Ok here is our recent shift poll and I am curious what you feel about this subject. Been in the fire service for 17 years and seen some changes over that short time. So here is my opinion on a recent kitchen round table debate today.
It appears to me that in the past, when we focused on fire, rescue and EMS we had a very aggressive and well-oiled machine that got the job done efficiently.
Now post changes in the world, in my opinion we have lost focus on the basic fundamentals. I know... shame on us but wait we train everyday we work, and average between 200-300 hrs a year but even that number seems weak when we run a serious call and here is my reasoning... well someone decided to train the entire department on everything like EMT-I or P, ACLS, EVOC, RIT, Hazmat Techncian, (level A) WMD, Smiths ID machine, cold water, swift water, trench, building collapse, high angle and confined space team training, etc. Cross training takes alot of time and money.
So in my opinion on today's debate I expressed that we "used to be" well-trained on less things, and are now "average prepared" on much more things due to constant changes to what we are now expected to handle.
So I think we operate kinda SAFE-ISH because we want to be safe while operating in the environment thrusted upon us but many have expressed that they wish they had spent more time being better prepared in that "basic" or "speciality" fundamental.
So I wonder how many others have felt the same? And if so, can we really limit or stop trying to handle every possible thing in the world... because realistically if we don't try and handle it.... who else are they gonna call?
TCSS
FETC