YOUR COMMENTS

Dear Laura, this entire witch hunt is about Cartier and his lack of control in the department. Seems to me like a chief would give more disipline and not allow people to get away with these things. I do have to say that after reading the article I am going to believe the firefighter that call the CPD and stated that they were being lied to, Specially over firefighters who "care alot about this town and will give anything" told explorers to delete evidence. You are right people do make mistakes but own up to them. I know first hand people are not perfect but if you do mess up do not try to cover it up and lie about it. These people that lied to the police and tried to cover up the truth should not be on the fire department. Lying should not be tolerated now matter how dedicated to the town you are. Dennis I completely agree with your statements and something needs to be done. Has anyone heard if these lying trouble makers have been removed from the fire department if not how come.
- John, Candia

Here is the deal, we live in a small town. We don't have a huge pool of talent from which to draw. Personally, I don't expect perfection. I'm just happy there are people in this town willing to do the job. Would it be great if it were done better? If it can be, then sure! But if we aren't willing to be a part of the solution, then we have to be willing to put up with the problem. If there is a solution, WE are it. So if you want to see changes in the CVFD, then get some training and pick up a hose. We want you on that truck, we NEED you on that truck! Otherwise, do the best you can to support our CVFD as positively as possible.
- Kathy, Candia

To Laura:
Something tells me that you are either on the Candia Fire Dept. or you are related to someone on there. Your defense of these individuals is commendable but makes no sense. Its like trying to defend someone who was caught on tape. The Police investigated, The County Attorny Investigated, The state Fire Marshall Investigated, you've obviously investigated, there are statements from three area fire chiefs, the Deputy Chief of the Candia Fire Department AND from Candia Firefighters, how much more do you need? I have a strange feeling that if someone you knew and were close to, shot 50 people, you would say the gun accidently discharged and it wasn't the person using the gun's fault, that they deserved a second chance and the story was blown out of proportion because you know this person and they are really dedicated and nice
- edsel, Raymond

So Laura your on the Fire Department?? You have gotten up in the middle of the night and made sure that everything was running smoothly with our "Dedicated" and innocent fire personell? I think not. I didnt have to be at the pit to witness anything, the police report states that a CFD Firefighter told the CPD that they were being lied to by CFD people, did you read what it said, they were lieing and NOT telling the truth. Covering up evidence does not have a second chance to it. Or are you now going to tell all of us that the police are after these "Dedicated" "innocent" individuals. And just because they put in hundreds of hours, does not make them innocent! What does getting woken up in the middle of the night have to do with being out of control while acting on the behalf of the town of Candia??
- Dennis, Candia

Dear Dennis, are you on the department I think not. What ever happened to being inocent until proven guilty. I would not want you on my jury.
This group loves the deparment and they do give it there all. They volunteer for us and as for the hundreds of hours of service that they give there is a longlist that I could give you but there is a limit on the space provided to us by the UL for this forum. Let me ask you were you at the pit? NO, did you hear what was said at that pit? NO, did you actually see what they are acused of? NO.
Everyone deserves a second chance including you. If you did something stupid wouldnt you want a second chance.
If you feel the Fire Department isnt living up to what you would like it to be please go to the station and volunteer. Then maybe you will see the thankless job that they go through. The hours they put into the department, the training they go through, or how about what they see when they go to calls. How would you feel to be woken up in the middle of the night or how about that call that comes in when its Christmas dinner and your with your family.
- Laura, Candia, NH

Dear Dennis, are you on the fire department I think not, what happened to being inocent until proven guilty. I would not want you on my jury. You take it how you want but people make mistakes and unless you were there and witnessed the acts who are you to judge. Did you hear what was said at that pit NO, did you see what was at that pit NO.
These individuals volunteer there time to serve the town of Candia, there is a long list of items that I could go on and on about with the hundreds of hours of service that they put in.
If you feel that the department isnt doing their job please come and join.
- Laura, Candia, NH

Ok, how many of you out there that think the Candia Fire Department or its leader is completly innocent of any wrong doings, believe Elvis is still alive and the Tooth Fairy still comes to visit you?
- danny Goldsmith, Epping

Laura from Candia;
I think thats great that these reckless individuals love the fire department, people who drive DUI love their liquor, should they be driving? Its great they put in hundreds of hours, but hundreds of hours doing what? Running around with lights and sirens on in sand pits? Telling Explorers to hide evidence? Making a pact to with hold information? UL didnt make them look 100% bad THEY DID IT TO THEMSELFS and to Kerri from Candia, how can Cartier defend himself anymore when the evidence is in writing from three different governmnet angencies? As someone wrote last week, how many of you writing on here are actual firefighters and know exactly what your talking about and know the real truth as to what has been happening in our fire department?
- Dennis, Candia

The group of individuals that have been mentioned through out this story love this department. They are there for each and everyone in the town of Candia. They hold regular jobs and when those are done they go and volunteer for US. So they have made mistakes you tell one person who hasnt. I cant tell you how many hundreds of hours each every person gives to this department but I see it each day for the past 25 years.
This issue that has come into the peoples eyes thank to the UL has made them look to be 100 percent bad. They are not, they made mistakes. This should have been handled by the police department, fire department and the selectmen then when and if it couldnt be resolved then ask for outside help.
- Laura, Candia

