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WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL THE REAL FIREFIGHTERS
Is it just me or has the commitment of the younger firefighters these days just gone to pot? Now don't get me wrong there are some young guys and gals out there that still go get it but they are a shrinking breed. Out of 20+ applicants to take our last agility test only 5-6 passed the rest just quit because they were tired out. We have a working fire at my volley station and 1 cylinder of air and they are laid out in the yard wipped out and the house is still burning, and one last thing is this, it's all about "me" thing, only looking out for myself instead of whats best for the crew or the dept.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by kennycalles on
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A lot of the younger firefighters these day don't take pride in what they do these days. It is all about the money or the bragging rights.. They don't know what it is like to work hard and have pride for the department. It just makes me sick all the young firefighter want things handed to them. It is not all about the money. You should do it for the love of the job. What can I say no hearts...
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Permalink Reply by Jessica Shrewsbury on
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I am 22 and have only been in the fire service for 2 years. In those two years, however, I have worked my ass off almost every day to become the best firefighter I can be. I love the job and have a responsibility to my fellow firefighters. I am now a full time firefighter and part-time paramedic. I consider myself lucky to get paid to do what I love, but I am also at the station most of my off days to train with the other crews (without pay). I do understand that many young people come into the service for the glory or fun, but please don't write us all off. We are a family who is only as strong as the weakest link. If someone really cant hack it, get rid of them. Make sure you do everything you can to help the person first though. Teach your new people, young and old. The only way to learn to do something right is to do it all the wrong ways first. OR... to have someone who knows the right way teach it to you.
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Permalink Reply by willy952 on
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ty queen.i've been in the feild 13yrs.i love the job the title comes with it.now i hate the ppl dont do the work until you start it but now the love the title not the job.
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Permalink Reply by Firegal77 on
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OK OK...just need to speak up for the young folks...(think i'm still considered young..lol) Not all of us were fed with a silver spoon in our mouths. Yes, there is a trend of laziness these days, but i wouldn't just pin it on the young guys. I guess it's noticed more cuz you expect to see the young ones really getting after it, but the truth of it is that the elders these days are typically more lax as well, and the newer members are learning these behaviors. I think one of the biggest issues is that most departments have quit requiring the physical fitness. To me that is total rubbish. Not many people are that motivated to go and work out on their own. I have dealt with many of the same issues as you guys have spoken about but not just with the youth, it goes across the board. I think it should be mandatory that departments have to emplement physical fitness training in the department. It's an embarrassment to have guys gasping for air, laying on the lawn, drinking diet coke, while only a few of us fight the fire. When i set up a schedule for physical fitness, 4 people showed up 5 on a good day...to me that is very sad, very, very sad. I tried hitting up the leadership to make it mandatory, and they had excuses like...people are too busy, or people should be responsible for it on their own time. Well, they weren't being responsible for it, most people I know will never be responsiblw for following a fitness routine on their own. Obviously this is a sore subject to me. I am embarrassed when I go around to the fire departments and i see the majority of the members are grossly out of shape. Why can't we make physical fitness be mandatory??? We can make NIMS and other such things mandatory, but one of the most critical factors(in my opinion) is vastly ignored!
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I am 100% with you on this Spence! I am still young at this( 7years) and will always be a rookie...There is always so much more to learn. Of these 7 years, i spent the last four as a training officer. I was appointed the job because i was going after every opportunity i could to be the most knowledgeable person I could be. I took the position because someone needed to do, someone had to step up and lead. Now, I was not the most experienced, nor the eldest, and do honestly believe one of them should have taken the position, but no one wanted to put in any extra effort. I believe strongly that if you have the knowledge and the skills, and you have the opportunity to instruct, lead and mentor, you better do it, or else you are partially responsible for the way the rest of the team turns out...Notice there is no "I" in team. If you're only trying to achieve well for yourself and leaving the rest behind, then shame on you... If you give it your best effort, and you try as hard as you can, and they still don't work out, at least you know you gave it your best... I would challenge any of you to find something you feel knowledgeable about, and then find someone who needs instructing and spend the time doing it. Think about how much smoother things would work out if everyone took the time to do this, even if it was just once a month!
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ok windy i see your point but out of every 10 older guys 8 are working there ass off now out 10 younger guys 7 are lazy now tell me why
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Permalink Reply by Bill Brierton on
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Well lately I have seen fire fighters both career and volunteer who just do not seem to care. Call it laziness or whatever they just refuse to do anything that is asked of them let alone go to training. I know of at least one volunteer who has yet to take his EMT training and another volunteer who has yet to even take Fire Fighter I and both have been with the department for more than a year. As for some career fire fighters if the alarm goes off they move ever so slowly to the piece that I am sorely tempted to leave them behind.
This is not a bash against any particular group, volunteer or career just things that I have seen in my 15 years as a volunteer.
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Permalink Reply by Michelle on
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I agree, My dept is paid EMS but the fire part is all Volley. Its always the same 5 or six people doing all the unpaid stuff. Its lazziness And greed I think. I think brother and sisterhood is losing its meaning.
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Permalink Reply by Ricky Dale Maddox on
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I ammnot going to comment about the yonger people being firefighters these days , ther are a few good ones and a few that are lazy and just want to be in it to say its cool om a firefighter , also i know depts who get younger people who want to do the job and the training but whenthey want to learn and do the older guys will not let them and show them instead they get mad at them and also some depts where i live i dont thikn want to change the way they do , for example the dept i am in has no SOPs just to start with and when we have training we sit around and eat , which is good but we need to train also , and when we do train we dont do stuff that keeps the younger people intereasted in staying in our dept , i think that may be the case with alot of depts , you got to take time and show the young folks they belong , let them hang out at teh station, take time to coach them , and for the ones who dont want to learn or work then it is not there line of work to be a firefighter, it upsets me to see my dept not want to try and get better sad thing is i dont no what to do about it , i have been in it for 17 years and i love it , but i am getting to the point of burning my self out , like i said you got to give the younger folks something to look forward to and work towards , i think this may be a little where depts are missing it...
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I am fully aware that I have a long way to go... that is why I continue to train everyday. I will NEVER stop learning or growing as a person or a firefighter. I don't care about being given a hard time as a rookie, as long as I (and all other youngsters and rookies) are given a chance to prove themselves. All I ask is that the experienced firefighters do all they can to assist the rookies in becoming the strong and knowledgable firefighters that this world needs. Of course, we as new members, have to be willing to work hard and take the advise of those with all of the experience. It's an equal partnership.
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I think you hit the nail on the head 100%!!!! I couldn't agree more. I don't have an answer as far as the working out goes though. It took the LDD of one of our own to get the emergency personnel in our county to wake up and begin to start taking care of themselves. Even with this, there are still many who just choose to ignore the problem. All we can do is encourage and assist our fellow personnel and hope to start a trend.
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