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Permalink Reply by James L.Hoffman, Jr on November 28, 2009 at 2:08pm

jack sorry for what i said i dont have any problem with paid FF like you i'm proud you are their for the people in your area just always remember BE SAFE and STAY SAFE

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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on November 28, 2009 at 2:39pm

I've been told by a few people that paid depts dont like to hire vollie because they are then trained by another dept and might have their habits, whereas the paid wants you trained THEIR way.

The issue isn't so much that someone has been trained elsewhere because the vast majority of departments will still train you their way, the issues come when attitude is tossed around. This really isn't the issue of getting hired, but when someone is hired, guys at the station who have been around awhile don't appreciate some new person coming in with an attitude like "I already know all this" or "this is how we always done it before" etc. Thing is, you probably are not with that old dept anymore, you are the new guy, it doesn't matter if you were a capt on a vollie dept, you are new here and thus you are the probie.

Now, this does not mean a new person can not bring in valuable experience or a better alternative to doing something. It is best not to bring such things up in recruit training, but if doing in house training, there are times when a different alternative helps. The difference in promoting a new ideal and so forth is the attitude you expose. If you are the new guy and "feel" probie jobs are beneath you, or you always say "this is how we did it on such and such dept" is not going to fly very good, you probably will have a reputation pinned to you and that isn't a good thing to have.

Doing your job without complaining, showing you have retained the knowledge of the job, knowing where equipment is on ALL rigs, having a good work ethic, sense of humor and so forth will create a good reputation for you. When training, if you may know of a better way of doing something, you can speak up and suggest the idea and show what you mean, maybe it is, maybe it isn't better, but don't pull the "this is how we done it on my last dept" line.....most guys don't really care how your last dept did things. I'm not on your last dept and really neither are you. Basically it comes down to if your last dept was so great, then why are you with us? However, if you understand this is how things are done on THIS dept and you understand your role and don't complain, then you find people are more receptive to other ideas.

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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on November 28, 2009 at 11:00pm

That's exactly right Trey. It will be what you make it. But definately don't make an issue of the Paid vs. Vollie thing. That's not really the case in most places I have heard of. Keep an open mind and be willing to do whatever is asked of you and you will do just fine.
Good luck and stay safe!!!

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Permalink Reply by Derek R. on November 29, 2009 at 8:47am

We ALL have a job to do the best way we know how to do it.
Chief,....this is perfection, a true work of literary art. That single statement is exactly what it all boils down to. Nothing ever needs to be said after a statement like that. Just try to make tomorrow's "best" better than today's.
Thnx Chief.

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Permalink Reply by blair4630 on November 29, 2009 at 9:51am

I will speak for my local area, because it's all I know first hand. Here, most of the paid guys in the city came from vol. departments in the county. They got some experience, got on the waiting list, finally got their shot, and then made the jump.

Like I've heard about most dept.'s elsewhere, the city dept. sends you to the state fire academy they affiliate with, and also EMT-B and HazMat. That goes no matter if you're no experience or years of experience.

Like so man others said, alot of it's your attitude, and the REPUTATION YOU BUILD FOR YOURSELF. The chief officers in the city dept. know a large portion of the county vol. guys...I think in large part that you've already made or broke yourself before you even apply, based on what people say about your attitude.

Train as much as you can, get as much experience as you can, and see what happens. But don't look at the volunteering as a means to an end (getting the paid job)...enjoy it for it's own things.

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