I'm still not sure who to believe at this point. But one thing I do know, this anonymous finger pointing needs to end. People have a right to face their accusers. If you truly believe the citizens of Candia are being endangered, and you took an oath to protect them, then you ought to have the courage to speak out. I personally would like to see Chief Cartier defend himself more aggressively against these attacks, but seeing as it is a volunteer position I can understand him not wanting to dedicate too much time or effort to this. As for the volunteers who behaved immaturely and recklessly -- how about a public apology instead of letting your chief fall on his sword for you. Supposedly, it is impossible that any members of the fire department would have sent the anonymous letter because you all adore the chief. Why was there not one single firefighter at the selectmen's meeting to support the chief? You don't have to say anything, you don't have to start a fight, but your presence would have spoken volumes. I believe this has everything to do with politics and personal vendettas, and nothing to do with the safety of Candia citizens.
PS - being a volunteer doesn't mean you are not accountable for your actions. The citizens are grateful for all the work the volunteer fire department does, but that doesn't mean volunteers are entitled to get out of jail free tickets. If one of these reckless drivers kills themself or someone else in a car accident and it comes out that police routinely turned a blind eye there's going to be another firestorm of public outrage.
- Kerri Johnson, Candia

An open letter to all those defending Chiefs actions:

It is amazing that people can write in and defend the actions of these people, but as PT Barnum once said "There is a Sucker born every minute" To all of those of you that think this is a Witch hunt and Cartier and the CFD is being unfairly treated, Please put your reading glasses on and read the reports online word for word. After that, if you still think there is any kind of defense needed here, you need your head examined.
I dont believe that anyone writing in has blasted the whole CFD or its members. No one has said the entire fire department is to blame, but a few bad apples destroys the whole basket. We get it, Cartier is a nice guy, he has been dedicated, CVFD has some great members, we have heard this over and over for the last few days, we understand but there is NO way to avoid the fact that this Chief needs to step down and the fire dept needs a major house cleaning
- George, Northwood

Gotta love small town politics, and this is exactly what it is. People vying for someone else's unpaid job is the hallmark of the petty backstabbing we see every day. Rudy, you can give countless hours, and do a world of good, but the moment someone thinks you have dropped the ball, they smell opportunity and will eat their young. The only justice in these situations is that what goes around, comes around. Anyone that says this is more than a personality issue being fought in a local paper is in denial.
- Carl, Concord

Isn't it great to come to the realization that all the years of service you and your family have given to the Town of Candia and the Fire service, has come to this - a slap in the face. Where were these people when the calls came in during the night or at supper time or when you had family plans. This has politics all over it, along with ungrateful whining by a community of individuals that do not know what they are talking about. How about they join up and see first hand. Stand tall Rudy - someone obviously has an agenda.
- Bill, Manchester

Just a reminder to all that anyone can say they're anyone else in this forum. People may not be who they say they are.
- Elspeth, Hampstead

Dear Mr Rick Olson, I find your comments disturbing about firing the entire fire department. I know alot of the members on the Fire Department and the ones I know are all good guys who do this to help the community not to get criticized. It seems to me that there are only a few bad apples on the department who have acted unprofessional. I do have to say when you are "off duty" you are still on duty" and must be held to a higher standard. To blindly say that the selectmen should fire everyone is ludacris. After all the men and women that Serve Candia volunteer there time to get training, to receive a education and to help the community. The members that names keep getting up in report after report seem to set the negative tone for the Department. It is my belief that the actions from these 3 or 4 firefighters and Cartiers inability to control there actions without consequences, that has landed the town in this position. As for this anonymous letter I serious doubt its authenticity and that anyone from the fire department sent it. Keep in Mind that every action has an equal and opposite reaction so if you want to fire the entire fire department and start over I am afraid that you will end up with a full time fire department and let me tell you if you think your taxes are high now just wait. Every Department has its issues whether it is police fire ems or any emergency service the only thing a chief can ask for is that his "indians" follow him with hope of good leadership. As it is getting near my bed time I will end this rant with a meaningful quote to the attn: of the good fire fighters still with Candia as this is deffinatly a low point in the Fire Department. "Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom" - General George Patton. Keep Your Heads Eye as Many of the Fire Fighters have the integrity, and ethics that make up a qood fire department. If the Selectmen do anything they need to remove the bad eggs so they dont spoil the dozen.
- Matt, Candia

I personally believe that this was handled in a very unprofessional manor. The, what is turning out to be a "witch hunt", is not only causing great turmoil in the town of Candia, but also in the surrounding towns. The fact that this was not a closed door meeting between the Chief Cartier and the chiefs of the surrounding towns along with the members of the Candia fire department and the town selectmen to hash out the discrepancies regarding Chief Cartier. Only then, after that meeting anything should have been made public. Now due the poor judgment of one man, not only are the towns potentially at odds(which could result in not responding to mutual aid calls), but a man has now lossed what he has a passion for doing.
- Tom, Keen

Mr. Cartier, please stop defending yourself in the online comments. This is not the appropriate forum. It only makes you look bad.
- TK, Candia

If you read the Police report closely, the members who were "off roading" in the town owned pit, used CFD Forestry Unit and a Utility Unit, so this WAS in the hands and the responsibility of the Fire Chief. If they were training and using town equipment, they were "not off duty" as Cartier said and were representing the town and his responsibility.

