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I <br />BOOK10- w,E2 2 <br />Any replacement of bunker gear requires the review of a senior staff member and only three fire <br />personnel have access to the usable bunker gear storage area at this time, although in the past, unusable <br />bunker gear has been stored in the attic until it was disposed of by staff as expendable equipment. <br />Disposal records for the past seven years of our service bunker gear does not exist inasmuch as out of <br />service bunker gear has prior been treated as an expendable item and old equipment had to be turned <br />in to receive a replacement. Records have not been kept as to the exact date a coat or pair of pants was <br />removed from service or disposed of. Annually, employees are requested to submit a request for <br />replacement gear if there is an anticipated need. Staff generally makes one large order per year which <br />includes a number of spares. <br />I hope this provides sufficient information for your response to Commissioner Macht's request for <br />information. If not, please advise and I will promptly respond. <br />Chairman Macht commented that this has been a very distressing period and he felt <br />he owed the citizens an explanation of what is occurring. As the citizens are aware from <br />reading the newspaper, the Sheriff has filed a complaint. The underlying basis for the <br />inquiry is Chairman Macht's receipt of a firefighters jacket which he asked for in the fall of <br />1995 when he read that several were being surplused. These jackets make fine protective <br />wear when operating a kiln. At that time, he had asked Emergency Services Director Doug <br />Wright whether the jackets were discarded and he responded that they were. These jackets <br />are either put in a dumpster or retained by the firefighters. Chairman Macht had then <br />commented that, if that were the case, he would like to have one. Several months later, one <br />of the used jackets was made available. Sometime later, Chairman Macht built a kiln which <br />was donated to one of the schools. The newspaper then published a picture showing a <br />person in one of the used firefighter jackets and some people had assumed that person was <br />Chairman Macht, when they were actually pictures of students operating the kiln. <br />Chairman Macht stated that the jackets are very useful when operating the kiln. The <br />kilns reach a temperature of 2380o Fahrenheit and this protection is excellent. He noted that <br />he often donates ceramics to Samaritan Center, Pelican Island, Cultural Council, Humane <br />Society and others. <br />Chairman Macht then noted that when certain members of the Board objected to the <br />Sheriff's budget, the Sheriff began a campaign to unseat them, trying to get someone to run <br />against himself and Mrs. Adams. <br />Chairman Macht felt this is the latest attempt to neutralize and intimidate some of the <br />Commissioners and he has demanded documentation from the Sheriff, the State's Attorney <br />and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He has been advised that information will <br />be supplied from the FDLE in about 10 days and then he will present a further report to the <br />public. <br />NO ACTION REQUIRED OR TAKEN. <br />MAY 49 1999 <br />