any one know about this brand of gear?

[RS1606]

http://www.veridian.net/vanguard.php my post got a grant to buy new gear. is this good gear? and whats the price? i cant find the price on the web site.

[BSFD9302]

You won't find prices. It needs to be quoted by a rep.

[RS1606]

oh ok. do you know anything about the gear?

[backsteprescue123]

Don't take this the wrong way, but as an explorer, you really only need gear that is certified. If it were me in charge, the advisors would find the cheapest NFPA compliant gear possible and buy a bunch of that. So as long as the stuff doesn't spontaneously combust, I'd say its fine for explorers. The last few years I was an explorer we were pretty lucky to have nicer gear which was only about 10 years old, before that, we had pretty crappy gear, but as explorers, what more do you need?

[mtg55]

I love grants. Like RFRD, I had a set of Astro gear that was older than I was as a Junior. But it got the job done. I've never heard of that brand, but if its a good value go for it. You shouldn't have to use it for any close proximity work, so go for something comfortable with mid-range protection. Please, just don't "wack" it out.....lol Keep it simple.

[RS1606]

so is veridian not certified?

[backsteprescue123]

so is veridian not certified?

According to their website, their gear is certified to NFPA 1971.

You misunderstood what we were saying. We are saying that you should get the cheapest certified gear possible. Perhaps even used gear. Explorers do not need nice gear.

[BSFD9302]

Let me ask a question, which grant program is the department receiving the award from?

[RS1606]

I do not know the name of the grant. they just told me that we got a grant and for me to find good gear.

[OsbornFPD]

I do not know the name of the grant. they just told me that we got a grant and for me to find good gear.

YOU to find the gear? I'm calling BS on this one

[RS1606]

im the chief of my explorer post, thats one of the thing i have to do. the gear that i find has to aproved by the chief of the department first. I also help organize our training.

[BSFD9302]

Well, I will say be careful. If this is an AFG award then there is a problem buying gear for non-firefighters. If it is a state grant I guess it all depends on the state. But I would say the powers that be are more concerned with equipping front line firefighters. If it is a private grant then could be skies the limit. But if it is AFG, which is the only grant program that I know of right now to provide bunker gear, you may want to do some checking before buying. I would hate to see your department go and buy $20,000 of bunker gear for explorers then have to pay it back for misappropriation of funds.

[RS1606]

alright, thank you. i will check into that, and also if you hear anything about the gear that ive asked about please let me know, i have a month to get prices and stuff.

[Jonnee]

The Chief of that Department or the Logistics' Officer should be looking into the gear for all members including career and explorers and not the explorer group.

The department can save lots of money when the gear is purchased by the department for all members and not by this division or that one.

I really don't see where the explorers have a say in this what so ever!

[RS1606]

it was just some grant or something idk. i honestly dont like haveing the chief title. but as you all can tell im not very bright, but im the smartest one in my post, and i am a great leader. the leader part was told to me by more that one chief or captian.

[mtg55]

Who from your department filed for the grant? That would be who I would ask to find out where the grant came from. If its AFG, well, it's been said. How many people are you getting gear for? I would say call whatever vendor your department already uses and get some prices from him.

[Cappy05]

RS, how old are you?

This is the impression I get from your posts, more specifically the one about you being a good leader. It appears that you are a little immature for a position that you are calling "Chief". First let me state I believe titles are important. There is one Chief on a department and one Chief only. There are Battalion Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs and/or Deputy Chiefs. Other than that there are no other Chiefs. Now for management purposes using Explorer Chief of Junior Chief maybe acceptable but not as a decision making or authoritative position.

Now I will explain why I feel you are a little too immature for the title of "Chief". A Chief will never talk about how good his leadership skills are and for that fact any other skill they have. If a person is a Chief, those skills should never be in question. Even if other firefighters have told you you have good leadership skills, you should never talk about that conversation. It almost seems as you are bragging, which is something else a Chief will never do about himself. He/She will always brag on his/her firefighters.

Now I am not saying you cannot have a "Chief" title. That is strictly my opinion on the matter. There is actually a young lady on here that I would be proud to have on my station as a Junior Assistant Chief (meaning assistant to the Chief not an authoritative position). I cannot remember her screenname at the moment but it starts with ASST CHIEF.

As for that gear, I have never heard of that gear, there a lot of newcomers to the market since the AFG program so I would beware of cheap quality. Not saying that gear is cheap just that there a lot of cheap brands out there now charging an arm and leg for inferior product.

Besides any grant funds unless received through the Boy Scouts should go to fire fighting purposes, which means something a firefighter can and will use.

I cannot stand to see a grant being perverted for reasons other than what they were intended for. All it does is reduce the grant opportunities for departments that can really use the funds for legitimate firefighting purposes.

[RS1606]

well Cappy05 like i stated i dont realy want to be the chief, i honestly dont think i have the ability as i whould call it to be a chief. in another department im with im an explorer capt and i love doing that. but chief is just not my thing. i love training, and i love training others, thats what i do best. im 17 in just a few more days and i admit that im not mature enough to be chief, but like i said the department that i am in has no one capable to fill the position, thats what the advisor told me. ( advisors are capts in our department.) but yes sir as soon as some one that can handle it im wanting to go back to capt and deal with training my men.

[RS1606]

allso i belive your talking about ASST.Chiefferrin or something like that.

[giweff]

We know you are not mature enough to be a chief but i am sure you are fine explorer chief don't let these guys on here get you down I am sure you are doing a good job. I think it's stupid that they give grants to explorer posts when there are firefighters on the job that don't have gear safe enough for outside a fire much less going inside. But hey I don't have a say in it. Look at spierian gear they are less expensive then most gear makers out there. Keep up the good work as Chief Explorer and do what you are told shut up and keep your mouth shut and you will be amazed by how much you learn.