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 Welcome to the SA firefighting thread. Anyone currently a firefighter or looking to become one, feel free to post here! (One of my FD's jobs, around 2000...yes I know it's the 6th Google image search result for "firefighter", but I swear it's my FD) I'm Kashew from a FD just north of Albany. I've got a whole host of training from suppression to extrication to low angle ropes. I let my EMT lapse cause my FD runs like a total of three(3) EMS calls a year compared to 800-ish fire calls. SA FirefightersKashew Senor Punk Crazy Dutchman Marx JaeKwang Ferremit kicktd Kashew fucked around with this message at 06:21 on Aug 28, 2011 |
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Feb 12, 2010 18:58
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I feel like I should be anal about this and say that I was a firefighter (same place as Kashew, for 4 years), and still have hopes of becoming one again (at my current department), but I am not one at the moment. What do you want to discuss anyways? New technology? The decrease in fires everywhere? The death of volunteer service? Fire's drive to take over EMS [and save it's own rear end]?
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Feb 12, 2010 19:26
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I are a fireman  My A/T thread about firefighting didn't seem to garner a whole lot of traffic, though.
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Feb 12, 2010 19:43
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Crazy Dutchman posted:I are a fireman If the EMS megathread has taught us anything it's that.... poo poo needs to go in GBS.
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Feb 12, 2010 19:49
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senor punk posted:I feel like I should be anal about this and say that I was a firefighter (same place as Kashew, for 4 years), and still have hopes of becoming one again (at my current department), but I am not one at the moment. Whatever. I mean, we could discuss what gear is the best to what crazy calls people have seen(keeping HIPAA in mind, that is) to complaining about whatever. senor punk posted:If the EMS megathread has taught us anything it's that.... This is the *official* forum for uniformed services now...so the EMS thread ought to be in here. Anyways, I think my Globe G-Extreme gear has the most comfortable gear that also very protective.
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Feb 12, 2010 21:30
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senor punk posted:
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Feb 12, 2010 23:55
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Well if firefighting really is dying, you guys can just move to California. There's no shortage of fire here.
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Feb 13, 2010 00:14
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sky shark posted:Being wholly ignorant of the day-to-day aspect of the firefighting field, why is firefighting dying? Well, it's a mix of things. Most of the US is still reliant on volunteer-based fire services. As times have changed, towns have gotten bigger and jobs have been spread out more. The days of being able to leave work because the fire whistle is tooting are long gone, in part because employers won't allow it and in part because you work an hour away from where you live. It doesn't help that some of those affected towns are unwilling to move to a paid municipal style department because of the costs involved. Many of the state and federal grants available to volunteer departments, many of which are singularly responsible for keeping them afloat, aren't available to paid agencies. In some areas of the US we've seen the breakdown of local fire departments in favor of the creation of 'regions'. Some places already had these in place, the idea being that the local call volume is too low to warrant the full cost for the town - so the towns pull together and create a fire commune which responds to several municipalities. This sort of system was initially fairly prevalent in rural communities, though now we're seeing similar systems spreading across suburbs. We're also doing a pretty decent job with fire prevention. We're nowhere near 100% but we're doing well enough that as Senor said - fire departments have to start doing other things than just putting water on fire. In many areas fire departments have taken over the EMS side of things (or are contesting it), many already handle local technical rescue and hazmat. Diversifying your service allows you to pull money in from new areas (e.g. EMS billing, EMS/hazmat/rescue grants, etc) because most of the money you need to actually fully operate as a service probably won't be coming from the town you represent. People hate taxes. The decline of fire services, the problems with our aging infrastructure. They're all really symptoms of the same problem. People want a deal and you get what you pay for. There's lot of other reasons as well, I'm sure some of the other folks in here will point them out.
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Feb 13, 2010 03:26
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Firefighters have always had my respect and I have quite a few friends who are or used to be firefighters. In most decent sized cities in Texas, they're all paid and make a pretty decent wage. With the work rotation a lot have second jobs as well and pull in bank. In the Navy we all get trained firefighting to some extent. It's a bit different than what you guys do, but handling a 200+ gpm hose is pretty much universal. Those things are fun.
