There is no doubt that the Wildland Firefighter Foundation has accomplished much to help injured firefighters and the families of fallen firefighters. Vicki Minor, the Executive Director, is well known for the hands-on emotional and financial support she has provided through the foundation. We have been a member of their “52 Club” for years, and many times on this site we have praised their work and helped to publicize some of their fund raising activities.
We were troubled when in early December a television station in Arizona published an article in which they quoted some family members of the 19 firefighters that were killed on the Yarnell Hill Fire who were not satisfied with the level of assistance they received from the WFF. One of their criticisms was that the foundation did not donate all of the money they received after the tragedy to the families. They did not take into account that the WFF had a larger mission than just that one horrible incident. The WFF said that all of the funds earmarked by the contributors for the Yarnell Hill Fire were given to the families.
The spotlight on the organization revealed management issues within the WFF that were concerning.
Rocky Barker of the Idaho Statesman has written an in-depth article that explores the controversy while also providing examples of assistance the WFF has provided to firefighters and their families.
I have been a part of the wildland firefighting community for over 20 years and have always been troubled when looking at the foundation’s financials. The percentage of money that typically stays within the foundation verses the percentage that is actually donated to the cause seems extremely high. I’m very glad that someone is finally looking into their operations!
WFF has done good work reaching out to the right people at the right time. I applaud their effort and goals. Now the ability to run a good business operations is perhaps not a strong point. A board of directors is in place a good thing, but perhaps some other things need to be put in place to ensure complete transparency. Among them the difference between salary positions and hourly.
Good luck to them.
If Vicki Minor is now getting $62,000 and Burk is getting $90,000, would that make their pay roughly equivalent to a GS11 AFMO and some sort of GS13 superintendent? It seems moderately high for their size of charity, but I wouldn’t call it exorbitant. I think clear policies and much better communications would help them.
To try to equate salaries of the top people at the WFF with AFMO and superintendent pay is a “straw man” argument, there is no comparison. (Besides, I know of no superintendent at the GS13 level and the only AFMO’s at the GS11 are most likely at the Forest level).
To be clear, Vicki’s “salary” since 2012 has fluctuated between $12,000 and $108,00 per year, it was $62,000 in 2014.
I am still trying to figure out what Burk brings to the WFF that is worth a salary of $90,000 year. Yes, exorbitant.
The employees of the WFF deserve fair compensation based on the work they do. Hopefully the independent, third party contracted to take a look into the financials will help with this and determine what staffing levels should look like. The board certainly did not do it’s job.
As a contributor and “52 Club” member since WFF inception I will continue to support the organization.
While the WFF does some good work and firefighters helping firefighters is important, there clearly exist problems.
For one, the salaries of both Vicki and her son Burk are exorbitant. Also, it appears they are lacking solid operational guidelines.
It is unfortunate to see this exposed in the press, the Board of Directors should have been on top of things.
Don’t always believe what you see in the “press” or on the internet as true.
Shock journslism in fsiling newspapers or television stations… feeding upon the raw hearts and emotions of fsmilies… not good nor factual.
When I see this type of “journalism”, I ask:
1.) Who is their leader?
2.) What is their task… purpose.. end state??
Ken,
Have you read the “financials” the board of directors have posted on the WFF website?
Just asking?
I certainly didn’t read the Statesman article as “shock journalism”. I found it informing, including the admission by the WFF that Vicki, while on salary, billed for overtime in 2013.
I had previously asked the WFF what their giving percentage rate was and could not get an answer.
The board’s inability to properly do it’s job led to this, not “yellow journalism”. Thank goodness we have a press, the WFF hopefully will be stronger due to the scrutiny.
As someone who has both contributed to… and seen the benefits first-hand (monetary and more importantly, extended family, friend, and coworker support) that the the wildland fire community receives, this “investigative” journalism stinks.
I for one feel sorry for the folks who feel slighted. Maybe they need to return and attend “family days”… Or attend for the first time…. to connect to the non-monetary services that the foundation provides.
The world is full of ungrateful people.