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Drinking in the Fire House
Last week I went to lunch with some co-workers (non-FFs) and the discussion rolled around to my involvement with the FD. One of the guys said "well, you must have guys that just join the department for the drinking". This recalled to mind another comment by someone, some years back, who swore that ALL volunteer FFs drank at the station and "those who say they don't are lying".
In my department you might find a 6-pack or two if you look in every nook and cranny, but we really don't touch the stuff on drill night or after calls, or meetings. There just isn't stuff to touch. In the late 80s we had the converted soda machine that dispensed several brands of beer but we got rid of it because the Jr. FFs were becoming interested in the stuff.
So - what is your department policy or practice regarding alcohol in the firehouse?
NOTE: 10/16/09: I started this thread over two years ago to gather input from other volunteer firefighters on FFN as it was then. The new theme is, what steps can we take to make America's fire houses 100% dry?
In my department you might find a 6-pack or two if you look in every nook and cranny, but we really don't touch the stuff on drill night or after calls, or meetings. There just isn't stuff to touch. In the late 80s we had the converted soda machine that dispensed several brands of beer but we got rid of it because the Jr. FFs were becoming interested in the stuff.
So - what is your department policy or practice regarding alcohol in the firehouse?
NOTE: 10/16/09: I started this thread over two years ago to gather input from other volunteer firefighters on FFN as it was then. The new theme is, what steps can we take to make America's fire houses 100% dry?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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From www.firefighterclosecalls.com:
BEER IN MINNESOTA FIRE STATION GETS APPROVAL
Thursday, October 18, 2007
New Ulm’s volunteer firefighters now can kick back and pop the top on a brewsky after a fire call or other related functions inside Fire Station buildings as a result of City Council action Tuesday.
The New Ulm Fire Department’s request was approved on a 4-1 vote, with Councilor Sharon Weinkauf voting no. The affirmative vote also overrode concerns raised by Assistant City Attorney Roger Hippert who said allowing the firefighters to drink alcoholic beverages essentially on the job raised "some serious concerns about liability."
Hippert quoted from a League of Minnesota Cities publication, which listed a number of issues involved in allowing drinking in the fire station.
"I think there are some legitimate causes for concern like [operating equipment] while impaired and who is going to determine when a firefighter is impaired," Hippert said.
"The official stance of the department is that the individual is the best judge of when you’re obviously intoxicated," said Scott Windschitl, president of the New Ulm Fire Department Relief Association.
In introducing the agenda item, Council President Dan Beranek said the issue could be argued both ways but, in the end, "I feel these [firefighters] who put themselves at risk in fighting fires are responsible enough to know when they’ve had too much. To me, the pluses outweigh the minuses." W T F ! ? ! ?
(Exactly - JS)
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Permalink Reply by lloyd on
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Good luck when some person outside the department feels they have been wronged in some way and decides to sue the dept. The first thing they will ask for is an alcohol and drug test. Very risky in todays world
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Permalink Reply by Ralph Kirouac on
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Our rules are, there is NO drinking in the fire station, the fire station is a public place. Also, if you have any acoholic beverage you are NOT to respond for any calls, if you are caught under the influence while at the station or on the fire scene you will be terminated.
I found this in an email, I can't believe this please read and forward.
Hey....
For this weekends WTF, we stumble into New Ulm (Minn) where there is nothing like enjoying an icey cold beer in the firehouse after fighting a fire. As you may know by now, the City Council approved the measure Tuesday, giving their Firefighters the option of drinking at the firehouse after fire calls. "I feel these (firefighters) who put themselves at risk in fighting fires are responsible enough to know when they've had too much," said City Council President Dan Beranek.
Silly, silly President Dan.
A city attorney, however, said that letting "the boys" down a few, raises "serious concerns about liability." He said there are some legitimate causes for concern...concern? What concern? Ya mean like crawling down halls, using SCBA's, throwing ladders, driving apparatus and who is going to determine when a firefighter is too toasted to respond?
We also heard rumor that small and convenient appetizer sized portions of pot may also be offered soon, to help Firefighters "take the edge off" after a particularly difficult emergency call...but that measure is still under consideration. The concerns from council are that while they feel a firefighter would always know how drunk they might be and can then always stop drinking---like most drunks always do---being high after a call may cause significant memory loss and the firefighters may not remember exactly why they are expected to stop smoking the dope. Additionally, the grocery budget for the FD is limited this year and the expected rise in the cost of purchasing numerous 55 gallon drums of doritos, cheetos, tostitos, pringles, sun chips, ruffles and related munchies and salty favorites may simply be too much for the town budget to bear.
