Fire Poles/ Firehouse Dorms

[TruckSixFF]

This is two questions in one, first question is does your department still use fire pole(s). Second, do you have different bunk rooms for each company or does everyone sleep together? 19 out of my dept's 23 fire houses still have and use fire poles. At my house the dorms are on the 2nd floor and each company has its own dorm (engine/truck.) There is a pole in each dorm that sends the crew right down next to their rig. The Battalion Chief has his own room with a bunk and pole that sends him down to his buggy. It is nice to have separate bunks because during the night the tones only go off in the company's dorm that is going, unless the engine,truck, and BC are all due. When each company runs an average of 5+ calls a night that really helps out.

[BULL321]

We tried to put a fire poll in, but where told by OSHA that we could not install one in our new building. However we are going to have to install an elevator along with a set of interior steps, ADA and all .

As to your question of sleeping quarters: As we are still a 100% Vollie Dept. We do not live at the Fire House, but we are going to have two bunk rooms that will be able to sleep up to 4 FFs each, for when/if we ever do become a Paid/Combo Dept.

Stay Safe
Bull

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Two of our stations are one level, our oldest station has a pole, but nobody uses it.

Private dorm rooms for each firefighter at 2 of our stations, 1 station has a large dorm room with dividers for privacy.

[gunnyv]

No two story stations left, only one that had a pole is gone and the old pole is mounted in an alcove of the bay in the new station.

Of the 5 stations, 2 are built for only 1 company w/4 bunks each. Two are built with 2 dorms/4 bunks each, but only one is a double house. That house has an engine and truck, and they sleep in separate dorms, but the dorms are not dispatched individually. The 5th station has a 2 bed dorm for the BC and Capt, rest of engine and truck sleep in a common dorm.

[BryanLoader]

They renovated Station 1 several years ago and that was the last of the poles. Its still mounted in an alcove as someone else here did. As far as bunking, most stations accommodate from 18 to 26 people, usually 2 person rooms with en suite shower. Captains and above have single rooms.

[Jasper 45]

We have about a dozen houses that have poles in them. Maybe about half of those houses have poles that are still convenient to use. As renovations have been done on houses, many of the poles were eliminated, and the poles which were left are in spots that are more difficult to get to.

Our dorms are all common, and we have no distinction for engine/truck/chief runs; of course though, we still rely on a watchman to make the receipt of alarm and turnout of apparatus.

The houses which do have poles in easy access locations have them used very frequently.

[YFDLt08]

2 stations still have them. Rest are single story. We use them on the majority of runs, unless you've just stepped out of the shower

Sleeping quarter arrangements are pretty much split. Half have private rooms for Captain and above, the other half is one big happy family in the dorm. We don't separate companies.

[FFFRED]

Have them, use them...no issues.

FTM-PTB

[GTRider245]

2 of our 16 stations have fire poles and they are still used. Like others mentioned above, they are the only stations in the department that are two story.

My previous career department has a pole that is now out of service, but still up for show. At the time (2006) it was said to be the tallest fire pole in the state of Georgia. It came from a former Augusta-Richmond County station. I have seen a lot of stations across the state, and nothing comes close to the height of that pole.

[snowball]

Have them, use them...no issues.

FTM-PTB

co-signed...

[cozmosis]

I work in a two-story house now, but we have a spiral staircase -- no pole. I think the pole would be much safer. (We don't even have tradition to thank for the spiral... just a lack of space during a previous remodel job.)

Our living quarters were originally designed for one or two firefighters. They now sometimes house up to seven (if no one is off). We have a room with four bunks (one bunk is in a closet), a room with two (converted training room) and a room for one (old chief's office). I believe that all of the platoons split up between companies so you can sleep through the night if the other is busy.

New station should open next month. It is one floor and has individual dorm rooms with bathroom pods. After another remodel, those of us left in this station will move downstairs. We'll be safer because we won't have to use the spiral but we'll have to have someone slap up before we get on the apparatus because we won't have a half mile walk to wake us up.

[RareRamAir]

Don't have poles, wish we did. Everyone sleeps in the same rooms at both stations.

[JMac73]

4 out of 42 stations have poles. I believe they do get used as far as I know. i work at a single story house.

[Just a new name]

Have and use. Dorm bunks have a privacy wall.

[jeffra305]

My house had them. They took them out in 96 I believe. Now we use a steep arse staircase. They took them out before we got the exuast hose system. My house is the only two story station in the city. Second part of the question, the dorm used to be one big room with cots that stationed roughly 23, that was in the hay day of riding 5 on every truck. Now the dorm is room is cut up into cubicles with sliding doors, the walls are about 8 feet high. The engine crew and truck crew dorm in the same "room." The Cheif has his own quarters and bathroom, and the squad company who runs the majority of the calls after midnight sleep in their own quarters, with a door. All crews have their own tones. I wish we still had the poles, it would be nice not to stumble down stairs wiping sleep out of you eyes.

[fyreline]

Q1.) Does your department still use fire poles?
A1.) Yes, every Syracuse fire station has multiple poles.

Q2.) Do you have different bunk rooms for each company or does everyone sleep together?
A2.) Engine and Truck dorms are separate. Chief's rooms are all on the first floor.

[yjbrody]

Q1.) Does your department still use fire poles?
A1.) 1 of 3 stations has one and uses it

Q2.) Do you have different bunk rooms for each company or does everyone sleep together?
A2.) Everyone sleeps together

[jonnyirons2]

Two of our stations are one level, our oldest station has a pole, but nobody uses it.

Private dorm rooms for each firefighter at 2 of our stations, 1 station has a large dorm room with dividers for privacy.

Privacy? Why on earth would you need privacy lol!

[fireguy1125]

New firehouse, new pole, nobody is allowed to use it. We have to walk from 2nd floor of firehouse, all the way to the other side, down the stairs, then walk back to the other side where gear room is.

The pole drops down right by gear lockers.

[FFPCogs08]

Mine is a VFD but we still have and use a pole from the Rec room and bunk area (6 beds) upstairs to the Engine room (apparatus floor). There are also 2 more bunks on the 1st floor adjacent to the alarm room (watch desk) and Engine room.
Usual compliment in house at night is 4-6. 2 or 3 second and third shift guys usually bunk in days. 1st floor bunks are partitioned as are 4 of the 6 upstairs w/ tv hookups and WiFi. Also have a set of bunk beds in the upstairs bunkroom.

We are looking into adopting an in house 4 man duty shift rotation for guaranteed coverage nights and weekends, so for now our pole will remain and continued to be used.

Cogs