The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Police and Fire on scene
I have been in the Fire service for 8 years. I have had both good and bad encounters with police on scene. I just wanted to see what others have encountered. A scene that sticks out for me is the scene of a MVC one car no injuries. when we (the fire dept) got on scene there was already a State Highway patrol officer on scene...as soon as he saw us he started to scream that he did not need a bunch of hose jockies. Well after a few choice worDS (That I wont repeat) We left the scene after we checked the patient....this is just one example I have other stories where the police where very cool to work with.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by FF Nick on
-
We've actually had two of our FF's get arrested at a car fire for "backtalking" a deputy on a FIRE scene
-
Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
-
In the age of NIMS this sort of thing should not be happening. We are all public servants and each have our own job to do. Break down the barriers between the PD and FD before it gets any worse. The PD had right to arrest firefighters (even though for the wrong reason) but an on duty police officer can be arrested for Interferance with a firefighter trying to execute firefighting. Look it up, it is a law and the PD is not above the law. AGAIN I don't condone backtalking, or having pissing matches, we all need to get past the PD vs FD issue and get on the same page
-
Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on
-
Well it seems here that we pick on each other and may not completely understand each other's jobs, but the relationship on scene is almost always profesional. We actually take more abuse from paramedics as we are dispatched to any life threatening, trouble breathing, chest pain, etc, etc. It doesn't happen often, but I remember once I was speaking with the pt, taking a pulse and was literally pushed out of the way by the paramedic who then spoke rudely to me, his partner was rude to my Capt and cleared us. It doesn't happen often, and more often than not they've been great, but it happens.
Now, as for police. We get waved off of minor MVC's all the time by them as we are responding. It bothers us a little that we are not told to clear when it is apparently that we are not needed instead of responding bells and whistles through traffic... but we also assume this is a dispatch issue (we do not have a unified dispatch here and it gets very tricky at times). I have not once felt disrespected or belittled by an officer and I hope it stays that way. We do our best to communicate well with all emergency services, if for nothing else, for the safety of the public we are serving. There's really no room for egos in our field.
As for those who behave the way you have stated, "Don't cry... apply!" lol... No matter what field I have worked in, when one employee or department bitched about what the other one had, I always told them they applied for the job they have, if they want the other job, go get it!
-
Permalink Reply by Chiefy on
-
I know you know this but I'll say it anyway. Police have a very important function at the accident scene. Until otherwise declared, it technicially is a crime scene until verified "accidental". Of course no one should ever interfere with the others job, or move anything on scene if you can help it. The real heated problems result when we block additional lanes to protect the public and our people. In the opinion of most cops, if you block extra lanes and slow or back-up traffic even worse, they have to stay on scene longer to deal with traffic issues.
The only way to resolve some of the on-scene pissing matches is to schedule a joint training session of both departments and discuss it. Let them show you their procedures for accident response and how they set up AND WHY, then you train them in how to respond to a PIA/MVA and you will both walk away with a better understanding.
Don't forget if this is a multi-Pt, multi-vehicle accident, your going to need as many cooperative hands you can get.
-
Permalink Reply by turk182 on
-
We usually end up with traffic details in or county though we do get alot of free flares from them because we do the traffic. some times we do get crabbed at for closing both lanes.but we have problems with ems. we had a mva and when the rescue came up to the car the ems personnel took the tools out of the firefighters hand and cut the winshield later he was crabbing he cut his arms with the glass what did he expect with no turn out gear on.
-
Permalink Reply by Steve Davis on
-
In Maryland, or at least in the county I volunteer in, there is a basic understanding that when we are both at the scene of an MVC, both parties completely work in conjunction to complete the job at hand as fast and organized as possible. We have complete authority over the scene, as do they. If I need a buffer because of the traffic situation, I get a buffer without any input from the troopers or local police. They know why we are doing it, and don't put up a fight because of the traffic backing up. Once the patients are on their way to the hospital, and the scene is secured to allow traffic through, the officers get the scene back to control and flowing.
