He's TOTALLY CERTIFIED

Maybe they mean CERTIFIABLE.... the two terms are often interchangeable and adverb-ial when describing these firefreak type people .....

IMO and IME(xperience) IMR(eading)


Inquiry targets former fireman
A former Pasco Countyfirefighter may not have been qualified to train two volunteer departments in Hernando, the Sheriff's Office says.
By ASJYLYN LODERPublished June 9, 2006
The Hernando Sheriff's Office is investigating whether a former Pasco County volunteer firefighter bilked two Hernando County volunteer fire departments, charging them for training he wasn't qualified to offer and presenting them with fraudulent certificates.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Deputy Donna Black confirmed the investigation of Wayne E. Walker of Pasco County. Black declined to elaborate on the case until the investigation is complete. No charges have been brought.
Walker could not be reached for comment.
County Commissioner Chris Kingsley said he was told that the investigation involved Walker providing training in the use of emergency vehicles for which he was not qualified. Outlining the allegations, Kingsley said: "He was teaching the class, getting paid for it, and essentially falsifying the certificates."
Walker instructed High Point and Hernando Beach fire volunteers in emergency vehicle operation, said High Point Assistant Chief James Pilipchuk. Walker then issued certificates bearing the Florida state seal, he said. Those certificates and the seal may have been faked, he said.
Hernando Beach Fire Chief Steve Knowlton did not return calls from the Times seeking comment.
High Point Fire Capt. Rob Paul said it remained unclear whether Walker had the appropriate state certification to teach the course.
Officials from the Florida State Fire College in Ocala did not return several phone calls regarding Walker's level of training.
Chief Anthony Lopinto, director of emergency services in Pasco County, said Walker began a Firefighter I certification course but didn't complete it. Walker joined the West Pasco Volunteer Fire Department in 2001 and resigned in October, he said. Lopinto declined to elaborate on the reasons for Walker's departure, saying only that it had nothing to do with fraud.
"All I know, he gave his resignation and he's not with us anymore," Lopinto said.
Paul said Walker told the High Point Volunteer Fire Department that he was a fire chief in Pasco County, which turned out to be false.
Walker has a couple of arrests on his record, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. In 1993, he pleaded no contest to making a false report to a law enforcement officer in Pinellas County. In 2004, Pasco sheriff's deputies arrested him on a domestic violence charge that was later dropped.
The situation with Walker is the latest hitch in High Point's effort to meet state safety standards. The volunteers serve 1,600 homes in the 55-and-older mobile home community on the north side of State Road 50 in western Hernando County.
The volunteers have had repeated run-ins with the County Commission over the ability of the aging force to respond to fires.
Hernando County Fire Rescue has been providing backup to the volunteers since a Sept. 4 fire. During that blaze, Hernando County firefighters waited at High Point's gates while the volunteers struggled to control a house fire. The house burned to the ground before Hernando County firefighters could get there. A woman's body was found inside. It was later discovered that she set the house on fire before committing suicide.
Hernando County firefighters said the volunteers were poorly trained and physically incapable of fighting the blaze and should have called for help.
The County Commission looked at High Point's roster, and found too few state-certified firefighters. The volunteers could not meet safety guidelines that call for four certified firefighters at a fire before any firefighter goes inside.
At a December meeting, the County Commission gave High Point until March to get their volunteers trained, or face being brought under Hernando County Fire Rescue, at higher fees. But the commission has yet to bring the High Point department back before the board.
The volunteers added some outsiders to the rolls in order to gain a few certified firefighters, Pilipchuk said. High Point also put nearly a dozen other members through training, and they will take the certification test soon.
Paul said Walker did not teach that certification course.
"We've got another guy for that," he said, "He's totally certified."
Times researcher Angie Drobnic Holan contributed to this report. Asjylyn Loder can be reached at aloder@sptimes.com or 352 754-6127.
[Last modified June 9, 2006, 07:20:21]

Share your thoughts on this story
Read our guidelines for comments
First Name (only) Location
Comment (May be published online and/or in print) You have 250 characters left to comment.


Comments on this article
Subscribe to the Times

Click here for daily deliveryof the St. Petersburg Times.
Email Newsletters
Be the first to know. Register for free breaking news alerts and morning headlines.
ADVERTISEMENT




document.write('');



dcmaxversion = 9
dcminversion = 6
Do
On Error Resume Next
plugin = (IsObject(CreateObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash." & dcmaxversion & "")))
If plugin = true Then Exit Do
dcmaxversion = dcmaxversion - 1
Loop While dcmaxversion >= dcminversion






**************************************************
"It gives us a very special, secret pleasure to see how unaware people are of what is really happening to them." - Adolf Hitler - Heated Discussion Firefighter vs Citizen pertaining to Fire Brigade abuse of tax dollars

Gang and Citizen Stalking
An interesting PUBLIC discussion pertaining to Firemen ABUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS at FloridaToday.com.
Unlike THIS victim I have NO intention of keeping this information to myself. I warned warned and warned. Let the chips fall where they may. I think I've made it PRETTY CLEAR that I intend to reveal if it doesn't stop and instead they thought they'd scare me and DO MORE. That's their choice.

Additional Data on Gang Stalking in America and Elsewhere
FAIR USE NOTICE:
This site contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available in an effort to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. The author believes that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. § 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: Cornell.edu. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.