FD36

I think this is a great step for the PFD and about time. The next step ( in my opinion ) should be a full time Chief. For a department the size of Peeskill's with career and volunteers members there has to be a strong leader, not someone who is VOTED in for 3 years then out.

Then its time to re-evaluate the members. If they are unwilling to train enough they are of no use. GET RID OF THEM. CLOSE THE DEPT., IF NEEDED and recruit or hire firefighters....because what you are describing are wanabees.
I wana have turnouts so I can impress myself or someone else.
I wana have a blue light so I can impress myself or someone else.
I wana stand outside someones home and shoot water at it as it burns to the ground so I can feel proud that I'm "helpping"
I wana die a "hero" so I can impress someone, because I do not know enough to operate at a fire, but they gave me turnouts and call me a firefighter.

"the presumption that the biggest contributing factor to the accident was the firefighters level of compensation shouldn't really be a factor."-
This is absolutely correct! Compensation has absolutely nothing to do with this issue. As I have said previously, the huge differences between career and volunteer firefighters in New York State are ones of selection standards, training standards, physical fitness standards, accountability standards, promotion standards, etc. Basically we are talking about qualifications here. The overwhelming majority of career Firefighters who must by necessity live up to these standards should not suffer blows or be discredited by the actions of a volunteer firefighter or volunteer firefighters who are not required to live up to the same standards.
Particularly in these times, when career Firefighters are under attack in regard to levels of personnel, compensation and benefits, and whether or not we are worth the investment the community is making in our services, it is important that the vast differences between standards for volunteer and career firefighters be emphasized, especially in instances such as the one in Harrison, which are fairly common in the volunteer fire service, and extremely rare on the career side.
Volunteer Firefighters go to great lengths to emphasize to their communities that they are "VOLUNTEER", and are providing a vital service which saves the community oodles and oodles of money. OK, fair enough. Why then, would there be a problem when career Firefighters choose to say, "wait, first of all there are many hidden costs with volunteer fire departments- (pensions, health insurance, tax breaks and other perks and incentives, higher insurance premiums, annual solicitations), and furthermore, career Firefighers must live up to much more stringent standards than do volunteers?"
This is in no way advocating for careeer Firefighters everywhere, nor is it a bash on the many good, dedicated people who serve as volunteer Firefighters in their communities.
I realize I won't convince the poster I am responding to here, or certain other members of this site. They will most likely choose to make a personal attack, or to accuse me of making a personal attack. I expect and accept that. I do realize however, that continuing to calmly explain the differences between career and volunteer Firefighters in New York State, in this forum and elsewhere, will open up the eyes of many in our community. If people have this information, hopefully more will begin to realize the difference, and understand why, in certain communities, career Firefighters are a necessity and worth every penny spent. Perhaps many who read these postings and are open minded will also realize that in certain communities served by volunteers (not all) there are many hidden costs and inneficences. With this realization by the community, maybe, over time, through consolidation and regionalization, more stringent training standards and accountability, things everywhere in the fire service can get better.
Again, thank you for keeping this thread going and thus giving me additional opportunities to discuss these important issues in the Fire Service.

This guy is an embarrassment to the fire service. He put his own agenda ahead of public safety. Maybe he should have followed the actions of the chief in front of him and not like some careless idiot. It was an abuse of the towns vehicle and the privilege of driving an emergency vehicle. I think the major difference here being that he is a volunteer, is that had he been a career chief he would probably have been fired. In this case he carries on with his life, while this woman had to suffer because of his recklessness. Hopefully this has taught him a valuable lesson. None of us are exempt from negligence when it comes to driving to an emergency. Slow and steady wins the race.

This guy is an embarrassment to the fire service. He put his own agenda ahead of public safety. Maybe he should have followed the actions of the chief in front of him and not like some careless idiot. It was an abuse of the towns vehicle and the privilege of driving an emergency vehicle. I think the major difference here being that he is a volunteer, is that had he been a career chief he would probably have been fired. In this case he carries on with his life, while this woman had to suffer because of his recklessness. Hopefully this has taught him a valuable lesson. None of us are exempt from negligence when it comes to driving to an emergency. Slow and steady wins the race.

This guy is an embarrassment to the fire service. He put his own agenda ahead of public safety. Maybe he should have followed the actions of the chief in front of him and not like some careless idiot. It was an abuse of the towns vehicle and the privilege of driving an emergency vehicle. I think the major difference here being that he is a volunteer, is that had he been a career chief he would probably have been fired. In this case he carries on with his life, while this woman had to suffer because of his recklessness. Hopefully this has taught him a valuable lesson. None of us are exempt from negligence when it comes to driving to an emergency. Slow and steady wins the race.

This guy is an embarrassment to the fire service. He put his own agenda ahead of public safety. Maybe he should have followed the actions of the chief in front of him and not like some careless idiot. It was an abuse of the towns vehicle and the privilege of driving an emergency vehicle. I think the major difference here being that he is a volunteer, is that had he been a career chief he would probably have been fired. In this case he carries on with his life, while this woman had to suffer because of his recklessness. Hopefully this has taught him a valuable lesson. None of us are exempt from negligence when it comes to driving to an emergency. Slow and steady wins the race.