There are a few things that are at least noteworthy if not undeniable.
The equipment was not his, nor is city equipment purchased, maintained and serviced so that individuals can use for personal gain. It doesn't belong to the chief or even to the mayor. So who signs off on the personal use of city equipment?
Really? what else do you think the ladder truck should be doing in the middle of the day? Sitting around playing x-box in the station? I don't see any misuse of equipment that was likely not being used anyway.
I really can’t blame the star struck lover too much, someone had to sign off on the misuse of departmental equipment. I would be suspect that the councilpersons that set the budget would not consider this to be appropriate designated use. The person who signed off should be held liable. In private sector business these actions could be prosecutable.
Do you run or own a business? Ever worked for a private ambulance company? A manager drove a supervisor truck to a local pizza joint and bought 30 pizzas for all of the crews, is this a misuse of company equipment? Should we fire him?
Today I went to a restaurant on shift, then drove up the street and took a nap in the ambulance, then drove to a nearby redbox and rented a movie and watched it in the ambulance. Last week I did all my grocery shopping while in the ambulance, on shift. Am I a bad employee? Was I misusing company equipment? What would have been a better use of my time? Picking my nose while sitting at a street corner with the ambulance off to conserve gas?
Waste is an inherent part of business however if it serves to improve company moral then the money is not wasted. And I am sure had that happened at my work I would have been thrilled that my management let them do that.
The cost is most likely more than pizza. The real world cost of manpower in the fire and police departments, fuel, and wear on the equipment should be considerably more than pizza. What would privately renting similar equipment and crew have cost? Ultimately, what does it matter how much it is? If it only cost 5 bucks it was still not his to use or his bosses to give.
So no more driving to the grocery store for food? What should the fire department be doing in their down time? Laying in bed to conserve calories so they don't have to eat as much?
How can this possibly be good PR when it demonstrates gross management sloppiness? Oh, I am sure that the soap opera crowd will love it but working people should know that their companies don’t operate with public disregard to their investors and management principles. The business owners should surely notice.
You know, I actually was really happy for the guy when I heard the story. I thought "Wow, what an awesome way to propose, and she is hot to boot, good for him!" It's one of those "Aww!" stories, not one of those "what crap, what a waste of money" like a story in DC where the FD was out filling a swimming pool while everyone in the city was running calls. Why do you feel the need to rain on this dudes parade for something that probably cost all of $10 in gas to drive down to the office and maybe an hour of time where people weren't doing anything anyway?
The blatant disregard for proper management of public resources expressed by posters hints of a generalized condoning of a serious management flaw. It makes me think that the misuse of resources may be more prevalent and far reaching than Salt Lake City. Why would someone be a serious professional on one hand, and wink at resource mishandling on the other. I don’t think the dichotomy of man is an argument with legal standing.
I really think you have never worked before in your life. I normally don't single people out and pick on them, but really? I don't think a single person anywhere I have worked has not wasted company time or resources in a far more blatant way than this. People have moved furniture on shift, people have had IVs for hangovers, countless hours driving to restaurants, countless hours going to stores and running errands while at work. We work more hours than most other "professions" and sometimes we have to do home things while at work, if you don't understand and sympathize then I don't think you have ever had gainful employment.
Leave this happy couple alone, if you have a huge issue with FD "wasting money and time" then you need to get out there and start writing letters to every FD, EMS and PD agency in the US because I know my current employer (a private ambulance company), all my previous employers, and every FD I have worked with would absolutely accommodate this couple. And to the happy couple: congratulations; to the guy that proposed: she's hot, nice work.
