Meals at the station

[Romania]

This applies to all fire stations that are manned 24/7. How many of you eat atleast one meal together (as call volume allows)? All the crews at my station eat together. We usually go out and get breakfast burritos (love being in the southwest!) together in the morning after PT and bring them back to the station (unless we eat out or have training), and then we shop, cook, and eat dinner together. It has come to my attention that many of the other crews around us don't, all of Phoenix does (or the ones that I know of), but many of the other departments don't. I feel that eating together builds the family atm. that is so important to our unique profession. What do you all think?

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Alan Romania, CEP
romania@uswest.net
IAFF Local 3449

My Opinions do not reflect the opnions of the IAFF or Local 3449.




[This message has been edited by Romania (edited November 01, 1999).]

[Lt Overmyer]

AT our stations, each crew has what is termed the food fund. Every two weeks each person that wants to be on the food fund contributes $25 to it. Usually we take turns in doing the shopping, and usually that shopping is done on your day off. But can be done while on duty. On my shift, I have the chauffer of the engine usually do the cooking, and with our shifts, that is 3 times a week. If the chauffer is on vacation that shift or calls in sick, then I, as the officer pick up the slack and do the cooking for that set. We rotate our chauffers. He/she gets out of doing most of the other duties, so he/she can concentrate on their important job. Yes I do believe this helps brings togetherness between the members. It is a time of sharing and relaxation. Plus if you cook, everyone else has to pitch in and do the dishes, including all the pots and pans that you may have had to use to get the job done.
We have a kelly day system at our department. We work 24 hour shifts, and it goes like this. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, off 4 days. Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, off 4 days. Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, off 4 days. I think you get the picture. Stay safe.

[JimDWFD]

At the station i'm at we normal eat dinner together. Because we are a combination dept. that have part-time firefighters some of them eat with us and some wait to go home to eat with their families. Lunch is a day to day thing. If no one brings in left overs then we have lunch together too. We normally don't go over $8 for both meals.

Stay Safe Local 3437

[TRUCK CAPTAIN]

I also work in the valley of the sun. I'm captain on L-302c on my crew i'm very fortunate in that I have two excellent cooks each morning we all drop 10.00 dollars into a "kitty" prior to lunch we go shopping for our grub then we sit down as a "family" and eat lunch and dinner together the only time this is effeted is if we get kicked out on a call or training schedule interfers. What ever money is left over in the kitty at the end of the month we use to stock our refrigerator. and yes we do have one refrigerator for each shift(you need to keep your eye on those A & B shifters lol)well be safe my brothers and bon apetite

[HHoffman]

In our dept. we eat supper together every shift. On my shift we have two people that do most of the cooking. We go out to the store during the lunch break. We have a shift fund that was started long ago. All food is bought out of this fund then the cost is split between the members eating. We round the cost up, all profit is used to help pay for our yearly shift party. Every Friday my shift works we make homemade pizza, all you can eat for about $3.

On weekends and holidays we have a rotation and when its your turn you buy the food needed to make breakfast. ( about $25 )

Stay Safe All and Good Eating!

[Hammerhead338]

There always has to be someone that is different, and that would be us. On our shift we all bring our own food, the guys at the other station are the other way. They will eat at least 2 meals together but lunch you fend for your self. The only time that we as a shift eat to gether is over the holadays.

Joe
Local 3905

[benson911]

We have a "supper club" that you pay $1 to each shift you work. That buys the coffee, condiments, bread, spices and other basics. Meals are usually eaten together with the junior man doing the "store run." Some shifts will eat lunch separately but dinner is almost always a community meal.

At Holiday time, the surplus in the "supper club" is used to buy the Turkey/Ham/Steak dinner. Also, when you finish your probationary year and after you reach top pay (5 years) you buy your shift dinner. Promotions usually result in a free meal, too.

[E7engineer]

We eat lunch and supper together, The folks on rescue for that shift, goes to the store and gets the lunch and then dinner later. We all chip in, to help pay for it. I agree that eating together, brings you together. Like a family. worked other shifts that fends for yourself. felt like an outsider.
be safe....