I do remember one incident where a trooper got on scene and started flexing his authority trying to move our equipment off of the scene, eliminating our buffer. He was relocated to the eastern shore. This was about a decade ago to so....Times have changed.
Life safety and scene safety completely takes presidence over any traffic situation. Where it isn't the case, it seems that something is missing from protocol...We have an inter-agency agreement with law enforcement. This helps eliminate any issues that may arise.
-
Permalink Reply by FF Schoen on
-
Wow... Think thats bad, my volly department and the local PD in the city we cover go to town when either the Chief of Police or his Lieutenant are on scene. We were called out to a structure fire and started fighting it, when all of the sudden my fellow firefighters were being physically pulled off the lines by PD while the structure was fully engulfed. Two of the firefighters to include our Chief were taken in for questioning after trying to stop PD from removing the firefighters. Guess why? The ruled it as Arson. Now how and the hell can they do that. They can't. That PD Chief thinks he is above everything. At a SAR after flooding, my department was told that it was a PD thing to do SAR and for us to vacate the premises or be arrested. They were in the middle of rescuing in a collapsed subdivision. Now let me see here...PD = traffic control in that situation. FD = Life Safety... a wise person once said SAR is a life safety issue. Sorry for the sarcasm. The lower PD and us get along great its just the uppers that have to own everything and have bigger toys than us. Its not my fault that they are out numbered. Enough ranting for now.
-
Permalink Reply by Rich on
-
I have to say we are very fortunate with our relationship with the 2nd pct. We get along great! In fact the the only issues we have had were ESU showing up to tool jobs well into the job and trying to take out tools and finish the job. After a Meeting of our chiefs and some upper SCPD brass this has been solved. They use our firehouses as points of shift changes so we see one another alot......I think this is what helped our relationship. In fact the last real major incident we had (Natural Gas explosion of a car dealer) the top brass from both sides went into our Heavy Rescue/Comand Center and PD openly stated it is our scene till we feel that we the I.C. As I said we are fortunate. I know of issues on the south shore but that is not my district so O well.
-
Permalink Reply by mike wright on
-
AROUND HERE WE HAVE A HELL OF A TIME GETTING AN OFFICER TO THE SCENE. WHEN WE DO THEY ARE USUALLY UNDERSTANDING. I HAD ONE TELL ME THAT DRIVING TO FAST TO A SCENE AT NIGHT WITH NO OVER HEAD LIGHTS WAS WRONG. WHEN I QUESTIONED HIM BECAUSE HE CAUGHT ME WITH NO LIGHTS ON EITHER HE BACKED OFF.
-
Permalink Reply by Joey Carrow on
-
The Only officers we ever seem to have problems with are the new troopers just out of the academy. They are taught at the academy that the are the supreme control. After a few times though most officers either county or state like to come to our town because we do everything for them so all they have to do is paper work and investigation.
The one time I had my problem was at a single vehicle car accident and being the officer on scene i parked the apparatus at an angle closing one lane of the road where we we're at the bottom of a knoll and the road was iced over. We already had traffic rerouted around the area before the officer even arrived. So when he arrived he told me I needed to move my truck so he could get trafffic moving and I asked him, What traffic?
He told me to move the truck again and I told him I would move the truck as soon as the pt. was transported and my crew was out of danger. Then he threatened to have me arrested if I didn't move it and I just said, whatever. After we secured the scene I moved the truck and he told me, next time he was going to arrest me cause it ws his scene and I better lose the attitude. I said ok and went back to the station and made a phone call to his Capt. and told him what had happened and about an hour later the officer called me and personally apologized and a week later he was relocated to northern Maine. Do we have it good or what?
-
Permalink Reply by Terry Lambert on
-
I can not think of a time where we have had problems with PD, othere then how soon can we reopen a road, or interstate. We have a good working relationship with PD.
-
Permalink Reply by Tony Potts on
-
I don't know about other states, but in Florida, The fire dept has control of the scene. We have pissed off plenty of cops by closing down interstates during rush hour for our own safety. They may get pissed, but the officer in charge can tell them to pound sand. For the most part we get along great with them. They are always in the fire house hanging out and eating with us
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
