To the citizens of the City of Manassas

CHIEF CURT HUNTINGTON
Published: April 19, 2008

The Greater Manassas Volunteer Rescue Squad is experiencing a period of transition. For many years, since our inception in 1966, the volunteers of this city were the sole providers of emergency medical and fire services for its citizens.

Many years ago we were in the position of having to request the city hire paid personnel to supplement our operations and continue the level of service we were once able to provide solely as volunteers.
Since that time, we have made additional requests to add paid staffing. Some of those requests have been fulfilled, some have not. There are many reasons behind the need for additional personnel, not the least of which is the increase in population and industry in the city.

As volunteers, it is increasingly difficult to attract and retain able members. The demands of the modern work environment hardly enable volunteerism at all, especially with the cost of living in this area.

We find ourselves in the same transitional era already experienced by many other departments across the country.   

We, at the rescue squad, consider the bare minimum staffing needs to be consistent of two emergency medical transport units (one advanced life support unit and one basic life support unit), each staffed with two people, as well as the Heavy Tactical Rescue Squad, staffed with at least three people. Recent recommendations by the city manager, the career fire and rescue captains, as well as the chief of police, would have accounted for such staffing. Additionally, the request was made for a paid, unified fire and rescue chief to oversee the operations of the career staff, as well as an administrative assistant to handle the non-operational needs of the growing department. In conjunction with the recommendation was a proposal for a fire and rescue services levy. The proposed levy, if accepted, would cover the costs of the additional staff, as well as the current operations of the department. If accepted, the funding would be shifted away from tax assessments where it now lies. This proposal initially was agreed upon by the city council. Recently several members of city council have floundered, opting instead to await recommendation of the yet-to-be-hired chief. This move would once again postpone our ability to staff the minimum number units for an indefinite period of time. Not only does this reduce the level of service to the community, it is an unsafe environment for us, as emergency responders, to be working in. The same exact units which respond to your calls for help also play an invaluable role in assisting each other on the emergency scene. On whole the rescue squad, with the combination of career and volunteer staffing, responded to over 5000 calls last year. We are currently on pace to go well over 6500 calls this year. 

I humbly ask your support in urging the city council to move forward immediately with hiring the additional staff requested by the city manager and the department’s leadership. A public hearing has been scheduled for Monday, April 21, to discuss the proposed levy. We ask you to come out and speak up in favor of this proposal.

CHIEF CURT HUNTINGTON

Greater Manassas Volunteer Rescue Squad