[Ledbelly]

...work the same shift schedule as Lt Overmyer, on C shift like Truck Captain (does B shift ever clean anything over there? http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/wink.gif), cook lunch and supper same as E7. We all pitch in 5-6 bucks a shift for chow kitty. Cooking duties usually rotate every shift or every three, although a few crews have found someone they like and so have "permanent" cook. On weekends, lunch is usually a brunch and on holidays most stations host the families. Anyone getting OT springs for ice cream for crew.

I like the "family thing" too and do think it's one of great things about our job. Like E7, I've been to stations where it's every man for himself and it does feel strange...besides being a pain in the butt to fix a decent meal for one.

[FFE3BFD]

We do the $5.00 a pay period for the coffee fund that takes care of the basics.(ie. milk, coffee, condiments)For breakfast, someone usually brings in bagel's or bacon & eggs and it's a make your own. Lunch we pick up something from one of the establishments in town. We have some of the best Itallian and Polish deli's in the area. 9 times out of 10, the engine crew and truck crew end up at the same place. For dinner we all sit down together whether we cook or order out.
Holiday's we go over board, steak & tails, prime rib, roast turkey with all the trimings.

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~Smooth Bore For The Hard Core~

[LT trk106]

We have both lunch and dinner together on our dept. All shifts do the same thing. We rotate the cook days. LT. start the cycle and goes to the next senior FF. Rookie has the last cycle day. We get a food allowance from the city every pay period, but we also kick in when we have to.The only difference is sundays and holidays. Then we make just one meal at noon and fend for youreself for super( left overs).
And I agree with ledbelly. Those guys on B crew never clean anything.LOL.

LT.

[NAMBONK]

HELLO, WE USALLY COOK UP EVERY OTHER SHIFT....I USALLY COOK FOR THE GUY/GIRLS. WHEN WE DECIDE WHAT WE ARE GOINING TO HAVE, THE JR. MAN GOES TO THE STORE.... THE BILL IS SPLIT UP AFTER THE JR. CLEANS THE KITCHEN...SEE YA.

[Boothby]

The mighty 14's is a big house with Eng-14, Truck-3, Unit-3, and Batt-3, that makes 11 people. The way we work is in the morning after we do rig checks we all sit down to breakfast together. Bacon, eggs, buiscuts, gritts (it's a souther thing). After breakfast its housework. We rotate the front and the back between the pumper and the truck. The medic and the emt detailed to the unit are exempt from housework since they run so much. Lunch is hit or miss, and then we usually get together for supper. For us breakfast is the meal that is most important. It brings everybody together right at the start of the shift. It is also a great time for the Lt's and the Chief to lay out the days plan.

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Larry Boothby
Firefighter/Paramedic
Truck 3 A-shift
Local 1784
Memphis.

[Pickhead]

At my station and most throughout the city we collect a "hall bill" after every payday which covers the basics, Staple foods(sugar,coffee,tea,), newspaper, extra telephone lines, cable tv. We also collect a food bill for the shift, usually 6 to 8 dollars. we usually have a quick and easy breakfast(oatmeal, pancakes, eggs and bacon), an easy to prepare lunch(sandwinch, chiledogs, fried spam{station favorite}), and then a nice dinner. I do most of the cooking at my station. I enjoy it, I get to have what I like, and it gets me out of having to do other station duties.

[LadderCo13]

With 12 guys in my firehouse, we each pay 7 dollars per shift. That gets you pretty much all you can eat for lunch and supper. We take turns cooking so that comes around once every 10 shifts or so. We have a Battalion Chief and his XO in house. They are not in the cooking rotation due to thier dutys and run load. Most of the guys eat breakfast at home, or just eat odds and ends at the firehouse till lunch...

Be Safe...

[rocketboy192]

We usually cook one meal a shift. Usually, it is dinner because lunch is hit or miss. We often cook breakfast but this is also hit or miss.

We have 11 people at our house (engine, ambulance, and a squad) and most of them cook so we're in luck!

