Should Fire Chief's be Allowed to Fight Fires ? !!!!

i dont think they should be. thats what the FireFighters are for.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michael Rocke on August 8, 2010 at 11:09am

I have to get involved at fires. Not mine specifically, but mutual aid. When we go to other towns for manpower, there just isn't enough officers to supervise crews. It's kinda nice to be able to get some action once in a while. My white hat gets just as dirty as everyone's that way. TCSS

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Permalink Reply by 55 TRUCK on August 8, 2010 at 11:25am

In a Paid city Union Dept. Like Philly,Chicago,Indy,Detroit,FDNY etc. You wouldn't see a chief fighting fire.
In a Vol. Dept you might. They dept may not have the man power for the chief not to. Also he may have less or just the same amount of experience at fighting fire as the back steppers.
A guy on the job for 2yrs in the city will have seen more fire than alot of vols with 15yrs. In a Vol dept you may get a chief voted in or somthing with just a few yrs on. In a city dept. You have to have 8yrs min. to even put in for the Lt. Promotion process. Chiefs have 25+yrs on the job. There not fighting fires. The Chief of the dept doesn't even show up. HAlf the city would have to be burning for him to even think about it.
So Volunteer yes it could and does happen. Paid dept. not gonna happen.

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Permalink Reply by ff/emt 2155 on August 8, 2010 at 11:37am

down here in rural america yes chiefs should be allowed to do whatever they want they are the chief but that is here in volly world i know how the union brothers feel but that is another can of worms i dont want to get into stay safe all

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Permalink Reply by Bill Deutsch on August 8, 2010 at 11:43am

Someone else can function in the role of IC. No one else can function in the Chief's role. Even if work rules did not prohibit the Chief making entry, I do not think this is the best use of the Chief. Besides . . .The last time I checked, the Fed's death benefit program for Firefighters excludes Chiefs. I would have to think very carefully in any given situation before making entry.

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on August 8, 2010 at 11:45am

"The last time I checked, the Fed's death benefit program for Firefighters excludes Chiefs. I would have to think very carefully in any given situation before making entry."

Evidence, please??? Considering that the survivors of several chief officers have received the federal LODD benefit, I believe that your comment is mistaken.

From the www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/psob/psob_main.html page...

"The Hometown Heroes Act excludes actions of a “clerical, administrative, or nonmanual nature” from consideration."

That excludes the secretaries at HQ and the dispatchers, not fire chiefs. It does not exluded a firefighter, police officer, EMT, or rescue squadsman of any rank.

"An individual is considered a public safety officer if they meet the definition of that term according to the PSOB regulations... the authority to act as a law enforcement officer...or had the authority to engage in fire suppression activities." (emphasis supplied)

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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on August 8, 2010 at 12:13pm

Or........Should a firefighter be allowed to put his hook up a chief's ass if the chief tries to do the firefighter's job? (That was rhetorical. Of course he should be allowed.)

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Permalink Reply by Rusty Mancini on August 8, 2010 at 12:18pm

That would be pulling stank over rank!! Ouch....

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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on August 8, 2010 at 12:45pm

Should Firefighters be allowed to fight fires? Now thats funny Sh--- right there. That makes about as much sense as the dork explaining why he should carry golf balls in his PPE. Yeh, I know the question started out, Should Fire Chiefs be allowed to fight fires? Fully paid and unionized aside, in my world ide better be trained, certified, equipped and physically able to perform any job that my members perform. Yes I am full time paid as Fire Chief and fully understand my responsibilities as administrator an Chief. However, in my world I may be called upon from time to time to do any job besides IC or administration. If my Officers are doing their job and something needs done, I may pull that hose, donn a SCBA, flag traffic or any other task that I expect my crew to do. I am not nor will I ever be a stiff white shirt that never gets his hands dirty. And on my Department you fight fires by my authority. So who is allowing who? LOL!