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"VOLUNTEER"
The term volunteer bothers me. We are actually "paid on call". Mostly it bothers me cause ppl seem to think we are not "real" firefighters. Like somehow we dont attend "real" fires, MVC's, medical aids, etc. Like somehow our fires are not as hot or we dont have any training. In my opinion being a "volunteer" is actually more difficult! we have other jobs too! Emergency's can happen anytime. We are on call 24-7. Our "waiting for calls" never comes to an end. We are expected to save life, property, and environment with speed and efficiency. We never know how many members will show up (which means we often work twice as hard) or who those members will be. we must be jacks of all trades. one day im entry team, the next pump op, the next tanker shuttle, the next rescue team, the next medical team, and on and on... my hall training is very specific and tough. we are working through 1001's....i do my best to enlighten ppl... anyone else have this frustration?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dean Shrider on
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Well here in Ohio the state is really screwing things up. There will be no more volunteer training. It will be only Firefighter Level 1 and above training. If you are a a volunteer you can not do interior unless your chief signs a paper for each individual on the dept that he feels is trained well enough to go interior and takes full responsibility if that person gets hurt. This is new for us and still getting information on this precess. But for now the state is not grandfathering anyone into firefighter 1 class for people who has been doing this for years. Myself I will stay a volunteer as I can not do interior as I cannt wear SCBA from a bad experience in the past.
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Permalink Reply by Ken Swain on
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We have always been known as a "volunteer" department...currently, we receive no pay for calls, but are loking to change that...it would be more for the apparatus per call, but then we can get some money coming in for items not provided by our host agency...as to the job issue, in Nevada, there is a spefific protion of the Nevada Revised Statutes (state laws) that specifically addresses volunteer firefighters...my HR dept. had an interpretation of this read, and basically it states that the employer can't fire you for responding...if they try, you can take them to court, get your job, back benefits, back pay, and attorney's fees awarded to you
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Permalink Reply by frans on
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me and some guys in "Pasukan Mencegah Kebakaran", not accept paid, conversely we pay insurance every years byself. i pay Rp 135.000 for myself and buying uniform, shoe and helmet for byself. our foundation is nonprofit, we are private. we are chinese society in our city, 90% members are chinese. our fund more come from chinese society. we dont have PPE and SCBA, fire helmet we does not have.
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Permalink Reply by Karr Quintero on
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this subject can go on forever and probly will..
all i can add is the paid guys i know wonder if i ever take a day off?
the answer is no..if im in my town, im on call... -
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Permalink Reply by David Francis on
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I'm a volunteer. Even if i don't get paid to do what i love, i still do it, i do this job for the ppl of my community. My department is a tough tough department. We have weekly training, we have business meetings monthly, we act professional just like any paid department. We have issues with other departments because of our professionalism. My department has an exstensive probationary timeline, from 6 months to a yr. to finish our 35 page handbook that covers firefighter1 & 2. I love what i do, I AM A FIREFIGHTER, either way you look at it, and so are you. If your blood rushes ever time those tones go off and get excited not knowing what your getting into w/ fear, then your doing something right. being paid to do what you love is just an extra benifit.
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Permalink Reply by frank white on
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just hearing someone say thankyou for saving my house is a pay enough.
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my department says regardless if you are in a depts car or truck or your own. You should always act prof. because people are always watching you
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Permalink Reply by Derek R. on
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What is the reason behind this decision?
As a volunteer in the past, were you not able to get FF1or 2? In most dept.s, it's a must to get FF1.
So now all volunteers in Ohio will not be able to get FF1 ? And therefore not get the necessary training for interior work?
like you said, sounds screwed up. -
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Just wondering if you could explain your 35 page handbook that covers FF1&2 ? Hazmat awareness level is 364 pages on its own. I'm being respectful here, not argumentative. I'm just curious.
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Permalink Reply by kara-lee allen on
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well my dept does nearly everything. we dont do high angle rescue or confined space (trench) rescue as we lack the training/trained personal and equipment for same, though i can see us headed that way also once all members are fully trained for everything else. my favorite part of this job is making entry. i find fire behaviour to be particularly interesting. if they took away our ability to make enrty i think i might cry. lol unfortunately being a mostly rural service we rarely get to make entry, we can hardly make it in time, we are really good at saving basements hehe.....however this year we have saved at least 4 structures. one was a trailer (can you believe that?) i just really wonder at the dept who dont get paid, someone is paying the bill for the apparatus and the man power (ie insurance companies) so where does that money go, or is it the the dept. admin has decided to keep that money? and so is there no county/town budget then? are the taxes not being used at all to pay for fire depts?? i'd look into personally. i believe particularly for this type of life danger there should be some type of compensation...............
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