[jrj918]

at my station and my shift we make and eat breakfast and supper together we decide what to eat,bring it in or go out and buy it,and split the cost. lunch is made sometimes but not always.
not all stations and all shifts do this.at those it's fend for yourself

[Ken Hanks]

My department works 3 days on, 3 off, 3 nights on. Usualy breakfast is cooked every day: egg sandwiches or pancakes, home fries, etc. Dinner is cooked in house at least 1 of the 3 nights. Depends on the shift and who is working. Lunch is almost always takeout or brown bag special.

I was on the "C" shift until last July. My driver was a chef for 19 years before being hired in the FD. This guy can cook.

He would not only make the dinner, but he would also insist on preparing the plates before we would eat. Presentation is important. Typical meal would be 4 to 6 dollars. The food (quality and quantity) would be equal to a 20 to 30 dollar meal at a good restrauant.

Five dollars per person covers coffee, condiments, and supplies. Collected as needed.


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Ken Hanks
Captain
Naugatuck FD
IAFF L1219

Instructor
Connecticut Fire Academy


[This message has been edited by Ken Hanks (edited November 19, 1999).]

[Lieutenant Gonzo]

On my group in my station, mealtime tends to vary between takeout or cooking in, depends on what is going on during the day. If it seems to be relatively quiet, for example, no inspections scheduled, we will get together and decide what we will have for our meal. We stop by the local supermarket and do the shopping, then divide the cost of the meal between those who are participating. Each shift has its own pantry cabinet for their stuff and takes up a collection on a weekly basis to pay for the coffee, pasta, canned goods and snacks. We also have a kitty set up for those who are working overtime with us, we charge a nominal fee for anything taken from the locker. Most shifts do this to help defray the expenses.

[phyrngn]

I'm a floater (Junior Man) on my shift, so I get to see how each of the 14 stations in my department eat. Most stations have a noon "mess" (which is actually around 11:30, so that we can have an hour nap from noon to 1 LOL!!), where we choose the meal in the morning, get the groceries, and cook it. Some stations only eat together on weekends, and some don't eat together at all. At all stations, we pay monthly "mess" dues, which comes to around $7 or $8. That pays for condiments, newspaper, cable bill, butter, coffee, etc. Depending on the station, your daily meal could run between $3 and $10. Downtown, they spare no expense and eat "BIG" meals like prime rib, turkey and stuffing, etc. Other stations are very frugal and make things that you can use for leftovers. I might get out of mess (I do like the family atmosphere) at the beginning of 2000...the food is soooo good it's making me FAT!!!

Stay safe....

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[Probie]

Our stations have a cooking rotation. Everyone chips in around $6 per day and one or two people cook for the crews. We do the shopping each shift day, prepare and eat on station. Our subs will always lend a hand in the cooking effort..

[eppie]

We usually eat together. Normally we send the Rookie to the store or to pick up take-out, at the end of the day we divide up the total.

[JERRY SULLIVAN]

eating together means alot,besides the ball braking, we've always ate together,i think it makes for a much tighter crew. we buy the food and divide the bill by 8, use to work with a guy that said i dont care what we eat as long as it is'nt hambuger helper. cause if you got to help hamburg, you in some do,do and you sure ain't no cook.

[Brian Pratt]

My shift always eats together, either cook-in or take-out. The only difference with us is our shopping has to be done before work. We can only use the trucks to pick up at a restaurant, quickly.

My comments...not EFD

[D. Anderson]

Most of our stations everybody eats dinner together with whoever has the night watch doing the cooking. A lot of the new people coming on (I only have four years myself)are not eating with us for religious (no pork, etc.) or dietery (vegetarian, etc.) reasons. We try to accomodate them as best we can but they're still out. Sucks for crew bonding! We pay around 10 dollars a month depending if you drink coffee or not. Some of the tighter crews eat the same lunch either cooked or bought.

[Truck 2]

We work 10's & 14's, 10 hour days and 14 hour nights and we change at 1730 and 0730. Some of the people eat at home and some bring stuff in and just heat it in the microwave. My wife works so I pick up chinese or a sanwich or have a pizza droped off. We have breakfast when we work weekend days and its a chip in and two of the guys are pretty good cooks so they get the honors. When someone is having a birthday they treat the house, that cold be anything from deer steaks to pizza! We take turns picking up coffee, our house fund is $45 dollars a year or $1.00 a tour, that pays the two daily newspapers, cable TV,or new TV's and things like mustard and salt and pepper.Since we don't work 24's I think thats the big reason we don't cook big meals, some of the other shifts cook more than we do, Stay Safe and make sure you go home tonight!

Lt.Chuck
Truck-2

[Dave Grice]

We have two stations (8 at St. 1 and 4 and St. 2), and both are the same in that most guys fend for themselsves but usually all eat at the same time together. The guys at station two usually have more meals together because they are out of the chief's sight and have more time to go out and buy groceries and cook. We here at 1's house aren't that lucky. Even when things are quiet we have to "look busy" so we don't usually get the time to prepare meals. The exception is the weekend shifts. On Saturdays and Sundays whoever is on shift usually plan huge brunches. Two's members come down to the big house and we all participate in cooking and washing up. It's one of the things I love most about the job. Our brunches usually out do any breakfast or brunch that ANY restaurant could offer. Just makes me hungry thinking about it!

[Lieutenant Gonzo]

Meals at the firehouse are one of the most important times of the day. It doesn't matter if you work 10's and 14's or 24 hour shifts. It's a big plus if can you get through a meal without being interrupted by calls! (I guess that 's what the microwave oven was invented for!) There has been a lot of good responses to Alan Romania's question.... I'm sure that there are many firehouse chefs out there who could probably work in a five star restaurant if they wanted to! There are some great cookbooks with recipes from firefighters, many of the meals in them are both healthy and delicious!

A friend of mine once summed up the importance of mealtime at the firehouse:

"A firefighter with his mind on his stomach cannot find his way through the flames..." an original quote from Jim Doherty, Worcester Fire Department. http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

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Take care and be safe...Lt. Gonzo

[This message has been edited by Lieutenant Gonzo (edited January 17, 2000).]

[JEFF MELLENCAMP]

Hello, Our department has two manned stations and our district covers 75 sq miles and is separated by a bridge which separates district 1 and 2. We were told that due too the long distance to calls if we were at one station together that we werer supposed to stay on our side of the bridge. Well you know your A and B shifts don't think they need to do that so what happens is they get a call across town and it takes them forever to get there. I believe we owe it to the publicto stay in our assigned area and provide them with the service we do. We do on occasion eat together on holidays and after monday training.
stay safe

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FIREFIGHTER MELLENCAMP IAFF 3987

[This message has been edited by JEFF MELLENCAMP (edited January 17, 2000).]

[LieutE2]

Eating together is the best way to get to know each other. All are together focusing on one goal and basking in the accomplishment that,at least in our case, we can make a cheap, delicious meal, that is not your typical bachelor meal of fishsticks and mac and cheese. This is time when the white shirts ( officers) and blue shirts, have only a tee shirt on, and ALL are open and fair game. This breeds a trust and comraderie that only sitting down to a meal, turning off the TV, and talking, can deliver.
We also have a station kitty where we pay 4 dollars a pay to cover Cable TV, paper, condiments, coffee, etc. For larger purchases, ie. TV, grill, we have a station, shift by shift vote. If the purchases is approved, the cost is split between the shifts.
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Be smart and stay safe

[This message has been edited by LieutE2 (edited January 18, 2000).]

[Pizan]

It is also tough on my department, because we are a combo. But I usually cook every Red shift for my crew, not to exceed $8.00 a person. I call the on coming part timers and invite them to eat with us and I let them know the menu and cost before hand. I feel this DOES build a relationship. I am very proud of my profesiion and the relationships I am building. I can tell all of you who read this I love my shift brother and my Captain as if they were (they are) my family.
A simple activity like this does build a great relationship.