forget the lights!!!

[gordo5engine]

ok Lights this sirens that. i think there is too much talk about lights and sirens on explorers vehicals. i dont think half the explorers out there can even drive yet. why would an explorer need lights on there car??....we dont, we have no need for them. lets get off the light subject because even if talk and talk about it, the fact still remains, explorers dont need lights on there cars.

[JRFireman]

why would an explorer need lights on there car??

You just started a discussion on why explorers need lights, while complaining about discussions about lights.

How about this:
There are some pro's, and many con's. Our opinions have been beaten to death, and I highly doubt that the discussions in this forum have changed your department's policy. If your department lets juniors/explorers run lights and you don't have problems then fine, if your department doesn't let anyone run lights, then fine! Every department is different, and we try to argue points that are not necessarily true in every fire department. The light subject is going to stay as it currently is in your department, unless your department makes changes. Arguing in this forum isn't going to do anything about that. How about we get some discussions that will help us be better firefighter's and improve our fire department?

[EoneTiller]

true that brother.but wut if people WANT to argue. i say let em just dont read the thread or dont respond but ur rite bout the lights and sirens. they say u can have em have em , they say u cant dont get em. thats all there is.


-garrett hitchcock

E-one
going beyond the call

[fyrfyter33]

If your department lets juniors/explorers run lights and you don't have problems then fine, if your department doesn't let anyone run lights, then fine!

Explorers are not allowed to have lights no matter what the department rules say in any state in this nation. Explorers who respond with lights are in direct violation of the by-laws of fire exploring posts, and any accidents that happen will not be covered by the BSA, and the post charter will most likely be revoked, and never reinstated.

BE FOREWARNED, ANYONE WHO TAKES PART IN SUCH AN ACTIVITY AND IS FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THE BSA RULES, WILL HAVE THIER CHARTER REVOKED, AND INSURANCE POLICY DROPPED!

[JRFireman]

Yeah, I'm not trying to tell you that you can't argue, I'm just saying it's pretty dumb to argue that your way is better. It may be in your area, but not in mine. So long as your system fits your area correctly, there doesn't seem to be a problem, unless there is a better fitting solution. If your department has very careful juniors that would drive just like they drive normally (hopefully even more careful since they are representing the department) then if the department will let them have them, then let them have them. If I ever get to run blue lights (Nobody in our department can run blue lights), and choose to, I would excercise extreme caution. I would use them to my advantage to get to the call faster, while presenting to the public a calm, rational, safe response.

[smatt2003]

i totaly agree with gordo5engine we don't need lights even if you are
a explorer on a vol. fire dept WE ARE NOT A PRIORITY RESPONSE! the firefighters are.

[FIREFIGHTER22JP]

Actually in a lot of departments, Trained Juniors can still be "priority response" due to the fact that they are an extra set of hands and they can do everything except enter a burning structure. I can understand if a Junior doesn't know how to hit a hydrant.. Don't even let them on the first truck then. My station has drills and our Lieutenant told us if we couldn't hit a plug in under 30 seconds, we weren't allowed on first engine out. Me and the rest of the juniors are well enough trained that we can hit the hydrant and be ready in 30 seconds. We also have drills every other wednesday on just about everything. That's probably why we're allowed to go on first engine out. So don't say all juniors are not "priority." That's just wrong. Also with the lights bit, my light helps me get from school to the firehall by alerting people and then they for the most part pull off for me. We need as much manpower as possible during the daytime as with every department.

Export V.F.D.

[JRFireman]

How fast is 30 seconds?
I don't think I could do it in 30 seconds, but I've only done it twice. By the time I've wrapped the hose 'round the hydrant it's probably already been 30 seconds. Then while the truck is going I (would, as I've only done it in drills and the truck was right there, as it has been for any fire I have been at (1)) make sure the hydrant is off, and then open up the steamer connection. Then once there is enough hose down, the hydrant gets unwrapped, hose goes on hydrant, and I go on the radio to let the engineer know I'm ready to charge.

