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Red Light Firefighters
Do any of you have what we call Red Light Fire Fighters. I mean those that only come when the tones are dropped or just an interesting sounding call. Only to go home after the call and not rehab trucks. These are the same ones that will come to a meeting if you feed them. My chief is now making some hard choices about who is getting the boot. Also do you have "Paper fire fighters" The ones that went and got a Cert but never seem to get hands on experance. But remind you what level they are. My comments to that is without experance you can try carring that CERT in your hands in front of you going into a fire and see if that paper puts the flames out. I am not talking about someone fresh out of school or has not had the chance to get expernce. I speak of those that are not coming to training or picking an chosing calls. Train, learn, be active and pull your weight. We might not get paid but we all face the same devil. I will step down off my soap box now. Be safe and come home alive not in a bag.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Derek R. on
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Hello Mr. Bailey. I believe you would find these guys/girls in every brigade. Here we have a system that you have to make a certain percentage of calls,meetings and trainings,..each counted seperately. And if you don't meet that requirement then your free license plates and free vehicle registration will not be renewed because technically you are not an active member. This fixes SOME of them people. Although, then you have the people who count the number of calls and respond to whatever keeps them in the percentages. I personally think those numbers should be raised because they are pretty low and easily maintained by the slackers. You can't have that attitude in the fire service because those are the ones who make mistakes. I know I would never go into a structure with a R.L.F.F. or a paper FF. We, too, are weeding out the wannabees. Gotta be tactful though. I would like to hear how your dept. is going about it. Keep safe.
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Permalink Reply by Rusty Mancini on
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It reminds me of what " CHIEF WATCH OUT " said to me once, If the light bar cost more than the pick-up.
****** WHATCH OUT BROTHER ! ****** -
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Permalink Reply by Steve McFarland on
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Be careful about running off those who are already in the fold. I haven't seen a department yet with enough members...
Give them a chance to get excited about something. They will eventually. If they have stuck around long enough to get their basic training, you have already weeded out the vast majority of the dead wood.
I have seen plenty of volunteers that simply disappeared when the serious (certification) training began. If they have made it that far, there is hope for them. Don't run them off just because they aren't there every time the door is open.
You also may not be aware of their total life situation. The VFD is not paying their bills...
Stay safe!
Everyone goes home, every time! -
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Permalink Reply by David Wilson on
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Yes we have run into this but we came up with a plan to stop it. In order to stay on the department you have to attend 50 percent of station meetings attend 50 percent of all member/Training sessions and 25 percent of all calls. Plus if yoy miss three meetings in a row you are out. We have a few that are trying to just hang on to get their retirement. We are a all volunteer organization. To date since being on this department I have attended 100 percent of all station meetings 100 percent member/training meeting and 95 percent of all calls wheather it be fire or EMS. I am also a EMT-B and believe it or not I am also on a wildland firefighting team in Washington State and here comes the good part I am 61 years young and just watch the youngsters try and keep up with me, I have been doing this for over 30 years and still get up in the middle of the night and respond. Keep it safe all.
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Permalink Reply by CHRIS PUYLARA on
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We have certain rules too about training and meetings but not call volume.Granted I know there are some in our dept. who will pick and choose the calls they go on.But thats their choice.Unfortunately, they lose out on gaining experience,especially if they dont have alot,and they don't get to see how we are supposed to do things.I also realize that time and family situations factor in being a volunteeer.I'd say the ones that walk in the door and stick around for awhile are keepers.In our dept. if you miss too much--training/classes etc.--the chief will pull your gear.OH and by the way--David Wilson ---do you pee before you go out the door at night....just kiddin...tough gettin old aint it....LOL...CHRIS
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Permalink Reply by Kirk D. Baughman on
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at the dept. i'm with we have both kind of firefighters you are talking about. i think you should try and answer what you can. we have people that just comes to fires. we have people that answer one two or three a month and never do their station duties. why is that well you can only blame the cheifs because their not forcing the SOG'S that the dept.has. i can see if you are having trouble at the house or work but just picking the calls you want to go on is just b.s.
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Permalink Reply by Don Vuletic on
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Thats a Good One
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Permalink Reply by Thomas McBride on
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We have both types of firefighters and a handfull of firefighters that are responding and doing the work after. Sometimes it will bother me but mostly I am not bothered by it because I know why I am there. I see myself on call unless I am at work (policy) of I am at a family function out of resonable responce range. Night, day, cooking dinner, watching a favorite movie or on line posting here, if they drop our tones I am off and running.
Actually it has become such a normal thing, my girlfriend will hear something on our scanner and say bye dear, then I ask her where am I going and we will both listen for my tones and pager to go off. -
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Permalink Reply by Dan on
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Gosh FF Wilson nicely said and I bet you can out do all of the younguns. Good job and welcome back big man....
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Permalink Reply by Eddie Rogers on
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We have a similar policy as earlier mentioned, but we also send out letters to each member that is below the required percentage of runs and meetings. Then they have 6 months to show imrovement. If no improvement then your called in to discuss the matter and a peer review board decides your fate.
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Permalink Reply by Robert Grove on
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as said by Steve Mc Farland.. everyones sitiuation makes responses, meeting/ training, and mandatory events( as in my case get fined $10.00 for every missed event) but I have a real life job that I am on call for 11 days out of 14 and dont make as much as Id like to that doesnt make me a Redlight firefighter. condidering my 12 years I have in the fire service.. and my move to a bigger dept I lost my seniority and im here for a reason.. thats to help Joe Q Public the best I can. Im here to serve and do the best I can.. Im not here to IMPRESS anyone
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Permalink Reply by Gregory R Bailey on
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Thanks Robert. Your heart is in the right place. No one ever has a problem with your job or personal commitments. Just those who like the title but do not walk the walk. We do try to weed those out who do not try. We have a minimum standard but some just sqeak by. Thats what it is about helping " John Q Public" Keep the Faith. Impress your self. Hope you stick with it. I have 37 years with my dept
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