User Panel
Posted: 2/13/2020 11:12:43 PM EDT
3rd generation vol. firefighter just saying hi
Wondering how many more like me here ? |
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It should not be frowned upon. It is a viable alternative in areas that do not have the financial ability to run a full complement of personnel 24/7/365
I volunteered in College. The town/city only had one station and one paid skeleton crew. 5 guys if I remember. So for secondary calls or incidents that required more help, The volunteers were the back up. Paid guys go first and then volunteers show up man the station and second truck if needed. If 4-5 volunteers were hanging out at the station they actually sent us on quite a few calls that came across as relatively minor so the A Team would be on hand for something more serious because we only had BLS training and equipment. Plus fire did not transport. It was a split system there. |
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I am glad there are people who want to be chief
I have had the same one the whole time , he has been chief for 30 years. |
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I volunteer in a large district. We have over 14 engines, several trucks, heavy rescues and technical rescue teams. Many of the firematic members have Pro Board certs, and we have a state certified rescue squad that is in service with 2 BLS ambulances, and commercial paramedic ALS provider that covers the gaps.
That being said, the writing is on the wall, more than likely in the next 5 years we will transition from a 100% volunteer department to a combination/career department. We run on an average, over 3,000 fire and EMS calls a year, and service a population greater than 30,000, and steadily growing. |
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Most of my life has been in areas served by a VFD. I absolutely support you guys and appreciate very much what you do. Our VFD now has an annual fund raiser that we donate heavily to.
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92-99. I was moving so our Chief (newly appointed paid position) let me keep my gear and boots since they were changing colors soon. I moved to another part of the state, showed up at a local vfd meeting and filled out the paperwork.
I never heard back from them. I saw a couple of the guys at a gas station and asked what was up and they said the old timers didn't trust outsiders (even though I moved back to my hometown) and someone was afraid I might try to change things. Their call volume was around ten calls a month and my old station was 30-100 (mixed with EMS & water rescue) and that spooked them. Oh well. I just forgot about it. It's a shame because I worked seven years weekends only and could have responded to lots of the daytime calls that they were always short handed on. |
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Anyone who puts down volunteer firefighters is a flat out idiot. I did the fire fighting academy at Treasure Island for the US Navy back in 1987 and it gave me a HEALTHY respect for those who go IN to the burning building. I want to be the one LEAVING. Facing the dragon is bad enough, but doing it for nothing more than the knowledge that you are saving lives and helping your community? My hat is off, sir.
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I did 22 years in a vollie department on Long Island (99% volunteer departments, a couple combo). Went up the ranks and left when I moved to the other side of the Island. It was a great experience when I was younger, but as time progressed, the amount and level of training required is light years beyond what it was in the early 90's when I joined. Even just for the basic NFPA FF1, its weeks of classes at the county fire academy, and then each department has its own training on top of that. Its no longer a hobby for a few hours a week, its a part time unpaid job.
I don't know how much longer a 100% volunteer department is viable with the mandatory minimums and required training. The cost is prohibitive to switch to a fully paid department in most places, but if no one has the huge amounts of time required, how will they properly staff an engine and truck. I see many of the departments on Long Island switching to a combo model within the next decade. Even my old department went to a paid medic for 7a-7p a few years ago. These days they are running 2500 calls a year with 3 ALS buses in a 9 sq mile response area... |
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I was a volunteer for 10 years about 20 years ago. Ended up being assistant chief and in charge of training. I liked it. Life circumstances changed, I moved, started a business, etc, and just didn't get into a new department.
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Stats for vollie fire here
Have been in volunteer fire for 15 years. We take it seriously and have went from ISO of 7 to 3. |
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I was a volunteer for two years before moving to a city with only paid FF's. I enjoyed it and would do it again if I could.
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I'm a mechanic for a large fulltime fire department, and part of my duties is to fix their equipment and help teach the vollies in my AO. I help with Driver/Operator 1a and 1b, basic first aid, defensive driver, and advanced pumps/pump testing. We have a mix of 100% volly and PCF departments, and they all do a good job. The guys and gals put in real work, and work hard in both the classroom and shop. A number of them will come into my shop when their equipment is down and help me work on it. There are a couple of departments with members that treat it more as a drinking club than a serious fire department, and that hurts a lot of the reputation for those guys around here.
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Nice job OP, pat yourself on the back. I grew up going to volunteer fire department fund raisers all the timme.
