Advice for lateral transfers

[12TruckIrons]

Well since Dal has posted the other 3 advice threads I thought I would add one that he missed. So what advice do you have for lateral transfers. This in my opinion is kind of a wierd position to be in since you arent a probie, but you havent been there before.

[Dalmatian90]

Basically same situation as lateral transfers is vollies who move.

Some do it successfully, but I've also seen many not adapt well to my departments traditions & idiosyncracies (sp?)

[12TruckIrons]

any advice for em Dal?

[Dalmatian90]

Yep

But let's see what other people come up with first!

[12TruckIrons]

Well Dal how bout pm me so I get a pre screening so to speak.

[TWEJFD]

Don't expect that just because you "paid your dues" somewhere else, that it will count in your new department. You still need to EARN your way.

Keep your mouth shut. Don't tell them how much you already know, SHOW them when the opportunity arises (it will), and they will respect you more for it.

Accept that just because they do something different than your old dept, it doesn't make it wrong. Try and avoid the phrase "That's not how my old department does it."

If you really know a better way, be diplomatic in how you present it. Also, don't present it until you've been around long enough to see your new dept's "big picture" to see if it really will fit in.

Don't look for special treatment. You're still just the new guy- maybe smarter than average, but still the new guy.

Did I say keep your mouth shut?

[Dalmatian90]

Humility.

Putting on an airpack upside down doesn't lend much credibility to the years of experience you've been talking about...

Listen and learn the way they do things.

View having people show you again the basics as an opportunity to refresh your skills and see how they like things done, not an insult to your intelligence.

We, in the fire service, get hurt when people start pulling plays from different playbooks. With experienced, well drilled firefighters & companies that work together all the time, certain things just become second-nature and if people do thing they don't expect, weird stuff happens.

Once you've shown respect and earned it back from your new department, then you can ask about trying out new plays to add to their playbook.

But have some self-confidence -- wrapping yourself in, "Well, my old department did it this way..." just ****es people off for the most part. You don't need the protection of the reputation of where you came from if you've gotten their respect. "Hey Captain, can we try something different I think will work better? Let me show you..." If he asks where you learned it, let them know this is what you where taught at the last department. But don't lead off with that!

Don't expect it to be just like your old department. I think that's where we get hit the hardest -- as an organization we run a lot more meetings & fundraisers than most in our area, and that's a bit of culture shock for people moving from another department.

[KingHippo]

"Lateral Entry Firefighter" means a probie who gets paid a little more. You're still on probation, you're still being watched, and you still better be the first one up in the morning, and have the flag up and coffee made before the other guys wake up.

Your time doesn't transfer with you. Don't think you can kick back in the lay-z-boy after dinner like you did at your old department; you've got probie tests to study for, and stuff to clean.

That said, lateraling to another department can be one of the best things you can ever do. I'm glad I did it.

[Mongoose772]

A couple years ago we had a position in fire prevention that I toyed with taking. Several Prevention and Inspection people have applied to Suppression Div over the years, some successfully. I am not familiar with "laterally" transfering into a completely different department. To me, that sounds a lot like, "Getting a job somewhere else.", doesn't it?

How does this "system" work? We have hired several people from out of state departments. In fact, one guy came from California a couple years ago after 15 years with a department out there. He still made bottom (A) step Private pay each week. I would think it would make the International cringe seemingly weakening the senority issue that drives so many of our departments forward (or backwards heh).

Feel free to enlighten me though. Sounds interesting enough.

Dan-

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

In civil service regulated fire departments in Massachusetts, one can lateral transfer only with the blessing of the two chiefs of the departments involved.

My opinion...you are making a fresh start. You may carry your pension over to the new job, but you lost the seniority when you made the move.

[KingHippo]

There's a few depts that do Lateral Hires. In the job posting, one of the requirements will be 2 or 3 years of fulltime experience. Once hired, you start at a higher payrate than regular recruits, and oftentimes go through a shorter academy. It is a way for agencies to put some experience at the bottom of their roster.

Then there are the guys who just "get a new job." These brave folks start at the bottom of the pay scale, and have to go through a full academy.

Either way, you are a probie again, and you have no seniority.