What should I do?

[jfn]

Hi everbody on this board.
I am new here and it's nice to meet you. I am from Nebraska and I have a question. I have the opportunity to volunteer for two different departments. One department is south of my home and the other is north of my home. The south department is fire/rescue and it's memebers can't go on any calls until they have passed minimum firefighter 1 class and most of their Emt class and also their is a period that the volunteer has to wait before they can get a light permit. Once everything falls into place a light permit could be issued at anytime and the south department members can run red lights and siren all the way to the station. The other department that is north
of my home is not as strict about new recruits going on calls.
The situation is this: the south fire department is quite aways away fro my home, but i would be allowed to use red lights with a siren all the way to get there and the north fire department is closer but I can only used a blue light and no siren.
What department would you reccomend and what type of light set up would you reccomend. as well
I prefer slicktop/interior lights.

Thank you
for taking the time to read this.

fvff

FVFF

[edc60]

Are you doing this because (FF / EMT) because you want to, or because you can use lights and sirens. Only you can answer that.

[HFD eng1ine]

Ok I understand what you are saying. Umm I would say that the department that won't let you go on calls until ff 1 and emt is doing it for your saftey. Although it is a great way to learn while trying to persue the profession you become someone in the way or a hazard untill you beging to learn what you are doing.the other firedepartment wich allows you to go to
Calls with out those classes will allow you to learn quiker how your department does things in the feild. I don't think that you think the lights are more important than the
Job. I think you were just making a point on wich one would be faster to get to if there is a call. Hey! Could you join both!?!?!? That would be nice!other wise, I would check out the department, see who wich one feels " more professional" and if you know anyone who is a member of that department because remember, your life may lie in those guys hands at one point or another!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SilverUnicorn]

Are you doing this because (FF / EMT) because you want to, or because you can use lights and sirens. Only you can answer that.

This is the first question you need to ask.

Secondly, do you want to be an EMT? If not, then the answer is easy for you

Chris

[Grumpy]

From the wording of your question I would suggest re-evaluateing the desires of the profession your looking at...
There is a reason for the depts waiting for you to "earn your stripes" and handing out Lighting and siren permits is nothin but trouble waiting to happen.
Have you even considered the Liabilities of running Code in a POV?

Also your signature is FVFF
What dept are you currently with....I am very Familiar with that entire area.........Wouldnt happen to be Fremont would it?

[Jman423]

Welcome to the site.

I don't know if these guys misunderstood your question, or if they nailed it on the head. I can understand that the profession does carry its Whackers, so it may be a bit of both. The guys are just telling you to be careful, that profession is not just about running hot with your POV. I wouldn't imagine that you would be a VFF just for the lights, because that type of profession comes with ups and downs, and is not for everyone.

Having said that, I will assume that you are as much interested in the profession as you are emergency equipment. I wouldn't let the response and distance worry you, I would be more interested in the areas that each station covers, personnel, apparatus, then I would look at distance and certs. Obviously, you would be better off having the certs either way, it can only help your safety and your career.

Don't take anyone the wrong way, we do have people that want us to help them "whacker out" their vehicle so they can abuse the power, and that is not only wrong, but illegal, and professionals in these fields take that stuff very seriously.

Thank you for joining our community, I look forward to hearing what you decide to do

[SilverUnicorn]

Welcome to the site.

I don't know if these guys misunderstood your question, or if they nailed it on the head. I can understand that the profession does carry its Whackers, so it may be a bit of both. The guys are just telling you to be careful, that profession is not just about running hot with your POV. I wouldn't imagine that you would be a VFF just for the lights, because that type of profession comes with ups and downs, and is not for everyone.

Having said that, I will assume that you are as much interested in the profession as you are emergency equipment. I wouldn't let the response and distance worry you, I would be more interested in the areas that each station covers, personnel, apparatus, then I would look at distance and certs. Obviously, you would be better off having the certs either way, it can only help your safety and your career.

Don't take anyone the wrong way, we do have people that want us to help them "whacker out" their vehicle so they can abuse the power, and that is not only wrong, but illegal, and professionals in these fields take that stuff very seriously.

Thank you for joining our community, I look forward to hearing what you decide to do

Sorry if I came off a bit harsh

I was not trying to discourage you.

Chris

[jfn]

I want to thank each of the members who replied to my question.
edc60 - yes I do want to be a volunteer firefighter/emt for the job and not for the lights. The lights cant save anyone or protect property from further fire damage I can along with my other volunteer department members. What good do lights do if you do not have the proper skills and training to do the job or if you never really attempt to make it to the station before the trucks leave. It is an adrenaline rush for some people to be able to run code to the station because in some states your vehicle(not you'rs edc60) I'm just making a general reference here) is considered an emergency vehicle and everyone has to stop for you and it makes you feel like I am king of the road, but then when you get close to the station you slow it down and listen to your fire pager or 2 way radio to hear that the required trucks for the response have left and therefore you know that you will not be able to go to the scene because you didn't make it in time. And since you didn't get to the scene you don't have to do any of the work, but you still got to use your lights and siren(unless a siren isn't allowed) and be king of the road. Then another call goes out some other time and you do the same thing. So basically you are just trying to attract attention to your vehicle and wanting other motorist or pedestrians to look. I know that every volunteer can't make every call. That is nearly impossible because of work, family, way to far from the station, etc. but out lets say out of 10 calls per week you miss everyone of them when you had nothing going on, I believe the chief or the board of directors or whoever is responsible for it's members should really consider immideate termination.
This is just my opinion.