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Feb 13, 2010 04:19
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sky shark posted:Being wholly ignorant of the day-to-day aspect of the firefighting field, why is firefighting dying? Marx covered it pretty well. Volunteers really can't do the job that well any more, but are resistant to change. Cities are hurting for money, and the total number of fires is generally down all over the place, meaning the staffing levels of 15 years ago aren't necessarily needed. Firefighting is one of several professions that can't go away, however it's definitely changing. I will consider myself lucky if I can get onto FDNY Fire, since they are facing a lot of obstacles right now.
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Feb 15, 2010 00:13
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senor punk posted:Marx covered it pretty well. Why are the number of fires decreasing, but number of deaths and injuries increasing? Is this linked to scalebacks in local fire departments, and resultant delays in response, or something entirely different? http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/statistics/national/residential.shtm
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Feb 15, 2010 17:15
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grover posted:That's interesting! I had to go google it, but don't understand the results. I'd say that increasingly lighter construction in the name of driving costs down is also hurting the firefighting profession. Houses are made so flimsy these days that after about 15 minutes of free burning fire the roof is compromised to the point where you can't even enter to suppress.
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Feb 15, 2010 17:25
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Echoing what Krylex said, you guys do a great job and while I hate seeing towns spend money on stuff, I can never say 'that was a stupid expense!' to a new shiny firetruck which will probably save lives. In the Coast Guard, we all get similar firefighting training and I actually fought two fires (a small electrical fire and was involved in a stack/engine room/mainspace fire) and it was exhilarating. Much respect to you guys.
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Feb 15, 2010 18:25
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Elendil004 posted:In the Coast Guard, we all get similar firefighting training and I actually fought two fires (a small electrical fire and was involved in a stack/engine room/mainspace fire) and it was exhilarating. That adrenaline rush can be addicting.
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Feb 15, 2010 18:31
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Kashew posted:I'd say that increasingly lighter construction in the name of driving costs down is also hurting the firefighting profession. Houses are made so flimsy these days that after about 15 minutes of free burning fire the roof is compromised to the point where you can't even enter to suppress. Also, we're seeing in increase of building materials which cause toxic outgassing when mixed with high heat or fire. That new insulation which save Johnny DIY $5 dollars a month on his heating or electric bill will very likely knock him on his rear end if he breathes in even a wiff of it post-combustion/outgassing.* That super-cheap no-name brand drywall from Rhinakstania that's supposed to act as a lil-firebreak to give you time to get out of your house? For some odd reason it turns into a chemical weapon when mixed with temperatures greater than 200 degrees F.* So it's very important to look at the materials going into your house. Granted, *not all materials will behave like this or are super duper deadly - but there are enough out there that you should examine the fine print and do some research... Well, every time you do something to your house.
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Feb 15, 2010 18:40
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But I like lightweight trusses held together by p-o-s gusset plates!
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Feb 15, 2010 18:43
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Kashew posted:But I like lightweight trusses held together by p-o-s gusset plates! Some of them are not even held together by gusset plates, but by glue.
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Feb 15, 2010 18:56
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Crazy Dutchman posted:Some of them are not even held together by gusset plates, but by glue. And in Russia, truss holds glue together.
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Feb 15, 2010 18:59
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Crazy Dutchman posted:Some of them are not even held together by gusset plates, but by glue.  Virtually everything inside a house is going to give off toxic fumes when they burn. Even if the structure itself is "safe", the house is packed full of plastic and other nasties.
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Feb 15, 2010 19:11
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At least it's platform construction and not balloon frame.
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Feb 15, 2010 19:15
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grover posted:Virtually everything inside a house is going to give off toxic fumes when they burn. Even if the structure itself is "safe", the house is packed full of plastic and other nasties. Very true, though now there's a wider variety of potent plastics and nasties. For the life of me I can't understand why, it's just the way it is. Variety is the flavor of life I guess.  edit: kash why ain't I on the list? 