Exactly what steps can you do in 30 second's?
I could see if the truck was near the hydrant, possibly getting it connected in 30 seconds. I would probably need to do it a couple of more times, however.

[fyrfyter33]

Lets settle this there is a major difference between explorers and Jrs. if a Jr, dies, I am pretty sure things aren't gonna be good, but the departmen you work for, is gonna be the one who foots the bill. An explorer is covered by the BSA's insurance, and therefore is restricted in what they can do. however, if something bad happened to an explorer, there are millions on that insurance policy to make sure everything is taken care of, and the department, would not be at fault, as long as what occurred were within the confines of the by-laws of explorer posts.

[dfdex1]

Id rather spend the $100-300 on my girlfriend,model train,put it in the bank or a stripper at the Lions Den ( LOL) than some stupid little flashing light that will just sit there and blink.

[smatt2003]

ok firefighter22jp mabey your explorers or jr.s are or can be a priority response but you said it your self

they can do everything except enter a burning structure

so what im trying to get at is that a jr or an explorer can't replace a ff. also wouldn't you normaly have a ff with you at the hydrant making sure you did it right. correct? if not than your dept members have a lot of trust in you.

[smatt2003]

and if thats true than sign me up for your post

[mdphfd]

Every dept. is very different in how they operate, personnal, equipment, etc. I was a junior for 2 years and have just gotten bumped up to FF. Our fire district is very large although slow on call volume. Unfortunatly we didn't and don't have the man power to just have our juniors sit at the station and wait for the second truck. Why?? because 65 to 70% of the time the "second truck" dosen't roll. We average about 5 to 7 FFs on a structure call during the daytime. This isn't good but there is nothing we can do about it. (of course the city's vol. FD which backs us up is about 5-7 min out. depending on their manpower). And no, as a junior I might not have been able to enter a house. And I wouldn't have been able to rescue someone trapped inside but, I have put out two house fires with me on the nozzle at the door/window and the FF driving the truck on the pump. I realize that other vol. FD's probably have alot better manpower response in the daytime than we do. But....you work with what you've got and juniors are very important DOWN here. And yes I do have a dash light......a long and thin red LED above the rear/view mirror ....that's all that's needed.....it is simply a minor tool used to get a big job done quickly and safely........use it wisely...........

MD
Georgia

[bsears]

I think you all just need to stop arguing about stupid topics. If you argue like this on the fire scene Im suprised anything gets done. You're going to be firefighters one day, i dont know if that means anything to you but thats a brotherhood. Its stupid to argue with someone about things that are different in every county and township in this country. Just my two cents.

Ben
FF/EMT
Safety Officer

Eagle Scout-Troop 735
Richmond, Virginia

[JRFireman]

Why do people do this?
This post was dead. It was a month down in the forums. You didn't like this thread, so.... you brought it back to life? Why?

[Code3Runner]

Explorers who respond with lights are in direct violation of the by-laws of fire exploring posts

Actually no, because my post does not specifically forbid lights. We are only required to "follow traffic laws". In TX it is legal to use green/amber lights and air horns, although we are still expected to obey speed limits and not run red lights and such.

and any accidents that happen will not be covered by the BSA

BSA would not cover accidents that involve my personal vehicle anyway. That's what State Farm Insurance is for.

BE FOREWARNED, ANYONE WHO TAKES PART IN SUCH AN ACTIVITY AND IS FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THE BSA RULES, WILL HAVE THIER CHARTER REVOKED, AND INSURANCE POLICY DROPPED!

Our department does not need BSA. In fact we are not even affiliated with BSA. Each explorer is expected to have their OWN health insurance and you may not become an explorer unless you do.

I do not use lights because I am on a "power trip" or I want to be a "pretend cop", I only use them because it helps me get to the scene of an emergency faster. People are not required to yield for me at all, but many do move out of the way. It does help. And I'm not violating any laws or post by-laws. For the record I use a Whelen Flatlighter visor strobe light with 2 green lenses.