Participation Requirements

[JohnFeinberg]

I agree with attendance requirements and standards for departments. We have approx 24 people on our department that run out of 2 stations. At any given time we can have at the best 13 show up but look like clowns cause we do not train together and there is alot of hate and discontent between the 2 stations. We have one asst. chief that doesn't show up very much for anything. And we have a captain that shows up when he wants or when he is called, he has a pager but never wears it. I've talked to the chief about this stuff and he says that we are just vollies and he can't enforce it. We also have an ex chief that lives our district and still has a pager and gear but cause he works at a local business he stays on even though he either doesn't respond or people call him and he plays rambo. What can be done especially since the department doesn't have any SOP's in writing.

As for the Chief saying he can't enforce it, BS. Yes you can. Sure, no on wants to, but he CAN. As for the ex-chief, if he isn't listed on the insurance for the FD and works the call, he could get into or get the FD into serious trouble.

[slackjawedyokel]

mr. Feinberg ----- you are a proby and you are already commenting on what the Chief can and cant do ?
How bout you learn to couple hose , catch a plug etc. before you jump into the chiefs business?

[JohnFeinberg]

mr. Feinberg ----- you are a proby and you are already commenting on what the Chief can and cant do ?
How bout you learn to couple hose , catch a plug etc. before you jump into the chiefs business?

I know that, but I also know it is a bunch of politics. My neighbor is a retired captain of the VFD I'm applying to and he says the chief has the ultimate power, yet chooses to make it a democracy to make people happy and keep the member count up. It's not 100% firefighting, off the fireground its all about training and politics.

[BoxAlarm187]

I know that, but I also know it is a bunch of politics. My neighbor is a retired captain of the VFD I'm applying to and he says the chief has the ultimate power, yet chooses to make it a democracy to make people happy and keep the member count up. It's not 100% firefighting, off the fireground its all about training and politics.

You'll never find a fire department, career or volunteer, in which politics doesn't play a role in daily operations.

And what's wrong with being democratic to maintain numbers? There are some chiefs that can pull off the "it's my way or the highway" manner of running the station, but there's a lot to be said for being democratic most of the time, and autocratic only when necessary.

[JohnFeinberg]

You'll never find a fire department, career or volunteer, in which politics doesn't play a role in daily operations.

And what's wrong with being democratic to maintain numbers? There are some chiefs that can pull off the "it's my way or the highway" manner of running the station, but there's a lot to be said for being democratic most of the time, and autocratic only when necessary.

There's nothing wrong with it, but in the case the other member gave about the ex-chief that would be were the current chief needs to say something. The member said that the chief couldn't enforce the policies because it was a VFD.

But I argue that if the FD paid for the ex-chiefs pager and bunker gear, and he is no longer with the FD or responding to calls, he should return them for another member to use or just to have extras of. Plus, the captain that does have a pager but never utilizes it should be talked to so he knows when the calls come. Why have officers in these positions of responsibility and power when it seems that they either do not take it serious enough or just don't care?

[Eng34FF]

But I argue that if the FD paid for the ex-chiefs pager and bunker gear, and he is no longer with the FD or responding to calls, he should return them for another member to use or just to have extras of. Plus, the captain that does have a pager but never utilizes it should be talked to so he knows when the calls come. Why have officers in these positions of responsibility and power when it seems that they either do not take it serious enough or just don't care?

Keep in mind that in some departments the Chief does not have ultimate power to get rid of people or discipline them. In a lot of cases this rests with some other board or administrative portion of the department. This is done to try and keep the Chief from removing people for personal reasons.

[JohnFeinberg]

Keep in mind that in some departments the Chief does not have ultimate power to get rid of people or discipline them. In a lot of cases this rests with some other board or administrative portion of the department. This is done to try and keep the Chief from removing people for personal reasons.

True, we have a fire district with commissioners as well. However, I think they handle more of the financial aspect rather than the actual running of the FD, which the chief and the officers handle.

From what he posted and what I replied to, he made it seem like the chief was in charge of the rules.

[CaptOldTimer]

mr. Feinberg ----- you are a proby and you are already commenting on what the Chief can and cant do ?
How bout you learn to couple hose , catch a plug etc. before you jump into the chiefs business?

He is not on any department as of now. He is trying to become a firefighter and join that fd he thinks he wants to be part of.


He is just a civilian and no conection yet with any FD! PERIOD!

If he keeps running off at both ends as he has for all of his short time he has been on here, no fd will take hin in.

He knows everything already, just ask him.

[FyredUp]

This post is SO GOOD it bears repeating, with added color and bold type!

He is not on any department as of now. He is trying to become a firefighter and join that fd he thinks he wants to be part of.


He is just a civilian and no conection yet with any FD! PERIOD!

If he keeps running off at both ends as he has for all of his short time he has been on here, no fd will take hin in.

He knows everything already, just ask him.

He has been repeatedly told by numerous members here to stop shooting his mouth off about topics he has NO PERSONAL real world experience at. Right now he is nothing more than a mindless parrot repeating what he has been told. No one here knows if what he says is either true or nothing more than BS and gossip from former disgruntled members of the FD he says he wants to be a member of. He had better pray to God that no one from that FD, especially the officers, read any of his pontifications.

[JohnFeinberg]

This post is SO GOOD it bears repeating, with added color and bold type!



He has been repeatedly told by numerous members here to stop shooting his mouth off about topics he has NO PERSONAL real world experience at. Right now he is nothing more than a mindless parrot repeating what he has been told. No one here knows if what he says is either true or nothing more than BS and gossip from former disgruntled members of the FD he says he wants to be a member of. He had better pray to God that no one from that FD, especially the officers, read any of his pontifications.

And so what you are posting isn't wrong in any way? I already apologized and took back what I said, I see none of that from anyone else.

[Chenzo]

As for the Chief saying he can't enforce it, BS. Yes you can. Sure, no on wants to, but he CAN. As for the ex-chief, if he isn't listed on the insurance for the FD and works the call, he could get into or get the FD into serious trouble.

And you know this because of your many years in the fire service?


Oh wait.

[BrianB35]

Agreed and it sucks!

You'll never find a fire department, career or volunteer, in which politics doesn't play a role in daily operations.

And what's wrong with being democratic to maintain numbers? There are some chiefs that can pull off the "it's my way or the highway" manner of running the station, but there's a lot to be said for being democratic most of the time, and autocratic only when necessary.

[BrianB35]

30% of calls and all practices unless you are working.

Anyone have certain guidelines pertaining to the number of hours a member must participate in F.D. functions during a year?