BINGO...or NOT BINGO?

[NJFFSA16]

I can't wait for the discussion....StayBack, you get a FREE SPACE

MIDDLE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - Two volunteer firefighters have
been dismissed from their department because they missed too many
of its fund-raising bingo games.
Officials with the Rio Grande Fire Company in Middle Township
made the decision last month after an investigations panel
determined that Walt Belles Jr. and Ed Christensen had failed to
meet the requirement. The Cape May County department's bylaws
require that all members attend at least 60 percent of the games
each year because money raised there helps fund its operations.
Belles and Christensen were told about the rule when they
joined, nut both said personal and work matters prohibited them
from attending. They have met the department's other mandates, such
as attending drills, meetings and fire calls, and both plan to seek
reinstatement.
"I kind of think it's wrong because I've been in the fire
company and I love getting out there and doing things for other
people," Christensen told The Press of Atlantic City for Tuesday's
editions. He said his job has prevented him from attending the
bingo games, and was unsuccessful when he tried to work out an
arrangement that would allow him to remain with the department.
Belles, 24, voiced similar complaints. His father and two uncles
all hold high-ranking posts in the department.
"Bingos have nothing to do with serving the community," said
Belles, who has been involved with the department for 10 years. He
said he did not attend any bingo events this year because he was
working two jobs and caring for his young daughter.
Rio Grande Chief James Belles, who is Walt Belles' uncle,
declined to discuss the dismissals and referred all questions to
Kirby Stiltner, the fire company's president, who was not
immediately available for comment.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[Bones42]

Ah yes, Bingo. Bingo attendance used to rule my company also. You did not have to make fires, meetings, or drills, just make your Bingo. Was very happy when we finally voted to stop having Bingo night about 18 years ago.

[MFDExplorer51]

We do not have any rules like that, the people just get the cold shoulder if they want help with any type of fundraising activity. It's unfortunate.

[Adze39]

Bingo!

They want the fun without having to do the less glorifying work. These people probably disappear during overhaul.

I would be interested to know what their schedule. In other words, do Bingo Nights fall on the same night of the week as their drills or are they on a different night? Also, how often do they have bingo?

[7U4Free]

Not surprised

Our very well equipped Volunteer dept. has similar bingo requirements. And of course, many whine about it. On the other hand, a cottage industry has grown up as well. If you do not want to work your bingo, you can pay another member to fill in for you. Works fine in most cases. As for not seeing what Bingo has to do with serving the community, I point to the beginning of the post. Our Very Well Equipped....

[PAVolunteer]

Originally posted by Adze39
They want the fun without having to do the less glorifying work. These people probably disappear during overhaul.

BINGO!

Bingos have nothing to do with serving the community

Right ... but without them, you wouldn't be able to serve the community. Thus, they do serve the community ... so ... wait ... what was the question?

Stay Safe

[Bones42]

Not all fire companies run Bingo to raise money for FF equipment. We have never (and hopefully will never) bought FF equipment with money raised through Bingo. The funds Bingo generated allowed us to pay off our building faster than we would have without Bingo. Not a single penny went towards firefighting equipment or training. Our budget for FF items comes from our municipality and is "built in" to the general municipal tax rate. Bingo funds were used towards an annual dinner, Tshirts that each member got once a year, food for after meetings/drills, etc.

I am not stating that is what is happening with the case involved here, but just wanted to let people know, sometimes Bingo and FF'ing really don't have much to do with each other. Many of the departments near me ran Bingo the same way and used their funds the same way.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Bingo was his name-0

There were some mutts
who canned two jakes
for what you ask
the reason

B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O

And bingo was the reason!

They made the drills
they made the calls
they went to all the meetings
except for

B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O

And bingo was the reason!

They worked two jobs
they cared for kids
but what do the mutts care for?

B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O
and that's so lame-O!

[MalahatTwo7]

I said my piece on the other thread of this topic.... However.....


CaptainGonzo... my friend I think you have missed your calling This makes two 'songs' in almost as many days from you. They are sarcam to a "T" but well worth every second of it.

[PAVolunteer]

For the non-Pennsylvania firefighters out there, there's a reason why this didn't make a headline in PA. It happens all the time.

If a fire department needs Bingo in order to survive, and you don't work Bingo. You're out.

Anyone who wants to have the fun without doing the work is like a cancer to the organization. If these guys were truly firefighting saints who happened to miss a few Bingos because they were out slaving away, working for the "man" in order to put food on the table so their kids wouldn't starve, I'm guessing the department would have worked something out ... think about it.

Stay Safe

NOTICE OF DISCLAIMER: If funds raised from Bingo are truly just a frill for this department and not essential to its survival, then shame on the department for reducing its own manpower.

[Adze39]

A side note on fundraisers for operating budgets:

The current First Selectwoman we have has been better to the two FDs in town than any other Selectman we have had in the past.

It was either this year or last year, a selectman suggested that they cut the budgets for the two FDs and make us do fundraisers to get our money. The First Selectwoman stopped him in his tracks and told him flat out that it will not happen and those days are long gone in East Windsor and that it will not happen again.

No wonder she gets our votes...

[AFD368]

Being Tossed for not Working Bingo

In a previous Department I was in, the By-Laws were revised to take Bingo into consideration.
You were allowed to miss one scheduled Bingo a year.
Your Second Scheduled Bingo missed constituted a letter of warning in your file.
Your Third missed Bingo, you were suspended from Firematic Activity for 30 days. (this included turning in all issued gear, i.e., turnouts, pagers, monitors, etc.)
Your Fourth Bingo missed in a calendar year constituted a 60 day suspension from Firematic Activity, (see 3rd missed) and the Penal Committee had the option to recommend your removal from the Department.

Needless to say, they dismissed many good Firefighters, and as the Rules went, it depended who you were, and who you knew, to receive any punishment at all.

[CharlieRFDPres]

AHHHHAAAA Bingo rears it UGLY Head

Gonzo et al that don't have such mundane considerations as figuring out how to pay for your own equipment, making sure you budget to have enough $$ at the end of the fiscal year to put gas in your trucks, congratulations. For the rest of us that have to raise most (if not all) of our operating budgets, bingo is a fact of life, as well as catering weddings, steak roasts, tractor pulls, car shows, cat shows, cash raffles, pull tabs, and what ever else we can dream up to make some $$$. My company if fairly lucky to have a decent town board, and town contract, but even then it only provides about 1/2 of our $$$$. The list of bills, payments etc. would be much longer than the list of income events above. Do we HAVE TO enforce participation in non-firematic duties...YES if you want the trucks to respond. I guess the nicest thing it can be called is a neccessary evil, we have removed members for non-participation, no one likes it, but until some rich person leaves us beaucoup $$$.....
Praying for fema/usda to spit out our dept so we can put decent PPE on our members.

BE SAFE OUT THERE.

[StayBack500FT]

BINGO two nights a week...4 crews that work BINGO, thus you only have to work one Weds. and one Sat. per month. It isn't too much to ask, I feel. Without BINGO...we close.

[Duffman]

They want the fun without having to do the less glorifying work. These people probably disappear during overhaul.

Where I come from bingo would be considered the "fun" and firefighting the "less glorifying work"

I didn't become a firefighter for "glory" anyone who did needs to find a new line of work or a new hobby.