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Firefighters still in high school
Should firefigters, and i mean 18 yrs old and certified as a firefighter, who are still in high school be able to leave for structure fires? I support this if and only if its a small department with only a few people available during the day. What is your thoughts?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by jason head on
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Yes i thank it is ok if you are not in the midel of a test ore some thing you need to be ther fore school comes frist.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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That's exactly how I started - I was 17, my parents had to sign a waiver for me to attend the fire academy and ride emergency vehicles, and except for a couple of local farmers that drove but didn't go interior, the high school students were 90% of the weekday manpower. We had a small station (Engine, Tanker, Brush Truck) that only ran about 70 or 80 calls per year, but a high percentage were working fires or extrications.
It was pretty good OJT, although I'm not a fan of OJT now that I have a few years of experience under my belt.
The answer to your question is "it depends". Most high schools require some type of community service, especially for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate students. I think being a volunteer firefighter is the best type of either volunteer or community service that you can do. If approached properly, the high school may even help you out - preferential parking for quick response, a faculty sponsor, help with fundraising, etc.
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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I like the above answer 'it depends'. I was in a Brigade where one member wanted to do just this, respond from school. There was a meeting between the Brigade, parents and school to work out exactly how often, if at all, this pupil could turn out. The parent said OK, the school said OK with conditions and that's what happened. The member responded from school, but abided by the school's conditions.
School has to come first, and we always have supporting Brigades responding with us, but that Brigade was getting about 170 calls per year at that stage. The daytime calls were not going to be that much of an interruption with the schoolwork.
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Permalink Reply by Dustin J. Millis on
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This is a tough one. When I was in school, i would have been all for it. Now I kinda lean the opposite way. I feel like school is more important and that we have mutual aid for a reason. I really dont think that a kid in high school should even be on the department. There is too much going on in a students life, they really dont need the heavy burden that a volunteer department lays on their shoulders.
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Permalink Reply by Robert on
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I am kind of left out of this one. I was homeschooled. Therefore I responded to pretty much all the call's. I do have a couple friends that went to public school that were allowed to respond if there was a obvious lack of manpower. But the highschool is 17 miles from our station, so it was a call by call basis.
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Permalink Reply by Mac Conant on
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When I was 17-18 I was allowed
talked to my chief, he said ask the Principle, he said yes
then chief said yes
If i had anycall durring the school day, i would ask the teacher if she mind if i left, never had a issue with a teacher saying no.
Only thing that pissed me off was students would tell me to turn it off. Our highway dept uses the same repeater as we do so now and then youd hear talking. so i turned it down low enough so i could hear it and not disrupt everyone. A lot of them showed zero respect for what i did. Even after i explained they would have a different tone if it was their home on fire. It hurt to listen to their bs but i took it in stride and smiled knowing I was a better person then them, and they were just jealous they couldn't say they had walked through fire.
I had one nazi sub that told me to turn it all the way off. I told him nope. He kept persisting so i told him go call my chief. He said no and sent me to the office. I told the secretary what happend, sent me back up there with a note signed by all 3 principles saying
"Mac is a volunteer with the Turner Fire Dept. He is allowed to carry his pager at all times, keep it on and turned down as to not disrupt students during the school day. "
Which is what i had told the man. So when i got back, i hit the squelch so he could hear it make a nice and loud radio sound, handed him the note and sat down with a smile. He read it and grumbled and gave up.
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Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on
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No, I believe that if you are high school should be your primary focus at this stage in your life. I understand the need and the want to help, bu we must prioritize our lives. I am not familiar with the strucuture of volunteer or paid on call departments, but perhaps the departments shoud be restructured to not have to depend on the younger members as initial manpower. The younger members should be in support positions until they graduate high school. I do not want to get my dress blues ready to bury a young member because the administration allowed a younger member to enter a burning structure alone on the initial attack.
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Permalink Reply by Justin Buck on
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my school let me out during school last year. bc there wasnt alot of people avaible on our dept. during the day. yall i had to do was bring back a paper signed by a chief or assit. chief to show i was on sence with them.
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Permalink Reply by Jessica Travis on
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yea i think 18 yr olds and above should be allowed to respond as long as they have good standing in their classes. Most senior classes are electives to pass the time anyway and therefore not exactly vital to their education. Technically they are adults so i see no need for parental approval, the onle real approval you would need is your chiefs and the principals. I don't think they should miss out on all classes though, maybe out 1/2 of the day at most. like early morning calls you have to return to school and you can't leave for afternoon calls until mid-day.
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Permalink Reply by Royce Terry on
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LIKE WE SAY FOR US EXPLORERS
SCHOOL,FAMILY,Then Your Second Family!
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Permalink Reply by josh slagel on
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I also agree with this i think we should be able to leave for calls but only those how keep their grades up.
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