Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Eugene Lim on May 12, 2011 at 4:48am

Wow! You guys are paid on call when you volunteer? Here, we are not paid doing these things. :D

Permalink Reply by Scott Taylor on May 13, 2011 at 9:06pm

I like IAVF

www.streetsmartpo.com

Permalink Reply by ian wilcox on August 27, 2011 at 3:16pm

it seems that most volunteer
halls seem to have the same problem with people,some are committed and some are not,most have jobs and training is always a issue,the problem arises when all the committed members have stuff to do you can't rely on the others so they have to make sacrifices so that at least some of the committed guys/girls are always here that gets frustrating

Permalink Reply by Charley Cashen on November 22, 2011 at 9:47am

Hi Everyone, I have a rant that will piss some off and be understood by others. I'm a paid FF with 26 years on 19 years as captain. I teach throughout my state and have had several occasions to deal with volunteers. The last three classes I've had set up with volunteers I've had to cancel because I didn't have enough people show up after they signed up for the class. I was told that this happens all the time. I schedueled the class to accommodate these people and still got burned. I have decided It's not worth my time to gamble on volunteers anymore. There are cost associated with these classes and it costs too much to have people say they will attend and then just no show.

Permalink Reply by Patti Walz on November 22, 2011 at 9:54am

Do what a lot of other places do, send them a bill or send it to their department.  I will sign up for classes and if I have to cancel I will let my commanding officer know as far in advance as possible so that if there is anyone on the short list they can get in.  Don't give up on us. 

Permalink Reply by Bruce Lawrence on December 20, 2011 at 11:32am

Charley,

   Talk with the company Chief's for the classes you set up. Our company has a policy that if you sign up for training and 'no show' you have to reimburse the company and/or sponsoring agency for your failure to honor your commitment.  The other thing we do is if you sign up for training and do not pass the class and fail on your retake, then you must reimburse the company. It makes everyone take training more seriously if they might have to pay back the money out of their own pocket.  

I am still very new in the fire service, but already have more training hours in my 3 months of service than some of the regular members that are in our company...Our Chief rewards this type of commitment with the 'perks'...on calls the people that train get the meat and the ones that do not get the veggies...Just like in the Army our motto is 'train like you fight, fight like you train...'

Permalink Reply by Bill Anderson on January 9, 2012 at 1:34am

I agree about the rednecks. Our department is 99% blue collar workers. I would follow most of them anywhere, and trust them when the fertilizer and ventilator meet. A lot more than the people at my EMS job. When we train or are on a call this bunch works as a team. Just be thick skinned afterward as the bovine excrement gets deep. I was talking to a fire marshall awhile back and he told me that he's happy to see us show up as we come in and take care of business.

Permalink Reply by Jason Clatt on March 31, 2012 at 4:48pm

amen brother

 

Permalink Reply by Robby Stables on May 13, 2012 at 8:41pm

We run a combination department. Our Cheif and Deputy are paid and we have 4 full time career FF one at the hall all the time. The remainder of the department is POC 26 of us. We call ourselves volunteer but we get paid per hour while on scene depending on rank ($12- $16 an hour). We are 1001 trainined and certified, some are haz mat operations, Pump operator, Instructor Lvl 1 and 2. the new guys are taught and examined as required but the goal is to be certified 1001. We have the same issues, all work full time somewhere else, some in town some out of town during the day. We have varying turnout to each call and do what we have to do to get the job done. Same as everyone else

stay safe

Rob

Permalink Reply by 1092l017pr9w9 on May 14, 2012 at 12:39am

We are professionals and we are train the same as are brothers that are paid or in some cases better

Permalink Reply by Patrick J Cronen on July 1, 2012 at 9:27pm

I have no problem with the term volunteer...i am a fireman. I take pride in my work, i train hard to do my best to serve the community...all i can do is my best..so call this whatever you like...

Permalink Reply by Derek J Sinesi on July 2, 2012 at 10:46pm

Here i go with my rant! I belong to a Volunteer department. When you join a fire company, you just started a profession. This is not a hobby, and this is a job you should be taking seriously. It does not matter if you joined the City or Volunteer Department you are going to be trained to put out fires. Rescue people, and everything else a firefighter does. Paid or not this is a profession. If you come out of firefighter one class and think you are a firefighter you are wrong. Paid or not! Yes; you know all the basic's of fire fighting; but you are far from a firefighter. It take years of experience to be a firefighter, and we do not see enough fires to get good at it. Don't get me wrong here, we are all professional's in firefighting and life saving measures. The truth of the matter is we need to continue with are training. Every chance we get! We need to read and read a lot. We need to read about what are big city departments are doing, and screwing up and learning from their mistake's. We need to be owning up to are own mistake's, and learning from them and not making them again. We need to go get firefighter 2. Get out alive. Firefighter survival and the list goes on. After 11 years of service i make time to take at least one state run training class a year; even if i have taking it before. If you go through firefighter one training and do nothing else then you should not stay in the fire service. You are not doing your department any good or the community you serve any good. If you think this is a hobby you have no business staying in the fire service for the same reason. We; even as VOLUNTEERS are professional's. When we joined we made a commitment, to serve and protect our  communities home's, property and live's! This is a big commitment and i'm proud of the men and women that make this a priority in your life's. Bottom line here is, i am not trying to piss anyone off; but if i did i must of hit a nerve, and you should look at the reason you joined in the first place. This is a dangerous job we do. It should be taking seriously! We need to train and train hard,because we need to look sharp for are communities we protect (Even if they don't support you) and more important; is not to make the fire service look bad. So don't waste your time with paid verses volunteer,or let it bother you. Take this time to learn and do the best job you can do, when you need to do it!  Stay safe! Practice hard and always improve.

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