HFD eng1ine - I am not sure which department would be more professional but i'm going to have to say the south department because they cover a larger response area, have more population, more trucks, and make more calls per year. The north department has all less and both departments feel professional to me.

SilverUnicorn - Yes I do want to be an emt as well.

Grumpy - I see your point about earning stripes and maybe even more and not being concerned with the light permit. You are right about trouble waiting to happen. This does not apply to all volunteers but it does apply to some. In my state (Nebraska) usually you have to wait at least 6 months after being accepted as a volunteer firefighter with a particualr department and if you have tried to make as many calls as possible, responded to the station even if you didn't get to go to the scene, attended all required meetings, helped out at the station here and there, and helped out with special events, why then you can ask for a red light permit. Usually the chiefs have them in their office. You fill it out the required information and the chief of the department sends it the county sheriffs department to the sheriff himself or herself. After looking it over and requesting background inmformation from the department of motor vehicles if everything turns out ok a light permit is typed up and sent back to your volunteer fire department.
The permit must be carried in the vehicle at all times while that vehicle is displaying emergency lights weather on or off. Although it is a red light permit you can also use blue lights in addition to the red or you can use amber or clear as well. Any lighting combination you can come up with is allowed in Nebraska. A mini lighbar only, dash light with grille strobes, Kojack light with headlight wigwags, arrow bar in the back window and a full size lightbar etc. You can use any combination you choose. A siren can be used but red lights have to be on, however lights can be used without the siren and if you are driving with red lights on but siren off, the siren has to be sounded when driving through a red light.
Yes I do know what the consequences are of running code here are: being involved in an accident, jepoardizing other motorists safety, jeoapordizing other volunteer's safety and jeapordizing my own safety.
If you are caught be a law enforcement officer using your lights innapropriately you will be asked to: remove them
remove them and pay a fine
both of these and go to jail.
No the F in fvff does not stand for the Fremont Fire Department it does stand for former volunteer firefighter. But thanks for asking. However I have been to their station before and I have been with my other volunteer members at the John C Freemont days parade several times.

Jman423 - Yes I am interested in the job as a volunteer firefighter/emt and I am also intersted in lighting equipment to some extent. I do not want to be known as a whacker because I like emergency lights, but I believe that if you have a reason to use lights you should be able to. Someone who has lights inside and outside, front and rear, top and bottom, antennas, pushbumpers on their pov, and who drives a Ford Crown Vic (especially a CVPI) is a whacker. I'm not picking on FCV owners only as this applies to Chargers, Impalas, Tahoes, Expeditions, Camaros or any other police made vehicle. I do realize that some of you have antennas because you need them(scanner, 2 way radio, gps, etc.) and some L.E.O. may have push bumpers on their pov's and that's ok but when a pov is equiped with this stuff when it is not needed that's what I would call a whacker. I believe you should be able to use just what you need to get the job done.
If you want to call me a whacker I give you 100% permission even though I have no lights at this time and will not buy any until I am accepted as a member or have some other legitamate reason for using them.

I respect each and everyone one of you, your careers, and your vehicles, and I hope you'll do the same for me.
When the time comes I will show off my vehicle to you all. Until then...

I hope you all have anice day and a nice week.

Finally, let's be careful out there.
JFN

[Grumpy]

Sir
In response to your response ....
You have earned my respect...As I said I had a business up there and know alot of people...Worked on alot of the equipment....

[HFD eng1ine]

WOW,

I have to agree with Grumpy. You have earned mine and probably everyone on this site's respect with that one post. Probably the best written post I have seen on this site! I think everyone on this site can be sure that you will make the right choice, no for the lights but for the dedication to helping fellow citizens. thanks for replying to my post and everyone elses! I think you will be a great addition to this site and hopefully a great firefighter/emt. Good luck

Sincerly,
KP

[edc60]

Sorry then, welcome to the site and decide which dept. has the most to offer to you.

[kongtechPSE]

WOW,

I have to agree with Grumpy. You have earned mine and probably everyone on this site's respect with that one post. Probably the best written post I have seen on this site! I think everyone on this site can be sure that you will make the right choice, no for the lights but for the dedication to helping fellow citizens. thanks for replying to my post and everyone elses! I think you will be a great addition to this site and hopefully a great firefighter/emt. Good luck

Sincerly,
KP

you have mine also

[SilverUnicorn]

Sir
In response to your response ....
You have earned my respect...As I said I had a business up there and know alot of people...Worked on alot of the equipment....

It is obvious you put much thought into the subject.

Good luck, and I hope you enjoy wherever you decide to be.


Chris

[smvanderveen]

Do not choose the dept. based on the lights and sirens. Its not all its cracked up to be yea they are great, but. If i were you i would go with the one that is closer. When you are able to run calls, you will make truck more often than not. For the time you cant run, learn the trucks learn the way things are done. OBSERVE. ask questions, one mistake and it could be the last mistake in this business. good luck!