Are you a member of a vol. Fire Dept.,if so..please read

[txroughneck]

Originally Posted by wordsmith680

If someone is giving as many hours as it takes (50+?) they do need to be compensated.

I think that people could be compensated for training but that should be up to the community that those volunteers serve.

[insulator_king]

Contact the New Mexico FireFighters Academy in Socorro.

[captne76]

I know in New Jersey we had a system voted in by each local town where if you make a certain percentage of calls they put money into a pension fund for you.

[Santa Fe]

Would it be too off-topic if I asked the volunteers what you thought of the quality of the equipment available for your use?

The reason I ask is the question came up in a recent election here in Santa Fe.

(If this is off-topic, then my apologies.)

[wordsmith680]

Equipment in many locations is now very much up to date. I'm sure it varies by size of local political unit and savy in pursuit of funds, but there is as mentioned in a previous post, much more fed money available as funds for anti terrorism / paramilitary became a priority. BTW..you may get a better response starting a new thread.

[mtncat]

Originally Posted by Santa Fe

Would it be too off-topic if I asked the volunteers what you thought of the quality of the equipment available for your use?

The reason I ask is the question came up in a recent election here in Santa Fe.

(If this is off-topic, then my apologies.)

The majority of our equipment is top notch.
We currently run out of 4 stations, 10 rigs, 1 which is an ambulance and one is a rescue unit. This is not including various staff units, command vehicles, and plow truck.
As for "older" equipment we have 1 1982 fast attack truck. We would have probably replaced it by now but it only has about 9,000 miles on it and operates great.
In the last 8 years we have gotten 1 new tanker, new ambulance, 2 urban interface trucks, a new brush truck, and the new rescue rig should be here by the 1st of January. All of our other rigs are under 10 years old IIRC. This is excluding the plow truck.

[Old-Larry]

Originally Posted by Hunter Wold

I have retired from the Seattle area as a Capt., and now have taken over as Fire Chief for Fence Lake Vol. FD.

Very different operations, attitude etc...I could and would expand later.

My biggest question is: If you are a volunteer DO YOU GET ANY KIND OF REINBURSEMENT FOR YOUR DEPT OR THE STATE.

In most states a vol. FF...gets about $5.00/drill-meeting..and $5.00+ per call which can be added onto if over 4 hours of service...
and the amount can depend if you are an officer, EMS-EMT, or medic.

I am working on a study and will work with the State Chief's Association re this..

I strongly feel that vol. should be compensated something for their time etc. fuel...etc.

As a chief I DO NOT GET ANY COMPENSATATION FOR MY FUEL TO GO TO THE STATION, GO TO MEETINGS, OR CALL, ETC.
I KNOW THAT THE STATE AND OR COUNTIES SHOULD COMPENSATE CHIEF'S
and some personel for this..

YOUR COMMENTS ETC ARE GREATLY NEEDED..


HW..aka Fence Lake Fire Chief..and AKA Local Marshal..

I am a fire commissioner in WA state. Here it totally depends on tax base. In my district the chief and none of the fire fighters get paid. In the next district over the chief, assistant chief, captain and even the commissioners get paid. The rest are vol FF and get a some money for attending meetings and each call they go on. The difference is tax base. They have a lake with lots of fancy houses built around and a paper mill in it and they get far more tax money than we do. Almost all of our equipment is from grants as we have no money to buy it. Over 70% of firefighters in the US are vol FF and get nothing or next to nothing.

[LesWard]

Are there any on line training sites for volunteer firefighters?
I am an active member of the Civil Air Patrol & hve just completed all the ISC requirements.
Will volunteer at the Wild Horse dept. in Pie Town NM.
We have bought a place in Wild Horse Ranch.

See ya Soon, Les