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?

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Do we have an update to this story?
I figured since this was being labeled "political", that, this being an election year, that we might see the ending to this all too familiar story of another PA volunteer fire company saga with "social" and "active" members.
Social halls in the fire stations that serves alcohol.
What's wrong with that picture?
I wonder if they have ever had to go on a late night call to cut one of their drunken own out of the mangled wreckage after a night in the "social hall at the fire station"?
Just wondering.
TCSS.
Art
Our SOP goes something like this: NO alcohol is allowed in the firehouse at any time! Nor will you come back for a call if you've had even one (1) drink! (A little common sense goes a long way!) Stay safe people!
I am on the department she was on :) I acually have her boots :) I feel so honored when I slip those on to go to a call :) ask if you have questions, even though it is still kinda hard to talk about
Alcohol is prohibited in quarters, in department vehicles, and while on department business.
Possession is grounds for termination of employment.
Suspicion of intoxication on duty is grounds for reasonable suspicion drug screening.

Any department that allows alcohol in quarters, on the rigs, or on department business is asking for preventable injuries, fatalities, lawsuits, criminal indictments, and tons of bad P.R. for ALL of us.
No alcoholic beverages are permitted on FD property. Anyone responding to a call while under the influence of alcohol will be removed from the fire scene. Any member breaching this policy will be repromanded.
"Any department that allows alcohol in quarters, on the rigs, or on department business is asking for preventable injuries, fatalities, lawsuits, criminal indictments, and tons of bad P.R. for ALL of us." -Ben Waller

I could not agree more, Ben.
Heck it still happens not a much,but the joke was also that when the trucks went to parades that what fireman do.. Heck One dept I know has a cooler built into the truck...... I think it is getting better, will ever stop I don't think so,but do feel some depts are taking more steps from it...
Anne,

That cooler was probably intended for bottled water for Rehab Ops, not to keep beer cold. At least hope that was the stated purpose when they had it built-in. I know we kept a large cooler packed with bottled water and ice in a side compartment and a built-in cooler would make it easier to stock the rehab compartment at the begining of the shift.

GM
Great question and more over a bad omen we have to pull from under that label..however that said our Dept. has no beer except meeting night and its only the 2 favorite flavors, anyone wishing to after the meeting may par take but you are told if you have it your not running till next day
well in my deptarment we are not aloud to have beer in its original container you could say. if your drinking it you have to have it in a cup or something else. and if you have been drinking at all you are not aloud to make any runs for a period of over night.
The fire department is NO PLACE for alchohol. What happens if everyone is soused, and a call comes out??? For that matter, anyone who is responsible enough to be a firefighter should be responsible enough to realize that if you drink at home, you could have to miss a call. An easy way to dry the station up is to not allow alchohol in the station. Bring it up in a business meeting.
What do you mean you might find a six pack or two around the fire station? Do you think the police department has a few beers just laying around the police station?

Zero Tolerance Policy = Zero Liability.... ends your problem.

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