My time involved with Search and Rescue Team. That was Barely Legal I have come to find out and now I try to get these and similar individuals and groups put out of business
As I found out more about this individual after couple years of no positive answers from him I got the hell out glad I did.
Well any ways I helped the chief get rid of this individual from his team the proper way and he asked me to join sure I said I always wanted to be a fireman or other wise be involved in rescue and by that time the React teams where becoming irrelevant .
At the time the group was known as Medsar having evolved from the name from a defunct ambulance company South Hills Medical Rescue or some similar such name.
They where located at the then small airport now industrial park in Cabot Pa. which was once Pittsburgh Independent Drag-way known as PID off Pa. 50 in Washington county .A one time dragster strip.
I helped with several small electrical needs of theirs as my body was healing from crushing my right ankle . Got me out of house and chance to see if I was going to be able to work again.
But the owner closed the airport and the team had to move .
ends up the section 8 apartment complex in Crafton heights section of Pittsburgh where he lived and worked as a guard in the evening had a water damaged apartment we could move the team into and clean up and use for free and with the move and all the expense of getting rid of the thief who stole from the team they had to file bankruptcy and reorganize after losing many disillusioned members including a part time cop who stole climbing equipment from the team and paid the bill back before he was prosecuted like I said all these volunteer groups get some real losers in them thats why hard working volunteers like myself get disgusted and leave.
so with the newly formed team a new name - Search ,Rescue and Recovery of Western Pa.
I was made deputy chief and allowed a red light and sirens which I never would have put on my vehicle as I later found out the team did not have the required permission from Penndot to have lights on vehicles. I could have gotten a major fine if ever challenged.
This among other reasons is why I quit when I could not get straight answers from the chief.
The team raised money by providing over night and show time security and crowd and traffic control assistance at Airshows thru out Western Pa for Air Shows Unlimited with offices at Beaver Airport where our group had a sub headquarters run by a Beaver County Commissioner . But after asking how much we made and told we did not after a couple shows at Beaver, Jefferson county and Akron Ohio I said this is bull shit the group not getting paid that's when I got serious about looking at the books and how the chief was getting paid. Seems if show did not make money we got nothing or so I thought.
It was after this and I joined the fire company and started reading articles on Fire police and fire dept rules I realized something was very wrong with this group. My god the trouble we could have gotten into operating over state lines with air shows unlimited. But because the group had a good probono lawyer we never had problems they where always taken care of in effect we where operating above the law with no permits no license and no insurance to speak of.
All because of a couple powerful individuals who kept it that way. But thats common practice around here just look in recent months how Pittsburgh Police chief has resigned and facing serious federal felony's for stealing off duty officer funds ,. the beaver county sheriff was indicted and arrested for harassment and several other chiefs fired over HIPPA violations and inappropriate conduct.
My god the corruption around here is everywhere and right in your face and constant one scandal gets uncovered corrected and uncovered again.
It was during this time the chief started the MACC center Multi Agency Communications Center .
because myself and several others where amateur radio operators and we
had a mini dispatch center set up to handle our own rescue calls we went
on occasionally when called ,we started handling radio calls from crime
prevention groups patrol units who had 2 way radios .
and other such groups. We even helped with a search for a man who
disappeared after getting into trouble with Russian mob supposedly
when asked to help by the Squirrel Hill block watch group who we
dispatched thru the macc center .
But with all the good we did it had to end I had enough of the double
talk and bull shit with the funds the lights and everything else I was
really worried about liability as more and more search and rescue teams
where getting set up wrongly busted by the state and one of our groups
medical bills where not paid when he injured his leg. It seemed every
story the chief told about his life where phony or exaggerated as well. One
day my chief at Penn Hills 4# called me and needed the teams help a man
was missing along Pa. Rt.910 they found his car but not him. The team
arrived and right away the chief who had no authority in the area tried
taking over the search with that I told him to take a fucking hike and
quit and started making phone calls and inquiries
Ends up they had no permission for red or blue revolving lights ,no
insurance I could find no nothing but a barely legal paper
organization.
By that time he had sweet talked a dear friend of mine to locate the
team on her cousins old farm in O'Hara Twp. off Skonojin Road.and give
him an old pick up truck she spent a fortune on restoring which is
anther story.
The team left after couple years back to chiefs residence and was finally
put out of business by state police when they had there lights and
emergency vehicle license plates confiscated.
But everyday you see all kinds of group's and businesses started around
here an not worth the paper there written on. Its not till there is a
serious incident are they put out of business like the . Pa. State
Police of Erie & Crawford county who where legally charted to track
down horse thieves in 1800's and mainly helped at parades etc. but had
some rouge members cause problems and where shut down by state couple
years ago because they wore uniforms exactly like state police and
public could be easily confused.
I have made it a mission in the last decade to shut down and challenge
many groups and people I know who have no authority doing what there
doing often times illegally collectible funds and operating under names
of defunct groups. I find illegal guard outfits as well .When I find
them I turn them into police and attorney generals office for
investigation. If I do not do it there are others as well helping to
stop this problem in Pa. before more people get hurt.
This above the law mentality has to go away I thought the days of the Coal and iron police in pa. which where nothing more than legal commissioned thugs went away guess it never did as long as groups like this are allowed to operate
This above the law mentality has to go away I thought the days of the Coal and iron police in pa. which where nothing more than legal commissioned thugs went away guess it never did as long as groups like this are allowed to operate
I spent plenty of time and money to make sure I have a business license ,
Insurance and any permits, training etc. I need to operate properly in
the alarm and electrical field and so should they as a non profit
organization.
I feel bad for anyone duped by these people and groups.
I feel bad for anyone duped by these people and groups.
I am really appreciating very much by seeing your interesting posts.
ReplyDeletewhy not try this out