Unfortunately where I live now its all paid guys, 'working' whatever 3 day shifts, they spend most of their time parked in front of Kroger in the fire lane, loading up mmultiple carts of groceries. I know they eat well. |
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Nothing wrong with volunteer fire departments as a rule. Sure there are bad ones...just like there are bad paid fire departments. I also don't see how increased training requirements can be met with volunteers but good on those who try.
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We have a lot of fudds around us. Only one decent volly dept in the bunch.
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I aint no fire guy, but I am a paid call "volunteer" on the town ambulance squad. We are a third service (city paid EMS not connected to Fire, kind alike Boston EMS).
I think a lot of the hate volunteer guys get is its usually the loudest idiot about being VOLUNTEER FIRE that people see, but is the one who never shows up for training or only shows up on the structure or car crash and never the service calls for CO detector at 2 am. Also known as whacker dork. We have a few like that in my town who wear their fire jacket everywhere, have the "I fight what you fear" stickers on the $500 truck with the $5000 lightbar and use the jacket pic as the facebook profile picture and drop it into every conversation somehow. We have had a few of those people in the ambulance but they don't last long. Do what you do, be proud of it, but for the love of god don't be the guy who defines yourself by it. |
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We are a combo district of nearly 600 square miles and a couple towns. Just officially went combo a few months ago which means for years and years, lowly hobby volunteers were the only emergency responders running thousands of calls a year. Big calls. High speed multi patient MVA’s, trauma with long transport times, residential and commercial structure fires, complex wildfires, tech rescues... It is paid per call, but the people here are professionals which is why while I get it, I hate seeing the disrespect for volunteers.
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I aint no fire guy, but I am a paid call "volunteer" on the town ambulance squad. We are a third service (city paid EMS not connected to Fire, kind alike Boston EMS). I think a lot of the hate volunteer guys get is its usually the loudest idiot about being VOLUNTEER FIRE that people see, but is the one who never shows up for training or only shows up on the structure or car crash and never the service calls for CO detector at 2 am. Also known as whacker dork. We have a few like that in my town who wear their fire jacket everywhere, have the "I fight what you fear" stickers on the $500 truck with the $5000 lightbar and use the jacket pic as the facebook profile picture and drop it into every conversation somehow. We have had a few of those people in the ambulance but they don't last long. Do what you do, be proud of it, but for the love of god don't be the guy who defines yourself by it. View Quote |
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Stats for vollie fire here Have been in volunteer fire for 15 years. We take it seriously and have went from ISO of 7 to 3. View Quote Water supply and manpower are holding us back We are automatic 2 extra dept mutual aid on structure fire Just to get enough people and tanker trucks. We are small dept 2 stations. 3 engine 2 tanker 2 rescue 1 brush / field Hazmat deacon trailer Fire/rescue boat |
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Quoted: Mine dropped from 9 to 5 over a number of years. Water supply and manpower are holding us back We are automatic 2 extra dept mutual aid on structure fire Just to get enough people and tanker trucks. We are small dept 2 stations. 3 engine 2 tanker 2 rescue 1 brush / field Hazmat deacon trailer Fire/rescue boat View Quote |
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Quoted: Work on mutual aid. Work on tanker ops, we had water issues. With enough tankers and practice you can keep flow rates up. View Quote Chief doesn't want to do times water relays for ISO rating. Afraid it with negativity impact that business insurance rates. My understanding is it would help insurance rates for people outside 1000 feet of hydrant ,but probably be less flow than within hydrant distance. |
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2 departments in my county. One is low key, and the other have more lights on their POVs than I have on my patrol truck. View Quote Vehicle inspection by chief ( decent appearance and good mechanical order ) Your personal insurance has to know you use it for fire dept. 360 warning lights and siren ( both have to be used if in motion) If he gets very many complaints your lights are pulled Most of the time I never turn mine on unless parked on side of the road. |
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Im not a firefighter but I went thru training for my medical cert with guys and gals that were rural firefighters and some of them were volunteer.
With what they have to do, for free or at their personal expense, my hat goes off to them. Ive only known one that was a whackjob and after responding to a fire drunk and stoned he's no longer welcomed at that station. Other than that dude, I much appreciate the desire to be there for your neighbors. |
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Yes volunteer FF's are a big joke.
