I'm getting a Pager?

[Junior22]

Hi, I am 14, and I am a Junior FF. Tuesday I am getting my first pager through my dept. They asked me which one do I want, Minitor 4 or 5. I asked around at the station, and some of the other Juniors said they went with the 4 but I compared the difference and saw the 5 had a WAY better battery life. What do you guys use?

[BigGriffC12]

I don't think juniors should have pagers..any pagers period.a 14 year old requires too much supervision and can not be productive on the fire ground. I am a firm believer in the Junior firefighter program..and our juniors are probably the best in the county, maybe even the region..but most of them are 16-18..

I think it is ok for a 14 year old to receive gear, go to drill, train on equipment but they should not be active until 16..that gives a good time frame for them to learn the ropes and how to be safe. Save the pagers for senior members who can actually do something on a call, or for people whose pagers break or go out for service.

[Junior22]

I totally agree with you, but which one would you go with. The 4 or 5. I'm not mad at you or anything for your post.

[rescue_1]

Arguments about a 14 year old responding on emergencies aside, I vastly prefer the 5, even though it's bigger.

Just don't drive like an ******* responding to calls, eh.

[Junior22]

Rescue_1, thanks for the honest answer.

[RyanK63]

I agree with Griff 110%. Most departments don't even issue pagers to juniors so be happy you're getting one at all. But like rescue_1 said, I'd rather the 5 over the 4.

[rescue_1]

Rescue_1, thanks for the honest answer.

Any time. It's why they pay me the big bucks.

[FyredUp]

A 14 year old junior needs a pager like he needs another head. This is stupidity at a level almost beyond belief.

[FWDbuff]

Take whichever one they give you with thanks and shaddup. As everyone else here said, you dont even need one. Your department must have a money tree out back. I just hope that everything else is up to snuff financially (bunker gear, apparatus, training, etc etc etc) if they are giving 14 year old juniors a pager.

[BULL321]

Well. . . . . . . . . . . . never mind. It's not even worth my time.

[Junior22]

Ok thanks. I forgot to mention thatim giving them a $40 deposit.

[FyredUp]

Ok thanks. I forgot to mention thatim giving them a $40 deposit.

Which doesn't come close to the cost of the pager, or the labor for one repair job.

Please explain to me why you even need a pager. Please tell me they are not having you respond to scenes and work on scene.

[slackjawedyokel]

I like the old minitor ones aka brick- they are red and I airbrush wicked flames on them.

[Miller337]

Hi, I am 14, and I am a Junior FF. Tuesday I am getting my first pager through my dept. They asked me which one do I want, Minitor 4 or 5. I asked around at the station, and some of the other Juniors said they went with the 4 but I compared the difference and saw the 5 had a WAY better battery life. What do you guys use?

Why do they have you responding to Junior and what tasks are you allowed to do?

Is your dept. complying with the child labor laws? This is very important to both you and the dept. so please don't just blow it off.

Are you and your actions covered by the departments insurance?

A good example is you are killed or injured by say a falling section of wall at a scene by the time the lawyers finish there won't be a fire dept and if you live through it you'll get blackballed as being the kid that screwed everything up by letting that wall collapse on you. Right or wrong it is how the world works to often.

I'm not telling you to not take the pager. Why don't you ask a few questions though please.

[Junior22]

I never said I am responding to calls.

[scfire86]

What is the purpose of you having a pager? I'd rather you not be distracted and that you concentrate on your school work.

[FWDbuff]

I never said I am responding to calls.

Then why get a pager?

[FyredUp]

I never said I am responding to calls.

Then I have to agree 100% with scfire86. What the heck do you need a pager for then? To look cool in front of your friends? To annoy people by it going off and then you saying I don't get to go, I just get to wear a pager.

If you have no emergency response responsibilities giving you a pager is the height of ridiculousness.

[Junior22]

It's to prep you for when you turn 16 and have to GO!

[RyanK63]

It's to prep you for when you turn 16 and have to GO!

The only "prep" you need is to shut your mouth and open your ears and learn what you can. You don't need a pager for that.