Fire Dept.

After being off the dept. for 8 years they asked me to come back as a driver operator so I did. We had the remnants of the hurricane go through here the night before last and it was busy 24 hours for us. We usually get around twenty calls a month, and yesterday was 19. We had a lot of wires down calls, some propane calls due to generators, alarm activations, and mutual aid calls. Three Guys on one truck went on one call, when retuning got called mutual aid to another town, got released from that and got dispatched to another mutual aid in another town. They were hungry and low on fuel when they got back. One call was for a town owned shed that blew over. Five of us rolled it back up, and yes we got pics.

Just glad you are OK.

Rick

I know what you mean. I was a volunteer for 22 years and went into business for myself so I retired. That was over 20 years ago. The Department keeps asking me the same thing.
We had 3 companies with a 75 man roster and a short waiting list. Now they are down to about 18 total with all the chiefs and captains and everything. Insurance has driven this to a non-paid professional status. If the young guys join and get the schooling, soon they are hired by paid departments and off they go. Can't blame them I guess. My youngest son just did that very same thing.

Had 10years experience , all the training and was a captain four years on the Nuclear power Plant’s Fire Department . Couldn’t get more than an interview for the local hall. There is a waiting list dozens long for South Hampton, Port Elgin, Kincardine and Ripley.
Go inland out of the nuclear bubble and volunteer departments are staffed with retirees who have had heart attacks, can’t find enough volunteers.

Good grief! When I was in Fire Dept, we got called out for fires, water (and other) rescues, vehicle fires and accidents, etc, but never for a shed blown over. That's a new one on me.

I left my VFD when I entered the USAF. When I got out, got back on the VFD, but it was different - too many "chiefs". Things had gotten so bad that there were times when our dept. would get called out and crews would come to the station, but nobody qualified to drive the truck and operate the pumps. It was a mess!

Was going to go paid after the Air Force, but just the last couple of months I was there, the (can't remember which) State Gov't or Fed Gov't changed things and made it so that any time and training put into military firefighting would no longer count towards getting onto a paid civilian dept. I would have been at the end of that long list of applicants. Other opportunities came up, so went another route.

Also, fire fighting didn't used to pay NEARLY as well as it does now!!

I've been on the local Volunteer Fire Department for 21 years. 17 of those years as an officer. New York
State is trying to turn us in to professional firefighters. They want us to put the same hours in and take
the same classes that payed firemen do. It is going to kill small Departments. We usually run right
around 300 calls a years. Also, we spend a lot of time "fundraising" just to get enough money to get some
of the things we need. The price of Fire equipment is ridiculous. Its almost as bad as government prices.
A lot of the time you can buy equipment (that is the same stuff you can get for the fire service) but its
not approved for fire ground. The approved stuff is 4 times more expensive. The system is broken.

I was on a FD for 22 years. Retired at 55. Enjoyed being able to help the community and it was a fun
bunch of guys. Older guys retired and young guys came in. Went from friendly to if you weren't one of
the "click",you were totally ignored and you had no say in anything. I miss being on the dept but I
sure don't miss the BS.

Also rural volunteer.

The difference between urban and rural fire management

Urban "Put it out before it burns something"

Rural (often) "Burn something before we put it out"

I have no fire fighter background but
it does amaze me how much time is
needed to be a volunteer. I have
considered it but the time makes it
pretty prohibitive. The local deal
here is your credentials have to be
fireman and emt. Both needed but crazy
to make a person do both.

I'm confused. Only if you live in a totally unincorporated area would you need a "volunteer" fire department. If you have a place that gets 19 calls in a day, wouldn't that warrant YOUR tax money going to a fire department? Not arguing, just curious.

19 calls in one day would wipe our department out - we average 30 or 40 calls per YEAR. These
calls involve fires (of course), false alarms with automatic systems, car accidents where
extrication or vehicle stabilization is required, support of EMS to provide "lift assist" (we are
only firefighters, not EMT's), and other similar work. We have about 20 on our roster, all 100%
volunteer and all with regular jobs. A number of the guys have local jobs and make up the
primary first response crew for daytime weekday calls. Others (me included) have permission from
our supervisors to leave at any time for a page but from where I work it is a 15 minute drive to
the station so I only go if more help is needed or if the location of the call within the
district means I could get there quickly from the office. My gear bag lives in my pickup so I
don't need to go to the station to suit up. With our crew being scattered around the district we
always have a number of guys respond to calls in their personal vehicles unless their route to
the scene takes them through town where the station is located. (The first order of business for
us after a page is to organize over the radio who is bringing what trucks.)

(quoted from post at 15:13:25 10/31/17) I'm confused. Only if you live in a totally unincorporated area would you need a "volunteer" fire department. If you have a place that gets 19 calls in a day, wouldn't that warrant YOUR tax money going to a fire department? Not arguing, just curious.

