Rodney Ferrenburg's Response

IT IS TIME TO CLEAR THE AIR

This was written in September but never sent to anyone. Now, with Bob wanting to make some kind of attempt to apologize I feel now would be the right time to let everyone know the whole truth not just Bob’s opinion.

I have been accused of all kinds of things over the past several months. Now, I feel it time to set the story straight.  We are going to start at the beginning.

I entered the Fire Service at age thirteen as a Cadet Firefighter with East Columbus Fire Department. I became a Volunteer Firefighter at age eighteen; I served three terms as a Volunteer Lieutenant, one term as the Volunteer Assistant Chief, and two terms as the Volunteer Fire Chief. I have proudly served the residents of Columbus Township and Bartholomew County for over twenty-four years. (Just for the record, I am a 2^nd generation firefighter.  My father is still a member and the 3^rd generation has been a member for about four years. The Fire Service in the United States of America is a very family oriented business everywhere. IT IS NOT A MAFIA.) 

How did I become the Career Fire Chief?

The Township made the decision to make the Fire Chief a career position due to the amount of time this position requires and the liability that the Township and the Fire Department faced if they did not have command personnel on the scene of emergencies. When that decision was made, I was the current East Columbus Fire Department Membership elected Fire Chief.  It doesn’t stop there.  All members of the fire department had the opportunity to apply for the job to the East Columbus Fire Departments Board of Directors, who was tasked with putting a hiring list together for the position as Fire Chief. On the last day of the cutoff, I applied for the position only after several of the current members told me they felt I should. It was a few weeks later that I was notified there was no other applicants and was offered the position.  To make this clear, the volunteers supplied only one name on the hiring list and gave that list to the Trustee and that name was mine.

I have been accused of being a high school dropout, which is false. Since before I began, East Columbus Fire Department required a diploma or GED. I have been accused of having a fake Emergency Medical Technical certification, which is false.  All of my certifications were earned from going to class and passing all the tests (which are proctored by the State of Indiana). For the record, I also hold Firefighter 1, Firefighter 2, Fire Instructor 1, Fire Investigator, and that are just the major ones.

There is a staff of almost 40 volunteers and career personnel at East Columbus Fire Department. I am sure they are all not happy, but here is what I know. There have been some dismissed for violating the rules. The Fire Chief doesn’t have the authority to terminate a volunteer.  They either have left on their own so they would not have to face the membership of East Columbus Fire Department or they were dismissed by the membership of the East Columbus Fire Department. 

This is what upsets me the most

Bob’s statement of “I left my wife and two kids to be with my whore” (I did not get to see it on his web site.  However, I received multiple phone calls over it. By the time I got to a computer and found his web site it had been removed).  Now with that being said, I have been divorced and I do have two children from my first marriage.  The reason for our divorce is not really Bob’s or anyone else’s business. The people affected know why and Bob’s statement was not it.

It was said I blew up at Bob during a public meeting, almost right.  I blew up at Bob after a public meeting. But here is what he keeps failing to state on his website. He fails to state that for the last months, he has called my wife a whore.  He has personally attacked my whole family and has started attacking my extended family.  This is unacceptable on any line. When he started attacking my wife’s deceased grandfather, it was time for it to come to an end. I am not running for Trustee. My family is not running for Trustee. But it seems to be what his whole campaign is about. 

I have been disrespectful toward Bob. I was raised in a household that if you want respect you show respect.  That has not happened with him from day one. I do not know Bob Freeman and he does not know me. The first I had heard of Bob Freeman is when my name started showing up on his web site. It is disrespectful to be slanderous toward someone on hearsay. If Bob wants respect the first thing he is going to do is apologize to my wife and myself in person and publicly.  When that happens, if he shows some respect, he will get some respect in return. 

I can only hope that when this is over some people can learn to ask the right questions to the right people to get the truth and not go on hearsay, just because it’s what they wanted to hear. It is always easier to stir the pot. It is a lot harder to tell the truth and accept it, when it doesn’t meet your agenda.      

Rodney Ferrenburg