The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
mentally challenged firefighters
I belong to a small combination dept in upstate New York. We have one company that is all paid staff. The others are 4 all volunteer companies. We also have an explorer post through the boy scouts. The dilemma is this one of the explorers is at the age when he could join as a volunteers and he keeps trying to be let in to one. The explorer in question has a heart of gold and has always wanted to be a firefighter. Now for the problem this explorer is mentally challenged. He got through high school with a special ED diploma. In the few years as an explorer he has made little progress and is not capable of formal state fire training. He has had several emotional outbursts after calls that he was not even involved in bad car wrecks fatal fires Etc. He has tried joining the 3 other companies who string him along. And now it’s our turn. It’s my opinion that he would be too much of a liability he requires constant supervision and direction. As my company is looking into accepting him with special circumstances I was wondering if anyone else has any experience with this or advise I could use. He is a good kid a 10yo in a 20yo body. I don’t want to discriminate against him based on his lack of mental capacity. I just don’t want him or someone else getting injured due to it. Our dept regs have nothing to say yes or no. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I Fear that what we do for one would likely open the flood gates.
Thank you in advance for your input.
Thank you in advance for your input.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Daryl Prindle on
-
Thank you all for the input. We do have medical guidelines and as an explorer being governed by the boy scouts this individual has been exempt. As for a psychological exam only we career staff are required to complete this. As far as finding other things to do we have been there and done that. Like I said in my first post this guy has a heart of gold and if everyone had his work ethic what a great place the world would be. He will wash trucks and roll hose all day and never get tired of it. He was offered membership as an auxiliary firefighter but unfortunately he does know the difference and he makes it very clear that that is not what he wants. As an explorer he has been to the scene on a couple of occasions which they are allowed to do. On those occasions it’s like he is in his own little world fixated on the fire and oblivious to anything else. He needs someone assigned to supervise him alone and most of the time we don’t have the extra manpower for this. As for the application he is not capable of filling one out he has asked members to do this for him. We do have SOG's and Dept bylaws and a few members feel that due to this individual's special needs they should be amended to some type of requirements that he can meet. My problem with this is if you do it for one person then you need to do it for everyone. It would open the flood gates so to speak. As a 16 year member of my Dept. 14 as a volunteer (I am still a social member of my volunteer company) I have never run into anything like this. Again I would like to thank everyone for their input
-
Permalink Reply by FETC on
-
Sounds like you have answered the reasons for not hiring this person as a volunteer. Being an explorer, and governed by the BSA has made him exempt, absolutely! When that transition occurs to becoming a full member, we now have a different set of rules.
Changing your SOG's or By-Laws to reduce the minimum standard for this individual has problem written all over it... It is called Discrimination, remember any age, sex, color, race, religion, all need to have the same hiring standards, and yes, volunteer firefighter is a job. If you have ever turned away someone else, you are essentially opening a big can of worms.
One additional question that jumps right out at me while reading your reply. Why does your career staff have a different medical evaluation standard as compared to a volunteer firefighter?
-
Permalink Reply by Charles Lawrence on
-
I agree with FETC, Daryl. There have been good responses here and if this fella knows the difference between Firefighter and Auxiliary member, and refuses to face facts of his disability and step into the auxiliary role, you now have no choice.
Hope everything works out for you.
-
Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
-
FETC, if that IS his real name, answers your questions very succinctly.
The only thing that I would add/suggest is that you also revamp your explorers program to address those issues as well.
When there is an expectation on the part of the explorer to go to rank of firefighter, then that is where your "hiring" decision should start.
I can't believe that they are there just because they like the smell of Pine-Sol.
I think that it's great that we have special needs citizens who want to serve, but just like not everyone can be doctors, not everyone can be firefighters.
With so many liabilities to worry about, you don't need anymore.
TCSS.
Art
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
-
Can you "create" a job for him...? We have someone in our area that likes to help out...He comes by a couple of times a week and washes vehicles or other "duties" around the firehouse....We made him an honorary member and he couldn't be prouder....I wish some of our members were as proud as he.....Paul
-
Permalink Reply by Nick Jackhammer P.I. on
-
Sounds like a great guy. How about washing the trucks, sweeping the floors, helping with the cooking, maybe teach him to roll the hoses with supervision. (obviously making sure it is done properly) I am sure there's tons of stuff this fine gentleman can do.
-
-
Wait a minute.....Aren't we all a little "mentally challenged"...? Who in their right mind would go running into a burning building when everyone else is trying to get out.....? LOL I can clearly remember my Mom telling me..."Never play with fire" and now look what I am doing.......Stay safe all............Paul
-
-
Keep in mind that you are opening a door that you may want to close down the road.
You may be creating false expectations or hopes in him. You may be giving him the wrong idea, in that, if he does the menial tasks, he MIGHT get to move to some REAL firefighting stuff.
If he gets emotional now, what is it going to be like the first time he gets upset because he didn't get to do what he thought he was going to get to do?
I would be very hesitant, unless he has a clear capacity to understand that, this is as far as we go.
If he doesn't, then there needs to be a clean and total break.
In my opinion, of course.
TCSS.
Art
-
Permalink Reply by Jeff Betz on
-
Lots of great responses, one little thing I was thinking of though. If there is a way to find out what the contents of his educational profile was when he was in school (just a couple years ago it seems), you may be able to use the "professional opinion" of that document as a guide. Other adults have caseworkers to help them through life, as they struggle to do so alone. Perhaps he has (or had) one in the past who could help, Just a thought...
-
-
You guys really need to read the previous posts from the author.
As far as finding other things to do we have been there and done that. Like I said in my first post this guy has a heart of gold and if everyone had his work ethic what a great place the world would be. He will wash trucks and roll hose all day and never get tired of it. He was offered membership as an auxiliary firefighter but unfortunately he does know the difference and he makes it very clear that that is not what he wants. As an explorer he has been to the scene on a couple of occasions which they are allowed to do. On those occasions it’s like he is in his own little world fixated on the fire and oblivious to anything else. He needs someone assigned to supervise him alone and most of the time we don’t have the extra manpower for this.
-
-
Very good points Jeff and I am sure he probably does have a case worker but those case review reports you are talking about are for "life" and not firefighting in general.
We as a fire service in general, have no extra manpower to supervise a person with special needs one-on-one everytime he or she is in the station, on a call or at a life or death emergency.
If a department does, then kudos to them
-
Permalink Reply by Gordon "Gopher" Runer on
-
I can think of a few firefighters who have to be babysat all the time!
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
