Volunteers living at the station

[pattyb254]

I need a favor from my firehouse brothers. Does anyone have sop's or guidelines about firefighters living in the firehouse? If you are a volunteer service that houses volunteers, how do you go about it? What rules do you have? Can they only stay the night they work? House chores? Log-in, log out? How do you keep track?

[FIREguy2011]

Well, as long as they isn't any conflicts between the on duty crews, therer shouldn't be a problem. It shouldn't be any different than on-duty crews working that night.

[Eng34FF]

Generally need permission from the president to be a live-in member. You are expected to run calls overnight, although you can take turns with others either sleeping in or live-ins. Bunks to be made in the morning and personal items to be put away in the lockers. Live-ins also have a bunk assigned. People sleeping in have to find another bunk.

Live-ins are also responsible for making sure that common areas (lounge and kitchen) are kept clean as well as the bunk-rooms. That doesn't mean that they have to clean themselves, but just to make sure it gets done. Other obvious rules are no alcohol and no coming back to the station after drinking.

[tree68]

Eng34FF pretty well sums up what I suspect are the policies at my son's volunteer department, which is also in MD.

I know they've had some "long term" residents there in the past.

[hwoods]

Eng34's explanation pretty well covered us too..........

[Blulakr]

My father-in-law was chief at a neighboring district that had live-in volunteers.
One problem they had was with late-night 'visitors'. They instituted a policy of no opposite-sex visitors after hours. Problem was that this policy didn't affect all of the members, some preferred same-sex 'visitors'.

[Eng34FF]

The general rule is no visitors at all after a certain time. Takes care of the same-sex, opposite sex problem. Also, in general, only members or immediate family allowed in the bunk room area.

[LaFireEducator]

We have a slightly different arrangement. Members are allowed to ride-out, inmcluding overnight , but not live at our Central Station.

They must go on all runs, participate in all functions of the shift incluiding service calls, station work, training and maintaience testing/tasks.

We also have 4 mobile homes at 5 of our volunteer stations. These homes accomodate up to 2 firefighters each. The members pay no rent but must pull a total of 45 hours of dutye each week at the station. They are allowed to pull up t0 50% of it during the day at Central but must spend at least 50% at night at thier station. They do pay utilities for the mobile home.

They must have an EMS certification.

While there, they must respond to all fire calls in the district and respond to all EMS calsl within thier stations response area. If there is a cardiac, respitory or significant trauma call in an adjoining station's response area, they must also respond.

They are responsible for keeping the engine fuled and the station clean. They must start the engine, and any other truck at the station once a day.

WE would like to put one at the firth station, however that area is zoned for site built homes only. We do have long terms plans to attach sleeping quarters to that station with likely one paid firefighter plus room for volunteer live-ins.

[Dirty Axe]

I need a favor from my firehouse brothers. Does anyone have sop's or guidelines about firefighters living in the firehouse? If you are a volunteer service that houses volunteers, how do you go about it? What rules do you have? Can they only stay the night they work? House chores? Log-in, log out? How do you keep track?

If you're a volunteer resident you have to pull a given number of shifts each week, have special drill nights throughout the month you have to attend, but otherwise can live at the station in your assigned quarters. No visitors after a certain time without permission from on-duty Lt, but otherwise, keep your sh*t picked up and enjoy "home."