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Brother Big Eye
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What is the difference between a SOP and one of the many manuals driving this department? There is a simple explanation. One can be held accountable for a SOP, written up for the slightest infraction. On the other hand, a manual is a guideline. Manuals are designed to get everyone on the same page so to speak, and a SOP has you by the throat.
An officer can arrive on a house fire, cause multimillion dollars worth of damage by wrong tactics, excess water damage, excess overhaul, not getting to the seat of the fire and/or prematurely setting up the artificial rain makers all while following the manuals. However, forgetting to do a simple EMS Fire RMS report by SOP and you get to read about it. The point is there is NO balance.
This is extreme, but this is where we are at.
What is your legend? I want to be known as an aggressive fireman, the officer everyone likes to work for and not afraid to go to battle with. We face the elements, deal with the cards handed to us on every call, and cope with extraordinary circumstances. Unfortunately some of the details may get missed. We may not always be in the right uniform, but extra clothing during frigid days helps us deal with the elements. We may not have the right tool for the job, but we’ll use what we have to the best of our ability to accomplish the task.
We need to keep our focus on priorities and remember that we are fireman.
Be a fireman again.
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9 comments:
I agree...When was the last time a citizen asked why you were wearing a sweatshirt instead of your Class C shirt????? Huh?
Do you have an opening at your station?
I have been back in the field post shoulder surgery for month and half. I have received no less than 3 emails from my BC delivering accolades for my battalion’s compliance with the DIRTS. What a concept 7 B is doing it right because the shift leaders and BC manage their battalion. Guess what I haven’t done every report on the day that I worked but they were done first thing of the next work day. I resent the implication that we somehow garner the title of unprofessional because we delay doing a small piece of documentation by a day or so, to the writer of the “Be firemen again” thank you for sharing. We as a department are upside down at times. I sat in a PLT meeting and brought up the issues surrounding FS10. Flooding of the bay, lack of hot water, snow covered floors, a ladder truck relentlessly exposed to the elements etc. Deputies were remarkably silent. No position on the fact that their personnel are existing in nearly third world type conditions but they have time to run a DIRTS before they go home in the morning and jack their people up. Excellent patient care, well documented EPCR reports, excellent interaction with hospital staff, does this not matter? No one took time to send an email to commend those actions during the 24 hour shift. Only the fact that a simple report was not completed. PRIORITIES! Why can’t fixing a bad fire station be as big a feather in the cap of a up and coming “give me my next rank” deputy as harpooning our people for a simple oversight.
Reminds me of the call I've heard about where it was a school, room & contents upon arrival. The attack crew was told to go defensive for some reason. The school burned down. At the officer's huddle afterward, the chief said that we everyone did a good job because no one got hurt. High fives all around!
From what I've been told, there are quite a few that have climbed the "corporate" ladder here quite quickly. It's all about getting that next rank. How can you be an effective leader when you don't spend much time at each rank, actually becoming proficient at that position? The end result is the disconnect between admin and the field that we all complain about. It helps to explain all the bizarre, nitpicking SOP's and GO's, why we're getting hammered for not filling out an RMS, why we can't wear company gear, but no one cares if you can throw a ladder or other basic firefighting skills. That reminds me...
Quota hiring is killing the fire service. Hiring ought to be merit based. I've worked with many competent people of different protected classes, and they do their job well. Then you have certain people getting third chances in the academy (you're supposed to be let go after two), and being allowed to use lighter ladders, and lighter dummies as well. We all know certain individuals that get a free pass no matter what they do. This job seems to attract those who just want the schedule, benefits, and pay. Make the selection process 100% objective, establish a list, and make it colorblind. Most that are applying for a fire job nowadays were born in the 80's or even 1990 or so. Why are they being penalized for discrimination issues that saw corrective legislation well before their time? If you hand the job over on a silver platter, you're going to get some slackers. We've all worked with individuals that we know would flat leave us in a fire if we're in distress. We know others that weigh 100 lbs soaking wet and have no prayer of rescuing us either, despite the best of intentions and intestinal fortitude. The job isn't for everyone.
ya know...this kinda BS started when they started getting NVCC fire science grads in to the FD back in the 70s...its been downhill ever since.
Great ideas all the way around. Let's all show up for work whenever the hell we feel like rolling in, talk to "shorty" on our personal cell phones while on an incident scene, wear whatever we feel most comfortable in, and do all the reports (maybe) when we get to them. Oh yeah...don't forget to run your part-time gig from the bunkroom when you could be learning something about your job.
Professional, my ass. The BOS is really going to bend over backwards to give us a raise 'cause you proclaim yourself a "fireman." Get real.
The problem is that many now see a fire job as a part time gig (after you discount sleeping OTJ, PT, internet surfing, watching movies, and PS3), something they do for some $$$ and benefits, while they either run a side business OTJ, or just f-off in general. Easy money indeed.
When you look at me at 0815 and tell me that you're tired and need a nap, I have no use for you. There are plenty of guys that would give their left nut to get on the job.
Ground Beef,
I have read many of your postings and as a result spent time not only contemplating my own choices on this job but also moving to make change based on your suggestions. Please remember that people who have a direct effect on our pay, retirement and working conditions read this blog. I know this with 100% certainty. I have been called out at the highest level of county government, in front of witnesses, for things I have said on this website. I love free speech and would go to the mat to defend your right to write. I have to tell you that to be critical of others professionalism when you are making statements like offering up male genitalia is not doing our cause any good. Whatever valid points you may have will get lost when it is embedded in that language/attitude. I’m guilty of using bad language as much, if not more then the next person. Not when I’m on a call, not when I’m representing you and certainly not when I’m writing something that members of the BOS read. Inspire and persuade using your brain not your brawn. Please use social media responsibly our reputations as highly trained and highly motivated can be won or lost in an instant. Like it or not your name isn’t ground beef but you are clearly a Fairfax County Firefighter. Imagine this, I go to sit down to discuss a change to the county code to allow your retirement to be calculated as if you never lost your merits. And before I go any further I have to answer questions about some guy on “The Big Eye” who was making nasty comments like a common street punk not a professional firefighter. Love you my anonymous brother but come on tighten it up.
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