Marx fucked around with this message at 19:53 on Feb 15, 2010 |
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Feb 15, 2010 19:46
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Marx posted:edit: kash why ain't I on the list? Fixed. Speaking of things that give off fun by-products, how about freon into phosgene?
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Feb 15, 2010 20:39
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grover posted:Drywall and firestops installed to code should, in theory, give at least an hour before that point. A rare occasion indeed outside a book.
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Feb 15, 2010 23:24
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Sup FF goons. I'm out on Long Island, still waiting for the first working structure fire in almost 2 years. Antsy as gently caress.
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Feb 20, 2010 07:15
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I have actually considered becoming a firefighter post-military. Would any of you please describe the process of becoming a firefighter to someone who is almost completely ignorant? Fake edit: I know it's a vague request, but I'll take whatever you can offer : 
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Feb 20, 2010 17:15
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Cage Kicker posted:I have actually considered becoming a firefighter post-military. Would any of you please describe the process of becoming a firefighter to someone who is almost completely ignorant? Generally it is a competitive process wherein you take a series of tests (written, physical, etc) plus interviews. The details vary widely depending on location and department. Some departments require you to have certifications and/or experience to apply, while others will take applicants 'off the street' so to speak. Larger departments generally have fewer requirements. The downside to that is there will be many more applicants to compete for the available slots. A good idea is to look at the websites of local departments/places you might want to work as they usually have their specific hiring process outlined there. Many departments test on a set schedule (yearly, etc), while others test when they need to fill open slots. Since you are a veteran, many places will give you extra points or some other incentive. If you post where you are/are willing to work, someone local may be able to provide you with more specific information. There was an ask/tell thread but I lost my plat and I can't find it. edit: found thread http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3190686
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Feb 20, 2010 17:54
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Cage Kicker posted:I have actually considered becoming a firefighter post-military. Would any of you please describe the process of becoming a firefighter to someone who is almost completely ignorant? Crazy Dutchman hit the important stuff, just want to stress that the specifics of the process are very dependent on where you are trying to become a firefighter, and it's an uphill battle to get into any paying firefighting position. Unless you already have something else lined up for if firefighting wasn't an option, I'd suggest looking into becoming an EMT, since it's a similar line of work with a much higher potential of a job as soon as you become an EMT. Also, as someone with military experience, you should hopefully qualify for veterans points when trying out for any fire department, that's huge. I know FDNY adds 5 points to your final written score for being a veteran, combine that with the 5 points for being a city resident (assuming you became one) and you're looking at 10 on top of whatever your regular score was going to be, which improves your chances incredibly.
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Feb 20, 2010 18:09
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My friend got out of the CG and as a disabled ('hearing loss'  ) veteran with Boston city status has like 15 or 20 bonus points.
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Feb 20, 2010 19:05
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senor punk posted:Crazy Dutchman hit the important stuff, just want to stress that the specifics of the process are very dependent on where you are trying to become a firefighter, and it's an uphill battle to get into any paying firefighting position. Unless you already have something else lined up for if firefighting wasn't an option, I'd suggest looking into becoming an EMT, since it's a similar line of work with a much higher potential of a job as soon as you become an EMT. The process can take quite awhile, even if you do get hired. I got hired in about 4 months beginning to end, but I work for a smaller dept. Large depts will take at least a year, and if you have to wait on a list, years. Before Chicago FD tested in 2006, the last test was in 1994, so the guys they hired in 2005 had been waiting over 10 years. Getting your EMT cert is a good idea. Like it or not, EMS and Fire have become very intertwined. My dept is all ALS (meaning everyone is a Paramedic) and we run the ambulances as well as fire calls. Most paid departments require you to at least have your EMT or First Responder. Some places may give you an advantage if you have it, some may not.
