Leaving school to answer the Box?

[Engine 101]

No not even if your a High School Senior you should you NOT be allowed to leave, What if you get a call and miss a test that you must pass or you don't graduate and there's no make up exam? Which is more important to you running out of call to do nothing but support duties at a fire scene or staying in school and getting your diploma, Plus out here my city has a truancy ordinance that if you get caught wondering about the streets of Monrovia during 7AM and 1PM on a school day, You get a nice little ticket, A hefty little fine and you and your parents get to pay a visit Juvenille Traffic Court and tell the Judge why you were not in school,

STAY IN SCHOOL, LET THE REAL FIREFIGHTERS DEAL WITH THAT MVA,STRUCTURE FIRE OR WHATEVER IT is
If I was a Chief taking over an FD that had explorers and found out they had department issued pagers I would have them hand them in and say you can ride with us on weekends, School Inservice days and during the summer, I will not permit you to leave school to respond to any type of incident, And if I here you did leave school your off the post and you are also if you do respond to a call from home in your personal vehicle you shall obey all traffic laws
Here's a good idea sit down with your school administartos tell them your with your local Fire Department you could form some kind of school response team, In the event of some kind of disaster and the FD can't make it you guys can be called upon by school adminsitartion to help out till the REAL Firefighter's get there, A heck of alot better then wasting your breath trying to get out of school

[This message has been edited by Engine 101 (edited 04-19-2001).]

[Brian Dunlap]

Originally posted by Les_Jesper:
I first joined my Fire Dept. when I was fifteen years old. In a rural area we never have to worry about lawsuits to the extreme that other areas do. Having Junior Firefighters was greatly supported by the Teachers and Administration in our school. They always allowed us to leave because who knew, maybe it was one of their houses on fire. During the day there is not always that many older FD members as many have jobs in other towns and so on. So when there was a fire during the day there might not be such a great number of responders. But at least with the Junior FF's in school, there was at least an assurance of at least a couple of engine companies. On some occasions I even had to drive trucks to the scene because of a lack of older member. So I feel that allowing Junior FF's to respond out of school is a good idea. What I learned by being a FF will help me out more in life than what I learned in school.

You have got to be kidding me --- Leave School and drive the equipment ? All liabilities aside if your department got caught it could be shut down --- these laws are not local they are federal ment to protect those under 21 and those over 21 -- Under the age of 18 you can not enter a burning structure, drive fire equipment, or perform any duty on the fire/rescue ground that could warrant injury ---- rural department or not thats dangerous --- I Understand your department may be in a rural area and not alot of people around during the day but call in as many companies as it takes to accomplish the job. Your Chief has no idea what he is opening himself up for -- Junior Firefighters, Although I Have the highest amount of respect for you guys and girls DO NOT MAKE UP AN ENGINE, LADDER, OR RESCUE COMPANY. PERIOD Stay in School PLEASE

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STRATFORD FIRE CO. # 1 NEW JERSEY FIREMEN'S CONVENTION OVER-ALL CHAMPIONS 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000

[Engine 101]

Fire Explorers are NOT FIREFIGHTERS, If the members of the volunteer FD in town can't leave work maybe they should sit down and work out an agreement with there employer or just have a Mutual Aide company come and handle it

If I were a Chief there's no way in hell I would ever allow any Non Firefighter to drive any of my rigs, NEVER, I would NEVER allow any Non Firefighter to go into a burning structure,

EXPLORERS ARE NOT FIREFIGHTERS, Explorers are Junior members who are there to learn about Firefighting and explorer an intrest they have, When you become a Firefighter than you can drive the rigs all you want, This is so silly asking should explorers be allowed to leave school, NO, NO , NO, NO

Remember No GED or No HS Diploma, You can't become a Smokeater

[spo0k]

I started out in this business 6 years ago as an explorer, and believe me I wanted to go to the big one. Our high school was right beside the firehouse, so dag on it every time those trucks went out, I heard it.

I think its totally ridiculous to leave school to take runs. Somebody posted that every scene needs as many people as possible and a lack of explorers on scene ties up certified firefighters doing other things. Perhaps the laws in this persons state are more lax than mine, but explorers aren't allowed in a dangerous atmosphere, so cert. firefighters still need to be doing exterior operations, besides, its their job.

As for another post about being needed to fill a seat on a fire truck, EXPLORERS ARE ___NOT___ manpower, and a truck that is 'manned' with explorers is not a truck that should be leaving the station.

Now I'm not ball busting, explorers/jrs/riders are fabulous to have on the scene to help hump hose, shuttle packs, etc, but think about this - if you are missing school to go fight fire, sure you have the fireground experience, but how are you gunna pass the extrance exam to get hired in the first place, or the fire test to maintain your state certification, and most dreadful, the national registry.

You guys do what you want, I'm just trying to help you not to do something that you'll regret for the rest of yer life.



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FF. Mike Burnes
Whitehall Fire Division

[FIREMAN203]

WE HAVE THE SAME THING ABOUT 20 JUNIORS IN SCHOOL THE BEST PART OF IT THE SCHOOL OUR JUNIORS GO TO DID WORK OUT A PLAN FROM THE SCHOOL FOR ONLY WORKING FIRES

[JMiller02]

Originally posted by FIREMAN203:
WE HAVE THE SAME THING ABOUT 20 JUNIORS IN SCHOOL THE BEST PART OF IT THE SCHOOL OUR JUNIORS GO TO DID WORK OUT A PLAN FROM THE SCHOOL FOR ONLY WORKING FIRES

Some advice...Try not to use the caps during the post and slow down while typing. Try not to type a post if your frustrated because youll make a whole gambit of spelling mistakes. One thing you guys should consider, what would your parents think if something happened to you guys on fire ground when you guys left school?. Godforbid, but there's always that chance.
You know who would get b*tched at?. The schools would for allowing thier students to leave for a dangerous situation. My question to you guys(the ones who have deals,contracts) will leave school to respond. Do you're parents have say in it?, also do they get called by school officials when, you sign out to respond to calls so they know where your at?.

