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Drinking in the Fire House
Last week I went to lunch with some co-workers (non-FFs) and the discussion rolled around to my involvement with the FD. One of the guys said "well, you must have guys that just join the department for the drinking". This recalled to mind another comment by someone, some years back, who swore that ALL volunteer FFs drank at the station and "those who say they don't are lying".
In my department you might find a 6-pack or two if you look in every nook and cranny, but we really don't touch the stuff on drill night or after calls, or meetings. There just isn't stuff to touch. In the late 80s we had the converted soda machine that dispensed several brands of beer but we got rid of it because the Jr. FFs were becoming interested in the stuff.
So - what is your department policy or practice regarding alcohol in the firehouse?
NOTE: 10/16/09: I started this thread over two years ago to gather input from other volunteer firefighters on FFN as it was then. The new theme is, what steps can we take to make America's fire houses 100% dry?
In my department you might find a 6-pack or two if you look in every nook and cranny, but we really don't touch the stuff on drill night or after calls, or meetings. There just isn't stuff to touch. In the late 80s we had the converted soda machine that dispensed several brands of beer but we got rid of it because the Jr. FFs were becoming interested in the stuff.
So - what is your department policy or practice regarding alcohol in the firehouse?
NOTE: 10/16/09: I started this thread over two years ago to gather input from other volunteer firefighters on FFN as it was then. The new theme is, what steps can we take to make America's fire houses 100% dry?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Joseph DeGrave on
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Please don't get me wrong> Some are Responsible Drinkers, others do it for a Sport< hope you get the picture i was trying to take. Our Lives Depend On It.
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Don't get me wrong yes there is a time to drink, but trying to do a Public Service while being intoxicated is not the time. At our House we have a motto> Everyone comes out and goes home ALIVE/body>
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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Mark,
Respectfully, I disagree. If you are a paid firefighter, having alcoholic beverages during your shift wouldn't be acceptable. As with everything else in the world, you give and inch some take the mile. Before you know it, someone who has an addiction would be sneaking in booze and drinking it on shift, and the excuse would be that the department allows drinking.
Plain and simple, its a horrible idea to allow ANYONE paid or volunteer to show up on scene under the infleunce. It reeks the word lawsuit, and will compromise the safety of all the responders there. We can sit back and say "what an idiot" when we see a drunk driver who wipes out 50 feet of guard rail, yet we should turn our heads as our own brothers and sisters drin and then show up? Develope no tolerance. Your off time (for paid people) and your ability to "choose" which calls you go to as a volunteer give you more than ample time to enjoy a beer or cocktail.
If you drink, stay home.
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Permalink Reply by Yank2441 on
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I totally agree!
One of the problems we have is a public view that we are drunks, lazy, sitting around all day, and wasting tax payers money.
The last thing we need to do is add to that perspective. I know that you can not please everyone but I don't think a dry fire station is to hard to comply with.
I don't even drink on my days off much less on duty.
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Permalink Reply by Annette on
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Holy COW!!! Zero tolerance is right! Some Medical services even have a 24 hour "sobriety window" prior to your shift. I don't drink the night before I work and NEVER drink during a rotation. I feel as though I need to be 110% for my patient's.....I most certainly wouldn't want someone fighting for my life while squinting through a hangover, however slight! This issue should be a no brainer!!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Julius on
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Well, for years our chief had what I thought was a great policy. What he choose to do was this. If you had been out drinking and for some reason couldn't or wouldn't go home, you could crash in the bunk rooms........just not respond to any calls (of course). He didn't want you drinking at the fire department but if he walked in and you had it disguised (in another cup for example), he wouldn't say much about it. This practice worked out great while it was instituted, it meant that the station would not have an empty weekend, that's for sure. Well, he resigned a couple of years ago and our new chief didn't like this practice. He barred all drinking of any kind on the grounds and implemented a policy that if you were caught here and had been drinking (whether you were actually drinking at that moment or not) you'd face disciplinary actions. That rule didn't last long, I'm not sure what all happened but just last summer he opened up provisions to his policy (i.e: letting us feel up the coolers with ice is one example). While I do not like the drinking here at the station because of public relations, I do not see a problem with having someone bring you here to sleep it off. Has always worked, that I've seen.
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Permalink Reply by Paul MacKinnon on
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I belive the fire station is not a good place for drinking. there is to much of a chance for bad things to happen. once the bell rings everyone runs drinking or not its too much of a risk.
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Permalink Reply by O'Kitty on
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I don't know of any jobs that allow alcohol consumption on duty. You can be sure I am not allowed to have a drink while on duty as a nurse.
Teachers downing a brewsky (sp?) in the teacher's lounge ... bus drivers glugging at the bus stop .... cops can forget the donut shop and just stop at the bar!
There is no way drinking on the job can be allowed.
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Permalink Reply by Band of Brothers pipes and drums on
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I believe liquor distributors (Northcoast in Valpo, IN) allows their tapper techs, sales guys, and bar rep gurus 12 or 24 oz of beer an hour, on the clock after lunch. Thats the guys driving company cars, doing sales, maintaing high pressure beverage equipment.
Now these cats arent dosing up peds patients or pushing morph. Thats still gotta say something though.
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so what your saying is since beer companies allow their drivers to consume alcohol while doing their jobs, that it's ok for firefighters/ems? Truely I am lost in your logic. If a beer company allows their drivers doing deliveries to consume drinks while working, wouldn't that be against the law? (driving with an open container) Wouldn't they be DUI? Wouldn't they be publically executed if one of their drivers got in a crash and their "policy" unearthed? The answer is ABSOLUTELY. The idea of someone being allowed to drink a beverage an hour while on duty in a non emergency role has no relevancy to this discussion. We are expected to be consumate professionals at every call. The public rely's on us, and we need to rely on each other.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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"Now these cats arent dosing up peds patients or pushing morph. Thats still gotta say something though."
Yes, it certainly does - those firms are one step away from a world of hurt if they continue letting their employees drink while on the job. Driving company cars, meeting with customers, working on HIGH PRESSURE equipment? Hellooo?
There's absolutely no reason I can think of why any employer would allow his/her workers to do that.
If I were to be seen drinking while on the clock, or suspected of doing so, I would be shown the door - period. Just a quick exit interview and buh-bye.
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Marlow on
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Dan, don't you think there can be "fun" at the fire house without alcohol? Our department has made it a policy that no firefighter will consume on fire house grounds even during a function. We have lost several firefighters, but they were only in it for the drinking. That is something that is not tolerated. Now, we have a great bunch of firefighters and the community is proud of us. They don't like to hear or see firefighters drinking on or off the job. They feel if the firefighters are called out, they better not have been drinking.
Sorry I got on my soap box, but it is not safe and firefighters are setting an example for all to see. Not only that, they are representing their community and it just doesn't look good. We are there to save life and property, not to cause more damage.
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