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How Do You Run Elections of Fire Officers in Your Dept.?
I AM LOOKING TO SEE HOW OTHER DEPARTMENTS RUN THEIR ELECTIONS FOR COMPANY OFFICERS. ALSO WHAT QUALIFICATIONS ARE REQUIRED TO BE ELEIGIBLE TO RUN FOR OFFICER. I AM NOT PARTICULARLY HAPPY WITH THE WAY THAT OURS WENT AND WAS LOOKING FOR ANY INFO OR FEEDBACK THAT YOU ALL HAVE. IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by DOWNS290 on
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Those are some pretty heavy requirements, they are simmilar to ours, however a little more stringent but i like them.
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In my Dept.
LT-
BVR (basic vehicle rescue)
Essentials of firefighting
ICS 100,200, 700, 800
Half of inhouse company practices
Half of your meetings
Captains
Be elected as a LT for 3 Years
Same requirements as LT
ICS For the fire service
Chief and Assistant Chief
Be elected as a Capt. for 2 years
Same Requirements as Capt
I am looking to make FF1 and Haz Mat Ops also a requirement
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ALSO ALL OF OUR NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS ARE DONE ON THE SAME NIGHT. IT HAS MORE OR LESS BECOME A POPULARITY CONTEST, AND PEOPLE DO NOT ALWAYS VOTE FOR THE MOST QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS. PART OF THIS I THINK IS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF WHO OR WHAT THEY ARE VOTING FOR. ANY MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT CAN VOTE AS LONG AS THEY HAVE MAD ATLEAST 6 OF OUR MONTLY MEETINGS.
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Permalink Reply by Perry Bryant on
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First of all all Chief, administrative officers are voted upon and informed of their selection on the second Monday in December.
Then members submit to their qualifications and desires for what position they wish to hold.
These are submitted to the elected chief before he takes "office". This way things are clear when he takes charge.
Chiefs must have been active voting members for 2 years before being elected.
Line officers are the same with only one year though. Both have to meet certain requirements.
Chief Officer Incident Command System, and Officer II
Captain or Lieutenant Officer I and Incident Command System
Sergeant Firefighter II
All elective office members shall not hold any other elective office in the Department or appointed line office. Any member holding an elected or appointed office must have a physical place of residence within the first due area of the department.
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THESE SOUND LIKE WHAT WE HAVE FOR THE MOST PART. WHAT ABOUT CALL REQUIREMENTS? DO THEY NEED TO MAKE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE.
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FOR EXAMPLE TO ME MAKING 20% OR LESS OF THE TOTAL CALLS, WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE MEDICAL IS PRETTY BAD. IT ALSO SHOWS A LACK OF DEDICATION, COMMITMENT OR DESIRE TO FUFILL THE OBLIGATIONS YOU ACCEPT BY BEING AN OFFICER.
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Permalink Reply by Station10Capt106 on
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It is hard to have a set percent of call requirements on a volunteer department. Almost every has a full time job and most can not leave work during the day to respond. It would be nice if all calls could be scheduled in advance.
I'm lucky enough to be self employed and can leave work almost anytime to respond. Some of our other officers can't. They may not make 20% of the calls in a years time but that doesn't mean that they don't contribute in other ways. Some are in charge of maintenance, others handle training, ect.
The dedication and commitment of a volunteer member should be based upon their willingness to respond during the times they are not already committed to work. I frown more upon a member that chooses not to respond and watch the ball game than one that wants to respond but cannot because they are fulfilling their obligation to their employer.
(Downs, it makes it alot easier to read if you don't type in all CAPS!)
John
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Ya sorry my computer is on caps for work. I completely understand the work thing that you had mentioned and I had kind of saw that excuse coming. But the truth is I work roughly 50 hrs a week and I still made 50% of our calls this year, was also in charge of fire reports, assisted with training, was co chair of our junior committie, and was also the on the building committee. Not to mention the 3 or 4 bingos a month I worked, as well as all of the addtional personal time i spent training at the fire acadamy, and all of the countless other activites that I participated in over the year.
It is just frustrating for me to loose my position to people who have done 1/4 of the work that I have and have others stay where they are, and contribute nothing. All because of a POPULARITY CONTEST and because people have no idea what they are voting for. As far as some mebers go it comes down to o well i have known that person longer so ill vote for them.
I guess all I want to know is if other departments are running into the same issues with elections and what they have done to prevent things like this?
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Permalink Reply by Russ on
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This is one of my favorite subjects when it comes to volunteer departments. the methods used in the past of percentages of runs made or participation in bingo night has nothing to do with the ability to lead which should be based on training and expierence. i know of one department where it is a popularity contest and in the current world of the volunteer fire service with all of its issues or retention and lax responses, having incompetent persons in leadership positions because "he or she is a regular guy or gal" is a recipe for disaster. Training, Education, Time in position, Ability should be the basic prerequests for officer candadates. i understand the commitments and constraints required by the individuals who wants to achieve higher office but watch out the lawyers are comming...(oh, they're here) and i can tell you that sitting in a room and answering the question "what are your qualifications for being the chief of department? and you say, "i can drive every truck in the department and i made the required percentages of runs" is gonna cause the the person in the black robe with the little wooden hammer to bang it and you to reach for the department checkbook
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as part of active riding member you must make all of your drills
8 biz meetings out of 12 (every second monday)
and 24 drills
held every monday and for other various activities
you must also make two of your yearly cleanups held every month
the chief knows who comes around and and who actuallyrides
thats why the decision is left to him and not those who just want a title and wont come around
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Permalink Reply by Capt./Chaplain Mike Petrosky on
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All candidates must have:
2 years min. on dept.
Mich. FF I & II
Engineer Qualified
MFR certificate
CPR certificate
For Sgt. exam candidates must submit in writing their interest in taking exam along with copies of all pertinent certificates, etc. Must pass written exam 80% or better. Then schedule for an oral board interview given by outside fire dept. members ( no members from our dept. on board. ) Then oral score is given to Promotional Board for review.
For anything above Sgt's. the Chief makes the decision based on imformation gathered through other senior officers as to if candidate is ready to be moved into said position. i.e.-if an opening comes available at a station for Lt. The Chief make the final decision as to who gets the nod ( usually a Sgt. from that station gets the postion-not always-the info comes from station Capt., Asst. Chief, Deputy Chief etc.
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Must be a member in good standing.
Chief and Asst. Chief elected by their peers. Also President, Secretary and Treasurer for the department. The training officers, captains and lieutenants are selected by the chief and asst. chief.
Everything, by law, must be approved by the trustees and it is.
Though we have not completed the SOP for qualifications, all of the officers currently have a minimum of FF II. Some have additional officer training, hazmat, technical rescue, road rescue and we have a MABAS president in our midst. We have a regional training site.
We are fortunate that we get along so someone isn't always trying to flank us.
TCSS.
Art
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