Not all of us respond with out our safty belt. I use mine when the pager goes off. I dont do no good if I dont get there and really dont do no good if I dont come home alive. We as firemen should and do know better, but it is the excitement of the call some forget. That is no an excuse no to wear one, but it is the reason. At one time or another we all have forgotten to wear ours.
This subject has been beat to a dead horse on this forum. We all know it is not only the law to wear safetly belts, but also in all of our SOP's. Unless departments start to dicipline for lack of safety belts, nothing will change. It is the DRIVERS responsibility to ensure all belts are fastened before the apparatus moves, remember that. Perhaps the apparatus manufacturers with the Insirance companies approval will not allow the apparatus to engage in drive unless all seats with a set weight limit (say 100 pounds) are seat belted in. Even if this occurs there will be some that will skirt around wearing it somehow. Proper enforcement is needed to make it work
Permalink Reply by greg on January 21, 2008 at 12:59am
Engineco913,
I am sorry to pose a question that had been asked as much as you imply. I am new to this forum. I thank you for you response/reply
Greg, don't worry about it. You're not the only new person here, now that FFN has over 10,000 members, and I doubt everyone's seen this topic "beat to death."
I think those who see a topic which they feel has been "beat to death" should just skip it and let those who haven't discussed it yet carry-on with their discussion. Some people will always feel that just because they've been someplace longer that it's their exclusive domain...
Where's my horse??? lol I wear mine, all the time.. those who don't are TOO COOL for belts! I think there are 8 belts on a backboard... I would rather wear one!
Actually your wrong. I just find it dad that a common issue (one that should be a no brainer) still causes injuries and death to my fellow firefighters. It is saddening that it takes 10 seconds to reach and buckle a safety belt, and yet people still refuse to do it.
I appologize for using my intro line "been beaten to a dead horse on this forum" I didn't take into account newer members, or people who just found the forum. There has been at least 10 other postings, and they all say the same thing "we wear our seatbelts, why don't everyone" And all the respondants have said they wear their seat belts as well. I again think this goes to training, and enforcement of SOP's and general State Law. If you have people who repeatedly refuse to buckle up, in my eyes, they shouldn't be in apparatus Period.
I think most people who don't wear their seatbelts also don't take the time to belong to an online firefighting community where we talk about safety issues and about wearing seat belts.
But you never know when a seemingly "old topic" is brought up again soomeone may have a new take on it.
lol... you got that right... not too mention if you're strapped to a backboard for any length of time, they tend to take away your license!!! Life is great, why screw it up with something so simple, eh?
Wouldn't you agree that is apparatus manufacturers made a safety device (like car air bag's where the seats are pressure sensative) to prevent the apparatus from engaging into drive or reverse unless the seats with weight (75 pounds or 100 pounds) were buckled? This would prevent people from "forgetting" and anyone not buckled would be guilty of bypassing the system. They could even put a small module up front to show the driver/officer which seats were buckled and which weren't.
it would aid in correcting the flaws