Testosterone Vs H2o

[strippel]

Volunteer FireMonkey Rant on.

My partner and I (two old timers) settled in for our 12 hour suburban shift. Luckily, it was a pretty quiet day. I had an EMT student with me, and spent time asking her questions. Just as I finished quizzing her while washing the truck, we get dispatched to a crash with the VFC across the street.

We have a plan. If the call is EMS in nature, we move quickly so we don't get run over by the responding engine. If it is Fire in nature, we sit on the ramp, and watch the volunteers as they cut off other drivers, then speed away in their $500,000 tax supported fire apparatus.

Today, it was dispatched as a minor crash. We arrived on location in about 1 minute, and found 2 cars on the side of the highway. As they, and no one anywhere near them were in a crash, we returned to the ambulance to call the county dispatcher. Police arrived, and we talked with them. The between EMS and PD, we covered well over a mile of bumper to bumper (5 lanes) roadway. No crashes noted. County had 2 different callers, none were involved, none still on the phone. We discussed with the officer, we would both go down the road, without lights and sirens, and look further.

By this time, volunteers had now staffed 2 engines, a truck, and a squad, and are screaming down the road at a high rate of speed, with Qs blaring. We advise them that nothing is found, and that we talked with the officer. They now devise a plan to split up their apparatus, and proceed to drive at high speed all over the interchange, and on multiple side streets, with sirens blaring.

PD and EMS have gone available after checking the likely locations. Fire apparatus is still speeding all around at a high rate of speed, lights and sirens on.

With all EMS in our county being at least partially paid, there has been increased professionalism. There have been many who have attempted to improve that attitude of the volunteer fire service. One local chief even works with nationally known instructors to bring safety education to our area. All of the other companies we work with show organization and professionalism. It is a joy to work with the union boys, or Amish firemen over these guys.

Rant off.

Do any of you work where there are "scary" volunteer services? What have you done to improve professionalism (especially safety related) with these services? We have tried talking to other chiefs, and they don't want to get involved. We try talking to the company members, and they tell us to mind our own business. They know more than we do, no matter what.

On the ironic side, our maintenance and EVOC officer USED TO be a member there. He was suspended because he was unable to attend their home grown driver safety class.

[mobey]

Dealt with crap like this many times..

I was doing standby at a grass fire one time getting ready to leave at the "loss stopped" timestamp, when a stupid volley firemonkey came screaming across the field lights and sirens chasing a "hot spot" (which was sitting still) hooked a barb wire fence which had been lowered earlier in the fire, drug it about 50 feet and almost cut some guys legs off :roll:

Ya I brought it up to the chief and was promptly reminded that they are the proffesional hoserollers, and accidents happen!!!

Besides you can't give volleys $hit, they might quit.

Even if it does cost Joe Farmer an arm and a leg (or two). :wink: