City reverses travel ban on Search & Rescue team after call from Congresswoman
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
The City of Gainesville today reversed a policy that prohibits unvaccinated employees from traveling outside the county after Congresswoman Kat Cammack intervened.
A social media post earlier today drew attention to the fact that the policy was prohibiting Gainesville Fire Rescue’s (GFR) Urban Search and Rescue team members from deploying to Louisiana with FLTF-8 to aid in recovery from Hurricane Ida. The same team was recently recognized for their work at the Surfside condominium collapse.
This afternoon, Congresswoman Kat Cammack made a phone call to the City, and the policy has now been reversed.
Nick Gonzalez, the President of IAFF Local 2157, said he had previously warned all of the City Commissioners about the possibility that their travel policy would prohibit GFR from aiding other communities in emergencies. Gonzalez said he was relieved that Congresswoman Cammack was able to get the policy reversed.
Gainesville City Manager Lee Feldman and Congresswoman Kat Cammack have not responded to our requests for more information.
Yay, Congresswoman Kat!
I’m astonished! That the City of Gainesville would even answer the phone for Kat Cammack! Gainesville’s staunch Democrats had a civil conversation with a very pro-Trump Republican who voted against Biden’s election certification? There must be more to this story? Possibly federal money?
I do not understand—a policy that was voted on and passed by the commission was “reversed” by the city manager?? Or was an exception made to the policy for the rescue team in this single emergency?
Susan. You don’t like that the city manager reversed the policy?
The city manager is more powerful than the mayor.
The power each wields is quite subjective.
The city manager obviously has power within his lungs. (See “Gail Johnson resigns” and draw your own conclusion)
On the other hand, the mayor has enough power to continue steering the city and it’s residents via the city commission, (and county commissioners), over a cliff.
Pick your poison.
One more thing, keep on believing…
Don’t be fooled…the reversal for this has more to do with city leadership’s need for a “fuzzy rub” than it did with Cammack’s request. It’s all about the city’s need for self-glorification than it is a political opponent’s request.
Thankfully, the white flag raised will lead to GFR’s being able to show that you don’t have to be vaccinated to be a hero. God bless them and stay safe.
Keep on believing…
Feldman did the right thing…the city & county commissioners must be going bonkers by the wedgie
They just got from him…those anti-Vaxers are like weeds…”give ‘em
An inch, and they’ll take a yard”…”if you’re going to be
A king, be a good king”… We have freedom of choice to decide our own medical decisions.. I am a healthy person
With an incredible immune system. I don’t need anything
Messing with perfection….if I was the last person on the
Planet that wasn’t vaccinated, and I refuse to take the Vax, what are you going to do to me?
“Do with you”? Ignore you like crazy.