County firefighters’ boot drive booted

Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins this week spoke out against a decision to end firefighters’ engagement in charitable solicitations while on duty.

For years, firefighters have been an annual presence on valley roadways, holding a “boot drive” in which motorists toss cash or spare change into a boot in support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

In a recent memo to county management, Fire Chief Bertral Washington said he would no longer allow the practice by firefighters on the clock because of “limited” resources.

Mr. Collins decried the move, arguing that county firefighters are “a target” and have become “bad guys in the community because they’re public employees who are paid well.” He compared the boot drive to county employees participating in food drives at work by dropping cans into collection barrels.

In fact, this has nothing to do with recent controversies involving firefighter pay, benefits or sick leave and everything to do with good public policy.

Yes, the boot drive is for an outstanding cause. But taxpayers pay good money for public safety protection. Is it out of line to expect firefighters to be engaged in job-related activities during their working hours? There’s no reason they couldn’t coordinate a similar boot drive while on their own time.

And Mr. Collins’ protestations notwithstanding, this is nothing like an office worker tossing a few cans of soup into a collection bin while on the way to the lunch room. The firefighters were being paid by taxpayers to actively solicit charitable donations from motorists.

“I don’t think most businesses let their employees on business time go and do something like that,” said Commissioner Mary Beth Scow. “I think (the change) is just good fiscal policy.”

Ryan Beaman, president of the county firefighters’ union, said his rank and file would “continue to do that work off-duty. … I’ll encourage our members to still support all the charity work we do.”

That’s great news, for both the MDA and the community.

Ms. Scow is correct. The chief made the right call.