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Permalink Reply by William Bills on December 21, 2010 at 3:23pm

As a 100% Volunteer Department, if I had a couple rookies to introduce at our annual banquet, I would be very welcoming, and really appreciative and proud they had joined our ranks. I would commend them on their commitment to our community. And then, to lighten it up, I would make some fun with them, but at the expense of a senior member of our department. For example, last year we responded mutual aid to a community three townships away. It is a small city and they had a huge commercial building fire in their downtown section. Our Chief responded slightly delayed from his home. In his haste to get to the scene, he didn't realize just how low on gas his truck was. After a little time into the fire, we had a few people that needed to leave in order to get to work. Our Chief offered that they take his truck back to our firehouse and he would ride on an appratus when we were released. The guys got in the truck and got about a block away when the fuel light and audible alarm came on. Of course being a beefy full size pick up truck, mileage is questionable at best and we were about 20 or so miles from home. The guys had to pool money from the group in the truck (remember, this is about 11-12:00 at night by now) just to get some gas to get home! LOL!! We gave the Chief a public award at last year's banquet that consisted of a glass frame containing a gas card for $5, and the inscription said, For Emergency Use Only. It would be fun to give a rookie the same thing and teach them their first lesson, "always learn from mistakes, use this in an Emergency, and know it is only enough money to get you home." I'm sure everyone would laugh out loud and the joke would be on the senior guy. :)

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Permalink Reply by william cody gentry on December 21, 2010 at 5:12pm

Hi my name is cody im with woodsdale voluteer fire dept..some time we play jokes on our new people to. we told the new guys to go find the hose stretcher then u tell them it sould be on unit # what ever truck you pick..then fanlly they give up an then thats when u tell them you are the hose stretcher..an welcome them to the department..just an idea how we do it..

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Permalink Reply by Buz on December 21, 2010 at 6:30pm

Hi Cody, Thanks for the suggestion.

Buz

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Permalink Reply by Buz on December 21, 2010 at 6:33pm

William Bills, That's Awesome! Thanks for sharing!!

Fraternally,

Buz

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Permalink Reply by Buz on December 21, 2010 at 6:38pm

Joseph West, Well said my friend! We do get the chance to become friends, (if we weren't already when they joined), Before the banquet and try very hard not to cross the line too.

Thankyou,
Happy and safe Holidays to you and yours

Fratenally,

Buz

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Permalink Reply by Joseph West on December 21, 2010 at 7:06pm

LoL, yeah the old stretcher one. I grew up doing construction work. We use to send our new guys out for brick stretchers, board stretchers and all kinds of stuff like that. So, when I join my department, they told me to go get a hose stretcher, so due to my background and prior pranks I already knew this one. Then, they said again, where's the hose stretcher, I simple told them "Your looking at it", it was funny cause there were 4 or 5 senior guys around, all waiting for me to go off searching for that hose stretcher, look on their face was kinda funny when they got my answer.

However, on the subject of pranks. I would have to agree, I don't know that an annual banquet is the best place for a prank on the new guy. If it's a city/town public event, probably not a good idea to embarrass some to that extent if front of alot of people. Now, if it's more a private fire department event, well then all bets are off. However, if it is a public event, a lite prank or joking around, like the "gas card" that "William Bills" shared, I've gotta say that's a good one.

Well, Happy Holidays Guys
Joseph West | HFR #81

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