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mutual aid
We as a small department need mutual aid quite often. But we have some departments around that won't call some of us in for mutual aid for one reason or another. Why I don't know, but aren't we all trained the same for the same job. And if there is some sort of pride involved shouldn't that be left at the door. Well things probably won't change for awhile, but I would be interested for your input.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by firechief911 on
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thats where we are i might be an old leather head but i use mine for more than an ego holder. our county fire assoc. is a joke the pres. dont even live in the county anymore and is not on a dept. 14 depts and only about 2 or 3 know what the other has. that might help someone at sometime or another down the road . to know what recsoures are close by
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Permalink Reply by Norman E. Flanders on
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Hi Mike, While browsing the discussions I found yours...a couple days late but I would like to help you out.
* I'm the Fire Chief of a small department in Vermont and mutual aid is our greatest asset. I'm proud to say that we have a wonderful mutual aid system and a great working county mutual aid association. Fire departments that work together, play well together. Training and working together provides valuable knowledge of each others skills, talents, equipment and also puts a face to a position or a name.
* After reading this it's sad to hear there may be a problem. {It happens!!} You're right the pride should be left at the door, in this case town lines. One time or another we all need help. And I'd like to offer some to you and maybe things will work out.
* My suggestions to you and your fellow officers is be the better man (or department) in this situation. No matter how left out you've come to feel, you need to put that behind you and move on. You need to take the first step in correcting any problem.
* Take the time to ask to visit this FD during their monthly meeting. Introduce yourselves, thank them for allowing you to attend their meeting and invite them to a joint training/drill exercise.
{ Make the drill/exercise interesting and with inter-department hands-on training. Thus ensuring inter-working skills and knowledge sharing.}.......this may require your FD to adjust your training night to coincide with theirs. {But, Go the extra mile!!!}.
* Also offer them an open invitation to attend one of your monthly meetings for a meet and greet affair. You might even want to have snack food and drinks.
* You also will want to let them know, that you're wanting to improve your department's working relations in the county and are looking for new ways to train. And that is why you're there wanting their help.
* By offering your hand in friendship this way, shows your willingness to go the extra mile to improve relations. Someone has to take the first step....why not let it be you!!!! We all had to walk before we could run.
* Things will only change if someone is willing to try and change them. Here's your chance to be the stronger FD. Take on the challenge, be the one with the extended hand. Reach out and help make things better. If you don't, who will???
NOTE: If you do succeed and can get things going...............leave the PAST IN THE PAST.
Don't ask why things were the way they were. Keep any discussions of the past to a very low key. If it does come up here's what you say........Why didn't we do this sooner, it's been great being able to train and work with you. And here's to any future workings together now and in your time of need. Pat each other on the back and proceed with the training or whatever your doing.
SIMPLE, TRUE AND TO THE POINT!!!!!!!!
* Your building this new relationship is like building a house: It's starts with a well laid out plan.
You need a strong foundation - Your avenue of approach and reaching out is that foundation.
You need strong floors and walls - Your leaving the past in the past and moving on are those floors and walls.
You need a good strong roof - Your departments {that includes management, officers and members}, plan of action and willingness to improve and expand relations, thus going that extra mile, is that roof.
Will the foundation start to crumble, the house sway or the roof leak..........it may. But it can be fixed and improved upon. It's like anything it takes hard work.
* This won't happen over night, it is a great undertaking, will require dedication and patience.....
but if you seek every avenue to improve relations and keep being persistent it will pay off if all parties are willing to allow it.
Best of luck in your quest and I hope I have given you an avenue to take.
Keep safe. Norm
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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While I whole heartedly agree with Chief Flanders observation, the decision on how to use mutual aid needs to come from the top down, not the other way around. Listen to how this Chief shares with you the need to get along, work together, build bridges, etc. All things that HAVE to be done, but still... does your Chief show the same leadership qualities as Chief Flanders? If not then no matter how much good will you share, nothing will change, or at least not very quickly.
Does your community, with the various fire districts have a fire chiefs association? This is where agreements need to start with automatic dispatching. Incident commanders dealing with the influx of apparatus and personnel only have to remember to stage the equipment. You can always return them. What's your chief's position on this? It all starts with him or her and the local fire chief's association, or at least that's how it's done where I live and work. Everyone plays fair and when it comes time for sharing grants and funding for the various departments via the local emergency services folks (they administer the state and federal grants) any department not playing nice in the sandbox might not be included in next years grant funding... Additionally, it seems that local insurance folks might have a different take on this as well. Access to mutual aid, based on written agreements is supposed to be honored. To not do so could put the community at risk based on people not following the basic agreements in the areas mutual aid plan.
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Permalink Reply by LT Lake on
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While we may all start out trained the same some departments don’t keep their level of training or professionalism at the same standard. If a department is keeping their training level up and their actions professional then I agree with what others are saying here the attitude should be left at home and we should work together with our mutual aid departments. If you are not being called in then someone must have a bee in their bonnet. It shouldn’t matter that you’re a small department or if a department has older equipment as long as it is up to code and doesn’t cause more of a problem than it helps. But on the other hand if a department continues to show up in shorts and tennis shoes with a turnout coat and helmet and consider this to be full PPE or smelling like a brewery or show up only to be loud and curse at everything everyone else does or consider training night to be just another night to get together with the boys and screw off or consider training night as optional then they shouldn’t expect to be called.
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Permalink Reply by Jay Nicholson on
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Another thing I'd like to add to this. A great mutual/automatic aid agreement between neighboring dept can increase the service to the communities by reducing duplication. This is a perfect world type thing though. Dept A has a ladder, B a heavy rescue, C-D Type III engines, E a light and air unit. ETC... This keeps depts from having to purchase additional equipement that may just sit for months. Why have a heavy rescue unit in each dept. of the county when the entire county only uses that piece 4 times a year.
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Permalink Reply by mike wright on
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With all of this great information it is a wonder why someone hasnt reached out and said lets be friends. We use them if we need them, but in return they call us in last on most scenes. We are one of the closest departments to them in most cases. Our chiefs are friends so i am still confussed on why they call us last. Hopefully things will get better with time and you are right everyone needs a hand at some point in time. Thanks for all the great posts.
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