With the resignation of at least 12 volunteer firefighters from the Peyton fire department last week, concerned Peyton residents are holding a meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at Peyton High School, located at 13885 Bradshaw Road.”We want to discuss possible solutions for this situation. We’re working with our county commissioner’s office to understand what options we have so we can do this ‘by the book’,” said Peyton resident Lynn Van Sickler.The volunteers resigned when the fire district’s board voted to reinstate Fire Chief Jack Rauer, who had been placed on administrative leave for two weeks while the board investigated complaints against him.A document obtained by The New Falcon Herald alleges that Rauer
- drove vehicles at speeds of up to 100 mph with firefighters on board (two times)
- left patients in the care of probationary firefighters (four times)
- demoted a captain who questioned Rauer’s use of a command vehicle
- instructed three fire tenders to run over hoses at a structure fire, which could have caused the hoses to rupture, endangering the lives of firefighters inside
- removed the generator from the engine that powers the exhaust fan used when fighting structure fires
“A majority of the complaints against me are either fabricated, misleading or exaggerated and pushed to their limits in order to discredit me at the highest level,” Rauer said in an e-mail.Rauer said the district is down to six firefighters, but he expects to receive three to five new applications soon.”We have automatic mutual aid with Ellicott fire for Peyton emergency response calls. Calhan, Falcon, Black Forest and even the Air Force Academy have offered any additional assistance we need in order to make it through this tough time.”We are still a fully functioning fire department that can handle any call at any time of day or night,” Rauer said.Van Sickler, who is organizing the Feb. 16 meeting, doesn’t think that’s good enough.”We should not settle for using Calhan, Ellicott and Falcon response teams. They have their own communities to serve.”We must do something to change the board structure, remove the chief and get our firefighters back,” Van Sickler said.Former board president Bob Joly said problems have been brewing in the fire department for several months.”Basically, the firefighters are upset because Jack is placing their safety in jeopardy.I’m hoping the board will step down. I think the community is going to want them to step down or there’s going to be a recall,” Joly said, adding that two people have already said they’re interested in running for the board.The Peyton Fire Protection District board has also released a statement. It is available
here.
