should cadets/jr/explorers be on first truck out

[scafd417]

I really wish I had read all the comments before I left my opinion. If a first out engine which can carry 6 personnel is rolling out of the station on a structure fire or any call for that matter, and it only has 3-4 FF's on the truck..... Why not let them get on?? They can do A LOT on the fire ground. I have a very well trained group, in the group I head up, Most have PUT THEMSELVES threw the fire academy, Heck some of the explorers are more trained and have more knowledge of the equipment then some of my FF's. They are eager to learn!!! Mine cant go uless they have done 6 months (24 hrs) of training. It's been said by some of you the fire ground is not the place to learn???? What!!!! The fire scene is a learning experience for us all. The fire does what it wants to do. "The Classroom" Sure it teaches the basics but come on we all know this is not where the TRUE EDUCATION comes from. These kids are "there", you say "get a PP Fan" they do it, You say "hit the hydrant" they do it. As long as they do not take the place of a firefighter there is no reason why they should not be on the first out truck. THAT'S HOW THEY LEARN
Lt Plumb

[This message has been edited by scafd417 (edited July 07, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by scafd417 (edited July 07, 2000).]

[jrfemaleff]

First let me start off by telling you that I am a Jr. Firefighter in Pennsylvania. I DO NOT belive that Jr. Firefighters belong on the first due unit. Yes, there are many useful things that they can be, and most of the time are, responsible for on the fire scene, but, i don't think that there is any reason for us to be on the first unit. If the first out engine can carry 6 personnel, as ours does, you have a driver, and an officer which ammounts to two fully trained firefighters, and if the rest of your crew is made up of Jr's you're not going to get very far with the fire suppression. All I am saying is that I do not believe that we should be on first truck and that while we are still Jr's, we can wait till the next truck. Although riding on the truck to the fire scene is a very important part of the learning that will take place, There will always be time for us to play where the devil dances after we have all the training we need. If anyone wishes to make a comment to me about my opinion ar anything else, please don't hesitate to mail me. Thanks.
______________________________ _______________
Mallory Hummel
Jr Firefighter
Montgomery County Station 74
E-Mail- jrfirefighterstation74_2000@ya hoo.com

[Nozzleman 84]

My opinion is that explorers should be able to ride on first out apparatus. Of course there are acceptions to the rule, If the engine captain or direct supervisor feels that the type of call isn't safe for an explorer, or if there are ample firefighters to respond on the apparatus, the explorer should be booted off. On the other hand, if explorers are trained well they can preform some of the dutys that the profesional firefighters do, thus assisting the crews responding with extra man power.

[Wally57fire]

Im a junior and i live right across the street from our first station we respond on truck mainly out of this station the second a brush truck never responds to alot of the small mva's our dept. gets. We have 2 juniors and we each respond to diffrent stations. normally beat all the other members to the station and i wait about 3 minutes for the Lt. to arrive from down the street i always start with a spot on the truck but i get moved around quickly and can get bumped off. It is the priority type system we cant take the spot of an active member and our truck can only hold 3 men in the cab and jrs are not allowed to ride the "jump seats" so i feel that jrs should have a spot like me were we can be pushed off for more experinced members. We are allowed to respond in our personal vehicles, or we can wait at the station and recive credit for response to the call.

[nfd20]

i think that if theres room, you ride..no easier way to say it!

[NFPDcadet]

In my department we dont wait on anyone....

We have 2 paid firefighters per shift and a staff of 11... I really only run calls when Im up there on shift so I always am on the first truck out...... I havent been bumped off yet because they all know I take what I do and how I perform seriously.... But sometimes it depends what shift Im on because some of them dont like me. For the most part though, Im first crew on scene....

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Cadet Vol. Adam Spencer
Nixa Fire Protection Dis.
Nixa, MO 65721

[NJOUTLAW6]

Well in our company we are only allowed to send one cadet to the scene with the truck, becuase they need the room for the reg members. When no one is comes to the firehouse to respond to the call then more cadets are sent to the scene to help with the Efforts.

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Thomas Parsons
South Amboy Fire Dept.
Eng.6
"OUTLAWS"
"WHO LET THE DOGS OUT OF STATION 6??"

[This message has been edited by NJOUTLAW6 (edited October 06, 2000).]