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I'm confused. I don't believe that unincorporated townships even have fire departments. They get covered by adjacent towns. I am a member of our towns fire department. My and everyone else's tax money funds our fire department. As others have posted the stuff is expensive. 300 to 700 K for a truck. $1100 for a set of turn-outs. Are you saying that we are not a fire department?

(quoted from post at 14:01:32 10/31/17) Also rural volunteer.

The difference between urban and rural fire management

Urban "Put it out before it burns something"

Rural (often) "Burn something before we put it out"

Click to expand...

No matter where they are it seems that fires give up too quickly these days. You used to be able to call the surrounding towns in and everybody got their wack at it. No more. A half minute shot from the hose and the fire is all done. No fun.

Oh no, your definitely a fire department. i'm just asking when or what determines a volunteer fire dept vs what is funded by the taxes you pay at the local level?

I understand the equipment is extremely expensive. I would assume, the local tax authority has created a tax, mill, whatever to cover that expense.

I'm not casting aspersions, just curious. I have never been in a local volunteer fire service. I maybe making a bad assumption, but I assumed my taxes paid for fire departments.

(quoted from post at 14:36:00 10/31/17) I have no fire fighter background but
it does amaze me how much time is
needed to be a volunteer. I have
considered it but the time makes it
pretty prohibitive. The local deal
here is your credentials have to be
fireman and emt. Both needed but crazy
to make a person do both.

Click to expand...

ABSOLUTELY!! That was one of the major reasons I chose not to pursue a career in the pain dept. I was naturally very good with fires of all sorts, but I SUCKED when it came to first aid! I had basic first aid certification and most of the way to advanced, but then they demanded minimum EMT certification. Just ain't my gig.

I've talked with LEO's who say we're crazy for running into a burning house. They just can't grasp the concept. Many firefighters are that way about fires - we excel at that, but just can't see leaving each morning for a job where 1/2 the people you meet that day may want you dead! It all boils down to doing what you're good at, and when it comes to medical, I've never been very good.

I am a volunteer going into my 54th year next month--I don't go in burning buildings any more but am senior operator of our engines. The fire house,supplies,equipment are all supported by tax money, the contributions support the volunteers activity. we run around 400 fire calls per year but also around 1200 ambulance calls a year. We have a paid paramedic and an EMT 24/7, but the ambulance is manned by volunteers and it is difficult for them with that many calls

I think Showcrop was saying they had 19 calls for the month. Anyhow, I am a 40 year active volunteer fire fighter/officer.
Our fire department owns all of the apparatus, equipment and buildings. Our township does not provide any financial support. They did offer us off road diesel fuel but we declined. We are for the most part rural with a few housing developments. Our area has great mutual aid due to lack of man power.

Jacksonfire.com

showcrop, I kind of miss it also, I was on VFD back thru 1970-1989, serving as chief for 2yrs and assist chief 3 or so. I drove an ambulance 24 hr. every Tuesday for 5 years. I don't miss the middle of the night below zero for fires or EMS. We served our township plus 1/2 of the townships East and West of us. We supplied mutual aid to the other half of those plus the ones to North and South, or where ever needed. With being in bodyshop for 44yrs. also running wrecker out all hours of night. I could leave shop for fires and EMS but would make up work missed as I worked strictly commission. When we bought this place we were out of the township so that is when I got out.

$1100 for a set of bunker gear wouldn't go very far. It is about double that for the Globe
gXtreme suits we are issued. Plus the helmet, boots, gloves, etc and you are wearing $2500
pretty easy. And don't forget the $1000 radio you have in your pocket. Yup, fire stuff is
expensive. But, it is easy to see why - anything that is highly-engineered and sold in
relatively small volumes is bound to be expensive. Especially when it is designed to keep people
safe under very hazardous conditions.

Our station is located in a small town of about 600 people and our district extends 5 to 8 miles
in all directions. The distance we go depends on the proximity of the neighboring towns and
their department's coverage. Where the towns are more widespread the districts get larger but as
you say, the departments are virtually all located in towns.

(quoted from post at 18:13:50 10/31/17)

(quoted from post at 15:13:25 10/31/17) I'm confused. Only if you live in a totally unincorporated area would you need a "volunteer" fire department. If you have a place that gets 19 calls in a day, wouldn't that warrant YOUR tax money going to a fire department? Not arguing, just curious.

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I'm confused. I don't believe that unincorporated townships even have fire departments. They get covered by adjacent towns. I am a member of our towns fire department. My and everyone else's tax money funds our fire department. As others have posted the stuff is expensive. 300 to 700 K for a truck. $1100 for a set of turn-outs. Are you saying that we are not a fire department?

