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Freelancing, what do you do about it?
I believe freelancing is a big part of injuries and death in the fire service. My department does not tolerate it and we've got a staging area for every call big or small. What does your department do about freelancing?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kimberly A Bownas on
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My department also doesn't tolerate it. Usually on the smaller calls we are all around the apparatus or the Chief's vehicle and for the bigger calls there is a staging area. We have been very lucky with the fact that the guys are very good about not freelancing. Not being an officer I am not sure what the solution would be if a member was caught freelancing. I am sure there would be something done, I just don't know what our department would do. Now you have me wondering and I will now have to ask that question and that is a good thing. Our Chief officers should be able to answer that question if asked. Thanks
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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freelancing isn't tolerated, period. Any infractions and your asked to leave the scene.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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I believe we have been proactive by stressing to all members that freelancing cannot and will not be tolerated. Members who report to the scene check in with a chief officer for assignments. All interior FFs use the buddy system - you go in together, you come out together.
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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The closest thing we usually have to freelancing is people who may be visiting another Station offering to go out with the locals. If you're known it's likely that you'll be told to get your gear and get on the truck, especially during weekdays! Officially we can offer assistance to the OiC if we come across a going job, but we're not allowed to simply jump in and start doing anything.
People we don't know just arriving on scene and joining in are likely to be told (politely if they're lucky) to leave the area.
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Permalink Reply by Jenny Holderby on
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Explain what you are calling "freelancing" please. Do you mean people who are not part of your department being on scene acting as a firefighter? Or do you mean members of your organization not following orders or not following SOGs or participating in the organized fire attack? You could be talking about several different things and I would like to be clear on what you do mean.
Thanks
J
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Permalink Reply by Rescue601 on
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I "believe" the poster is referring to firefighters who show up on a scene and then do as they see fit. Such as a firefighter shows up at a structure fire and taking it upon himself to vent the structure without the order from IC.
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Free lancing is DANGEROUS not only for the firefighter himself but for the crews who are following orders. My department doesn't do well with free lancing. We work under the orders of the IC or senior officer period. This often is the result of a very short to the point meeting of the minds where we verbally prepare our IAP. We have had folks falling off task that have to be reminded what their particular mission is. I don't consider that free lancing. The last person who did go off on his own agenda was asked to leave the scene. He was put on a short suspension. We havn't had any more problems.
A good unified command of all officers is effective. When one officer feels a repromand is necessary, having the other officers agree with the action is much more effective. ALL the officers have to be committed to following the chain of command. Everyone has to work toward the same goal. ALL the officers and every fire fighter need to be committed to safe operations.
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Ah - I read it as responding to another departments job. My mistake?
Start doing drastic things on-scene here without being told to would really get you in it up to the neck. Would not be tolerated.
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Permalink Reply by PFC Harmon on
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We have a zero tolerance for freelancing. If you are caught you are dismissed from the scene and possibly terminatted from the department. When we arrive on scene we check in with our IC and get assigned a job or tols to stand there until a job is needed.
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