Strippers help FD with apparatus purchase...

[lumpy649]

Alright- I realize now that there will be differing opinions on this topic, but tell me what you think, and be honest... was it good for that department's image to accept their help?

[ArmyTruckCompany]

This goes along with the beer-in-the-station thing....I just doesnt belong!! There have to be a hundred more, cleaner ways to get donations....Did I read that correctly when I saw that NASCAR built a new track there??? Come ON!!! How can they NOT get any money from NASCAR for a new engine??? 100,000 is a drop in the bucket!!!

Many Depts already look bad enough to the general public.......This one will most definetly join the list in my opinion

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"Loyalty above all else, except honor."

[CFD14]

Can anyone say SIN! I'm sure that will fire up some non-Christians/secular Christians who think that there is nothing wrong with strippers/pornography. I think that as a profession, firefighters should be held to a higher moral standard. I know small departments have to find new and innovative ways to raise monies, but I agree with ya ArmyTruck, alcohol and strippers shouldn't be associated with the Fire Dept.

My questions are, Why did Nascar build a track next to a town of 150? Isn't that a little small for a NASCAR track? Is there a bigger city close by that could provide the necessary apparatus and manpower? And like ArmyTruck said, Ask NASCAR for a big % of the capital needed. They should have enough, even if they charged a littler higher admission to help defray the cost.

just my $0.02.

[gah74]

Well, it's easy for me to say, b/c my dept. doesn't have any trouble securing good equipment, but using funds generated from a strip club is not a good image for the fire service.

[FFJRE32]

I think the first thing thats needs to be looked at is that there were business in that fire deptments area that there were willing to help them buy a new truck we dont know if nascar turned them down and maybe that was the only land they could get to build the track my thoughs are dont bite the hand that will feed you. maybe that was the only way they could get money in some parts of the u.s. thats the only way cause noone else will help youand the strip place wasnt the only business in the building there were two more that were helping them with the donation.

[This message has been edited by FFJRE32 (edited 05-26-2001).]

[This message has been edited by FFJRE32 (edited 05-26-2001).]

[Fire Line]

Don't blame the FD. Blame the politicians for allowing the speedway not to pay taxes so the FD wouldn't have had to do something you find unacceptable. If stripping is legal in Kentucky, then I see nothing wrong with it.

[FP&LS Guy]

While we are at it, we should get fire departments to stop raising money through Bingo. Gambling is wrong and shouldn't be allowed.

And bake sales .... God forbid someone is allergic to something in one of the baked products and they have a severe reaction. Think of the liability.

And boot drives .... we are contaminating America's money with foot fungus !! That should be in violation of Federal law.

Geesh, lighten up. At least the customers know they are a little safer with some firefighters in the building. Like Fire Line said, it's legal in that state. It's not like they are having strippers perform in the station to raise money ...... hummmmmm.

[SFD-129-3]

Now let me guess.......how much funding do you get with 150 citizens in how many square miles? my bet is close to CFD14's $.02! They are doing what has to get done and of course now they are getting criticized. Maybe its departments like these that flood the gov with apps for the fire act money. At least they are doing what they have to do to fund their department and guarantee service to their town and people passing through it. I can't imagine NASCAR would be too willing to finance a new piece for 2 or 4 races a year. I live 15 miles from Pocono, where nascar races as well as Arca and have never heard of nascar providing a piece.

[Engine69]

In case someone breezed past it like I did... http://server.firehouse.com/news/200...strippers.html

I tend to agree with those who feel you have to take what money you can get. Not that I am an expert, but most of the time, when you find an adult business in a rural area, that is about the ONLY business in that area. If that business owner wants to support the fire department that protects his investment, the fire department should gratfully accept the donation.

FP&LS Guy touched on an interesting comparison. Exotic dancers in the fire station for a fund raiser would probably be a bad thing. I wonder how many departments have some kind of "festival" at their station that offers beer for sale to raise money? I do know of a couple in this area that set up a "beer garden" at their village parks (where alcohol is normally prohibited) to raise money. How critical should we be of them? How about a department that set up a tent in the park at a festival a few years ago at a festival and hired exotic dancers to perform as a fund raiser?