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Depends on where your located, Our fire dept is in a small community of a dozen houses with only a post office, we cover 49 square miles but it's 95% farm land and less than 600 property owners. We provide mutual aid for a neighboring town of around 2000 population.
A few years ago we finally got the county to include fire dues on the property tax bill, but it's still volunteer pay, if they don't want to pay they don't have to, but more are paying now than before.
Of the 8 departments in our county only 3 are in towns and 1 is in a good sized community, the rest like mine are at some cross roads with a few houses that's the remnants of a small community in day's past, but are located there in order to cover areas to far out for the city depts.
Water shuttling is big around here, some of the towns water systems are old and inadequate, less than half of the county is supplied by the local water system, the nearest fire hydrant to our fire house is 3 miles away.
A plain jane commercial cab fire truck will cost nearly $300K, we where lucky and got a FEMA grant in 2010 to purchase a new fire engine, 2 door commercial cab demonstrator with a nice pump and foam system was over $280k.
Bunker gear, coat, pants, boots, gloves and helmet will cost over $2500 per set today, air paks are another $6500, the small amount of funds we get barely keeps us supplied with the needed equipment in order to keep the doors open, nothing left to pay fire fighters, not even me the chief.
Everyone is volunteer and although the state and county want's all fire fighters to be EMT certified less than 10% are, they where talking about forcing us to take the training, but after over 75% of the members from all 8 departments threatened to walk if they where forced to become EMT certified they backed off.
I provide enough of my free time to the fire service, local ambulance service and EMT's get paid, if they want me to train and provide medical services, they need to pay me for it.
Not many volunteering these days, they don't want the spend the time taking all of the added training now required. No way am I going to tell them they have to take additional medical training so that they can get up at two in the morning and go bandage someones stumped toe.
Most are CPR and AED trained for life and death emergencies but that's enough, I volunteered for fire service, not medical.

Sorry for the rant, I just get wound up about them wanting us to proved more free services while their all getting paid.

Goderich,Clinton,Seaforth etc all have waiting lists, not many heart attack or retirees in those depts either.....think your behind the times with
your information....

(quoted from post at 18:04:45 10/31/17) I think Showcrop was saying they had 19 calls for the month. Anyhow, I am a 40 year active volunteer fire fighter/officer.
Our fire department owns all of the apparatus, equipment and buildings. Our township does not provide any financial support. They did offer us off road diesel fuel but we declined. We are for the most part rural with a few housing developments. Our area has great mutual aid due to lack of man power.

Jacksonfire.com

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No, it was nineteen yesterday.

I see a that major change since I got back on in the number of calls is the number of mutual aid calls. Back in more conservative times chiefs would rarely call for help until they were on scene and saw the need. A few times I would be driving by the scene on the way to the station, or be first on scene and call in a second alarm but that was rare, it was usually the chief. Today, because fewer people volunteer, fire departments are harder pressed to put the needed manpower on the scene, so there are a lot of automatic mutual aid calls that go out with the initial dispatch. This means more manpower, but it also means more burden in calls per year per firefighter. There will always be adrenaline junkies though, and despite motorcycle racing, ski racing, snowmobiling, I could never get my adrenaline fix like I could from being the first guy in on a hose line with the heat and the crackling, and the steam, and zero visibility except for maybe a faint orange glow. There is just nothing else like it.

Our unincorporated township has a volunteer Fire Department, as does the next township East of us does. We DO have, as part of our property taxes, an assessment for our township. Now, this is in Iowa. Our Fire Department owes NO money--ALL equipment, even our Firehouse, is a 'pay as you go'. We are 'mutual aid' with several small towns, the farthest 15 miles. It has been talked about that maybe we need to have a full time Fire Station, but so far, it's just talk. We are situated where Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 run together, so there are quite a number of rescues involved. House insurance would be less with a full time Fire Department; maybe that would offset the property tax increase necessary.

Try Teeswater and Atwood .

(quoted from post at 22:37:13 10/31/17) $1100 for a set of bunker gear wouldn't go very far. It is about double that for the Globe
gXtreme suits we are issued. Plus the helmet, boots, gloves, etc and you are wearing $2500
pretty easy. And don't forget the $1000 radio you have in your pocket. Yup, fire stuff is
expensive. But, it is easy to see why - anything that is highly-engineered and sold in
relatively small volumes is bound to be expensive. Especially when it is designed to keep people
safe under very hazardous conditions.

Click to expand...

See, that's the kind of thing that unnecessarily drives up costs. Outside of the interior fire fighters, why does anyone need $2500.00 of turn out gear and $1k radio in their pocket? Why does a perfectly good pumper have to be replaced at 10 years old to the tune of half a million dollars? Why are volunteers in Podunk, NY held to the same standards as professionals in NYC? Because someone someplace paid a lot of politicians to pass laws saying it had to be. And what did this do? It made it impossible for small towns to afford fire protection, made it exponentially harder to find people who will volunteer and put a tremendous, unnecessary load on the taxpayer. People will lose their homes because of this and probably some lives will be lost too. It's already happened here.