Author Topic: US volunteers? (Read 9815 times)

uniden · « **on:** June 11, 2007, 06:30:41 PM »

Some of the fire departments in the larger towns in the US claim to be volunteer departments. But looking at some of the appliances they run and the incidents they attend, me thinks that they are renumerated in some sort of way like a retained system. Does anyone know much about this?

mack · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2007, 06:54:54 PM »

i think technically they are vollunteers....
although they are housed, fed, etc....some of them may also get some benefits through colleges?

im nto entirely sure though.

Pipster · « **Reply #2 on:** June 11, 2007, 07:48:51 PM »

Various places in the world attach a different meaning to the world "Volunteer".....

Our definition of not being paid anything is quite different to many areas of America (and other places), where many of their "Volunteers" are what we call retained or auxiliary (eg paid some form of renumeration)

Pip

pumprescue · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2007, 08:35:48 PM »

I wouldn't say that, I think you will find the majority are purely volly's like us, just that they buy trucks that they need, they don't tend to have a HQ like we do that tells them what to do, they have the NFPA standards, and after that they can do what they like if they have the cash. Also, they tend to have upmarket stations to attract out of area vols to stay, unlike us who have to recruit pretty much from within an area as we don't have any facilities to enable crews to even sit at the station let alone sleep there.

Just because they have top of the line equipment and run a few thousand calls doesn't mean they are paid guys, sounds like you guys have been in the CFS to long, gotten used to volly = a lower standard of gear. (you know its true, its a fact, we have no money)

RescueHazmat · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2007, 09:22:59 PM »

As pumprescue suggests, most are totally Volunteer. But also most run as individual departments.. - Where as in SA there are two distinct services, over there it is totally different. Each "Department" are their own.. With the exception of some departments which have a few stations under them.

They are often funded by the individual councils/shires/mayoral/districts they protect.. So if they have a political leader / mayor etc who thinks his/her area needs more protection.. bang.. They get funding and get upgraded gear.. - However it works both ways, I have seen some very underdeveloped and under funded departments.. (Another reason you occasionally hear of station rivalry, as they are not part of the same department etc)

Most states (I think Calif. is the only one who don't -believe they have their own standards) train their members under NFPA standards.. This is really the only uniformed part, the training.. After that Departments can differer considerably..

Some vol. stations (well quite a few) roster "volunteer" crews, so the crews stay/sleep/live out of the station while rostered.. The department, through the council funding pay for the food in the Firehouse etc.. But the crews are still technically volunteer.. (And I can understand why they do, some Vol departments may do 2000 - 5000 calls a year ! ..

It is a very different system and one that can be hard to understand.. But it seems to work, and thats what matters..

Robert-Robert34 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 12, 2007, 09:36:07 AM »

I got a friend who's a volunteer with the Boone County Fire Protection District and she is alot more trained than i am

sad to say cause she's got all the rural fire training including CABA and is also a EMT Paramedic but i can take comfort in the fact that i started responding to call outs after turning 16 so i've got more experience than her

Surprisingly when i sent her pictures of our appliances and a group fwd she was quite shocked to see how different our trucks are to theirs im still in the process of trying to get her to come over here for a visit so she's able to see how so much different rural fire stations are here although i doubt its gonna happen anytime soon

cause its a matter of getting her away from the busy lifestyle there

But when it does happen i'll let you all know cause i plan to show her around the Lower South East area & maybe try and arrange a visit to one of the local stations on a training night im just hoping she doesnt see the need for a new challenge and end up joining the Country Fire Service although something tells me it might happen

Alan (Big Al) · « **Reply #6 on:** June 12, 2007, 10:12:10 AM »

Quote from: Robert34 on June 12, 2007, 09:36:07 AM

I got a friend who's a volunteer with the Boone County Fire Protection District and she is alot more trained than i am sad to say cause she's got all the rural fire training including CABA and is also a EMT Paramedic but i can take comfort in the fact that i started responding to call outs after turning 16 so i've got more experience than her

Robert she probably attends more calls in one shift than what you do in a year or 2

24P · « **Reply #7 on:** June 12, 2007, 11:28:34 AM »

Lenght of service doesnt always = more experience.

Robert-Robert34 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 12, 2007, 11:44:35 AM »

Thats true MundCFS but i cant help that

the funny thing is that she wanted me to go over there to experience USA rural fire fighting but after seeing the pics of our trucks she wants to come over here and experience our rural fire fighting

RescueHazmat · « **Reply #9 on:** June 12, 2007, 11:48:35 AM »

lol.. I don't think she will take up the challenge of joining the CFS mate... Something tells me moving from the States to S.A just for the CFS is a bit of a no-brainer..

-FYI - Boone run with a Heavy Pierce Engine(Pumper), a Pierce Watertanker, A individual Pierce or Freightliner Heavy Rescue, a regional Hazardous Materials Response truck that, in addition to normal incident response & responsibilities in Boone County it may be called to respond regionally in Central Missouri by the State Emergency Management Agency or the Department of Natural Resources, they have 3 QRV's (Quick Response Vehicles - like QAV's), they have 1 Fire Investigation and Explosives/Bomb tech truck and lastly they run 4 Rescue Boats.

Along with an ambulance which is co-responded from the County Hospital.

Boone is trained in Normal firefighting operations, Specialist rescue including vehicle and person, HAZMAT, Dive teams, CBR teams, WMD training/response, Wildland training, F/E & Bomb Tech squads & finally bike teams.