A Rabbi, a Priest, and a duck walked into the New Ulm firehouse. The bartender looked up and said,
"What is this? A joke?"
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Permalink Reply by Tiger Schmittendorf on
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You gotta be a special kind of stupid to be a city council that takes any posture other than abstinence towards drinking in the firehouse today.
"The official stance of the department is that the individual is the best judge of when you’re obviously intoxicated," said Scott Windschitl, president of the New Ulm Fire Department Relief Association.
The inherent flaw in the city council's reasoning for allowing alcohol consumption in the workplace is this: When you consume alcohol, what's the first to go? Your judgement and your inhibitions.
Your very ability to make sound judgements as to whether you're buzzed, inebriated or drunk off your ass go out the window with the first and subsequent sips. Your ability to make effective decisions as to whether you should have another beer - or you should get on the apparatus - are impaired - let alone your ability to make life saving or patient care decisions.
Forget impairment or intoxication - how about public perception? You only need to smell or appear that you've been drinking for John Q. Public to raise the red flag and your ass is in a jam. And we wonder why people have a hard time using the words professional and volunteer in the same sentence... I'm pretty sure this is where the phrase "200 years of tradition unimpeded by progress" came from.
I can, but don't want to believe that we're still having this discussion/argument in 2007. Our job is tough enough and dangerous enough to do sober - let alone under the influence of alcohol or any other drug.
There is zero margin for error in what we do and thus there needs to be zero tolerance in every firehouse. Lives hang in the balance, the least of which are ours.
I also take issue with the comments that if we remove the beer and turn the firehouse into a professional place of work and take the social aspects out of it, people will have bad attitudes and not show up. I constantly struggle with balancing a professional environment with a family atmosphere in our fire department, but if it's the beer that makes you show up - you're showing up for the wrong reasons.
My FD has proudly been dry for 15-20 years and it's the best thing we ever did. We did it largely out of respect for our Fire Explorer and Junior Firefighter programs we were ramping up at the time. We never wanted one of our kids to walk into the firehouse and see us sitting around drinking.
It hasn't seemed to hurt our membership, we took in 14 new members last year and we'll take in 5 more this month alone. And, all three of our current chiefs started as Explorers and Junior Firefighters, including myself. I think that says a lot about our attitude towards being positive role models for our youth.
I'll upload our zero tolerance policy to my profile just as soon as I'm done fuming over this one. You can view it there.
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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Bristol on
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are fire house is broken up into 3 different clubs which all have a bar but as for Fire house it is not allowed as we share the building with the pd and others public offices
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I wouldn't want a police officer drinking before he was out on the beat either. What is it that people can't understand, alcohol does not mix with work. We had random drug and alcohol testing on my full time job, and as a foreman had to call the employees in for testing. Surprising how many came to work under the influence and we had a safety sensitive job!!!!! And "all" of them said they were "fit" for work!!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Muscle on
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Alcohol is not allowed on town property or during town or fire department business. Not by Paid Staff or Volunteers. There is a no tolerance policy that applies to all.
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Permalink Reply by Joel C Kelley on
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My first department in 1990 still had a case in a fridge behind a tanker, but it went away within the first month of my membership. They took a zero tolerance stance on it, and every department I have served with since has as well.
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Permalink Reply by David Kuecker on
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Our Department is a zero tolerance department like a lot of departments. Our station is attached to city hall, so that also makes it a big nono to have alcohol in the station.
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Permalink Reply by Huey on
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Not allowed in the firehouse at all. Used to be in the old days not acceptable anymore!
Huey
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Permalink Reply by Aaron on
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My dept. back in the late 80's did the same thing with a coke machine, but after awhile the city took it out. This is a volunteer dept, but in todays world i think drinking on the job no matter what your job is is unprofessional. Especially for a fire dept, the people who need to be of clear mind to do a safe job and save lives/property.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Knutson on
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We do have it there still but rarely would you ever find more than a 6 pack, the only time anyone drinks any is after a run or a meeting. It is getting more and more scarce because of the junior firefighters being involved.
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