Unfortunately, our society has its wires crossed to where a great deal of money goes to undesirable businesses. At the same time, public safety is forced to beg to survive. So, if the strip club has money to give away, the fire department might as well get it. If they don't someone else will.


[This message has been edited by Engine69 (edited 05-26-2001).]

[STRIPCLUBKING]

FOR ONE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH NAKED WOMEN OR STRIP CLUBS. AND IF YOU THINK THAT TAKING DONATIONS RECEIVED IN A STRIP CLUB IS WRONG THEN I THINK ITS TIME FOR YOU TO WAKE UP AND ENJOY THE FINE ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE IN THESE GREAT ESTABLISHMENTS

[Nick SBFD 6]

How could we possibly justify fund raising if we turned down someones donation regardless of where it came from? As far as I'm concerned it is a group of citizens who made a kind geture towards their community, something we'd all want. Hey like FP&LS Guy said, lighten up a little.


-Nick

[CFD14]

Naked women compared to Bakes sales?????? FP&LS that is quite a stretch of your imagination, I do hope you didn't snap anything.

btw, Our Boot Drives go directly to MDA, not our own coffers.

I'll leave Bingo to the American Legion and VFW.

SCK, yes there is something wrong with those establishments, but that is a whole nother thread on a whole different forum.

Morals, Values and the TEN COMMANDMENTS, of course Liberals never want to be confronted by any of those "words". Truth.

SFD 129, Does NASCAR expect this small fire department to protect their track? To run Rescue at their track? To protect the fans that come to their track? If so, they need to: 1. Hire a bigger/better equipped dept. 2. Provide the necessary equipment/manpower for 2-4 races per year. or 3. Help out this dept and financially aid them in a properly spec'd apparatus and equipment.

Just cause you haven't heard of it, doesn't mean it hasn't or can't happen.

[Eng522ine]

Well, I may as well throw my .02 in on this one...

I say, take it where you can get it. If the strip joint is willing to help the department, you'd be a fool not to accept the help.

As for those that are too high and mighty to accept the "dirty money" from such a sinful establishment, when's the last time you researched where YOUR donations come from? How do you know that the money you accept gratefully isn't dirty? Don't be so quick to judge.

CFD... don't forget that even Jesus was known to associate with people that you seem to have labeled as undesirables. As long as we maintain OUR standards personally and as a department, I fail to see how something like this could be a bad thing. Remember, we're not perfect either and a sin is a sin. To quote Jesus, as written in John 8:7, "...'If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone...'" (quoted from NIV).

Also, as far as public perception and the department's image, in a town of 150 I'd hazard a guess that no less than 20-40% of the townsfolk frequent this establishment. So, how can this have a negative effect on the department's image?

[SFD-129-3]

"The Sparta Fire Department is composed of seventeen volunteers and serves a population of approximately 150 people. The town covers about 6.7 square miles, which is the largest town in the county."
According to the article, CFD, they are the big department. And it is the speedway that hosts races, Nascar is more or less renting the track for those weekends. Most services are contracted out on race weekend, ems is a private provider, fire and rescue are hired by the track for that weekend. Security is the same thing. Obviously a town with 150 people over 6.7 square miles wont be able to handle a weekend race drawing 100,000+.
I am glad you are able to donate your boot day to MDA, leave bingo to the VFW. If only all other departments were that financially secure. Its not against the law!
btw SCK, LMAO!

[firefighter26]

Not every hall has the cash base to buy the equipment they need. Have you ever been told "not to take all the trucks to a call so the department can save on gas."

If given the choice between taking the money someone is willing to give you, or unsafe equipment, most people could swallow their pride and take the money and buy a new truck.

It isn't anymore "dirty" then getting money from taxes, is it? At least it was given freely, no taken.

Good thing they didn't need to buy an ladder truck.