Is it just me or has the commitment of the younger firefighters these days just gone to pot? Now don't get me wrong there are some young guys and gals out there that still go get it but they are a shrinking breed. Out of 20+ applicants to take our last agility test only 5-6 passed the rest just quit because they were tired out. We have a working fire at my volley station and 1 cylinder of air and they are laid out in the yard wipped out and the house is still burning, and one last thing is this, it's all about "me" thing, only looking out for myself instead of whats best for the crew or the dept.

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They just don't make them like they use to. I can remember the days when I first started in the fire service, I couldn't wait for the pager to go off and run down to the station to get a truck. And I'm still that way today. It's all about the money and how I look. All they want is a job and thats it. You are so right about the one bottle. We have the same problem here to. One bottle and there load is shot. IT"S SAD that the brother hood is gone in most places. Notice I said most places causes there are a few departments left that have that brother hood were YOU GO WE GO. Not YOU GO and I LEAVE cause I'm saving my own A**.......

NEVER FORGET "911" AND "343"
a few years ago farmers could get kids in the summer to bale hay. no they do round bales because they can't get anyone to "work" that hard. same applies to the fire service. they think it is cool to be a firefighter but they can't do the work. most young people don't have the work ethic the older gernerations were raised with. everyone complains about child hood obesity. if parents would give their kids a little work to do in the summer this wouldn't be a problem. the idea of work ethic bestowed on our kids is gone. until this comes back we won't end up with only a hand full of respectable firefighter out of a semi load.
I think some has to do with gettin started on the right foot,most of us got started when we were kids or grew up around it. If we want these folks to be a part of the team we are responsible for teaching the meaning of team to them.We really cant blame this on anyone but ourselves we are the teachers,we have to set the example not just talk about examples.Also there a some that are giving it the its a family tradition try and some just think its cool but it aint in the heart.I've said it many times over this is not something you choose to do,it chooses you.It comes from within,your born with it in your soul. Male or Female your either a FIREFIGHTER or you're not.Paid or Volunteer its all the same if your a true firefighter you will push yourself to be the best you can be,if not your in the wrong line and you need to go home before someone gets hurt or worse.There is no( I )in (Team).Training and drills hone the mind and the body, if you dont care enough about yourself to stay in working shape you sure cant care that much about the people that you're putting in harms way when they have to rescue you or cover for you because you cant pull your weight.This is not directed at anyone personally,but if it makes you mad then you probably need to take a good hard look at yourself.
I agree completely when I took my departments agility test there were 8 of us all about 18 when I left the department (after moving for my full time job) I was one of two from that group.
smokey I agree with what you are saying I do follow the RISK A LITTLE FOR A LITTE AND RISK ALOT FOR ALOT and I hopefully am not going to go from this world over some crack house or abandoned building but there is a huge difference between lazy and slap wore out, and having the commitment to get the job done safely, and I would never ask any of my firefighters to do anything that I felt was unsafe or that I would not do myself.
They ain't all bad. Granted the past few years I've seen more crap members...but there's still good firefighters coming out of the new generation. The thing we have to do is show them the right way of doing things before the crap firefighters from our generation get their filthy claws in 'em.
Todays youth are fed with a silver spoon. Why work hard when mommy and daddy will but the car, pay the insurance, get you a cell phone, and let you do whatever you want? When I was a kid (god I feel old saying that) my parents told me from the start if you want something, go to work for it, we aren't buying you anything. The work atmostphere is lost because with the exception of a doughnut/coffeeshop, there aren't many "working" jobs that cater to youth where they can gain respect for a true work ethic. If you have someone who grows up inside a firehouse (usually family) they tend to do a little better because it's in the blood. One day the youth will see it's all not cupcakes and roses, and hopefully will get off their deadbeat rear ends and get it done
not only is the work ethic gone but it is hard to get young kids to volunteer they are always wanting to know whats in it for them. if it does not have a video controller hooked to it they are not interested. we have alot of young kids running around our fire coverage area and can't get none of them to join when you ask them they say well how much do you get paid and what else is in it for me. guess they do not understand what the word volunteer means.
We have some that work hard and others that stand around eating cookies while the senior firefighters work their butts of! It really sucks!
Seems like some just want to do it for the "hero" thing and when it comes down to the real thing...god forbid you have to do work or get dirty
But that's what it's always been about...no?
the problem with some of the younger group is the are lazy.like this one we have a bingo fri and sun nite right so we have 27 active membersand 15 active life now out of all of us 5 active and 8 life members show up almost to every event
many things can be said on this topic..

first as a 1960s beginer we had NO pagers, we did have PLECTRON box radios which were heavy,and well some what limited in ability to just be handy..in the early 70s both plectron and motorola competed w the belt pager.. the M 1 a and b were ok but again limited to area of recievership as such.. i ran two countys w diff freq ranges, in time was provided one for ems as then had 3..(wacker alert).. i ran to stations 2-3-4 miles away.. on interstates W blues.. for about 17 yrs before had to stop.. went from rubber coats-plastic helmets and CHEMOX to finally NOMEX before todays newer fabrics.. high boots and low boots for bunker pants were used... one had to buy everything your self since only considered local riders get gear.those outside the town or area had to fend for themselves.. add it up.. w financial costs as they were back then compared to today.. plus a veh expense over time.. i ran a FORD v8 360 way back.. had to replace lifters twice.. second time w solids..had more then 180K on the veh before it was replaced after 9 yrs with a CHEVY 4.3 liter V6..then had to contend w gas prices.. like today.. if u want to do something its gona cost.. priorities must be considered.. esp for the high school era responders, and older as well.. once u get married that is another flip of your coin...its NOT just ATTITUDE,, may be a good percentage, but there is lots more beyond that..to contend with....

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