West County firefighters told they can’t smoke
Firefighters and paramedics who work for the West County EMS and Fire Protection District will soon be banned from using any tobacco products while in uniform or on district property, fire officials announced today.
Also, anyone hired to the district after Jan. 1, 2010 must refrain from smoking or chewing tobacco while on or off duty as a condition of employment. The policy will be enforced through an honor system and not with any kind of testing, a district spokeswoman said.
“If they want to smoke, they won’t work for West County EMS and Fire,” said Kim Bacon. ”The spirit of the policy is not to get anybody in trouble…everybody knows it’s in their best interest.”
A “handful” of the district’s 63 employees are smokers, according to Bacon.
The policy is thought to be the strictest of any fire district in the state. Other cities and states nationwide have enacted similar policies for employees including firefighters.
Smoking cessation programs will be offered to employees, fire officials said.
West County EMS and Fire provides service to Manchester and Town and Country.
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How dare they put restrictions on what a person can or cannot do while off duty! We are still a free-will nation aren’t we?
Wow, Why do we have so many domestic enemies that hate freedom? Do they not see that they are single handedly making America less free!? And after smoking is completely snuffed out, Will they start putting weight restrictions on government employees, and offer them diet programs when they make that law? GIVE ME A BREAK. If you had a choice, and had a hard working, smart and efficient person to go into a burning building with you to help save a child, and they were a smoker, or you had a person who could do well on a test but isn’t very efficient or hard working who was a non smoker, who would you choose? Would you really fire (no pun intended) a great firefighter because he smoked on his time off? The people who make these rules should move to North Korea where they would be more at home.
Mr. Chris,
I suggest those who have a problem with the new rule begin searching for a new job, just as I have been told to frequent establishments that are non-smoking.
Yours in fair play,
JPinSTL
No, Chris we are not. Haven’t been for some time now.
Are you crazy? Not under Obamanation & Nixonstate, your not free. Obama & Nixon ownes you & everything around you now. Isn’t it nice to be controlled by the liberal left?
It is a free country and if you don’t like the restrictions, you are free to work somewhere else.
Right…this is all because of Obama and Nixon. I would lean more toward those who own companies and inusrance plans who are not wanting to pay for smoking related treatments. If you don’t like it don’t work there.
Ah, I see the right-wing Drama Queens are out in force. They’re just as bad as the left-wing Drama Queens.
Perhaps they should get together and have a Pity Party.
As for the subject at hand, I think the County FD should allow employees the option of smoking on their own time, off County property if they cover their own health insurance without subsidy from the County plan.
That would be Freedom.
Did any of the 6 people who commented read the whole story twice before blogging?
It says “banned from using any tobacco products while in uniform or on district property”. This means they cannot smoke or use tobacco products while on district property, not at their personnel homes or in their cars, unless the car is on district property.
Firefighters and EMS are idolized by some children, not all, but some. This is also a good way to help them live longer, they are exposed to smoke anyways, no need to further the problem by them smoking around each other.
Its not like they are using a secret rule, its part of the application process. If the applicants don’t like it, then they will complain or go somewhere else.
Sam:
“Anyone hired to the district after January 1 must refrain from smoking or chewing tobacco while on or off duty as a condition of employment”