They give up shit loads of time for training, and going on calls, and get no money or very little. They get to see mangled and burned bodies again for no money. Get hurt, and covered by workers compensation but very likely could lose thier "real" job. Stressed out and want to see a head shrink over tge dead, mangled, burned bodies, hopefully you have g oiid insurance through your "real" job. I got paid pretty good and have a decent pension that is about to begin, i was a volunteer for a couple of years before going paid, utmost respect for those guys. |
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Work on mutual aid. Work on tanker ops, we had water issues. With enough tankers and practice you can keep flow rates up. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted: Mine dropped from 9 to 5 over a number of years. Water supply and manpower are holding us back We are automatic 2 extra dept mutual aid on structure fire Just to get enough people and tanker trucks. We are small dept 2 stations. 3 engine 2 tanker 2 rescue 1 brush / field Hazmat deacon trailer Fire/rescue boat For a non-hydranted rural district with lots of small streams it seemed to work well. |
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Clearly fire burns differently in a vol vs. career area.
People also get sick and injured differently if it's a vol or career area..... I've done vol for 15 years and worked part time at a combination agency for 8. I've met career guys that I wouldn't trust to put a band-aid on me and I've met vol guys I'd go to the gates of hell and do an interior attack. The biggest leg up career agencies have is resources for training and the fact that guys can train on their regular shift. Some of the vol guys have to decide between missing their kids soccer game and attending training after work. It's not how the people are paid. It's how they do the job. Do the best you can and remember - you aren't doing it to feed your ego. You're doing it to serve the public. |
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Not sure where you got that idea. 5 years volly, 19 full time. I don’t recall seeing people crap on vollies around here.
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I volunteered for a really really good Dept back in NY and then again here in Ohio.
It was here that I learned why volunteer departments get a bad reputation. Some departments earn that reputation. |
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Not sure where you got that idea. 5 years volly, 19 full time. I don’t recall seeing people crap on vollies around here. View Quote During training I remind our recruits that career guys are going through the exact same training and have the exact same certs, we just get to sleep in more comfortable beds. |
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Look through any GD thread regarding the subject. You won’t see me posting in those, that’s for sure. During training I remind our recruits that career guys are going through the exact same training and have the exact same certs, we just get to sleep in more comfortable beds. View Quote The 240 card is just enough to get you killed in my opinion, and I was a 240 card holder. There is no comparison. |
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Quoted: To be fair, the volunteers get that training once (in Ohio) if they go for their 240 card. The career guys get 100x more continuing education after that initial 240 class. The 240 card is just enough to get you killed in my opinion, and I was a 240 card holder. There is no comparison. View Quote We get pretty tired of getting mutual aid calls to the neighboring areas where half or more of the people who respond only have a 36 and are not permitted to conduct interior ops. I cut my teeth on a part time/volly dept and am grateful for the experience, but as you have noticed the very low bar set for training and proficiency can't be overcome by good will and spirit. |
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In kY it's 150 and 400 hr
My dept trains one night a week minimum If we have new people it's 2 and 3 nights a week plus Saturday KY gives 18 months to get 150 hr Our chief cuts that to12 months We are blessed to have an in house state certified instructor With the amount of structure fires we have it take years for our guys to really get experience |
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Quoted: The 240 is ambitious for a lot of people even. We get pretty tired of getting mutual aid calls to the neighboring areas where half or more of the people who respond only have a 36 and are not permitted to conduct interior ops. I cut my teeth on a part time/volly dept and am grateful for the experience, but as you have noticed the very low bar set for training and proficiency can't be overcome by good will and spirit. View Quote I was a 240. It was the biggest shit show good ol’ boys club I have ever seen. It was straight up dangerous so I left. |
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In kY it's 150 and 400 hr My dept trains one night a week minimum If we have new people it's 2 and 3 nights a week plus Saturday KY gives 18 months to get 150 hr Our chief cuts that to12 months We are blessed to have an in house state certified instructor With the amount of structure fires we have it take years for our guys to really get experience View Quote If you guys are doing that much training for that low of a call volume it sounds like you are on the right path. The other hard part for so many places is keeping people feeling valuable and challenged so they stick around. Every department needs wise senior men and been there done that leaders. Do you have many, or any, guys on the roster that work as firefighters full-time elsewhere? |
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Quoted: I'm surprised to hear those are the standards in KY. Every time momentum in Ohio grows to increase the minimum training quals it is shouted down by mostly rural SE OH depts. Currently you can literally go to a single week of a M-F "fire academy", take your test Friday evening and by the next week you are an Ohio 36 hour vol. firefighter. If you guys are doing that much training for that low of a call volume it sounds like you are on the right path. The other hard part for so many places is keeping people feeling valuable and challenged so they stick around. Every department needs wise senior men and been there done that leaders. Do you have many, or any, guys on the roster that work as firefighters full-time elsewhere? View Quote We have one paid Most of our runs are medical and auto accidents We have retired paid in our area that are not interested. |
