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Firefighters who smoke, dip or chew... thoughts?
a little unsure of where to post this, sorry if it in the wrong spot...
Im not going to lie most of the people in in station (juniors, firefighters, everyone) use some form of tobacco on a daily basis. Honestly i thought this was simply the norm until we visited another junior firefighter post and found out they get kicked off for using tobacco products. I really want to hear your thoughts on firefighters and juniors who use tobacco products as well as what rules your station has for both firefighters and junior firefighters who use tobacco products. My station really doesn't care, the only real rule is you have to take your dip out/put your smoke out during our meetings/trainings and this is only for safety. Thank you for your help!! stay safe
Im not going to lie most of the people in in station (juniors, firefighters, everyone) use some form of tobacco on a daily basis. Honestly i thought this was simply the norm until we visited another junior firefighter post and found out they get kicked off for using tobacco products. I really want to hear your thoughts on firefighters and juniors who use tobacco products as well as what rules your station has for both firefighters and junior firefighters who use tobacco products. My station really doesn't care, the only real rule is you have to take your dip out/put your smoke out during our meetings/trainings and this is only for safety. Thank you for your help!! stay safe
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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Jessica, I think about this from time to time myself. Of our 40-45 active members there are probably less than 6 who smoke. However, it seems about half of the active members dip or chew, or both although not at the same time, that I know of. :o)
I'll be talking to someone in the firehouse and he'll suddenly walk toward the door, pull it open and spit, then come back to me. It's kind of hilarious. None of our Juniors use tobacco as far as I know; and we do not have any rules in place concerning use of tobacco by members.
Some years ago we instituted a no smoking policy for the fire house and apparatus. If someone wants to light up, they have to go outside to do it. This applies to members as well as patrons of our fund raisers.
This next part is disgusting - we seldom if ever find a chewer's spit cup or spit bottle lying around. I found one on the dash of one of our pumps, made an inquiry or two and it disappeared quickly.
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Permalink Reply by Marcus on
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dont really have a rule on this but we all dont do it in the eye of the public
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Permalink Reply by Kimberly A Bownas on
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I find that it is a disgusting habit. Smoking is bad enough, but the chew is really disgusting. We have guys that chew and they spit on our ramp and they leave spit cups all over the place and it stinks to high heavan. I don't like it and wish it would be band from our firehouse. Unfortunately it probably wont. In our firehousre you are not allowed to smoke inside at all. If you want to smoke you can smoke outside. That is the rule and it is a public building so that helped with banning the smoking also.
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Permalink Reply by BillySFCVFD on
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Jessica,
Being from the dipping capital of the world, Texas, I dip and at least half of my VFD uses some sort of tobacco. I picked up the nasty habit in CA before I moved to Texas last year so I won't blame anyone but me, myself and I. Our VFD goes by state law when it comes to no smoking in public or public used buildings and vehicles. Getting back to dipping, once you start you are hooked, it's a bad addiction. The old saying goes " it's easy to quit, I've done it many times". I try and be discreet about it and leaving a spit bottle behind or just in plain view when dipping, like Joe mentioned, it's disgusting. There are many anti dipping TV ads here that show a girl kissing a boy and it leaves dip on her teeth another is a girl jumps in her boyfriends truck, grabs a soda cup from the cup holder and chugs it, blah, she spits it out all over the dash, guess what was in the cup? That should send a message to people.
My son has worked for CalFire for a couple of years, he had to swear off tobacco before they would hire him. They even tested him for nicotine first. TCSS
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"a girl jumps in her boyfriends truck, grabs a soda cup from the cup holder and chugs it, blah, she spits it out all over the dash, guess what was in the cup? "
Thanks Billy... that takes care of the appetite for tonight. Bleaaaauuuuggggh.
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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I think keeping the firehouse a Tobacco Free workplace is best for all concerned. Tobacco use (smoking, dip or chewing) shouldn't be permitted anywhere inside of the firehouse. Trainings and calls is a little harder. If you have a smoker who is on scene of a building fire for 7 hours, it is hard to tell them they can't smoke. (it is an addiction) Working with the smokers and chewers for a common ground rather than an all out ban on everything associated with the department will keep people who use tobacco products interested in staying around.
As for juniors, I would impliment a ZERO tolerance policy for juniors who use tobacco products. 18 is the legal age to purchase tobacco, and I would make that the same for the firehouse.
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Permalink Reply by Joe on
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Jessica
well i just have a few things to sey i know i'm my firehouse you can't smoke at all in the house have to take it out side and for juniors if your not of age no smoking on grounds and it up to the chief what to do to them
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Betz on
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In the order you asked: smoke = nasty, dip = more nasty, chew = more, more nasty. There's no good reason for any of it, and if you can get folks not to do it - great.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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I don't know how old your Juniors are, but in the State of Illinois you have to be at least 18 years old to use tobacco products. As far as our members, we've got a tobacco policy stating that in order to smoke, dip, chew, etc. you've got to be outside the stations in the designated areas. We've still got our share of smokers/chewers. And NO spit cups inside the station! So we never have to worry about taking a drink from the wrong cup! Stay safe!
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I don't know how anyone can walk in, pick a random cup, and then start drinking anyway. That spells a recipe for disaster
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Sorry Joe, I should have considered dinner time for you east coasties. Just don't have any soda cups on the dinner table. That girl was just released on parole and her boyfriend is still in ICU. hahaha TCSS
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I guess it's happened before. I personally know which cup or glass is mine. You'd think you could smell the tobacco spit/juice before you drank it down, but that's just me.
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