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Surviving low call volume
Hey,
I work for a real small rural volunteer department and we have a tiny call volume. In an incredible year we might hit 400 calls. We run with set crews and depending on the week, I'm on duty at the station for 12-36 hours. Even with that schedule, my last call was June 28 and my last one before that was late April. I've been running 12-36 hours per week for the entire year I've been with the department and can pretty much count the number of calls I've seen on one hand.
This coupled with a few other issues have caused me to become really bitter towards the department and extremely unhappy. I've gone from loving being at the firehouse, to now dreading anytime I have to go up there. The only thing that makes me come back is the thought someone is counting on me.
Can some of you guys from rural departments spare a little advice on how to survive the low call volume and the incredibly wonderful world of small town politics (the world of double standards and different rules depending on how well you know the Chief)?
Thanks guys
Stay safe
I work for a real small rural volunteer department and we have a tiny call volume. In an incredible year we might hit 400 calls. We run with set crews and depending on the week, I'm on duty at the station for 12-36 hours. Even with that schedule, my last call was June 28 and my last one before that was late April. I've been running 12-36 hours per week for the entire year I've been with the department and can pretty much count the number of calls I've seen on one hand.
This coupled with a few other issues have caused me to become really bitter towards the department and extremely unhappy. I've gone from loving being at the firehouse, to now dreading anytime I have to go up there. The only thing that makes me come back is the thought someone is counting on me.
Can some of you guys from rural departments spare a little advice on how to survive the low call volume and the incredibly wonderful world of small town politics (the world of double standards and different rules depending on how well you know the Chief)?
Thanks guys
Stay safe
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Andy Entwistle on
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You aren't as small as you think - we run fewer than 200 calls a year, every year. Admittedly we don;t wait in the station, we respond from home. So that helps. But the math says your district must be averaging at least a call every other day if not more. You have the time on your hands to do a time study - what time of day and day of the week do most calls come in. Ask for that shift. In the meantime, I hope your leadership is working on drills and training to help you stay sharp. As far as politics, let it go. Unless you are truly being inconvenienced or denied your due, stay out of it. Pick your battles. How are your other volunteers handling it? Is this some new drop in calls? How long have you been there? This can't be a surprise to you.
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Permalink Reply by Justin Scott on
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yeah 400 isent all that slow. we average 200 and thats with fire and ems combined. like andy we respond from home but a few of us hang around the station. in our down time, and trust me theres alot of it, we hang out, show the probie or jr's a few things.
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Permalink Reply by FF86 on
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Thanks for the response. I've been here for about a year. For most of that year I was getting my Firefighter I cert, so I guess I didn't really notice the lag due to being busy. We average a call a day, but many of those come during the weekday when we have career staffing and the others will come in bursts of like 3 or 4 and then nothing for several weeks. We actually have members who have been on for upwards of 5 years and have never actually seen a fire or held a charged line outside of the burn to get their Fire I certification when they first started.
There's actually a pretty low sense of moral among the volunteers at the moment. One of the longer serving captains told me that right now its the worst he can remember in his 10 years. I guess I'm just having trouble sitting around doing nothing for 12-24 hours at a shot when I'm on duty.
Thanks for the suggestion on analyzing call times, I'll probably do that when I'm on-duty again.
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Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on
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FF86,
Are you a vollie, or FT?
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We average on a good year about 300 calls so don't get too discouraged. Maybe you should look at some time off and take a vacation. We too have the double standards problem with our Chief and Trustee. It can be pretty rough. Just keep in mind people do depend on you in their time of need. Just hang in there bro.
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Permalink Reply by Christian M Hartley on
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down time = training time. Build a prop with some material that may be donated or left over from other projects - vertical ventilation, confined space, and entanglement props could all be combined into a single 6'x6'x4' prop. Make the roof portion removeable so when someone cuts the roof you just slide out the old plywood/OSB and slide in a replacement one. Just a thought.
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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Can I ask why are you running set crews and living in the station for 12-36 hours for call volume that low. With that volume you should be ALL responding for the experience(s) and from home. The volume doesn't dictate the need for full-time response times and has actually caused hardship on the set-crews, and overall less actual experience for responses missed due to the set crew system.
Around here we have a VFD that runs upwards to 1200 calls without any set crews. Is this a requirement from your Fire Chief? I used to be on a VFD that did around 400 a year and we had zero station coverage until the pager went off.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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Are you required to put time in at the station, or is it strictly on a voluntary basis? I'm wondering if the bitterness is directed toward that requirement, or the fact that there aren't that many calls.
If it's the required manning at the station that is getting you down, I don't know that there is much you can do about that. However, if it's the fact that you aren't personally responding to calls, just remember that when you are sitting in station idle, no one's house is burning down. No one is trapped in a car wreck, or having a heart attack.
We thrive on activity that allows us to put our skills and training to the test, but there's a flip side - someone else is suffering. I like to keep that in mind when we are quiet.
We have about 130 fire calls a year so I know what it's like.
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Permalink Reply by Dustin J. Millis on
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Sounds like are depts are very similar. We dont have dedicated shifts, just respond from home. But the call numbers have been down this year so far. If we keep on the pace we are at we wll probably hit around 600 for the year. I definatly know what you mean about the double standards and small town politics though. Granted, I've lived in the town my whole life, pretty much know everyone, and get along with my officers real good so most of the time im on the better end of those double standards. That of course still does not make it right or any less frustrating when I see my younger friends get shit on by the dept. because they do not have the time to dedicate to the dept like I do.
In anycase... I've been through the same thing before. Just feelin like "why the hell am I doing this?" Let alone "why am i volunteering my time and doing this for free?" Well, I will tell you lol. Its because you have a deep passion for the fire service. You will always have it and no matter how much shit you have to put up with at the dept, you will keep showing up and dealing with it. You understand that as a volunteer, someones life could be in your hands at any second. Thats what keeps you going. There is nothing wrong with that either, if it were not for people like that in the fire service, the volunteer system would fail. Having gone through it before, all I can say is just stick it out and things will get better. As for the low call numbers, those are bound to pick up sooner or later.
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Permalink Reply by Padre Pete on
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BINGO ! Joe, You and FETC have nailed it. Yours is the question that we need answered. Why indeed? Without knowing who makes 86 hang around his station, analysis is only speculation. Keep The Faith.
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86, Until we know why you are required to " be on duty", any analysis is only speculation on our part. FETC and Joe Stoltz asked "Why?'. That is a very important question. Why indeed? Is it required and, if so, by whom? Whats the logic? Your Brothers need to know.
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Permalink Reply by Jack on
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We average about 400 calls a year. But, the come in spurts. It has been a while since we have had a call and the ones the do come in seem to come in during the day when everyone is at work. But, we know that it will swing the other way and the night time calls will be back and lack of sleep will hit us once again. But, I too am with Padre Pete. Who mandates that you be at the station for 36 hours?
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