Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Chief David See to retire From Salisbury Fire Department.

Updated:
I brought this up to the top again because of a comment received today. I though it was well worth the read and that others may wish to see it as well.
Thank You A/C Gladwell for the comment.

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Salisbury Mayor Barrie P. Tilghman announced that Salisbury Fire Chief David B. See will retire effective June 30, 2009, after 30 years of service.

Chief See began his career with the City of Salisbury on July 1, 1979 as a Probationary Firefighter. He served as an operational firefighter in various assignments and for several years as an administrative assistant. In March 1992 he was transferred to the Department’s training facility to serve as its first full time career training officer. He was promoted to the rank of Fire Lieutenant in July 1993 while serving there. In January 2000, he was promoted to the rank of Fire Captain and transferred to Fire Station #2 as a company officer. In October 2001, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Fire Chief. After the sudden resignation of Chief Steve Brezler in April 2003, Mayor Tilghman appointed See as Acting Fire Chief until a permanent successor was appointed. Mayor Tilghman subsequently appointed him to the position of Chief of the Department in December 2003.

Chief See also served as an active Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) emergency services instructor for 18 years and holds numerous state and national emergency services certifications.

Chief See currently serves as a Board Director-at-large on the International Association of Fire Chief’s (IAFC) Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS). His organizational memberships include the Delmar Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. (Active) and the Salisbury Fire Department, Inc. (Honorary), and active status with the Maryland State Fire Chief’s Association (MFCA) currently serving as its Treasurer, International Fire Chiefs Association (IAFC) and its Eastern Division (EDIAFC).

Since his appointment as Chief of the Department, Chief See has focused the Department’s efforts in the improvement of firefighter safety through the modernization of its apparatus fleet, the replacement of firefighting tools and personal protective equipment, and continuing to ensure the community’s service demands are met. He successfully led the Department through a brief period of internal strife when differences between a minority of Department members and the
City were highly publicized. He has overseen the renovation of Fire Station #1 and the construction of a new 41,000 square foot fire station and administrative headquarters facility on the City’s west side. He has been instrumental in the continued implementation of the Fire Department’s strategic plan since its development and initial implementation in 2001. During his tenure he has seen the replacement of all of the Department’s capital apparatus; new self-contained breathing apparatus; an increase in the total number of career and volunteer positions; the implementation of volunteer position descriptions and promotional processes; and the appointment of the Department’s first female fire line officer, among other accomplishments.

In his thirty years of service with the Salisbury Fire Department, Chief David See has committed himself fully to serving the citizens of the City and the Salisbury Fire District.

“Chief See has distinguished himself though many years of service to the City of Salisbury,” said Mayor Tilghman. “He has led the Department into the 21st century world of delivery of fire and emergency medical services. He came on board during a particularly challenging period and has transformed the Department into a united volunteer and career force that serves the citizens of the Salisbury Fire District extraordinarily well. I am honored to have served with him.”

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Chief See has served Salisbury for a long time in a very stressful job. Enjoy your retirement Chief you earned it.

Anonymous said...

