I was talking to one of our Probies the other day, and he asked me about Pompier Ladders. I told him that in 14 years, I've never seen one except in pictures. In fact, I'm certain that no F.D. in the Chicagoland area owns one of these! Are there any Fire Departments out there that actually use Pompier Ladders? Thanks in advance!
Permalink Reply by Dave on December 15, 2008 at 11:59am
Tony.. Where is it written that this is unsafe?? My dept has been doing the pomps long before your dept even thought about becoming a dept. As far as I am aware, zero injuies from this drill! It is to boost your confidence in the equipment and in yourself!! For christ sake you are going into a burning structure!! Do you think the first small fire they set in the burn building is for a learning basis only? No.. It was also to build your confidence in your gear and yourself!!! What have we the fire service come too??
Except for Tower 3 all of our Truck Companies are Tiller Drawn but the designs are not as they were when I came on in 1982. Does Topeka still utilize Tiller apparatus?
I'm enjoying this! I can't help myself:
"put SCBA's back into the outside compartments"
We always put them back, that's where they live! Works for us :)
WOW guys, tell us how you really feel LOL. Tony, you have my full agreement here however; you are fighting a losing battle. Guys like DC will never change or admit that they are wrong. Trust me, I know the type. We had a few on my dept. that are no longer there. These are the guys that would rather ride on the back of the truck going to a fire, get there and run in without the proper equipment or without recieving orders from IC, and quite possibly go in alone because thats the way the "real fireman" did it. Rules change for a reason. Ladders are taken out of service for a reason. Firefighting will never be safe, but you can be sure that I am going to take the precautions to make sure I can make it as safe as can be, for myself; and for others.
The city of Pheonix has started putting all SCBA's on the outside of the rig. They have found that they can respond quicker if they jump in the truck and instantly put their seatbelt on rather then mess with their SCBA, when they get on scene, they jump out and put on the pack.
Paaaalease you namby pamby lil wanna be firemen... Let me explain something to you if you had DC Firemen or FDNY Firemen on your department you would be lucky... That being said No you are right I did enjoyed riding the backstep I also believed men were more aware of there surroundings but change is accepted on some things. We rush into buildings as we have for over 50 years based on our Standard Operating Procedures (not free lancing or blindly do so)we do not need an Officer standing outside going we need this and we need that the communications from the officers to the IC help him determine the right course of action. DCFD breeds thinking, action oriented firemen not "firefighters" whom would rather look at the pretty burning flame then put it out quickly and efficently! Let me help you out Dustin there is an inherent risk to doing the job right, we all want to go home after our shift but most of us realize that when we signed on it wasn't for the paycheck it was to do our job and do it right, FYI that means saving lives and limiting property damage!
Believe what you want but like I said earlier Change is ok but change for change sake don't make any sense got it!!
You probably believe that the persons who dial 911 are our Customers too, right?
I don't know where 'aggresive' comes into it, I thought this was about a certain type of what most people seem to think is an archaic piece of equipment. Oh well, if getting to a fire, going inside and putting it out (wherever possible, some you can't follow that method) is aggresive, then that's us. I've only been in this game for seven years, but I've yet to go to a structure fire where we haven't done an internal attack. Rather safe? Yes, that's us as well - injuries are uncommon, deaths thankfully extremely rare. Though any death is unacceptable.
You stated above that DCFD breeds thinking, action oriented firemen not "firefighters". Does this mean that you have no female members, or that those you have don't mind the term 'fireman' being used to describe them? We have female members that don't mind the word 'fireman', but most of us, in my Brigade at least, prefer the word 'firefighter'.
Oh, and I must put in that as far as I'm concerned, 'change for changes sake" is one of the most stupid ideas that has ever been iinvented. Usually happens when some no-brain wants to be remembered as the 'person who did so-and-so".
I see this is an old item but.. If anyone is interested in seeing video of them in use, I just returned from Eastern block firefighter challenge, They are used daily...