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Allowing children to try on fire gear and helmets during PR details.
I have been trying to find documented cases of neck injuries of children from trying on fire helmets during PR details. I see many times where members of my department and other departments allow kids to put on their fire helmets. From a liability standpoint this practice concerns me, but I have not been able to prove this practice can cause injuries. Any help would be appreciated.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Chinn on
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awwwe
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Permalink Reply by 55 TRUCK on
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Uh, what's PR? Our biggest concern is the kid takes off running with the helmet as he turns around and flips you off.....And he's 7. Welcome to the hood.
Some of the stations in nicer areas do it..Not so much at my house or any of the others in my Battalion or a couple of the other Battalions.
You haven't lived till you've been goin past a group of elementary school kids as they ride there bikes in the summer. Lean out the window and wave. Then they all as one group Flip you the bird and say in one voice. F**k Y**!!
(Note the above comment does not reflect the feelings or attitudes of all children living in the Ghetto. Only the select few involved in the incident. Wich is most of them.)
On an up beat note..Junkies,Pimps and Hookers tend to be more polite toward firemen. Also we get a Sh*t load of fire. So it all balances out.
In short if you arn't concerned about some hood rat stealing you sh*t or getting head lice or some other crazy cockroach infested tenament disease. Let them wear it.
The kid your nice to today might grow up to be the corner pimp who doesn't shoot you at 3am when your trying to render aid to the junkie who just puked all over his brand new Caddy.
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Permalink Reply by ERCVFD 842 C. Warren on
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Damn straight Vic, funny shit, if we're going the route then we will have to take almost every tool off our trucks!!!!
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Permalink Reply by larry kinley on
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took my 3 yr old twins down to the station to take pictures with them an the fire trk and as usal when i pulled it out of the bay i layed out my gear just habit after a few minutes one of the had my helmet on his head an i never gave it a thought of a neck injury they both seemed to handled it well but that is a thought
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Permalink Reply by William Allan Milfred Harper on
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I agree with the topic of trying on gear with the children . The helmets are heavy and the children do not
have the strength to hold them on their heads . We have a children type of helmet which are very light
and have a crest painted on , which we give out to each child . I have no problem with the children sitting
in the driver's seat , or pulling the cord ,and even let them use the 2 1/2 inch hose to play with but
certainly not trying on our gear .
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Permalink Reply by Mattew Colvin on
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I just had to think how it would be to be five or six and the thought of not being able to wear a helmet couse they thoughty it would hurt me and I made out of rubber :) Kids are tough man I got two Boys 2.5 and 5 they freekin tough
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Permalink Reply by Steve Gardner on
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LOL....X2 Jim
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Permalink Reply by Jake Stoffer on
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I was in a legal class this summer, and our instructor (who is an Asst. Chief and attorney) actually brought this issue up in class. He did know of a case where a girl approximately 4 yo, was wearing a helmet on a PR visit. The girl had a difficult time holding the helmet on her head, the weight of the helmet shifted and it broke her neck causing her to be permanently paralyzed from the neck down. He did not mention the department, but he advised its not a good idea for kids to try on helmets. He suggested using the plastic hand outs for the kids. as far as liability, that would vary from state to state, but here for the most part fire depts cant be sued in state court. However, there is really no immunity in federal court. Like I said, just depends on the situation
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Permalink Reply by Patti Walz on
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I know from experience that the kids that I have been around and raised are pretty dang tough. My daughter was nothing but a heart attack waiting to happen for the first 6 years of her life. The doctors in ER knew her by name and she would laugh as she told them what happened while they were stitching the girl up. My nieces and nephews are all the same....
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Permalink Reply by Alan McGuigan on
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What i find interesting in a lot of these posts is the comment kids are tough and i agree they are not glass however for the odd chance that a child might get hurt wearing an in service helmet as opposed to wearing a helmet which is made for kids to wear? Is it worth the risk? Forget the fact you could have legal action taken against you, how would you feel if you actually had a child get hurt while wearing your helmet or being exposed to the chemicals and crap that’s on your gear? At min i think one should use common sense and at least set an age limit say only kids over a certain age? But that still doesn’t get away from the fact you’re exposing these children to the "shit "on your gear. Part of our job is to save and protect, we certainly aren’t protecting these kids by exposing them to the chemicals and shit on our gear or having them wear gear that is way too heavy for them?
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Definately should have clean gear for them to check out. The kids that have come down to my station we not excited over the plastic helmet that you can hand out. They liked the real stuff, so as a compromise I let them check out my wildland helmet which I have never worn. I get a kick out of seeing a kids eyes just light up.
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