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Safety: Having properly trained professional rescue personnel demonstrate how they transport victims over terrain that is compromising. I would have been impressed if Chief Murphy would have demonstrated how the citizens are in capable hands due to his ability to provide the training and equipment for those who are under his supervision, to meet all emergency challenges given the resources provided by its taxpayers.

I would have applauded his efforts and proud of his leadership, but that is not what he demonstrated. He demonstrated the difficulty in transporting someone on non-compacted landscaping stone that is clearly not allowed in the current ordinance that was discussed that day.

Let me ask the citizens of this island what is the safer scenario:

Are you safer if we not allow certain driveway materials because they may result in back injuries and its impact on transporting victims on a gurney with 4" wheels across such surfaces as stated by Chief Murphy to the Planning Board.

Or.

Are you safet if Chief Murphy would have stated that he has the confidence that rescue personnel are not phased by what material is on a driveway, since his men are are trained to handle all terrains on this island. That driveway materials do not impact safety for both the rescuer and victim since there are well documeneted and tested protocols for transportion of victims. That he could confirm his confidence by providing data (i.e loss/work hours below state averages or some other metric).

The difference between Marco Island municipal vs private industry demonstrations of performance: Private industries demonstrate their capabilities so they can sell a service or product to a discerning customer. Marco Island municipal management demonstrates how difficult their plight. How they are underfunded, and understaffed and how great a job they do. But we have injuries and back problems.

In private industry there would be a review of practices to ascertain why there are injuries in performing their jobs in an effort to reduce employee claims in the ultimate goal to reduce cost and increase efficiency.

On Marco Island, the Chief goes to the public to demonstrate how difficult rescue operations are and will actually heralt the number of on the job injuries as quoted from Florida workmens compensation statistics.

It is a given, firefighters and rescue work under very hazardous conditions as well as miners etc. And all hazardous occupations are under the review of OSHA regualtions.

Most on the job injuries, are from not following standard industry specific protocols.

In my world, I would ask the manager why do we have excessive on the job time loss. In Marco Island world they actually shout out: Look how difficult my job is and I have the injuries to prove it.

I do not get it.