The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Volunteer Firefighter of the Year
Our department recently decided to incorporate this award as a means to create some incentive and encourage current members to stay active. Each member will nominate a deserving FF and the votes will be reviewed by the Captains and Chief. The Chief then will make the ultimate decision. The award will be presented at the end of the year. With nominations due shortly, I seem to be struggling with who to vote for. Quite a few seem to deserve it. How do I make the call? Maybe you could help me out? What does FF of the Year mean to you?
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by K. Doerksen #23 on
-
Thanks for the input!
-
Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
-
To me a firefighter of the year is that person who has shown the most dedication to the department and to the community. How effectively that person fights fire should be considered secondly. I hope we'll do the same for a first responder of the year.
-
Permalink Reply by Brad Kruse on
-
I believe it should be the member that goes above and beyond. Most of the time it works. It get the members work a little harder. Every once and a while, it comes to a close vote and one persons feelings are hurt. It makes them work harder for the next year.
-
Permalink Reply by douglas hudson on
-
hay what's up guy's this is doug from ordway colorado vol-firefighter the crowley county fire dept and i think that becomeing the fire fighter of the year is a high honer to any volunteer. but i have read some of the other postings and i do agree with others . But the question is to every body or just me i guess is what do you give for that kind of honer.
-
Permalink Reply by Fabulous Heather Days of Summer on
-
I also like the rule of No Can Win FF of the Year more than once until everyone who has been active on the FD for more than 3 years has ALSO WON FF of the Year
- since the guys who have more free-time can be more public on the department and can tend to earn more often... which is not really a fair way to measure performance
- unless you also have general service awards - for those that are just on the department, but can not attend a lot of calls due to other responsibilites.
FF of the Year can be measured by some of these characteristics:
Effort
Intentionality
Investment
Commitment to Learning
... to improving their craft... their skills...
... to improving the fire service
... to improving their department
... to safety
... to training
... to teaching
... to patience
... to compassion
Too often dedication is measured in who has the most free time and attends the most calls - and I don't think that is a fair or useful standard. Just because you show up a lot does not mean you care about others, build your department, mentor the new members, breed confidence in others, and create an environment of nurturance, safety, and teamwork.
-
-
Wow Heather! Thanks for your detailed comment. It really helped me out. I think everything you said applies to what it takes to be a great volunteer FF. Thanks!
-
Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
-
For me, I don't agree with these sort of things.
They're too hard to measure and they're often not fair and don't take into account everyones differing circumstances..
Does the member who works full time, supports his/her family and does what they can as a volunteer deserve any less recognition than the member who has less personal commitments and can commit more time to attendnace at training, calls and fund raisers?
Singling members out for specific recognition may in fact demotivate others even more as they already give what they can.....
-
Permalink Reply by Patti Walz on
-
For me someone who goes above and beyond. Someone who is not there to just collect a "paycheck" or to have something impressive on their resume.
-
Permalink Reply by Alan McGuigan on
-
This is something our department doesnt do but i have been thinking about the idea I think its a good thing to do I guess in my opinion the award should go out to the volunteer that best represenst what being a volunteer is all about and that is giving to the community and fellow firefighters without the expectation that they are owed anything back . The person who goes above and beyond just fighting fires , someone who helps out fellow firefighters, vists schools to teach fire preventions, helps to raise money not only for the station but for other cuases supported by the fire department. The firefighter that you never have to ask he just does be that on the fire ground, the hall or outside the hall. I agree that firefighting skills should be a secoandary consideration when it comes to this type of award
-
-
My department does this and when one of my guys received the award this year we delivered it to his house in style.... lights and sirens.... we let the whole community know that one of their boys just made firefighter of the year. Normally this goes to someone in the main house and not to someone in the rurals. His response was "Really?"
-
Permalink Reply by Just Plain Craig Moyer on
-
I'm proud to say that I've won it twice at my company. Do you know how hard it is to kiss that much ass twice....We've given it more or less for dedication. I believe I got it for always showing up and doing what was asked. We've given to 2 FF's who performed CPR and saved a life. This was before we had an ambulance.
I would look at dedication, attitude, disposition, how well they work with others and gut feeling.
Also talk to those that didn't win. Let them know thier appreciated also.
-
Permalink Reply by Ryan James Johnsrud on
-
Nominate everyone you think deserves it (within reason) and let the chiefs and captains sort it out. It happened to me once that I didn't nominate somebody for an award because I thought several already had nominated him. Turns out everybody thought that and no one nominated him.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
