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Can you run a department by e-mail? This chief attempted it.
HOUMA, La. (AP) - A volunteer fire chief in Terrebonne Parish
has resigned after spending more than five months trying to run his
department from Minnesota, a move that angered some firefighters
and residents.
Danny Richard, head of the all-volunteer Village East Fire
Department, turned in his resignation last week, but did not turn
over department paperwork or a set of keys to the station.
Richard's wife, who works as a psychiatric nurse, took a job in
Minnesota in March.
Richard held on to his post and said he tried to do the job by
e-mail and cell phone, conceded it was impossible to so
effectively.
"I want everyone to know what a tough decision it was, but I
had been splitting my time between here and Minnesota since
March," Richard said. "Finally I realized that I could not keep
that up, and well, my family comes first."
Richard took the chief's job in January 2000 and had been a
volunteer firefighter nearly two decades before that.
But his long absences as chief, his failure to delegate a
replacement while he was gone and his tendency not to keep his
volunteers appraised as to his whereabouts bothered some
firefighters and residents.
Sheriff's Deputy Herbert Fitch, who will take over as interim
fire chief, said a homeowner who needed a fire report for insurance
purposes was unable to get the paperwork she requested because
Richard, who was on an extended Minnesota visit, was the only one
with access.
Asked about department property, including paperwork like the
fire reports residents sometimes request, Richard said the
documents were locked in his Terrebonne Parish home and would
remain there until he returned. Keys to the Development Street
firehouse were with him in Minnesota, he said.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
has resigned after spending more than five months trying to run his
department from Minnesota, a move that angered some firefighters
and residents.
Danny Richard, head of the all-volunteer Village East Fire
Department, turned in his resignation last week, but did not turn
over department paperwork or a set of keys to the station.
Richard's wife, who works as a psychiatric nurse, took a job in
Minnesota in March.
Richard held on to his post and said he tried to do the job by
e-mail and cell phone, conceded it was impossible to so
effectively.
"I want everyone to know what a tough decision it was, but I
had been splitting my time between here and Minnesota since
March," Richard said. "Finally I realized that I could not keep
that up, and well, my family comes first."
Richard took the chief's job in January 2000 and had been a
volunteer firefighter nearly two decades before that.
But his long absences as chief, his failure to delegate a
replacement while he was gone and his tendency not to keep his
volunteers appraised as to his whereabouts bothered some
firefighters and residents.
Sheriff's Deputy Herbert Fitch, who will take over as interim
fire chief, said a homeowner who needed a fire report for insurance
purposes was unable to get the paperwork she requested because
Richard, who was on an extended Minnesota visit, was the only one
with access.
Asked about department property, including paperwork like the
fire reports residents sometimes request, Richard said the
documents were locked in his Terrebonne Parish home and would
remain there until he returned. Keys to the Development Street
firehouse were with him in Minnesota, he said.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
RAY WAS HERE 08/28/05
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