People forget our Emergency Personnel until they are laying in the highway or their house is on fire. I was a person who did respond to 9-11 and I WENT to the Pentagon and NYC. I respect your groups right to support any cadidate, I just wish I would have got a fair shot. To the President of the Association - I'm still waiting for your call and would like to know myself how ALL the firefighters came to the decision or did the union just get the response it was looking for. To the rest of the firefighters and emergency personnel, I still believe you are one of the most vital parts of local goverment and know you are standing duty ready to respond should any citizen need you. No matter if I have your vote or not, you have my respect and I pay those special taxes happily knowing you stand at the ready. My door will always be open to you. God Bless the family of the Okaloosa deputy who lost his life tonight. You, like the soldiers overseas, will always be in my prayers.

Alan Osborne

Sounds like you wanted to engage them based on your own terms, Osborne

Osbourne, sounds like you wanted to dictate the terms on which you would speak to a vitally important constituency in this county. I have observed you at County Commission meetings and find this to be par for the course. You demand to have the questions framed in a method that will justify your answer. If the questioner refuses to comply, you simply attack the questioner. As everyone knows, these ad hominem attacks are one of the basic fallacies of logic.

Your confrontational manner and inflexibility in your position indicates unfitness for office. A true representative of the people listens to all viewpoints, with sincerity and an open mind. You seem to have your mind made up and simply demand that others agree.

Indeed, firefighters and EMTs place the safety of others above that of their own. Just answer their questions without suggesting that a lawyer wrote them. Are you so afraid of the questions that you need to attack those who asked them?

Oh, and before you attack me as being a firefighter who is simply protecting the South Walton County firefighters, I have no connection with the organization. Taking away this personal attack on my comments, do you know how to craft a cogent response?

By the way...

Your reference to September 11th and the officer who gave his life today in service of the citizens of Okaloosa County is a cheap exploitation of two very tragic events.

Shame on you!

Bottom line is this, We still don't know what criteria was used for the endorsement!

My response was sincere, If you believe it or not is up to you.

Thank you for your interest in this important subject.

As for the signs; We are actively seeking more efficient (and more beautiful) means of participating in candidate support. Ideas are welcome.

South Walton Professional Firefighters Assoc.

Here's an idea: Post the reasoning behind your support. Issue a press release with you reasons for support of certain candidates. I don't have any problem with the firefighters endorsing candidates, my problem is the lack of a stated reason. Your group has a website, and it would be easy to post a statement about the candidates you have decided to support, and give examples of the voting records that lead you to believe they'd act in a way that would benefit firefighters.

I think it's fabulous that firefighters care enough to devote time and money to endorsing candidates in a local election. I would just give the endorsements more weight if I could understand the reasoning behind the support.

Bottom line is this, We still don't know what criteria was used for the endorsement!

Very good point. An endorsement that is not based on a candidate forum, i.e. Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, or some other criteria the public can examine is always questionable.

Also, anyone involved with South Walton Fire District out there? If so, was this an issue that SWFD was involved with?

On a somewhat related note, I keep hearing that some candidates are being approached by (or possibly approaching) SWFD to strike a deal for support for the district, in exchange for supporting that candidate. This is rather concerning, as it certainly stinks of the good ole boy politics so many on here complain about.

Alan Osborne, I've been sitting back and trying to take of this in. To reference your last post, I think the criteria used for their endorsement is stated clearly in the really long post above by SoWalProFire. And I'm with graytonbeachguy on this one. You have a reputation of being a controlling, close-minded hot head. This is Walton County Government, not the US Military. Your rank has no bearing here. Stand down from red alert. I am so sick and tired of people losing ground or basis in their argument, then breaking the "emergency glass" and using the "9-11" card to give their argument some credibility. That card is way over played, and frankly I find it disrespectful. If you want to show honor to those who died, how about a little respect. Do they still teach that in the military? I would think that as a political candidate, you would do your best to make friends and rally support, not make enemies and burn bridges. Did you ever think that your reputation had preceded you, and that is why they aren't responding?

Osbourne, sounds like you wanted to dictate the terms on which you would speak to a vitally important constituency in this county. I have observed you at County Commission meetings and find this to be par for the course. You demand to have the questions framed in a method that will justify your answer. If the questioner refuses to comply, you simply attack the questioner. As everyone knows, these ad hominem attacks are one of the basic fallacies of logic.

That's a pretty nasty line of attack, and I'm not sure that I agree that strongly advocating for fair/neutral wording, or requesting to be provided relevant factual materials to evaluate a problem is a cop out. I think it indicates a good bit of intellect and an understanding of how to avoid being manipulated by special interests.

I would love to see the questions the Firefighters' union sent out, so we could see for ourselves the criteria upon which the firefighters based their decision.