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Probationary Members?
Just out of curiosity, because we were discussing this at the fire academy, how is your company's probationary system set up? How long is probation? What requirements must they meet to become regular members? Are they permitted to ride the trucks without permission from an officer? Tell me anything you care to share.
In my company, probation is 6 months, and you must have at least 75% of the Essentials classes from the fire academy completed by the end of those 6 months. Probation can always be extended. To become a regular member, the company votes on you at the monthly meeting. If the result comes back unfavorable, you will no longer be a part of the company. (But if someone feels that it was a wrongful unfavorable vote, things could get ugly, and a revote will occur.) Probies get whatever gear in the closet will fit them. New gear will be ordered after you are voted in as a regular member. For riding the trucks, you don't need direct permission. If there is an empty seat, and nobody else is there to take it, have at it.
In my company, probation is 6 months, and you must have at least 75% of the Essentials classes from the fire academy completed by the end of those 6 months. Probation can always be extended. To become a regular member, the company votes on you at the monthly meeting. If the result comes back unfavorable, you will no longer be a part of the company. (But if someone feels that it was a wrongful unfavorable vote, things could get ugly, and a revote will occur.) Probies get whatever gear in the closet will fit them. New gear will be ordered after you are voted in as a regular member. For riding the trucks, you don't need direct permission. If there is an empty seat, and nobody else is there to take it, have at it.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dustin J. Millis on
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Probation lasts for one year, at the end of that year, you must have completed Indianas Mandatory FF academy. You must also have been certified in CPR/AED as well as attend 75% of the normal station trainings. When the year comes up, you are voted on by the current members. We dont have a "revote." If your voted no, thats it. Your gone.
As far as the gear goes... its pretty much find whatever fits you
No one rides the rig until they have completed their mandatory classes, passed the test, and obtained their cert. (just for insurance reasons). After you pass the test, you can ride.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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In our Department probation is 1 year...in that year you are expected to complete Firefighter 1 or a scene support course. A probationary member may ride the truck if room permits if not they go in one of the rescue trucks. All members get issued turn-out gear and have a "mentor" to help with getting acclimated to the Department. At the end of that year the member is brought into the Executive Board meeting and asked a few questions and asked if they have any concerns or questions..then the next monthly meeting the Chief has them leave the room...reviews their past year and gives the members the rec of the board....the members then vote to accept as a permanent member or not......Paul
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Tinsley MacKenzie on
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in new zealand it is quiet different
you complete a medical and police check once that is cleared you start training within your brigade, we are not ment to ride the truck but can attend calls if we are at a mva you have to do road patrol or structure you can do external work, you cannot go into a structure until b.a qualified, as well as all this you have to do the paper work, a pre course booklet, basic training booklet and a b.a booklet and have all training exersises and stuff signed off by training officer, then you can sit a basic training course which involves 3 days of waterways training,3 days with breathing aparatus and 1 day in first aid, after that you are fully opperational, but you have to complete a consoldation log after that you can start training for the next rank if you want. there is no real time frame as long as you get the work done, i was a probationary firefighter for a year before doing my basic, others have joined and within 5 monthish have completed there basic
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Permalink Reply by Ben "Batman" Barry on
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well my fathersdept you have to have ff1 and min MRT. the probie period lasts 1 year and you need to complete certain training requirements before you ride on trucks. my dept you can obrerve but cant go into idlh or go on mutail aid. the probie period is 1 year and we have 2 years to get ff1
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Permalink Reply by Cory Deaton on
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In my dept our probation 6 months also you haft to go through the academy and have FFI, FFII, Haz-mat awarness, Haz-mat Operations, and get checked off to ride the in the bucket. As for riding the trucks you haft to make it through the acedemy and pass before you can start riding the trucks.
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Permalink Reply by Tyson Ward on
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probation is 6 months and they need to pass the FF1 test. They will be voted on as a regular member after that. they get gear that we have in closet that fits them the best. they can ride and go on calls if there is room on a thruck.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Everson on
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We are a combination fire department. The probationary period for both PPC and FT is one year. For the PPC staff they have to complete FF1, FFII and HAZMAT Ops during that initial year...or close to it. For the FT staff the requirement to get hired is paramedic, FFI, FFII and HAZMAT Ops. The first year for the PPC staff is very demanding and we loose many good people because of it. I have made suggestions for changing it, but it seems to fall on deaf ears.
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Permalink Reply by Becky on
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Wow, from the sounds of this, it seems like my station has very laid back rules. FF1 is not mandatory, but highly recommended. Like I said, after 6 months, your probation is voted on, and provided you meet all requirements, (75% of academy training, decent attendance for calls, meetings, and drills), most will have no problem voting yes to you becoming a regular member. As far as training requirements, HAZMAT Ops is included as part of Module 4 of the fire academy, so that is really easy to get. No medical training is necessary, unless you wish to run QRS (quick response service) (medical care before the ambulance gets there). No real requirements are in place (that I know of) to climb the stick. I suppose just common sense is enough for us, as I was permitted to climb it one day with only Module 1 of the fire academy (which is The History of the Fire Service).
Please continue to post your company's policies, as I am finding them very interesting. And thanks to everyone who has responded already. Stay Safe.
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Permalink Reply by Dewayne and Diana Bean on
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Probationary Period is for 6 months if at anytime you cease to attend trainings and runs you can get an early vote to be terminated from the department. As far as turnout gear well they get whats available as do our other FF. Probies are issued pagers where after probationary period they can then get a walkie if available. We use common sense judgement on whether they are permitted to do things on probation. Some recruits we have may have been on a previous department. You are generally not allowed to obtain your Code 3 card to run lights and sirens till after that time with drivers training and the chief will have to trust your driving. (that being said some members may have been on 3 years and not receive their code 3 card) At our monthly meeting we vote by dropping a clear marble for yes (stay on dept) or black marble (terminated from the dept) by all members the chief does have the ability to overturn. As far as training goes its usually text out and you need a good reason on why you couldn't attend and you need to let the training officer know. We try as soon as reasonably possible to receive their 150 hr Ky certification to be 150 certified. Usually the probies need to get their initial 20 hours prior to entering a structure. That being said we have some really smart people who can not get their hours in and we may need them due to lack of manpower, this is usually a last resort. Well good luck and God Bless!
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Permalink Reply by Paul J. Storke, Jr. on
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At my department you are a probie for a minium of 6 months and in order to be promoted you must have a minium of 50% of the modules of firefighting completed haz mat- ops vehicle rescue-arareness also know where all of the equiptment is on at least the 2 main engines and you have to be voted in by the company officers.
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Permalink Reply by Justyn Boling on
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im a firefighter from eastern NC, we are a vol. dept but we do have a prob. period which is 6 months the same as yours, we requir our probbys to get their 1403 (nc certified ff) within that probby period, and therefore after to start on their ff1 and ff2 and aslo recomend them to get into and start a emt basic or first responder classs being we are a first responder dept. does this always happen no, but this is the requierments that we ask and imply, we do have a minimum requirment to ride the trucks, you must know where every peice of equiptment is located and know how to use it as long with knowing how to pump the truck, just incase the driver/ op goes out of service, and yes unless there is only 2 guys on a 6 man truck you better be checked off by a capt. but thats only our policy, everyone buckle up n be very safe
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