Probationary Period

[Geinandputitout]

I am not hired because it is a volunteer dept. but they know that I am taking classes at the fire academy I was just wondering if they could even though it is a volunteer dept.

That is the biggest misconception in the volunteer fire service. Regardless of pay, you are still an employee of the department / city that the department serves - albeit not a very well paid one.

If they have a probationary period, they can kick you out for anything.

[Fitguy51]

I have to ask why you are taking FF1 at the NYSAF during your probation period when you could be getting the same training in your home county for free? I am assuming that you FD is not paying you expenses at Montour Falls.

[ndvfdff33]

Actually, he did clarify where he was going to school "the fire academy in motour falls."

Also, the person who made the post in regards to their department showing them as "present" stated that word, not "on scene." Perhaps it's cutting hairs, but it depends on how they keep track of it.

The example I gave was how my policy reads and used it as a possibility of how theirs may read. It's nothing other than a means to make sure people who miss calls for legitimate reasons don't get hammered by attendance quotas.

If you're gone from work for training or business that they send you on, or for training that benefits the company/department (which is some companies/departments count the same way), do they count you as absent and make you use sick time? I seriously doubt it. I know if my career department sends me to training, I'm counted as being "present" at work, even though I'm not at the station. Same theory here.

As far as I can tell,this has nothing to do with being on training for this Dept. He is not going there on training for that dept, he is going on his own, which is what I got from the " they know I am a full time student".

My dept doesn't account for you if you are off at the Fire School. If your not at the hall or at the scene you do not get marked down on the run sheets. If somebody found out that we were marking people down as being present when they are not in town or the county even we would get hung out to dry.

I'm sure if he has a decent set of Officers that they will look at his situation and cut him a bit of slack. At least he wants to be a part of this dept and try to make a difference. If they don't, well there is really not much he can do.

[ILDisasterEMT]

If the officers are any good, they will work with you. Most departments can't afford to turn away good people. The fact that you are missing calls due to being at a fire academy should be taken into consideration. The training you get at the academy will only help them.

I'm not a fan of requiring a minimum number of calls. Sometimes peoples schedules just don't match up with when the calls go out.

I think there are a couple of answers here that are right.

1. Being a volunteer department, they really can do whatever they want. They often have an Officers' Board and these officers are the ones that decide if you stay or go.

2. If you told them about your school schedule and they took you on anyway, then it really wouldn't be fair of them to make it an issue now.

3. I'm not a fan of the minimum number of calls either. That's really hard to gauge with volly departments. For the department I just joined, the requirement for the yellow helmet period (probation) is 240 hours running calls, not a specific number. Recently the department was called out on a mutual aide and was on scene for 11.5 hours, so it can add up quickly as it can in a department like mine where 90% of the calls are medical or MVC related. We all know you can be on an accident scene for a donkey's years.

[ILDisasterEMT]

You do not say how big the department is or if it is fully volunteer with no paid firefighters. I would think one of the reasons for this requirement of 50% of the calls is due to non active volunteers. I agree with washing trucks, attending training, and doing odd tasks to show that you will participate after your probation period. Most volunteer depts do not follow their requirements or by-laws 100% but use these laws as a standard operating guideline. My dad told me when you volunteer there is two lines to sign up in. The first line is for volunteers that will do the work and the second line is for the ones that will take credit for the work done. My dad told me to stand in the first line cause its not as crowded. good luck.

We run about 1500-2000 calls per year and members are required to run on 10% of them. Im new to this game so I dont know how common that is versus a higher number. They have a hard time getting and retaining members so I think they cant really afford to push too hard, though it sounds like in the upcoming year, things are going to get a little more strenuous.

[JoeDokes]

I talked to my chief and he told me that if I got there I got there and if I wasn't available then thats understandable just dont waste his time and energy on me lying to him but we cleared that up and thanks for your input it was helpful

[ndvfdff33]

I talked to my chief and he told me that if I got there I got there and if I wasn't available then thats understandable just dont waste his time and energy on me lying to him but we cleared that up and thanks for your input it was helpful

Good to hear. Sounds like he is a pretty reasonable guy.

[BrianB35]

They aren't listed on scene, they're listed as station stand-by and class is noted. Stand-by counts against your percentage of attendance. They are required to review the log on their school nights and sign it or they don't get paid.

That's kind of weird. Marking somebody on scene when they are infact not even there. We would get in major crap if somebody pulled that sort of thing.

[ndvfdff33]

They aren't listed on scene, they're listed as station stand-by and class is noted. Stand-by counts against your percentage of attendance. They are required to review the log on their school nights and sign it or they don't get paid.

Yeah I realize now it wasn't scene. Still though, even marking them on stand-by we would get screwed. Little different for you guys though where you obvously get paid.

[BrianB35]

Yep, to each their own.

Yeah I realize now it wasn't scene. Still though, even marking them on stand-by we would get screwed. Little different for you guys though where you obvously get paid.

[5ltretr]

I am on my "Probationary Period" and I have to, by the dept. standards reply to at least half of the calls but I am a full time student at the fire academy in motour falls and I am only home a little of the time or at least in our jurisdiction do they have the authority to kick me out even thought the time spent out of the jurisdiction is fire related. I have been to three calls.

They can kick you off for whatever they want. Usually they are a little more understanding in cases like yours, however just bust your butt when you do make calls, and show that you want to be there. More than likely you will be ok.

[louisaqb2]

for ya'll arguin bout markin on scene in the log books...try using an EA column, or excused absence, class, work, out of town for legitimate reasons, sick...ne reason you cant make it to the station for the call other than you heard the pager but were too lazy to go...however, the out of town doesnt count for bein a few miles away, n the sick doesnt count for colds...it has to be reasonable...n nobody gets screwed for marking guys on scene when they arent, or on station when they arent