Another example of things being all about the money at Disney. In this case, its public safety.
From the Sentinel....
The government agency providing fire-rescue service to Walt Disney World has proposed disbanding its special operations and response team, whose members get specialized training on complicated jobs such as rescues from collapsed buildings and detection of chemical agents.
The proposal is a point of contention in contract negotiations between Reedy Creek and the union representing its firefighters. Fire-rescue personnel have worked without a contract since January, when the last one expired.
"They're going to take away that training from these people and not have them certified anymore," said Tim Stromsnes, president of the Reedy Creek Fire Fighters Association Local 2117. "I think it's a disservice to the guest … for us not to have that team."
Reedy Creek is a public agency similar to a county government. It is controlled by Walt Disney World, which owns most of the land within the district and is by far its largest taxpayer.
District Administrator Bill Warren said there has been "minimal need for the program to respond and so we're taking a hard look at it." Disney had no comment.
Reedy Creek created its special operations team – known as SOAR – after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. On its Web site, Reedy Creek said it created the team "to establish a timely response for detection and mitigation of hazardous situations without relying on, or depleting our neighbor's resources." Incidents the group has responded to include a chemical reaction in a hotel kitchen, fuel spills, and the rescue of a worker from a hotel under construction.
The 45 members of the special operations team would perform regular fire-rescue duties just as they do now. They would no longer be paid an extra dollar an hour and the higher-level continuing education would no longer be provided.
The department said it would save hundreds of thousands of dollars annually by disbanding the team. Those savings would be poured into more advanced training for its general emergency force — though not at the in-depth "tech" level of the special operations team.
"The cost of the program is not the driving force here," Warren said. "It's the delivery of the highest qualified team and the county clearly has that."
Disbanding Reedy Creek's team would mean relying more heavily on Orange County firefighters for unusual situations. Reedy Creek already has a mutual aid agreement with Orange County.
Orange County's fire-rescue department has had a special operations team since 1989 that provides services to local cities as well as unincorporated areas. "If we're needed, we'll be there" for Reedy Creek, spokeswoman Kat Kennedy said.
Stromsnes argues that because Disney World is so high-profile and attracts so many visitors, it warrants having its own specialized force that could quickly respond to a catastrophe.
Reedy Creek's team would no longer be able to lead a rescue operation if a building were to collapse. It also would not be able to handle hazardous chemicals.
Though the special operations team gets advanced training for rescues from high buildings, Reedy Creek says its firefighters can still handle many of those calls.
The union and Reedy Creek are also in disagreement over pay and insurance benefits. Reedy Creek has proposed an average 3 percent pay increase and paying 3 percent more in insurance costs.
The union also wants access to body scans as part of its annual physicals. Reedy Creek says it is investigating that cost.
From the Sentinel....
The government agency providing fire-rescue service to Walt Disney World has proposed disbanding its special operations and response team, whose members get specialized training on complicated jobs such as rescues from collapsed buildings and detection of chemical agents.
The proposal is a point of contention in contract negotiations between Reedy Creek and the union representing its firefighters. Fire-rescue personnel have worked without a contract since January, when the last one expired.
"They're going to take away that training from these people and not have them certified anymore," said Tim Stromsnes, president of the Reedy Creek Fire Fighters Association Local 2117. "I think it's a disservice to the guest … for us not to have that team."
Reedy Creek is a public agency similar to a county government. It is controlled by Walt Disney World, which owns most of the land within the district and is by far its largest taxpayer.
District Administrator Bill Warren said there has been "minimal need for the program to respond and so we're taking a hard look at it." Disney had no comment.
Reedy Creek created its special operations team – known as SOAR – after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. On its Web site, Reedy Creek said it created the team "to establish a timely response for detection and mitigation of hazardous situations without relying on, or depleting our neighbor's resources." Incidents the group has responded to include a chemical reaction in a hotel kitchen, fuel spills, and the rescue of a worker from a hotel under construction.
The 45 members of the special operations team would perform regular fire-rescue duties just as they do now. They would no longer be paid an extra dollar an hour and the higher-level continuing education would no longer be provided.
The department said it would save hundreds of thousands of dollars annually by disbanding the team. Those savings would be poured into more advanced training for its general emergency force — though not at the in-depth "tech" level of the special operations team.
"The cost of the program is not the driving force here," Warren said. "It's the delivery of the highest qualified team and the county clearly has that."
Disbanding Reedy Creek's team would mean relying more heavily on Orange County firefighters for unusual situations. Reedy Creek already has a mutual aid agreement with Orange County.
Orange County's fire-rescue department has had a special operations team since 1989 that provides services to local cities as well as unincorporated areas. "If we're needed, we'll be there" for Reedy Creek, spokeswoman Kat Kennedy said.
Stromsnes argues that because Disney World is so high-profile and attracts so many visitors, it warrants having its own specialized force that could quickly respond to a catastrophe.
Reedy Creek's team would no longer be able to lead a rescue operation if a building were to collapse. It also would not be able to handle hazardous chemicals.
Though the special operations team gets advanced training for rescues from high buildings, Reedy Creek says its firefighters can still handle many of those calls.
The union and Reedy Creek are also in disagreement over pay and insurance benefits. Reedy Creek has proposed an average 3 percent pay increase and paying 3 percent more in insurance costs.
The union also wants access to body scans as part of its annual physicals. Reedy Creek says it is investigating that cost.