I also find it interesting that three members, including a Fire Capt made a pact to with hold information and then told and explorer to destroy evidence when they knew there was a PD investigation in progress!! Then the Fire Chief tells the Police Chief that the whole thing was blown out of proportion? Another example the the Chief lacks management skills and is defending outrageous conduct by his people. I dont know about the rest of you, but as a CEO in any other organization, this guy would have been fired years ago!
- George, Northwood

Rudy, it wasn't talking to the UL that bit you. Do you think they wouldn't have run these articles if you hadn't commented?

"Oh, jeez, haven't heard from Cartier, huh? Hmm, well we'd better just ignore this whole Jim Reams thing until the fire chief is ready to talk. "

Nope, it was the allegations in the first place, whether or not they are true, that caused you this grief. At any rate, your comments have been pretty generic anyways and lack any kind of meaningful rebuttal. Sorry but your milquetoast statements hardly have any teeth to bite with, the worst they could do is gum you.

But perhaps you subscribe to the old adage "When under fire, blame the press." Worked well for Nixon, didn't it?
- Mike, Epping

Come on now Rudy, we all see you holding conversations on Langford Road. We all know you and your brother forced Lenny Wilson out. Why don't just be a man and admit you screwed up and resign? Ther is no pension or pay here just your freaking ego!
- Steve, Candia

Blindsided by the county attorney, poison penned to the Board of Selectmen,
publicly second-guessed in the paper by whomever, and being called a 'yahoo' by someone from 3 towns away?

After the countless hours Rudy and his family have sacrificed for the town, they
have to put up with this?

Not to mention the snide drive-by comments attacking the Candia VFD.

Thank you for all you've done for Candia, Rudy. And thanks to your family for
the time they've given up with you.

Every organization has its problems, and no doubt CVFD has its share. That
doesnt take away one whit from the contributions to the town by all the CVFD
members. Thank you for what you do for our town.
- Tom St.Martin, Candia

Like any of thes other towns should be critisizing anyone else. Didn't Deerfield Fire Dept. let a barn burn down earlier this year, and a 70+ year old man had to jump out of the window? And when did Auburn Fire Dept. become equivelant to the New York City Fire Dept.? When was the last time the had a fire? None of these other towns have the right to call anyone else 'inexperienced'.
- Brian Ohilsson, Auburn, NH

An interesting side note to this that I wasn't going to mention (but I do find it interesting) is that the "anonymous letter from the members of the department" was not in the original report but apparently provided after I received an anonymous telephone call (couldn't be traced) Tuesday evening telling me it was a mistake to talk to the Uinon Leader and it has "bit me in the a##".

All of a sudden, a letter proporting to be from "the members" shows up. Interesting to say the least.
- Rudy Cartier, Candia

"Members of the CVFD are young, immature, and inexperienced," Reams said... Then there's the anonymous letter... Cartier's lack of ability to not only manage and relate to people but his total lack of skills at emergency scenes has become apparent . . . Not only does he show incompetence, which is rather well known in other area communities, but he has become a dictator instead of a Chief!"

Between Jim Reams and the anonymous letter, one can clearly see the middle school phenomenon of, "cult of personality" and the playground politics actively at play here.

When they send letters like this and act as though they think they know better, the public is in danger. If there is a real concern about them, "not answering a call" they should all be fired. If each and every volunteer who took the job, suddenly throws public safety aside when things don't go their way, they are not right for the job.

At the mere suggestion that, "Chief Cartier does not address personnel related issues because if he did, he would have no one available to respond to calls," as stated by Roger Davis, selectmen may want to consider firing everyone and starting over.
- Rick Olson, Manchester

"CARTIER: In all of the instances noted in the summary report, the firefighters were not "on duty" nor were they using fire department property, apparatus or equipment, Cartier said."

This is a weak answer Mr. Cartier. This is a perfect example of your lack of leadership. What your saying is that your staff can do anything they want while they are "off-duty" and it doesn't reflect on the department or have consequences? A leader would have taken action despite whether these idiots were on duty or off; their conduct should have been viewed in your eyes as unsafe and unbecoming of what you and your department represents. It shows they have the propensity to act this way while they ARE on-duty!

Time to bring in a full-time fire chief and get rid of this yahoo....bring in someone with more experience, leadership, and common sense.
- Frank Shirley, Salem

From what was said Cartier has done nothing different than 40% of the fire cheifs in NH Keep in mind in the fire service the rule of thumb is those that can do and those that cant become cheifs
- steve, manchester