Assigned to an Engine or a Truck?

[TruckOV]

Should a probie fresh out of probie school be assigned to a Truck company right away or should they be sent to an engine company for a while? I think they should be sent to an Engine personally, I believe the truck should be for the guys/girls that have the most experience because you have to make split second decisions such as the OV, and the ROOF.. what do u guys think???

[Parrothead]

They should learn how to be a FF before they go to a Truck.In my City they all go to Engine Companies from training.Our Truckies open the roof and also do interior search,including above the fire.

Engine guys are tied to the handline with their Officer.Truck guys go with their partner to do a search or roof ops.Need experience for that.

[JMAC651]

You should start off on an engine and get the feeling of heat from a few good hot fires. so when you do transfer to a truck you'll have an "appreciation" for the beating the engine guys are taking and realize how important your job of opening up the building is.

[Dave1983]

Engine Co. first. And I would think a slower Engine would be better, one that can spend more time on basic type training that a probie needs. I wouldnt want a probie on the "hottest" Engine in the city.

Dave

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

I think that they should rotate between engine and truck work if at all possible and get the best of both points of view.

[FireCapt1951retired]

Definately an Engine Company first. Lets them feel the heat and helps them to understand the value of a good Truck Crew. Here, our Trial Fire Fighters (TFF's) are assigned to an Engine Company. After about 4-5 months on the Engine they are detailed to a Truck Company for 2 months and then return to their Engine Company. The department tries to assign them to the busiest Engine Companies to gain as much experience as possible. This also true of their denure on the Truck Company. Busier is better. After their confirmation they may be transferred to a Truck or an Engine depending on openings within the company rosters. In the end they have an understanding of what is involved with both jobs but still have a lot to learn.

[FiremedicMike]

Edit to remove personal info

[ElChup175]

In my humble opinion what should happen...FF graduates and starts a tour, he goes around for one year to different companies in different parts of the area to learn the different ways companies operate. After a year, and if a slot opens, he can join the company that has a slot open for him, if none open up he just keeps rotating and learning from different companies. With this system he can come to know how each comany operates on a fire scene so he isn't suprised by engine 19 doing something totally different than engine 13 where he learned everything he knows.

[Parrothead]

JMHO but shouldn't engine 13 and Engine 19 be doing the same thing? SOP's?

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Even though they follow the same sop/sog's, each station and each company officer may have his/her own "interpretation" of what it says.

Part of that problem is the way sop/sog's are written. I swaer that some fire chiefs must have taken a few law courses, they write complicated sop/sogs that take up to 5 pages to go through and would take a supreme court justice to figure out when a 1 page KISS sop/sog would do!

[ElChup175]

Like said, not every company officer is the same, and not every company is the same. Engine 13 may be in a more industrial area as where Engine 19 is in a commercial area. 13 is going to run a bit differently seeing as how they might have to worry about hazmat situations, as where 19 will have to worry more about high rise buildings. If our new firefighter gets to see both the industrial area of town as well as the commercial then he is more versitile than someone who just works in the commercial area of town.

[Parrothead]

Gothcha. Thanks.