IAFF v. Vollies

As a former vollie and now a paid guy it is always something on my mind.
WHo is out there for the Vollies?

We paid folk have the IAFF and other organizations, but who do the vollies turn to? Isnt there some way they could have their own "branch" with in the IAFF. Afterall it is the International Association of Fire Fighters. Not the International association of PAYED Fire Fighters!

Any thoughts?

Where does a vollie turn?

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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on April 1, 2009 at 12:30pm

Hey; I was just trying to save the thread, but I think that the keeper of the key will probably lock it.
At least; we tried.
TCSS.
Art

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Permalink Reply by Jake Fireman on April 1, 2009 at 12:40pm

Ted;

Thanks. In the future I will be more aware of my wording : )...glad you understand it is not a fight!

jake

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Permalink Reply by Bobby King on April 1, 2009 at 12:51pm

The Kentucky Firefighters Assoc. takes care of its Firefighters pretty well and KBEMS takes care of EMTS and Medics decent as well Paid or Vollie ..

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Permalink Reply by Jacob on April 2, 2009 at 6:10pm

We here in WV have something called....WVVFFA...
West Virginia Vol. Firefighters association

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Permalink Reply by Mick Shelley on April 14, 2009 at 11:52am

We here in South Carolina have the South Carolina Firefighters Association

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Permalink Reply by MRagone on April 15, 2009 at 3:40pm

Not to be blunt but that is the only thing I know.

The IAFF does not represent the Fire Service, they represent members in the Fire Service. The mission of the IAFF is to support its paid members, and like or dislike it, it is their job and they do a good job at it. The Fire Service is all of us, career or vollie. Both get the oppertunity to serve the communites they love.

I think the real problem is that we talk about brothers and sisters but act like brothers and step brothers or sisters and step sisters.

I also have done both sides of the coin (Vol. and Paid) but my first love continues to be being a firefighter. I am now a Vollie, again and loving it. A paid fire chief recently made a comment to me " I have to admire you vollies, if I was not getting paid, I would not be here". He was being truthful, he would rather be out hunting or fishing than hanging around some fire station.

You see, thats the problem. We get in for the right reason and along the path lose sight of what really matters. We start seeing the problems with the other guys but not ourselves. I think anyone that gets paid to do this job should thank thier lucky stars everyday, for they have the greatest job in the world. If you had to do fund raisers for equipment to do your job and all of your training for free, would you?

I also believe that the ones that do it for free should be supported in their efforts by everyone, including paid folks. I also wonder if you really had to comply with all of the demands of a paid department, could you cut it?

The answer for both is some would and some would not. You see, each provider type supports all of us, not just some of us. The next time you want to throw you brother or sister under the bus just remember, we all get injured or die helping our friends and family. The LODD do not just include career names. The real enemy is the reduction of both paid and vollie staff across this county. What that means for you and I is less help on the scene and a greater risk for both paid and vol. firefighters.

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Permalink Reply by Jake Fireman on April 15, 2009 at 3:49pm

Excellent insight! thanks

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Permalink Reply by John on April 15, 2009 at 4:17pm

It would be nice if they did have that for vollies as well as the state

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Permalink Reply by Joe Ginther on April 15, 2009 at 7:02pm

im just a volunteer for my $160/month pension ill recieve after another 19 years of duty. no glory, honor, brotherhood.... just the money. hahaha im just kidding