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Out of Zone Response
I was reading the thread about scanners and a reply saying that the person would never respond to someone else's call. Scenarios started coming to mind and I was wondering what others have to say about this.
For example: You are driving down the road and you have your mobile scanner with you and you catch a call for something like 60 yr old with chest pains and you just happen to be driving through that particular neighborhood at the time. I know that if I actually witness someone in trouble, I will help however I can, but to respond to a location out of your district...I dunno. What about if it's a fire that you are driving by and see that there MIGHT be a shortage or people. Do you stop and see if they need extra help? Would this be concidered "freelancing"? Or would you wait for a MA call?
I suppose this question will be geared more toward volly dept's, but I would like to hear voices from different angles.
I should say that I do not own a scanner, and the pager is set to our own districts calls. This is just a question that came to mind, and I couldn't come up with an informative response to myself.
Thanks in advance
KSHF
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Roy Walker on
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I was one who said I'd respond but only if I was close to the call. Now as for this being freelancing I don't see how because as I explained the proper way to do this is to approach command and identify yourself and ask if your assistance is required. If you are unfamiliar to them they maybe hesitant to have you on their fireground or they may not need or want your help. At that point you point your tail in the opposite direction and leave the scene. However if they do ask you to help you are under their command and accountability and do only what you are asked and nothing is done on your own. In this way nobody can possibly be freelancing.
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Permalink Reply by Derek R. on
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Thanks Roy. As for the fireground, I was thinking the same thing. For the medical call I was thinking that I would be hesitant about responding to a house in another town. Unless they are familiar with you and would appreciate the help. But at the same time, and I speak for myself here, that if I knew someone was in need of assistance madically, I would want to help. I understand and agree with you on the fireground scenario, but I feel ill-informed to make a decision on the medical scenario.
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Permalink Reply by Matthew Powers on
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Derek, if you are referring to my post in the thread about radios in POVs then you are likely taking my meaning out of context. I was addressing a junior firefighter. Juniors are not provided with a common scenes card with their bunker gear. Trust me, I was their just a few years ago. I think most guys that have been around for a while will tell you that the first few years a guy is on a volunteer fire department, he is a liability. The first years need to be about developing skills and working under more experienced people. Firefighters in other departments will learn to trust your abilities in time, but I have seen juniors/probational firefighters overstep these bounds too many times.
If you are at a ball game and someone chokes on a hot dog, perform the Heimlich maneuver, do not just call for the ambulance. If you drive up on a house that is on fire, call 911 and try to rouse the occupant and provide information to the first due. But there is a fine line, if you carry your gear with you and you come up on a working fire 2 counties over with 3 companies doing their jobs, say a prayer for the men doing their jobs and keep on trucking.
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Permalink Reply by Rob on
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We had a fire in a popular restaurant once and on arrival one of the patrons approached us and identified himself as a firefighter from some department we had never heard of. He claimed to have his gear in his car and could help if needed. Our chief declined the offer because we had no idea if he really was a fire fighter, what his training has been, what his experience was. Firefighting relies on teamwork so a complete unknown becomes more of a worry than an asset. This guy seemed very insulted and left with some abusive remarks, which only served to reinforce the decision to not use him.
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Hi Matthew, thanks for replying.
Please don't get me wrong here, I'm not referring to anyone's post. These were just thoughts that were inspired by an ongoing thread. Just ideas that popped in my brain. I am not referring to anyone, just a thread about FF carrying mobile scanners.
To respond to your post here, I will agree with you about new vollies need time to get their crap together, and I, too, have seen the boundaries being overstepped. And that's why lines need to be drawn beforehand by officers or veteran FF to steer the "new guy" in the right direction.
I agree totally with your last paragraph. But let's take fire related incidents out of it. What about "Jake" hearing over his scanner of a 60 yr old with chest pains and has collapsed. "Jake" has the training and certificates, but is in another town. Would it be right for him to respond to that location and give assistance if he is right there anyway? I don't mean across town, I mean at or near the address of the incident.
My appologies to you Matthew if it seemed I was referring to your post. I was not. this is just random.
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Hello Rob.
We get that from time to time as well. We will accept their assistance only if we know them and are familiar with their abilities. But if they state a dept. that is unfamiliar, then absolutely not. How do we know if they are legit or not. I realise that most are well meaning, but they must understand the other side of it if they are refused.
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Interesting Lindsay.
What about the good samaritan act. Do you have this where you are? I also believe there might be different issues or points regarding this from the side of the career/paid dept's and the volly guys.
I'm getting the feeling that it might be better to let that particular town's emergency personel take care of the situation. Even though you feel the need to assist someone in distress. If the scanner wasn't turned on, the call wouldn't be overheard anyways.
I'm thinking that maybe I should check around my area to see what the thoughts are. Maybe we even have something like that written down somewhere. Guess I;m doing some digging.
Thanks for the replies.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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Again, this is a judgement call that is based on where you work and your culture. When I am off shift, the last thing I would think of ever doing would be to self repond to a call. However, in departments that are volunteer, the community has different expectations. When you are dealing with long response times and you are right on top of an incident, I would think that you would stop, offer assistance until a rig shows up.
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Again, this is a judgement call that is based on where you work and your culture. When I am off shift, the last thing I would think of ever doing would be to self repond to a call. However, in departments that are volunteer, the community has different expectations. When you are dealing with long response times and you are right on top of an incident, I would think that you would stop, offer assistance until a rig shows up.
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Permalink Reply by Chief Dino on
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I've run into this situation a couple of times here in rural east TX. I handle the same way as on mutual aid. Identify myself to the IC, show my ID cards and ask if I can help. Turned away once or twice. Even if it's doing the menial stuff or help with rehab, that frees up a dept member to do something else. I will only respond to an out of area tone if there was no/minimal response from the responding Dept.
Shawn
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Thanks for your input Mike. Like I said, this is all just hypothetical. If I remember it when I'm at the dept., I'll check it out.
How's retirement treating you? "Busy"-er than before?
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