Amen!! For all those that give him hell...remember...you're NOT doing his job. Why in the heck would ANYONE want to be Fire Chief?! Especially in this town where few apparently give a rat's patoot (giving the rodent family its due) regarding the crap he has to put up with and the responsibilities that accompany the position?!
Like the man or not, it's a tough job w/ way too many political implications and "bosses". One person should answer to one person...not a group of people who truly are not educated regarding the fire service and the demands of the job. Those who would choose to educate themselves and not strictly pay attention to "blogs", would find that all the department heads of the City have difficult jobs especially during difficult financial times.
The "legislative" branch should be doing just that...legislating. They need to leave the executive branch to its job, which (in part)is managing the department heads.
I have no issue w/ the legislators asking questions, but, anymore, it appears to be w/ malicious intent. If I am wrong, then I certainly offer my apologies here and now. However, these department heads cant seem to be able to turn around in their offices without someone bearing down on them. If they're doing such a poor job, then their boss should be handling the discipline necessary. If that boss isnt doing his/her job, then that individual needs to be dealt with in-turn.
I'd love to see some of the people who are questioning every move made attempt to step into the roles of Chief or Director and attempt to handle the job themselves in a more appropriate manner.
Put the safety of nearly 100,000 people in their hands and let them feel the pressure and see how they react. Dealing w/ the finances of these same 100,000 folks is one thing and I personally appreciate the fact that there are folks interested in watching after where my tax dollars go (wish more were coming back to me! LOL), but I'm not so sure that some appreciate the responsibility that accompanies the title of "Dept. Head". Throw unfunded federal mandates ( such as NFPA) and the like into the pot and it quickly becomes quite the "challenge" to run a department when you dont seem to appear to have the full support of those who in essence, seem to be "micromanaging". If you want to be fire chief and feel you can do the job better (or any other dept. head), then go to the schools, get the training and required education, crawl down the dark hallways with us at least ONCE, deal with the sick and dying, watch the children live in poverty and drugs, watch your friends get hurt (sometimes bad), view the emotional stress that comes with the territory (which we all know and have to accept in order to complete our careers (vol or paid...makes no difference)), and THEN, and ONLY THEN, can some of these folks TRULY understand what the Chief (and his staff) deals with!
I rambled and I'm sorry...but these are FACTS...Can we (SFD) do better??? I'm sure that we probably can, and maybe should...but we do the best we can for the most part. We make mistakes and we live with the ramifications of those mistakes. If you're an officer, you have a target on your back...earned or not. That comes w/ the territory as well and how you handle that bullseye makes you a good one or not.
I get hammered pretty hard on that "other site" (lol) and while it's owned by someone I dont necessarily agree w/ on a regular basis, I respect his right to free speech and to his own opinion and would defend that right to the end as that is part of what makes America wonderful.
To those who bash the Chief behind his back but are friendly to his face (as some appear to be doing about a few of us), I openly call you "COWARD". Be the man you apparently make yourself out to be in private, IN PUBLIC. Lay your training and experience down on the table in open forum against any of those you continually bash and let's compare! Bring your "A" game when you do!!
I certainly havent always agreed w/ Chief See...but when I havent, he's heard it to his face...sometimes in the wrong forum and I often wonder how I've managed to keep my job sometimes, let alone my rank. But I've done it to his face and I feel he appreciated that for what it was...someone disagreeing w/ him like a man rather than a coward. I assure you, as would anyone who knows me, I understand my role in the department...I have a boss to whom I answer and I respect him as well. I also have responsibilites at home, which include much more than "myself". I wonder to what extent those that say the officers are gutless and butt kissers and scared would go at their own jobs...Exactly what are each of them willing to "lose" in order to "stand up" to their boss?? Hmmmm....
Call me a butt kisser if you like, but I buy into the overall program and feel that there truly are only a few who dont. I openly admit I dont agree with some things, but I am NOT Chief. I do not have the final say...but what I DO HAVE, as does each member of the Department, is a say in the goings-on. Which is WAY more than we used to have!! Obviously, there are going to be differences of opinions and thought processes. Sometimes the "grunts" dont see the entire picture and sometimes "management" doesnt listen to what they need to...that's going to happen in any organization.
There is much talent at all levels in the SFD...those that cant stand to be a part of it should go be part of something else. Those that stay will continue to be part of an extraordinary organization doing an awful lot in very trying and difficult situations.
I am proud to serve with each of them, volunteer and career.
The SFD took a "back seat" for many years and now that it has moved to the forefront, which was inevitable, it appears to be taking some heat from naysayers. If you're in the Department and wish to continue to gripe, DO SO!! But do it like adults and do it openly and with class. "Anonymous" commentary attacking people is cowardly, at best. I can certainly offer worse explicatives (Im good at that! LOL!).
If you're outside the Department, come visit us and see us in action. Visit ANY firehouse and see what YOUR money does and how it works for YOU! Educate yourselves BEFORE you take only one side of a story as the "whole truth".
You may find that there truly is "more to it"...
I wish Chief See well in his retirement. With the current climate, it's a wonder he's made it this long.
Cap, I appreciate the space you've allowed me in my ranting and apologize for getting on your "soapbox"!!

Jim Gladwell
Asst. Chief
A Shift
Salisbury Fire Department

Soapbox said...

Chief Gladwell, you are always welcome to this soapbox.

Thank You for visiting.

Anonymous said...

You can tell yhat both comments (the one by Chief Gladwell & the one about T16)were both written by people who know what they are talking about, not to just make a name for themselves.

I served in the fire service for over forty years & can understand what both of you are saying.

Good work!

Jonathan Taylor said...

Jimmy Long time my friend! Good to see you on here.. visit my blog the salisburygrinch and email me we can talk. Garys sport scene forever!

Anonymous said...

Chief See will be missed. I might not have agreed with everything he did or said but the man has done a good job and will leave the Department in better shape than when he got there. In life and career, I think that's what is important. Leaving things better than we found them.

Congrats Chief!

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