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Some departments need to go back to the basics!!!
In my area we've got a lot of "little" departments that might get 30-50 fire related calls a year and one of those will be a house fire. They usually call use for manpower and apparatus. When we get on scene we'll find them fighting the fire from the burned area and pushing the fire the rest of the way through the building or at least a couple more rooms. It's hard to run up there and tell them to STOP, mostly you stand there and shake your head. We'll advise them of a different attack method and they will usaully give us the ok, but I feel this is really a no brainer. I know that there are times that its the only thing that you can do but not every time.
Any thoughts or anyone else ever see this same problem with other departments?
Any thoughts or anyone else ever see this same problem with other departments?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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I have noticed a lot of little "blips" here and there with all departments. My department runs almost 500 a year all fire related as volunteers. (EMS is a seperate organization) I think it is important for ALL departments to go back to the basics once in a while. Practice and repetition is what helps us all become good at what we do. When someone gets complacent (hope I spelled that right) in their job is when injuries and or mistakes happen most often.
Going back to the basics doesn't make you any less of a firefighter or department, it just ensures a better system.
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Permalink Reply by PFC Harmon on
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It sounds like they need training. Is this the same dept that bust all the windows out to ventilate? One thing I have noticed about less active depts is that alot of the members wont train.
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Permalink Reply by Butch McCurdy on
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If you run mutual aid with these guys maybe you could train together sometimes. You could teach them how and why you do things a certain way. Also it will build relationships between the departments.
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Permalink Reply by T.J. on
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We are very close with this department, we supply them with ems and rescue other than that they do their owm fire. They've got like 25 guys and 1/2 of them are over 50 and dont want to do anything anymore. There Chief is 80 years old and he is way old school and does not like to train very much at all, its his way or nothing. I guess they feel like he deserves to spend out his time, but I feel he needs to go as a Chief and get someone younger in there.
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Maybe you could go the local hardware store and see if they could donate a padlock and heavy duty latch.
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Sounds like they need some major remodeling before they get someone hurt.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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I disagree......Not "SOME" departments but rather all departments need to review the basics from time to time....we get so hung up on the latest greatest or the more involved or advanced skills that we sometimes forget the basics.....it is very similiar to the medical aspect.....I am sure that we have all heard the expression "Paramedics save lives.....BUT, EMT's save Paramedics"....Basics are still the best way to go in most instances....Stay safe and remember to keep the faith.......Paul
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So right there Capt.... We are the odd ones here...we wear yellow turn-outs while our neighbors wear Red or Black....I am amazed when we get called for mutual aid and you look around....everyone working is wearing yellow....can't find any other color anywhere except maybe milling around the water supply point (portable ponds)....Our trucks are yellow as well...others in this area stick with the traditional RED....So we reply to the usual remark about our "School Buses" with yes RED trucks get you to the fire.....BUT, it took a Yellow truck to put it out.....We have 26 interior Firefighters and everyone of them has FFI, FFII and Firefighter survival along with the usual EVOC. and Pump Operations...we also now have Both a Technical Rescue Team and a High Angle team....Not bad for a small village department with a total membership of about 39 Members.....yes, we also run a First Responder Rig for EMS with Both CFR's and EMT's....We train as we fight......Stay safe Brother...Keep the faith......Paul
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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Training, training, training! Your F.D. should regularly hold training drills with each other. Get some instructors together and train these other F.D's. I advise caution and diplomacy so that no egos get crushed, but it sounds like they need the benefit of others' experience. Stay safe!
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Cole on
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What is the issue with "busting all the windows out"? Of course tactics are based on size-up and the situation at hand. But unless they are taking windows out with no fire, I gotta ask what the specific issue is. Ventilation is so often neglected that it's amazing more firefighters aren't getting injured. But I have a feeling that is part of the reason why flash-overs are becoming more prevalant. A big reason.
Glass is usually the cheapest part of the building to repair inrelation to other structural damage. In absence of getting to the roof, the upper-most windows should be taken, cleaned out completely, and laddered. Then working downward.
Speaking of frame dwellings, hopefully the fan stays on the apparatus until the fire has been confined and controlled, and knocked down.
But, speaking of the situation that prompted the initial post, I think it is a major problem Nationwide. There is a line being drawn, with little "in-between" ground. The so-called "old guys" who may be past thier point of being IDLH firefighters, and the young, new firefighters who haven't had half of the experience of these old guys who were likely around when fires were more common. And there you get the attitudes. There is NO excuse for any members to still hang on when they are incapable of performing the job, while they do their best to keep the young firefighters "down". This sin't a game. Too often it is nothing but a fire club organization, and the whole service aspect is totaly forgotten.
By the same token the young members may refuse to listen when one of these old skels tell them that it just isn't worth killing yourself on every job for little gain. There is a fine line.
Both sides need to work together. If they can't, then shut the doors. If the Chief is "80 years old" then he should graciously and respectfully step down. That is entirely too old for ANY position in this business, career or volunteer.
Training is the key to profeciency as well as for survival. NO ONE has a right to stifle, restrict, or refuse training. If you don't want to train, go join the local Elks Club.
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