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Drinking in the Fire House
Last week I went to lunch with some co-workers (non-FFs) and the discussion rolled around to my involvement with the FD. One of the guys said "well, you must have guys that just join the department for the drinking". This recalled to mind another comment by someone, some years back, who swore that ALL volunteer FFs drank at the station and "those who say they don't are lying".
In my department you might find a 6-pack or two if you look in every nook and cranny, but we really don't touch the stuff on drill night or after calls, or meetings. There just isn't stuff to touch. In the late 80s we had the converted soda machine that dispensed several brands of beer but we got rid of it because the Jr. FFs were becoming interested in the stuff.
So - what is your department policy or practice regarding alcohol in the firehouse?
NOTE: 10/16/09: I started this thread over two years ago to gather input from other volunteer firefighters on FFN as it was then. The new theme is, what steps can we take to make America's fire houses 100% dry?
In my department you might find a 6-pack or two if you look in every nook and cranny, but we really don't touch the stuff on drill night or after calls, or meetings. There just isn't stuff to touch. In the late 80s we had the converted soda machine that dispensed several brands of beer but we got rid of it because the Jr. FFs were becoming interested in the stuff.
So - what is your department policy or practice regarding alcohol in the firehouse?
NOTE: 10/16/09: I started this thread over two years ago to gather input from other volunteer firefighters on FFN as it was then. The new theme is, what steps can we take to make America's fire houses 100% dry?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Greenman on
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The only "Perk" I ever got, or wanted, for volunteering was the privilege and honor or being a part of the team and of helping my neighbors in their times of need.
Oh wait, I did get to use the gym in the station whenever I wanted, I guess you could call that a perk...
Honestly, it doesn't seem like "volunteering" if you're in it for the perks. Just my 2¢
GM
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Permalink Reply by Captain Chaos on
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Just a suggestion, don't cook brats anymore. Then you wouldn't have to think about giving anyone a piece of your brain (btw, I bet that would hurt). You also wouldn't have to give anyone such a witty tongue lashing either.
jmho
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Permalink Reply by Brittany on
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There's no drinking in our firehouse. And if you've been drinking at all, and there's a call.. you can't respond. Period.
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Permalink Reply by Michael DeMasi on
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The departments I have been on have had pretty much the same rule. There was absolutley NO drinking at the station at any time. You could at off site banquets etc. but no calls for 12 hours. If you did show up you would be escorted home the first and second times. The third time you were terminated. PERIOD! No questions asked. We never even had a first time incident. Everyone repsected the rules.
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Permalink Reply by A.J. on
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you can drink at home or wherever else you please except at the fire department and if you show up with even a hint of white lightnin beer whiskey what ever the case may be you will be lucky to surrvive the butt chewing and most likely you would have major probation or kicked out of the department we have a 0 % tolerance for drinking @ the station or coming to calls intoxicated. if i were the chief you would be lucky to be alive.
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Permalink Reply by Peter Foust on
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My fire department is in an ongoing battle with drinking in the firehouses. The SLA came in over the summer and shut down the bars. Another reason to shutting down the bars was that the people drinking were "Social Members" and not firefighters. Our firefighters don't even go in the bars at all, there only used as social gatherings by the non firefighters. Just last week the police came and took the soda machines out because they are still having beer in them. My opinion is that there should be no bars what so ever in firehouses, it just gives a bad image to firefighters.
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Permalink Reply by Will2745 on
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In my dept, if you report to a fire after drinking you are sent home, and absolutely no alcohol allowed in the station,,
That would be a good reason to be terminated immediately!!
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Permalink Reply by Dan Hoey on
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Bonding and getting together is very important but drinking at the house should not be allowed. Get together outside, not just the safety part of it but the way its viewed by others needs to matter
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Permalink Reply by Joel C Kelley on
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Okay folks, I have been following this thread since the beginning, and I am going to try to stir the pot again. I have not heard anyone say that they thought ETOH in the station was a good idea, so I will ask the questions again: What do we as an industry do to create change? How do we guarantee as an industry that ALL of the personnel responding to calls are sober? Lastly, how do we create the climate where such behavior is not tolerated?
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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The only thing we can do is to have other officers aside from the chief to try and make sure they interact with all firefighters, and start documenting warnings/suspensions and the such. A simple yet effective method is to create a diciplinary system with stiff penalties for DUI or even showing up to the scene under the influence. In todays age, it is no longer allowed for 1, and it is not safe for another point. It is absolutely rediculous that in 2008, people still are motivated to drink, and then have the thought process to be a firefighter when under the affects of the alcohol. Make examples that there is a no tolerance policy, and it will become a thing of the past for each department. (remember documentation!!)
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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There is NOTHING that you can do administratively that will "guarantee" that the people showing up are sane and sober.
The only thing that you can do is have policies and procedures with strong deterrents written into them including dismissal of the violators. That will reduce the likelihood of an event.
As an industry, we continue to discuss it, voice opposition to the practice of drinking and responding, get it at the national level, get it on TV, get it into the news right along with the article that details the arrest of firefighter charged with DUI while responding, send a message that the majority of the fire service is opposed to it, make it impossible for anyone convicted of a DUI to get insurance to operate fire apparatus, make it very clear to new members that such behavior will not be tolerated and all decisions are final and I will skippy guarantee that the culture will change.
Yeah; that might mean some of the good ole boy departments will have to close shop, but I for one am tired of reading about their misadventures and then being tossed into the same bowl as them.
It has to change one department at a time.
Art
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Permalink Reply by Lance on
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We have alcohol at the station twice a year, in june for our awards banquet, and in december for the officer's x-mas party. But we designate at least two trucks worth of people to not drink, so they will run any calls that come in. As for everyday calls, our city has instituted a random drug/alcohol test policy. The city will pull employee #'s at random, give them to the chief, and the next time those employee's respond to a run or come to a drill they get to take a test when done. Mine was pulled on the first try, so i'm not even gonna take a chance. If i've had 1 beer in the last 2 or 3 hours, I'm staying home. Might as well finish that 6-pack, right?!
Lance
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