More MT Fire Costs

[JoseCuervo]

Generally speaking, the reason you sub-contract a service is because it is not a "core" part of your operation, and others can do it more efficiently. But in practice, the real reason is to move the costs from an area where you can measure them to an area where it is more difficult to measure them.

In this example, the State of MT does not want to have to budget for the costs of owning the machines and the men. But, if they contract for them, they can claim a "state of emergency", and hire the contracted services during the "emergency" and not be held responsible.

I think we all know that fighting fires in the west has become one of the biggest Welfare programs around long out living its' original puropose of providing college kids and ski bums with money to live on during the winter. Now you have people who spend all year making no other contribution to society, just waiting for the Welfare (oops, I meat Fire) season to begin.

How many times, during a slow fire season, do you hear "rumours" about a fire that got started by the fire fighters?

 

[pawclaws]

Wrong, wrong, wrong there ElkGunner!! Only in the public sector does that apply!

 

[JoseCuervo]

Gosh Paws, I thought the State of Montana was in the "public sector"..... You really are smarter than the rest of us....

 

[pawclaws]

"Generally speaking,....." --E.G.

You related to Kerry??

 

[JoseCuervo]

Paws,
So the Private Sector does not sub-contract out non-core services???? You really need to get out more, as everything from Building Maint to Call Centers to Manufacturing (and Accounting, and Auditing, and HR) are all "outsourced".

This past Tax season had many tax returns done in India by sub-contractors for accounting/Tax Prep firms.

But, thanks for letting us know that Montana is in the Private Sector...

 

[pawclaws]

Nope, only when it is more profitable!

 

[JoseCuervo]

Many times it has nothing to do with profitable, but more to do with not wanting to carry assets on a Balance Sheet. You might want to go read some Fianance books, so you might be able to understand some of these concepts.

Still laughing about Montana being in the Private Sector....

 

[Washington Hunter]

Elkgunner hit the nail on the head with this statement:

claim a "state of emergency", and hire the contracted services during the "emergency" and not be held responsible

I think that is the problem. Forest fires should not be considered an emergency as they happen every summer in all the western states. It would be like declaring an emergency every time it snows in the mountains. It amazes me how every year the media treats forest fires like they are something out of the ordinary. They ought to just let the fires burn. If they would have never began putting fires out 70 or 80 years ago, it wouldnt be the problem it is today.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Hind site could have won a lot of wars to...
Nemont I understand you were only really putting the stuff up for the sake of putting it up.
One thing I can say is that the operators that are recieving 70K in a fire season are pretty far and few inbetween, they are not the norm. Half of what I made last year came off fire season, it is by no means my sole $$$ comming in, I would starve to death as would most of the other volenteer fire fighters that I know of. Yes, there may be some that can live all year off what they make in the summer, but by far the most of them can't. If one say's that the Indians make a killing, I would counter that most get to or maybe three fires that I talk to. That equates out to 4-7K for the summer fire season for them. It is so easy to lump every one into one group, because our liberal biased news media would like you to think they are all the same. Heck, they do it to every one they want to bombard with their one sided views. Yes there is a lot of waste out here, there are those that are able to sit around and watch the world pass by, but most of us only get to be on the clock when we have a call, we don't sit in holding for the whole summer as a few of you seem to surmise from what the media has told you. Don't be dupet by such nonsence. It is easy to point fingers, and any of you can jump on the band wagon with your hat out to catch the millions that I can see you think every one gets. Or you can sit back and whine and complain about the things you are lacking for in life. Stand up and be counted, or sit down and watch the show...

 

[pawclaws]

click here please EG

 

[ELKCHSR]

 

[Nemont]

to surmise from what the media has told you. Don't be dupet by such nonsence. It is easy to point fingers, and any of you can jump on the band wagon with your hat out to catch the millions that I can see you think every one gets. Or you can sit back and whine and complain about the things you are lacking for in life. .

Just wondering a few things.
1. What is unfair about the Gazette reviewing and printing the costs of fighting fires?

2. Haven't read where everyone gets Millions. I think the gist to this series of articles is that the state of Montana knows there are going to be some fires every year, Perhaps better planning and budgeting would reduce the use of "emergency" designations on fires. Why would that be a bad thing?

Stand up and be counted, or sit down and watch the show

I thought these articles were informing people so they could stand up and be counted.

I work in one of the most regulated and scrutinized business in America: Health Insurance and Health Insurance financing. Do you apply the same standards to the media coverage regarding the cost of health insurance? or are you like the majority of Americans who think the insurance companies, doctors and hospitals are all to blame for the high costs?

Just wondering.

Nemont

 

[pawclaws]

You know Nemont I think maybe you just stumbled on a highly important point. Why do you suppose the Federal government so highly regulates and oversees free enterprise activities? Could it be because they expect private citizens to be just as corrupt and duplicitous as they?

 

[ELKCHSR]

It could very well be....

 

[JoseCuervo]

Elkcheese,

Why don't you answer Nemont's questions??? He asks some legitimate questions of you, after you made some wild-ass claims.

You certainly had the time to make these rambling statements, why do you choose not to clarify/educate Nemont???