Dishwasher in Firestation

[bigdeal]

How many career fire departments out there have a dishwasher in the station. (Save the rookie jokes)

Thanks

[EFD102]

well you got me with the rookie jokes aka im the rookie and the dishwasher. but to answer your question we do not have a dishwasher. Im in the midwest on a pretty big dept.

[LaFireEducator]

........ Nope.

[EastKyFF]

How do you turn a dishwasher into a snowplow?


Give the rookie a shovel.

(Sorry, I couldn't save the rookie joke.)

[MidazoWHAM!]

We have one.

[Frosty42]

We have one in each station but I will caution you that about every three to four years you will need to replace it. They are a nice feature but they become a maintenance headache after about the third year in use.

[FWDbuff]

We have one in each station but I will caution you that about every three to four years you will need to replace it. They are a nice feature but they become a maintenance headache after about the third year in use.

household/home grade or a commercial grade?

I have worked in five stations in one career dept and three volunteer stations, every one has had a dishwasher. The ones that were heavy-duty/commercial grade units were built to last and did. The household/home grade units lasted 2-3 years.

[Wolfn]

I suppose when I become rookie I will be the station's dishwasher.

No problem as I worked in fast food for the past 3 years and can wash dishes extremely fast

[LVFD301]

I can't figure a number, but I believe almost every paid station I have been in has had one, most residential quality. I know of two stations off the top of my head that did not however.

Very few of the volunteer stations in TN, AR, or MO that I have been in have them, but up in NY and PA most seemed to have them - if nothing else part of their social hall area.

[Frosty42]

household/home grade or a commercial grade?

I have worked in five stations in one career dept and three volunteer stations, every one has had a dishwasher. The ones that were heavy-duty/commercial grade units were built to last and did. The household/home grade units lasted 2-3 years.

High end residential grade (stainless skins and interior). I should state that the appliance itself does not always fail, but doors do not "spring" themselves or over-load themsleves with twice the amount of dishes!

[FyredUp]

All of the stations on my career job have dishwashers. If memory serves me correctly I believe it is an NFPA requirement.

YEAH, YEAH, I know bring on the NFPA police. My point is if you are building new or remodeling use that as ammunition to get a dishwasher. Further, as others have said go commercial grade, you will not be sorry.

[GTRider245]

We just got done building two new stations. Our architect had a dishwasher drawn into the kitchen. We had it removed. To me a dishwasher is nothing but one more thing for the sorry crew to forget about and someone else have to do. When we eat, we follow the meal with cleaning and washing dishes. It is all done before we sit down. No sense in coming back an hour later to dry and put up dishes. We welcomed the extra cabinet space.

[RFDACM02]

All of the stations on my career job have dishwashers. If memory serves me correctly I believe it is an NFPA requirement.

YEAH, YEAH, I know bring on the NFPA police. My point is if you are building new or remodeling use that as ammunition to get a dishwasher. Further, as others have said go commercial grade, you will not be sorry.

I know, don't shoot the messenger, but it kills me that NFPA is used when it fits (ie: a new dishwasher) but is ignored when it's "impractical" (ie: STAFFING). I realize this points to City Hall not most firefighters or Unions. I guess the point is I can't figure out why a city would listen to arguments that NFPA "mandates" anything, unless that particular volume was adopted by the state or municipality. Even then they pick and choose based on dollars not safety.

[sfd1992]

All of our stations have dishwashers, a couple have 2. Commercial grade is definitely the way to go, simply due to the amount of use they get compared to the one you have at home.

[FWDbuff]

How many career fire departments out there have a dishwasher in the station. (Save the rookie jokes)

Thanks

Thats like telling a 12-year old "Don't look in the closet, thats where your birthday presents are hidden."

[FyredUp]

We just got done building two new stations. Our architect had a dishwasher drawn into the kitchen. We had it removed. To me a dishwasher is nothing but one more thing for the sorry crew to forget about and someone else have to do. When we eat, we follow the meal with cleaning and washing dishes. It is all done before we sit down. No sense in coming back an hour later to dry and put up dishes. We welcomed the extra cabinet space.

I am sorry but it is hardly a piece of machinery's fault your crew is either too lazy or forgetful to empty the dishwasher after it is run.

Personally I think you made a huge error in not getting dishwashers. It shows a lack of support for NFPA Standards on your part and you have done what so many do here, or complain about their municipalities doing, pick and choose which standards you want. You want to meet staffing standards of NFPA, but not the station standards...Things that make you go hmmm...

Generally dishes are done one of 2 ways. We do them together as a crew, or we pay someone at $1 a man for them to do them. Most often someone eagerly takes the money to do the dishes, occasionally we deal to see who loses and has to do them. Either way the dishwasher makes quick work of the dishes and rarely does the person doing them forget to put them away. Usually they get put away the next morning so the dry cycle and extra time sitting makes sure they are dry. This system has worked very well for us.

[GTRider245]

I am sorry but it is hardly a piece of machinery's fault your crew is either too lazy or forgetful to empty the dishwasher after it is run..

I agree 100%. That doesn't change reality though.

Personally I think you made a huge error in not getting dishwashers. It shows a lack of support for NFPA Standards on your part and you have done what so many do here, or complain about their municipalities doing, pick and choose which standards you want. You want to meet staffing standards of NFPA, but not the station standards...Things that make you go hmmm....

[/QUOTE]

You're kidding right? We follow the NFPA standards we can and the ones that are realistic. Do we wish we could follow more of them? Sure. Is someone going to die or not be able to do their job because we don't have a dishwasher? Not hardly.

We have a dishwasher at my career house. We don't use it. If you cook, someone else does dishes. Rank or time on the job doesn't matter. I really didn't know this would be such a topic of debate.

[rm1524]

We have a dishwasher and we use it. Eat lunch, load the dishwasher and run it. Unload before supper, fix dinner, reload it and empty it in the morning when doing morning cleaning. Can't remember the last time anyone forgot to empty it.

[johnsb]

All of our stations have dishwashers. The only problem is when the city tried to get by with homeowners grade ones. Commercial is the way to go in the long run. The last station I was at, we used to play Tonk for the pots, pans, and stuff that wouldn't go in the dishwasher, loser washed. It's a great way to build comraderie.

[FWDbuff]

At every house I have ever worked at, volunteered at, buffed at.....regardless of rank- Proby, FF, Loot, Captain, Bn Chief...whatever......if you participated in the meal, you help rinse the dishes, load them in the washer, and help to clean the pots and pans by hand and get the rest of the kitchen squared away after the meal. EXCEPT for the cook and guests. Whoever has the last watch or the junior man empties the dishwasher when it is done or in the morning before end of the shift.