# On duty firemen denied from 9/11 commemoration



## enjoynz (Sep 10, 2011)

In New Zealand the Fire Service is seperate from the ambulance,
but as this is to do with 9/11 and alot of you are with an FD, I thought I'd post it.
Pretty sad really...I really do not like unions I have to be honest, not when it causes issues like this.

Story as attached:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10750823

Just one thing to add:
R.I.P. all those taken on 9/11...you will never be forgotten!

Enjoynz


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## JPINFV (Sep 10, 2011)

[read entire post before replying]

Um, they have a job to do. Coverage is more important than a memorial.

::reads article::

Ok, come on, really? I'm honestly not the most sentimental person around, but using this as a stick in a labor negotiation? That ranks up there in terms of the hall of fame of stupid.


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## Sasha (Sep 10, 2011)

I didnt know the terrorist attacks happened in new zealand.

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## ah2388 (Sep 10, 2011)

Sasha said:


> I didnt know the terrorist attacks happened in new zealand.
> 
> Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk



that would be like saying you arent allowed to grieve for 9/11 because it didn't happen in Florida.

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting your post here but it appears to me that's what you were getting at.


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## Sasha (Sep 10, 2011)

Not at all. But i dont understand why they feel they have a right to attend when they are on duty. It wasnt something they were involved in.

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## silver (Sep 10, 2011)

I can see how they were upset, but i also don't think union issues should be involved in something like that.

edit: Sorry didnt read article all the way


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## enjoynz (Sep 10, 2011)

Sasha said:


> I didnt know the terrorist attacks happened in new zealand.
> 
> Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk


That is a rather unfair statement to make.
I don't think there was a western country, let along other countries, that didn't feel the pain of that day.
I remember the very minute, 10 years ago, that the news flash came on my car radio (I was driving to work).
You also need to remember that New Zealand is an ally of the USA.
We have fought along side the Americans in many wars and still do today.
I personally lost someone I knew in one of the towers!
He was an American, but lived an worked in NZ when I knew him.
I was good friend's with his (then) wife and we spent many happy times together.

The thing that needs to be realised, is that it doesn't matter want country emergency services are from, they all feel the same about such incidents and loss of life.
They all well understand the duress of those emergency workers working that day.
Given the chance, New Zealand emergency services would of been on the next plane to New York, had the call gone out for help from the USA.


We all mourn that day!


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## ah2388 (Sep 10, 2011)

Additionally, we all perform the same job, and we are all subjected to the same hazards


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## mycrofft (Sep 11, 2011)

*This is whizzing around the world in different forms.*

In some, it is on-duty are "denied"; in others, they are all denied; in another, they are "not invited".

Anniversaries are times of heightened preparedness (e.g., Waco seige/Oklahoma City bombing/Columbine), so ready forces need to be ready, not clustered in one place.

Space is limited, so dignitaries and family were invited to the site ceremonies; I'm sure the surrounding Jumbotron-served crowd was full of off-duty and retired firefighters, police, and other well-wishers.


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## akflightmedic (Sep 11, 2011)

Sasha said:


> Not at all. But i dont understand why they feel they have a right to attend when they are on duty. It wasnt something they were involved in.
> 
> Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk



Yeh totally unfair Sasha. New Zealand has had troops in Afghanistan for years, I have hung out with them. Their SF even comes to the US and trains with our SF and then carries out high risk missions here in theater as well. (SF = Special Forces)

For a population of roughly 3 million, they have sent some great guys and gals through my area of operations.

Now I do understand you were probably directing the comments at the firefighters specifically but their is a kindred spirit amongst NZ and USA. As Americans, we sometimes assume other nations were not impacted as much as we were, but that is so far from the truth.

As for the firefighters, I agree they need to be on duty...period. Memorial on your own time or in your coverage area. However to say they cannot go due to breakdown in contract negotiations, that is shyte.


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## DESERTDOC (Sep 11, 2011)

NZ SAS by chance and not Special Forces as the US has.


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## enjoynz (Sep 11, 2011)

DESERTDOC said:


> NZ SAS by chance and not Special Forces as the US has.



Yes you are correct, NZ calls it's elite army the SAS (Special Air Service).
Just to prove we are active in also fighting this war of terror after 9/11.
I have attached a news article of the loss of one of our SAS soldiers on active duty, last month in Kabul.
The video also says how long we have been helping out and when NZ are looking at pulling out, which is a few years away yet!


http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/5478019/New-Zealand-SAS-soldier-killed-in-Kabul

RE the FF not being able to attend 9/11 memorial services, etc,
I agree, if you are on duty, you are on duty.
Although staff do carry pagers, so should they need to leave in a hurry, which of course would be understood by the others attending.
I don't see that as being a major issue.
Letting a pay dispute stop them from going altogether, is just wrong in so many ways!


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## dstevens58 (Sep 11, 2011)

Sasha said:


> Not at all. But i dont understand why they feel they have a right to attend when they are on duty. It wasnt something they were involved in.
> 
> Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk



Doesn't matter,

If you are involved, any way, any shape, any form with Police Department, Fire Department, or EMS.....(or just family).

Each one of us lost a brother or sister during 9/11


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## Sasha (Sep 11, 2011)

dstevens58 said:


> Doesn't matter,
> 
> If you are involved, any way, any shape, any form with Police Department, Fire Department, or EMS.....(or just family).
> 
> Each one of us lost a brother or sister during 9/11



I only have one sister. And shes alive and well.

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## enjoynz (Sep 12, 2011)

The news reports are now saying that those on-duty staff that did take part in memorials for 9/11, would be part of an internal investigation.
The saddest part of this is that, it was the FF in Christchurch that didn't listen to the FD.
They,out of all the country, have had the hardest year, dealing with the earthquakes.
You'd think management would cut them a bit of slack, given the trails they have had to face in Feb of this year!
They, more than any one in New Zealand, understand the lost of so many lives in a short few minutes.

Article as attached:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5604965/9-11-service-attendance-fuels-dispute


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## Melclin (Sep 12, 2011)

Sasha said:


> I didnt know the terrorist attacks happened in new zealand.
> 
> Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk



I thought they happened here. Our Prime minister and our entire government  turned out in front of the war memorial in the capital and had a bloody coroboree with the US ambassador. 

I don't mean to be unsympathetic to you guys and girls, but somehow I don't think Obama and half the cabinet will sit on the lawn of the white house listening to the Australian ambassador commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Bali bombings (granted it wasn't as bigger deal, but you know what I mean). 

I have to admit, it annoys me that Australian media (and presumably others as well) describe it as the day the world stopped. I bet they wouldn't say that if it happened in China and it'd be lucky to make the news if it happened in Sierra Leonne. The prevailing feeling in Australia at the time (and my first thought when I saw the second tower go down) was more a "Who's is ganna get bombed for this and what contribution of Australian blood will be necessary to fit into the "with us" category".

In reference to OP: Yeah they're on duty, but I mean, fireries sit around doing nothing most of the time anyway, I don't see why they couldn't wander down to the local memorial or whatever. They've got pagers.


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## akflightmedic (Sep 12, 2011)

DESERTDOC said:


> NZ SAS by chance and not Special Forces as the US has.



I was using terminology the majority of members would understand. No disrespect was intended.


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## CAOX3 (Sep 12, 2011)

If they weren't in the the middle of a labor dispute would they have been allowed to attend?

I applaud those who attended even faced with discipline.


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