Hence the reason I don't think she would make the switch to the CFS

Robert-Robert34 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 12, 2007, 11:57:06 AM »

Thats true RescueHazmat but still recruiting already trained fire fighters from the USA wouldnt hurt though

although they might have to be re-trained to suit SACFS requirements theres no harm in hoping

Alan (Big Al) · « **Reply #11 on:** June 12, 2007, 12:19:30 PM »

Hmmmm me thinks you have an alterior motive for wanting this person to come visit you Rob

Robert-Robert34 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 12, 2007, 12:28:14 PM »

Our brigade is really struggling to get volunteers so i am just thinking outside the box and looking else where

bittenyakka · « **Reply #13 on:** June 12, 2007, 12:29:32 PM »

Well it is very outside the box i'll give you that.

Robert-Robert34 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 12, 2007, 12:55:41 PM »

Thanks bittenyakka cause problem solving is one of my strongest qualities and looking else where for volunteers demonstrates that

Ok Ok lets stick to the subject people before we go off track

URfirie · « **Reply #15 on:** June 23, 2007, 03:50:00 AM »

Hi all, i'm currently travelling aroud the US and Canada, and am off next week for my second visit to a rural(ish) brigade in Alberta, Canada. Their web site proclaims them to be made up of 5 paid staff and the rest volunteers, so i thought great, we'll have something in common. On reading further info about their latest recruitment drive i discover that they pay their volunteers for training hours and attending calls. So, they're casual employees in our terminology. They very strongly identify themselves as volunteers though. Interesting. Will let you know more if i find out anything exciting!

Cheers
ann

RescueHazmat · « **Reply #16 on:** July 02, 2007, 12:02:37 AM »

Quote from: URfirie on June 23, 2007, 03:50:00 AM

Hi all, i'm currently travelling aroud the US and Canada, and am off next week for my second visit to a rural(ish) brigade in Alberta, Canada. Their web site proclaims them to be made up of 5 paid staff and the rest volunteers, so i thought great, we'll have something in common. On reading further info about their latest recruitment drive i discover that they pay their volunteers for training hours and attending calls. So, they're casual employees in our terminology. They very strongly identify themselves as volunteers though. Interesting. Will let you know more if i find out anything exciting!

Cheers
ann

Sounds more like a retained setup...

5271rescue · « **Reply #17 on:** July 02, 2007, 07:23:11 AM »

from what I have read on a number of sites about USA volunteer fire stations they are paid volunteers like our retain system.There are fully volunteer stations in countys that are small or countys that dont have alot of money to pay people for there service.As for appliances there brushfire trucks are great but they dont have appliances that can fully attack a grass fire like our aussie appliances.They where 15 years ago looking at our tankers when I was in the CFA and got to see these at work first hand at a number of good working jobs...

The USA fire service by far has the heights amount of summer firefighting deaths per year and if you go into utube and just look at some of there firefighting action you can see why......

So life is not always that good in god bless america country....

RescueHazmat · « **Reply #18 on:** July 02, 2007, 02:39:08 PM »

However you have to remember.. - More incidents, more people, more risks = higher chances/likelyhood of injuries/LODD etc.

CFS_Firey · « **Reply #19 on:** July 02, 2007, 02:42:28 PM »

Quote from: RescueHazmat on July 02, 2007, 02:39:08 PM

However you have to remember.. - More incidents, more people, more risks = higher chances/likelyhood of injuries/LODD etc.

Any idea what their fires to firefighter deaths ratio is?

SA Firey · « **Reply #20 on:** July 04, 2007, 12:03:27 AM »

Quote from: URfirie on June 23, 2007, 03:50:00 AM

Hi all, i'm currently travelling aroud the US and Canada, and am off next week for my second visit to a rural(ish) brigade in Alberta, Canada. Their web site proclaims them to be made up of 5 paid staff and the rest volunteers, so i thought great, we'll have something in common. On reading further info about their latest recruitment drive i discover that they pay their volunteers for training hours and attending calls. So, they're casual employees in our terminology. They very strongly identify themselves as volunteers though. Interesting. Will let you know more if i find out anything exciting!

Cheers
ann

Ann

One question

SA Firey · « **Reply #21 on:** July 04, 2007, 12:05:43 AM »

Dont forget to take lots of appliance photos in your travels

RescueHazmat · « **Reply #22 on:** July 04, 2007, 12:52:02 AM »

Quote from: CFS_Firey on July 02, 2007, 02:42:28 PM

Quote from: RescueHazmat on July 02, 2007, 02:39:08 PM
However you have to remember.. - More incidents, more people, more risks = higher chances/likelyhood of injuries/LODD etc.
Any idea what their fires to firefighter deaths ratio is?

hmmm... Don't have an exact number, but ill try find out...

- I actually think it will be a pretty small number, if you include Paid and Vol there is ALOT of firies over there..

Give me a couple days

URfirie · « **Reply #23 on:** July 05, 2007, 04:46:55 PM »

So, met with some firies out of Canada in a place called High River. They have "volunteers" that they pay to attend callouts. Interestingly their recruitment for these paid volunteers only involves you showing up, filling in a form and having a medical. No proof of skills etc required. So that seems more like volunteers to me, even if there is a bit of cash in it.
Took lots of pics, will post some when we get back home!

Oh, and the Canandian firies, very interested in what it's like back home (the US guys, not so much!).

Cheers
ann

Robert-Robert34 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 05, 2007, 05:32:21 PM »

Everyone pack your bags then head to Canada and show the canadians were as good as ann has told them although i wouldnt mind heading to USA and showing the yanks how we fight fires aussie style, we might as well take one of our trucks over there too

Author Topic: US volunteers? (Read 9815 times)

uniden

pumprescue