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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 Terry Lambert on
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My department runs mutual aid to two differant counties. Sometime's they call, sometimes they do not. For us, it depends on the type of call and how busy they are. But we have a mutual aid agrement with them. This works out real good for everyone involved. Plus, with this agrement, we get some money from there counties.
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Permalink Reply by LadyChaplain on
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My company has several mutual aid contacts, but we are never called on by them. There's some company politics and issues that arose in early 2007 that have changed things.
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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Ah, Mutual Aid. The almighty tone that brings people you may not work with all the time. Yes this situation works out well most of the time, but there are times where it doesn't work so well. Imagine how fun it is to get called mutual aid (dispatched same time as primary company) for a fire alarm activation (the 6th one this week for this location) at 2:30 in the morning only to get dressed drive down to the firehouse, start the engine get on the road and immediately returned. It gets frustrating at times because you have to return so often without making it even to the scene. Don't get me wrong I think it is extremely important to have and use mutual aid!! you never know when your going to get a box call for a cooker at a location of multiple false alarms. I do believe that if you are called in as mutual aid, you should be given an assignment when you radio on per command so that way you are utilized upon arrival. Thyis ensures everyone has a job to do, and you don't have units on scene doing nothing.
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Permalink Reply by mike wright on
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SEE AROUND HERE THE PRIMARY CALLS MUTUAL AID IN WHEN IT IS NEEDED. ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORING DEPARTMENTS DON'T USE US EVEN IF IT IS RIGHT IN THEIR TOWN. WE HAD A FIRE WITH THEM AND THEY CALLED IN FOUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND WE WERE THE SECOND CLOSEST DEPARTMENT. AND I THINK THIS IS WRONG IF YOU NEED HELP CALL THE CLOSEST DEPARTMENT THERE IS AND WORK YOUR WAY OUT. UNLESS THERE IS SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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We utilize automatic mutual aid with two of our neighboring departments. This started out a number of years ago as being a 6 AM to 6 PM thing, but we changed it to 24/7. It works out great, plus the call volume goes up which delights many of the younger members.
Now, this is for structure fires, brush/forest fires and haz-mat calls such as gas leaks. Automatic alarms, wires arcing and so forth do not qualify for AMA.
The company to the east gets dispatched along with us regardless of where the call is, while our western neighbors only respond if the call is in the western portion of town. Here we have 2 mutual aid companies automatically dispatched. We go with one or the other if they get dispatched on a structure assignment.
In other situations where a department is bypassed in favor of others farther away it has been the result of some long-standing feud between department chiefs or commissioners, or a union vs. volly thing. Over time some of them in our area have been resolved by a change in leadership and FD culture. But it takes a while.
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Permalink Reply by Jerry Lease on
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Long while for some....
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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Sorry I'm late, I just discovered this discussion.
It would be a shame if something happened because they didn't have enough people on the scene because they didn't call your F.D. for mutual aid when they should have. It sounds like the various Chiefs need to get together and work out their problems. After all, we're all on the same team regardless what the patch on our uniform sleeve says! Stay safe!
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Permalink Reply by Just Plain Craig Moyer on
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My company which is the smallest in the state runs quite a bit of mutual aid. We always didn't and had to work hard to prove ourselves. An advantage we had is lots of manpower during the day. We also politiced for cover ups which let other members get to know us. Then on cover ups we would be called into the scene. So far we have covered over 35 companies with a total of 42 stations if you count companies with multiple stations. All but 6 have been for actual fires.
We have responded out of state going to MD, NJ and PA. It just takes someone to push the other chiefs for reasons they don't call you and overcome those reasons.
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There are some chiefs that just feel that because you dont have fancy equipment that you cant fight fire as well as everyone else. We call in one department that has the oldest engine in the county. They are the department to the north of us, but when we need help they and us work very well together. This is what we like, but if we need help we will call out all of our neighboring departments for help. I feel this is the way it should be. Or am i flawed in my thinking?
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If i figured it correctly it is the BS portion that fits here.
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Permalink Reply by firechief911 on
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we have one dept that we call and they call us but the other wont call us . we have the same problem they want call us. for what ever reason . but if we call them and they bring everything that will crank . i dont empty my station for mutual aid. you want water you get water. you want bodys you get bodys but they wont call us
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Permalink Reply by Jay Nicholson on
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This is a situations where I just do not understand the VFD physcology. Even though I was one. Geographically linked department must work together. We're better than you is best left to musters, not 'working structure fires.' (worked that in from another topic). We have had a county Fire Chief's Assoc for many years. Once all the old leather lungs retired, they actually got down to business and got some things accomplished.
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