The Volunteer Fire Dept. Ate My Homework

[URSULAFORHAN]

For a small dept., we've had two very busy weeks since the Evil Daylight Savings Time Change occurred. We've had several 3 a.m. MVAs and house fires. My daughter has to catch the school bus at 6:55 or I have to drive her to school (11.5 miles one way). She's been late twice, and she says the Attendance Office is looking at her cross-eyed when she comes in and says "I'm tardy because my mother overslept. She was out doing rehab on a house fire at 3A.M.". Guess the administration can't believe that the Forty, Fat and Fair contingent can fight fire or perform EMS.

[SRVFD2]

Our dept. isn't as busy as yours - but I'll be glad to vouch for you if you need it!! Thanks for giving me a good laugh!!

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God is our Fire Chief;
Jesus is our Incident Commander.

[LtStick]

Well if they don't believe that you are a Firefighter take a picture and take it in to them. That should shut them up or maybe the next time walk in the building in gear with her. That should settle things. Of course you could always walk in and ask them if they have a problem with women in the Fire Service. That would get them studering for sure. You could ask them if they would like a note from the Chief to prove that you are a Firefighter. Whatever you decide good luck and make them swet a little they'll learn a lesson and you'll have a little satisfaction knowing that next time they wont even think about saying anything to your daughter.

[George Wendt, CFI]

Do you suppose that your daughter's education might be a little more important than the FD?

You need to put things in perspective.

[Firelover]

Not that I want to start anything here, but....

I agree with George, but how can you avoid a Fire breaking out a 3am. I know that when a fire call comes in withing a 2 hours time frame before I leave for work, I try to ignore it to the best of my capabilities. But if a fire breaks out anytime before that, then I take my chances and go from there.

A thought that I just had is check with your neighbours to see if they couldn't get your daughter to the bus stop on time.

Just a thought....



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Joel

If you sent us to HELL, WE'D PUT IT OUT!!

**And of course these are only my opinion and only mine. Don't take it out on anyone else but me.**

[d308]

I can understand completly. Although I do not have any children I did respond on fire calls my senior year in high school. It was hard and there was several times my homework just did not get done. But it was and is worth it to help. Just hang in there it all must get better some time.

[APG1]

Take the fire truck, park it outside the principle's office, and blare the airhorn.

[firefighterxtrem]

next time you talk to your childs principle, ask them if the next call that came in at 3 in the morning was there house or even the school. and there was no one to respond how would they feel. they should be happy that you are willing to go without some sleep to protect the lives of others. you and your daughter should be pround. keep your head low and stay safe ted, a firefighter with 6 kids

[firefighterxtrem]

hi i am the mother of 6 and i work and i am also a volunteer firefighter, frist of all many kids are late to school for many different reasons second of all i would wait to a real nasty fire where you reek and pay a visit to the pricipal in full turn out gear , and explain to that person how many times you have answer a call in middle of dinner, or don't go to far just in case you got a call, and did i mention don't get paid , also mention that you don't have to respond but you do because it might save a life. if that don't work tell him BITE ME
love dangelfire99@aol.com

[Eng522ine]

Wanna have some fun with it? Just fax the run sheets over to the school (ALL of the run sheets for ALL of the calls you go on) when he sees them piling up he might have some sympathy, or he'll at least shut up long enough for you to stop sending him reams of paper. OH YEAH, don't forget the NFIRS reports, there's at least another 2 pages! Good luck, be safe.

[LtStick]

Eng522ine has a great idea. If the Principal wants to act like a stupid idiot then bye all means start faxing run sheets. It won't be long before the Principal gets the picture. This sounds like a very good technique. It should get the point across.

[URSULAFORHAN]

Just to clarify a few points: when I say tardy, I mean 10-30 minutes late. The kid's not missing half a day or something else major, though George, I do see your point--- that's why we try to go to bed early. We also deliberately set up her schedule so that Phys Ed is her first class.
When I say small dept., I mean 14 active vollies (half under 35, half over with the majority of those being over 50) with two elderly engines and one tender (not to mention our identical to Squad 51 emergency med truck) covering two pulp mills (The mills have as much or more employees than we have residents in two of the towns, a Coast Guard life saving station, a national park, an elementary school and three villages with populations of 50, 250, and 1,000 respectively. Most people live at poverty level or below, and except for those with mill connections, have poor access to medical care, and/or have substance abuse problems. Quite a few are elderly.
We are on an isolated peninsula with no public transit except the aforementioned schoolbus.
All that being said, I simply wanted to give some of you a good laugh.

[DRA-252]

Ms. Forhan, First of all let me congratulate you on your dedication as a FF under tough conditions.

That said, George Wendt's is the only reply that makes any sense. After all, The school personnel are just doing their jobs and if your daughter is not in school, she's not getting benefit of that day.

Granted learning takes place in many forms but going to school is a big one and it is your responsbility to see she attends, ALL excuses aside.

Yeah, there's a lot of boring things about school and fires are exciting but even IFSTA Basic shows that firefighting is requires knowledge of a technical and scientific study of fire to fight it. There is no substitute for a good education.

I'm really dismayed at some of the comments made by others about the school personnel doing their jobs than your original post.
After all "BITE ME", sirens, and faxing the run sheets shows a lack of maturity and respect.

How would we like to be treated this way?

[bjlf]

I must aghree on some points made by DRA-252,
But a good Fire inspection of the school could liven things up.

[Althea Forhan]

Originally posted by George Wendt, CFI:
Do you suppose that your daughter's education might be a little more important than the FD?

You need to put things in perspective.

AIN'T NOBODY TALKIN' 'BOUT MY MAMA!!!!
Please understand that my mother, Ursula, has done more for me education wise than anybody on this planet. If mom goes out on a call at 3:00, OK!!! When I need help with something, need her to call the administration to chew them out or something, she'll do it. Anyone who knows her will tell you that my brother and I are first priority. She always finds time for us(or makes it),which is far more than my father (who works a 'normal'job)ever does.

Fortunatly,my first period gym teacher's husband is a volunteer on a dept. we do mutual with.

Althea

[Engine 101]

Hmm well life up in Somoa sounds rather intrestring, Ought tell my friend Aaron who is a vollie Fire Explorer to use that excuse sometime, And I thought things down in this end of california were crazy I have a whole new perspective

[DD]

Why not move?

[Althea Forhan]

Originally posted by Engine 101:
Hmm well life up in Somoa sounds rather intrestring, Ought tell my friend Aaron who is a vollie Fire Explorer to use that excuse sometime, And I thought things down in this end of california were crazy I have a whole new perspective

Told you so.

DD:
I would move except the town closer to the school is literally and figuratively the Armpit of the Samoa Peninsula.

Althea

[captclose]

My hat is off to you, there are few enough of us volunteers out there and for the most part we go greatly unrecognized by our communites for the time we put in(training, 3am calls, ect.) dedicated to protecting their lives and property. I am sure you, and most of the others out there are not in the fire service for the recognition(although it does not hurt every now and then), My point being: You know inside why you are out there
at 3am and it sounds like your child does to,
let the rolling eyes and the uncalled for comments roll off. We've got broud shoulders. I wish I had more firefighters on my company with your dedication.