Vol/Poc Firehouse Politics

[ffjeep5814]

I am a LT on a Vol. Fire Department that just recently has just consolidated with 3 other departments to form a new Town Wide Fire / Rescue Department. This new dept is almost a year old and is running fairly smooth. The problem I have is that there is One Fire Chief, and 4 Bat. Chiefs for each of the stations that consolidated. The fire chief has made some Polices for the dept as any chief would -- however my bat. cheif has also made some station policies just for the one station. One of which was duty nights for the members. This was a mandatory thing just for one station. I being a 2nd shift Dispatcher for my full time job am unable to find coverage for the nights that i'm at work from 2pm to 10pm at night -- the duty coverage starts at 5pm and goes until 5am -- 2 times i have been at work and unable to find another LT to fill in while i'm at work -- because of this i have recently been demoted and suspended for this -- no other station in this department has this policy, and isn't it funny that i can be suspened under the town's guidlines, for a station rule -- i know its kind of hard to explain, but i think its messed up and looking for anyone maybe with an idea or suggestion -- thanks,
EX. LT.

[Dalmatian90]

Hmmmm...

Battalion Chief with a serious ego issue?

Is there mandatory day coverage, or paid guys on the day shift? If not, what makes nights special?

Moreover, suspended over something like this when you have a conflict with work? Keeping your job takes precedence over the fire company.

A finally, let's get down to what I suspect the bottom line is -- ego trip showing he's in charge, and his guys put out the fires in town (they're gonna get a big jump on the other companies since they're already in quarters).

[WTFD10]

I always thought the idea of duty crews in a volunteer/POC dept. was that the members sign up for the shifts they are available. Silly me.

Hard to believe he would dictate shift times to you without checking with you and how it might conflict with your full-time job schedule. Has this been an issue for any other members?

Can you transfer to one of the other stations?

[firenresq77]

Dal was thinking the same thing I was....... He wants to try to show everyone else up..... but it still doesn't explain why he would schedule you when you are working. Have you talked to him about it? If so, and he won't budge, I would follow my chain of command and go to the Chief......... I normally don't like to cause problems, but if that was me in your position, I would be continuing up the chain.......

[ffjeep5814]

Thanks to all who have showed some interest -- The one problem that i didn't mention with my job was that i work a rotation shift, meaning that i work 4 days on 2 off 4 on 2 off and the 5 on -- so my days off are never the same -- also, i think you are right in the fact that the Bat. Chief is on a major ego trip. There is always that option of going to a different station of course, which i will more than likely end up doing -- but its the fact of the matter that i started out in this department as a fire explorer and worked my way up -- then because of a bad weekend when the chief wanted to go fishing, but couldn't because no one was coming to calls so make up a new policy on his own -- thats night right. The rule was Family, Church, Work, Then the fire department, after all we are all still Volunteers. Also for the record, i would just like to add that i'm not mad mouthing my chief, because that would just be wrong and thats conduct unbecoming of an officer, no matter what i have to trust my life w/ his choices.

ex Lt

[WTFD10]

Originally posted by ffjeep5814
The one problem that i didn't mention with my job was that i work a rotation shift, meaning that i work 4 days on 2 off 4 on 2 off and the 5 on -- so my days off are never the same

That's only a problem if he won't work with you on the duty schedule. I work swing shift too and still make 50 to 60% of our calls.

If he can't understand that your livelyhood and financial support for you family has to come first I'd say you are better off at one of your department's other stations.

Good luck brother.