Help me out with the volunteer fireman thing

[shakingspear]

The training for volunteer firemen is long and fairly intense (a mix of classroom work as well as hands-on training). People may look like tools with their lights on driving to the scene/firehouse, but they're actually performing a service. You know, risking their lives and stuff.

[delta k]

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volunteer firemen ARE firemen, they don't plan on growing up and BEING firemen, they already are. I don't know where you are from, but in non major metropolises, the municipalities don't have enough funds to actually pay career firemen. These guys do it for the good of the community, and they work very hard to raise money for their dept as well.

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all you can eat pancake breakfasts FTW!

[J.A.K.]

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wow, OP. i was prepared to give you the sn of a volunteer firefighter turned real fire fighter who posts here, thinking you wanted advice. turns out you're just a gigantic [censored] and, to echo the words of blinden...

I hope you die in a fire. WTF is your problem?

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This IS what I was looking for. I know they are a benefit to the community and was wondering what their duties entailed. The toolish reference was based on my limited experience from mostly small town volunteers.

I meant no offense. But it is funny how an observation about VF brings on more invective than someone calling Mother Teresa a "sick bitch".

[shakingspear]

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I meant no offense. But it is funny how an observation about VF brings on more invective than someone calling Mother Teresa a "sick bitch".

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Mother Teresa hated volunteer firefighters too.

[J.A.K.]

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volunteer firemen ARE firemen, they don't plan on growing up and BEING firemen, they already are. I don't know where you are from, but in non major metropolises, the municipalities don't have enough funds to actually pay career firemen. These guys do it for the good of the community, and they work very hard to raise money for their dept as well.

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Gotcha. Right, I should have been more clear. Some municipal FD are entirely volunteer but they are fully trained. I was speaking to the volunteers assisting the main firemen. Is the city liable for any accidents/injuries to or made by VF?

[J.A.K.]

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I meant no offense. But it is funny how an observation about VF brings on more invective than someone calling Mother Teresa a "sick bitch".

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Mother Teresa hated volunteer firefighters too.

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You're spewing seconds of your life.

[Durs522]

JK,

Vollies do the same things as paid firemen. On Long Island for example, there are no paid firefighters. All fire departments are volunteer, meaning that if people didn't volunteer nobody would show up when you call 911. It was something I did for 3 years before I moved and I am about to sign up again now that I have moved back home.

Speeding to the firehouse with your light blazing is pretty stupid IMO. I had a light in my car but never really used it unless I was in traffic or it was a very serious call. There were always people in my firehouse who would drive to the firehouse for a call with their lights on. They were tools but still needed in the department. Some people just get hyped up about being a fireman and take it too far. They sit home with their pagers waiting for calls, or listen to the scanner to hear a call coming in before we get activated. Regardless of whether this is "cool" or not they are the ones getting up at 3 in the morning to take an old lady to the hospital.

Also, cutting up cars with hurst tools (jaws of life, etc.) is pretty fun stuff. Climbing ladders, rappelling off buildings, going into fires, saving lives, all that stuff is amazing and most people don't get the opportunity to do them.

Some of the firemen in my department were waiting to get called for FDNY, however you get 0 credit for being a volunteer firefighter. It isn't necessary and sometimes it is even looked down upon. From what I've heard they feel that firefighters should be trained by FDNY only and that volunteers aren't serious.

Anything else you want to know just post.

[J.A.K.]

Good post durs. You've definitely changed my outlook. Speaking of volunteers in the context of them being "helpers" not an actual municipal VFD are they limited in what they can do on site? I would not think they could enter burning buildings, etc.

[bblock99]

I don't know of any departments that have both volunteer and full-time firefighters. You may be referring to firefighters that are paid on-call.

Also, firefighters are first responders for all medical calls, and most are EMTs. So sometimes, after the paramedics get there, there may not be much for them to do. A lot of times in rural communites, the fire department beats the ambulance to the scene, unless the ambulance is run by the fire department.

This is more of a medical standpoint, as I am an EMT. Hope this answers some of your questions.

BB

[Durs522]

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Good post durs. You've definitely changed my outlook. Speaking of volunteers in the context of them being "helpers" not an actual municipal VFD are they limited in what they can do on site? I would not think they could enter burning buildings, etc.

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I'm not really sure what you mean by "helpers". I guess maybe the FD you're talking about is paid, but that people volunteer and help out? I don't really see the point to this and these people should not be responding with lights/speeding.

In my FD we had the Firefighters and also an explorer post. This is a division of the Boy Scouts and it allows younger people (14-20) to be a part of the FD. They train with us and get to hang out but can't respond to calls.

Also, in my department we do EMS and Firefighting. So we are the ambulance that takes you to the hospital. We have a First Responder who is a paramedic who uses an FD vehicle and leaves the firehouse first. They are paid and one is at the firehouse 24/7. The ambulance then follows when we have a crew (driver, EMT, and other firefighters) and transports the patient to the hospital.

It is all very professional around here. Most people who don't know much about us assume that we're paid firefighters. Our county fire academy is one of the best in the country.