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I'm surprised to hear those are the standards in KY. Every time momentum in Ohio grows to increase the minimum training quals it is shouted down by mostly rural SE OH depts. Currently you can literally go to a single week of a M-F "fire academy", take your test Friday evening and by the next week you are an Ohio 36 hour vol. firefighter. If you guys are doing that much training for that low of a call volume it sounds like you are on the right path. The other hard part for so many places is keeping people feeling valuable and challenged so they stick around. Every department needs wise senior men and been there done that leaders. Do you have many, or any, guys on the roster that work as firefighters full-time elsewhere? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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In kY it's 150 and 400 hr My dept trains one night a week minimum If we have new people it's 2 and 3 nights a week plus Saturday KY gives 18 months to get 150 hr Our chief cuts that to12 months We are blessed to have an in house state certified instructor With the amount of structure fires we have it take years for our guys to really get experience If you guys are doing that much training for that low of a call volume it sounds like you are on the right path. The other hard part for so many places is keeping people feeling valuable and challenged so they stick around. Every department needs wise senior men and been there done that leaders. Do you have many, or any, guys on the roster that work as firefighters full-time elsewhere? FF1 now is a Pro Board (currently being phased in state-wide) test, written and practical, includes Hazmat Operations, First Aid/CPR, and over 186 hours formal training and multiple live fire evolutions. Granted, NY is also a AHJ state, so departments can roll their own, but ask the guys at Lairdsville how well that worked out for them. |
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Look through any GD thread regarding the subject. You won’t see me posting in those, that’s for sure. During training I remind our recruits that career guys are going through the exact same training and have the exact same certs, we just get to sleep in more comfortable beds. View Quote |
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25 year retired professional here...i say.... hats off to vollies! thanks for yall service
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Did it for 7 years before picking up a career gig. Nothing but respect for Vollie's. Most areas that surround my AO are still volunteers. We back them up 9n time of need and they do the same for us.
No one cares who shows up when you call 911. They just want someone that knows what they are doing. Have seen good and bad on both sides.... |
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What are you doing for recruitment ? We have a sign out at both stations all the time. We have 6 new people now if one stays a year we will be lucky. To much work for no money. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Almost to 25 years here. Small, rural Oklahoma department. We have a sign out at both stations all the time. We have 6 new people now if one stays a year we will be lucky. To much work for no money. All of us have deep roots in the community, that's why we volunteer. |
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Volunteer is different across the US. Its pretty sad the state it fell into in the time after 9/11. I began in 02 . Im now career as we transition. The reality is that almost every town that has a government CAN have paid staff and afford it. They choose not to and fund other things. Seeing all aspects of it Paid per call is probably best where limited budgets prevent full time staffing. Looking back at volly response times vs what we have now its amazing to see how much we improved. The reality is total volunteer staffing where paid could be present is robbing the public and placing them in greater danger of a low or no response. It is completely possible to have a very professional volunteer department but that is a very limited thing. Spending the time to train young members only to have them find children and work prevent them from coming a few years later is a disservice . Many people who could find a career in firefighting lose the ability when the towns just depend on a rotating door of new bodies to fill rosters.
My Captain said it best. Why do something for free if your really good at it? |
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And not to crap on you EMS guys but volunteer EMS above EMR IS A JOKE. Too much is involved to remain proficient . Paramedic is a definite no. That always should be a paid position full time staffed.
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Look through any GD thread regarding the subject. You won’t see me posting in those, that’s for sure. During training I remind our recruits that career guys are going through the exact same training and have the exact same certs, we just get to sleep in more comfortable beds. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Not sure where you got that idea. 5 years volly, 19 full time. I don’t recall seeing people crap on vollies around here. During training I remind our recruits that career guys are going through the exact same training and have the exact same certs, we just get to sleep in more comfortable beds. |
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Nice job OP, pat yourself on the back. I grew up going to volunteer fire department fund raisers all the timme. Unfortunately where I live now its all paid guys, 'working' whatever 3 day shifts, they spend most of their time parked in front of Kroger in the fire lane, loading up mmultiple carts of groceries. I know they eat well. View Quote |
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Volly here now retired 10 years engineer, 10 years chief, wife was in same dept 25 years, she was killed in a line of duty accident, serious ties with volunteer ff.
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