I am an officer on a small full volunteer department. Our membership is quite advanced in our training and very effective on the emergency scene. My problem is after the call. I have a hard time getting people to clean up after the call, as well as maintain normal station cleaning duties. I have found apparatus or tools dirty, SCBAs not returned to service properly, bathrooms a mess,trash left laying on apparatus floor, and on and on.
My question is, how do I curb this behavior? Is it better to punish this behavior with the fear of losing good firefighters? Any ideas would help!
our station has the same issues. Seems like the same people do the work every time. Our station actually put into the bi-laws that you dont recieve your points for the call if you leave before the equipment is back in service. Exception being work of course.
If an officer gives a subordinate an order or directive, that subordinate would usually follow the order or directive, or face dicipline .. am I right? Expecially on the fire ground.. no room for questions / disobedience on the fire ground. Same should hold true at the station, or during ANY fire department function. If the officer gives a directive or order..it must be followed. Task your members to do the clean up. If you say in a general sense.. "ok guys/gals... clean the rigs and reset".. no doubt there will be slackers! Try direct communications.. like " John, please reset the SCBA, Fred, you look check over the truck you just drove and put it back in service.. Pete.. and X and X and X you help Fred.
etc etc. Then, If they refuse.. deal with THOSE issues.
CHIEFS.. this is where YOU come in.. do not allow members to disobey ANY of your officers. back them up!