Hey all I have a question! Do you think it's safe to run on the fire ground? The reason I asked is because I've seen and even read about a few injuries occurring.. If we're training as if it's a real call then why are we starting up bad habits "from what I was told and learned, we dont run on the fire ground" yeah we move with hast!! But running is not safe.. So what are y'all thoughts?

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I give up...

as a volly with no workers comp.,  I see running as being kind of like putting the oxygen mask on some one else before putting it on myself when the plane looses cabin pressure.

Wow... stupidest comment I've see in awhile.  You really shouldn't be a firefighter.  

I was always told not to run, but walk with purpose.

sorry to get your dander up fellows, but the laying down of a life for property?  Safety first for me.  I like to put on an air pack before i go interior.  shouldn't we do that first?  even if someone is inside?  I have a responsibility to the good people of my community to do my job in the event of an emergency, and i take that responsibility seriously.  I also have a responsibility to my wife and kids, my parents, hell, even to my banker.  I am sorry if i dont take a cavelier attitude towards safety but if i do some thing stupid like not put a seatbelt on, throw a ladder properly, or trip while running and fall on my halligan and poke my stupid eye out, most likely ems or other firefighters will have to stop what they are doing and help my dumb ass.  I could do something even more stupid and get disabled and lose the farm so the wife and kids get to live in the poor house.  sorry this upsets you, I guess i am just a worrier.  So i am going to keep wearing my bunker gear at car wrecks when it is 100 degrees out and not running on the fire ground.  I am going to do best to not die or get seriously hurt. 

Jim;

Help me to reconcile this statement, "as a volly with no workers comp..." with this statement, "I have a responsibility to the good people of my community..."  How is it that while you take your "...responsibility seriously..." your community doesn't?  If your community/department can not provide Workman's Comp then you probably have a LOT more to worry about than just running on the fire ground.  Frankly if a community doesn't care enough about their firefighters to provide for them in the event of an injury or fatality I would find it hard to summon the motivation to do little if anything for them.  If they don't care, why should I?

To the point at hand, if you don't want to run that's well and good.  But to equate running with not wearing a pack, improperly throwing a ladder or even not wearing your seat belt is...well a bit absurd.  If a firefighter can be trusted to climb a ladder and ventilate a roof with a very dangerous chainsaw I see no reason why that same firefighter can't be trusted to know when to run and when not to run.

To Derek;

What I think Jim was alluding to was that to him running was the same as putting an air mask on the person next to you first, before yourself.  In other words I'm pretty sure Jim believes that one would put their own mask on first so to then be able to help others around them.  I believe you read that comment completely wrong.

Also, regarding this comment, "If you are worried about no workers comp. you should get out while the getting is good."  WTF?  I sure as hell would be worried about not having Workman's Comp.  If I get hurt who is going to pay the bills?  And please don't tell me your community because they've already shown how much they care about you by NOT providing Workman's Comp.

To all, how about stop with the pontificating about how bad/wrong/dangerous running on the fireground is.  There are some of us who disagree with you and merely state that we do it when circumstances call for it.  We're not calling anyone out  that disagrees, unlike some  very self-righteous people who think it's the equivalent of working interior without an air pack.

Let me put it this way, if I had to call a mayday, was pulled out and later found out that one or some individuals were "walking with purpose" to save my ass I'd be really, really pissed off.

Jim and Jack, Just want to say this last comment was not from me. One of the other guys was up here and was using my computer and commented on this under my name. I need to log out when i'm done. So i want to apologize for those statements that were up there.

Jack/dt, I have to agree with you on your community not providing some sort of compensation if you get hurt on the job. Our village covers us. I would have joined even if they didn't but it does say a lot about the community Jim is protecting. 

As far as running on the fire ground do not really care one way or the other. I do when i fell it is necessary. We have others that don't. We have County instructors that when teaching firefighter one class will tell you to run with care if you need to; and some that teach not to ever run on the fire ground. 

Again sorry about the last post i'm not sure what the heck the rookie was thinking. We will have words about that anyways. 

wow, hook line and sinker for me in regards to the phantom poster!  I was not trying to come across as self rightous, i shouldn't have equated running to not wearing an air pack, i was upset i guess.  I fully agree with jack and the real derek about running when needed as running might have to be one of the risks we take to help others.  I should not make blanket statements.  I would be pissed too if another firefighter came plodding along if i was trapped!  The county has said they cant afford to cover us under workers comp, b.s. i agree.  However none of us quit because of it.  I guess safety is especially important to me because if i get hurt alot of people could suffer with no coverage.  We have personally purchased life insurance and the state will pay a death benefit, so for the people who depend on me it almost seems it would be better if i got killed rather that seriously mangled, for if i were mangled i would get no help.  I know that all firefighters take safety very seriously, i guess i seem obsesed with it for the aformentioned reasons.  I do hope that it has not affected my performance as a firefighter, however i do not see how it couldn't affect me somewhat.

Jim you have a right to worry about getting hurt on the job in your case. I would have to guess in some cases knowing you have nothing to fall back on would make you think before doing certain things. With that being said; I do think it is very honorable of you and the rest of the people on your department to do what you do; knowing you are on your own if something happens. Keep do what you are doing and stay safe.

Running on fire grounds can  be a saftey hazard. My dad was running on a fire scene a little over 15 years ago and found himself in the back of the ambulance with the patient that was pulled out of the burning house. He shattered his right shoulder from tripping while putting his groves on. The extra weight of the gear and SCBA will help break a bone, Or two Like his case.

Running on the fireground is like many other things on the fireground - situational. I really think Nathan Henderson, in an earlier post, sums it up best: "Don't run, but move with purpose".

You know, it's funny where I'll read a comment from somebody here along the lines of; 'train like you fight,' kind of taking a military point of view that your training should reflect as closely as possible to the battle(s) you may someday have to fight.

In fact, we "fight" fire, 'fight the red devil' and hell's bells some even 'fight what you fear.' So someone 'splain to me why it is that jarheads and weekend warriors train to fight AND run (into battle, of course and with LOADED weapons) yet so damn many here think that running (when necessary and in the appropriate direction) on the fireground is so wrong?

People get over yourselves, sometimes, some....times...running can be both appropriate and necessary.  As I said earlier, if I ever have to call a mayday and subsequently find out that a few of you were 'moving with purpose' I am going to be really, really pissed.

And Paul, all due respect but either you believe running is situational OR you believe "Don't run, but move with purpose."  They two terms are, insofar as I can see, mutually exclusive.

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