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Feb 20, 2010 23:06
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Crazy Dutchman posted:The process can take quite awhile, even if you do get hired. I got hired in about 4 months beginning to end, but I work for a smaller dept. Large depts will take at least a year, and if you have to wait on a list, years. Before Chicago FD tested in 2006, the last test was in 1994, so the guys they hired in 2005 had been waiting over 10 years. I've wanted to get on FDNY (Fire) since around 2005. I took the written in 2007. I'm sure I'll be taking the next test, whenever it happens. It's definitely not a career that you just jump into.
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Feb 21, 2010 05:09
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Firefighter from Australia checking in! Volunteer with the South Australian Country Fire Service, and Bushfire fighter with South Aus National Parks and Wildlife Service. Tend to light more than we fight in the parks jobs- but did spend a week busting my arse over in victoria for the black saturday fires last year
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Feb 28, 2010 15:38
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What's the primary draw into this job? Some combo of tradition, philanthropy, adrenaline rush, etc? Just from the description of the current state of affairs, you guys are risking an awful lot for whatever the reason is. Speaking of risk, what's the ratio of "bland" calls to holyshitbackdraft situations?
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Feb 28, 2010 20:02
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revenance posted:What's the primary draw into this job? Some combo of tradition, philanthropy, adrenaline rush, etc? Just from the description of the current state of affairs, you guys are risking an awful lot for whatever the reason is. At least 90/10, most likely higher. And even with the problems and changes occurring in the field, it's still something that is very appealing if you're drawn to it. I personally can't describe what the draw is other than to take the easy way out and say it's just kind of a calling, you either have interest in doing it or not, and beyond that you get paid pretty drat well for what it is that you do most of the time (not a lot).
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Feb 28, 2010 23:33
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senor punk posted:At least 90/10, most likely higher. With us its about 99/1.
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Mar 1, 2010 00:33
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Kashew posted:With us its about 99/1. When your coverage area is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the region, combined with a lot of commercial real estate what do you expect?
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Mar 1, 2010 01:12
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I have talked with my local FD quite a bit, they are always coming round to do some training in the parking lot near my station and from what they have told me, the only reason the fire trucks leave the station these days is because the have to roll one with an ambulance call which is all they get.
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Mar 1, 2010 01:16
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senor punk posted:When your coverage area is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the region, combined with a lot of commercial real estate what do you expect? Well with the college, I expected at least a few more real calls related to students. Whatever happened to the weekly drunk driving accidents? It's like crumpled car doors always open, fires put themselves out, water leaks into every smoke detector, and half the town needs to service it's heaters more often. I mean I like living in a safe area, but it's going to hurt the fire service if all the new people in the fire service have dumpster and car fires making up the bulk of their fire experience.
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Mar 1, 2010 08:24
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Kashew posted:Well with the college, I expected at least a few more real calls related to students. Whatever happened to the weekly drunk driving accidents? It's like crumpled car doors always open, fires put themselves out, water leaks into every smoke detector, and half the town needs to service it's heaters more often. I mean I like living in a safe area, but it's going to hurt the fire service if all the new people in the fire service have dumpster and car fires making up the bulk of their fire experience. So why don't you just take your vollying to the next level, and start making fires? Seriously man I understand the gripe, but it comes off as just wrong to me to bitch about there not being enough human tragedy in your response area. Not to mention you're basically stating one of the major issues facing Firefighting as a whole; improved fire prevention is killing fire suppression.
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Mar 1, 2010 08:46
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senor punk posted:Seriously man I understand the gripe, but it comes off as just wrong to me to bitch about there not being enough human tragedy in your response area. Not to mention you're basically stating one of the major issues facing Firefighting as a whole; improved fire prevention is killing fire suppression. It's not so much a gripe as a concern about the lack of experience becoming a safety issue as fewer and fewer firefighters actually have experience putting fire out.
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Mar 1, 2010 11:30
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It's quiet...too quiet.
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May 5, 2010 18:14
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