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Firefighters' boot drive clears hurdles
By ANNE LINDBERG
© St. Petersburg Times, PINELLAS PARK -- It was touch and go for a while, but a boot drive to benefit the families of New York firefighters who died at the World Trade Center will go on Friday and Saturday as scheduled. Pinellas Park's firefighters decided about two weeks ago to hold a boot drive to benefit the families. "We had to do something," said Tim Stack, the firefighter in charge of the boot drive. The deaths of 350 firefighters meant there were perhaps 1,000 children without a father or a mother, Stack said. "I know I wouldn't want to see it happen to my family," Stack said. "This is at least my part of what I could do for my brothers." But Stack and other firefighters immediately ran into problems. Despite the fact that firefighters around the area were holding boot drives, City Manager Jerry Mudd refused permission. Mudd cited state law and a local ordinance prohibiting such activities. So the firefighters asked the City Council for help. Council members last week passed an emergency ordinance waiving the local rule. That meant the firefighters could collect money in intersections of city streets. Everything seemed fine -- until Monday. It appeared that city officials were going to prohibit firetrucks from being parked at the three locations. Without the firetrucks, drivers might not be so willing to donate because they would not recognize the volunteers as legitimate firefighters. Likewise, there seemed to be some question whether the firefighters could use their helmets or boots to collect the funds because it would be an improper use of city equipment. In that case, the collection would become a bootless boot drive. But by early afternoon, the bugs had been worked out. Mudd, the city manager, said he had had lunch with Fire Chief Ken Cramer. "I don't know all the details, the specifics," Mudd said. "I do know Ken Cramer tells me that some on-duty firefighters will be taking the fire engine down there." The trucks will be on call and ready to run if needed, Cramer said. As for allowing the firefighters to use boots, hats and other city equipment, Mudd said, "All of those are acceptable and I hope they're very successful in their boot drive. . . . I don't see a problem with any of that." Mudd said he felt he had been blamed unfairly for trying to stop the boot drive. "I was in kind of a dilemma with this whole situation," he said. The law, he said, stated one thing and, while he is patriotic and is grateful for and proud of the firefighters, he did not want to break the law. Instead, Mudd said, he suggested they collect money at Wal-Mart or Home Depot. "I don't feel like I ever set out to stop them from having a boot drive, but now that council has waived this requirement of the ordinance, it will be a win-win-win for everybody," Mudd said. The boot drive will take place at U.S. 19 and 70th Avenue N in front of ParkSide Mall; Park Boulevard and 49th Street N; and Park Boulevard and Belcher Road. It will be on Friday from noon to 7 p.m and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information on volunteering, call Tim Stack at 541-0700 today or (352) 684-5664 Thursday.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
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From the Times South Pinellas desks |