One more thing before I go, most Jr/Explorers are under 18. Therefore, Id say it be wise to stay in school. People who dont get a high school deploma make under 6,000 a year. keep that in mind!. Each day you miss a class.

Well I must be going, Take it easy guys.

Jeremy
Truxton Vol. Fire Dept.

[This message has been edited by JMiller02 (edited 04-25-2001).]

[FireFighter2817]

I am 17 and a junior FF/EMT-B at my station. We have career staff during the day, but even if we didn't, I don't think it's appropriate for juniors to be leaving school for calls unless it was a life/death situation (e.g. an MVA w/ entrapment a block from school). In the state of VA, juniors can not enter burning buildings to fight fire, and while we do play a major role in suppression efforts, we are not always needed. The priorities at my station are 1)school 2) family 3)friends 4)fire department. Next year I will be a senior and 18 and allowed to sign out for whatever reason, but you won't catch me skipping classes for a fire.

[Engine 101]

Those who do have contracts to leave school, I seriously doubt there parents even know,

Situation your a High School Senior and its the day of a big test that if you don't pass you don't get your diploma, Now you just assume there's makeup when you look at your pager and see there's a fire call, You get back 2 hours later from the fire, Where you did nothing but get equipment and fill air bottles you talk to your teacher and ask him when the make up exam is, "Oh well there is no make up exam", Becasue you felt it was more important to leave school you now will not get your High School Diploma

Or you stayed at school and you finsihed your exam and you passed and schools out for the day you look at your pager and see they need some one to do support duty's then you can go, But you must obey all the traffic laws

[steveo]

My departements junior are not allowed to leave school for any reason. If they cut school they still are not allowed to answer the calls. Must be out of firehouse by 10:00pm on school nights.
They are not allowed to do anything but learn at the fires anyway so let them learn to spell and read instead. Better for everybody. -steve

[APG1]

I think we need to put things in perspective here.

Student Bob is a senior, getting ready to take 'THE BIG TEST'. Student Bob sits down. Student Bob's pager goes off. Student Bob should shut it off, and do his test. Missing 1 lil' fire won't kill him.

Compared to...

Student Bob is a sophomore, sitting in Study Hall, shooting spitwads with his friends. Bob's pager goes off.

Lets think about this.

[LMfire]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even though you may think you are important your not, trust me I was an explorer for 4 years on two posts. And I was higher trained and had more experienced than some on the departments. Stay in school, it is frowned on if you leave school for fire calls you will be labeled and bad for the PR. School is important yes assignments can be made up but fires will always burn and car will always crash.

There is always Mutual Aid.

[AmboJockey]

I think that it is unfortunate but true, by the time our senior years come around, there aren't many classes to take. I attend a vocational school in the afternoon to fill in my lack of class choices. Through this vocational school, I am allowed to serve internship at my department every other day, the last 4 hours of school. Interns are treated as firefighters, and are allowed to ride the first out ambulance, eng. co, and trk. co. to all calls except Haz Mat. The amount of knowledge that I have gained while running calls is more than I could ever hope to gain in 100 days of school. I think that responsible cadets serving their senior year should be allowed to respond to calls at their discretion. Just think, you can have a cadet get the stretcher and backboard, or have a medic leave the patient and get it. We do not have the most prestigious duties to perform, however our duties, although they may seem miniscule, are essential for keeping the rescue operation running a s smooth as it can.

[slfd07]

i think that explorers should be able to respond to calls even though tht my company has limits on the explorers we have many drills that keep us busy.

[randsc]

I'm just posting here because I think it is cool to post on a six year old thread.

You realize those in the original discussion aren't even explorers anymore, right?

[backsteprescue123]

Oh boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nosrednanoraa]

Ha... Hooray for new posters.

[juniorchief248]

I would agree with the rest by saying that Jr/FF and Explo should stay in school for a proper education, but if it was a 3rd to 4th alarm and the man power was needed I would give it some thought
+Thats what I would think+

[ndvfdff33]

I would agree with the rest by saying that Jr/FF and Explo should stay in school for a proper education, but if it was a 3rd to 4th alarm and the man power was needed I would give it some thought
+Thats what I would think+

So basically you go against what you say within your own post.

Your dept should not rely on you guys for man power. If you can't get enough people to fight the fire, thats what mutual aid is for. Save it for after school.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

I would agree with the rest by saying that Jr/FF and Explo should stay in school for a proper education, but if it was a 3rd to 4th alarm and the man power was needed I would give it some thought
+Thats what I would think+

A ressurected 6 year old thread.. and still people haven't learned a damn thing!

Children have no place on the fireground... period, end of discussion.

[backsteprescue123]

So basically you go against what you say within your own post.

Your dept should not rely on you guys for man power. If you can't get enough people to fight the fire, thats what mutual aid is for. Save it for after school.

How did you know what I was thinking????

Oh yeah..........


QUACK QUACK!