Firefighters Told to Cut Grass on Duty

[x134 46]

I'm all for doing a little extra work around the firehouse during downtime.  Every station struggles with upkeep.  If, and I use that work literally, the tour on shift has the downtime there is no reason why the station can't be kept clean - But cutting grass distracts one from his surroundings, mainly the radio.  This is a bad idea.

←

I don't think they are talking about the grass and bushes around the station. They are being sent out into the city to do the work. In my opinion it's not a good idea. Are all 15 on duty firefighters going or just one rig with 3 or 4 members.

[STAT213 332]

Yeah, this is one of those really sticky political messes. You have a small community with a large tax burden and a good sized standing fire force. You have a mayor looking to make himself look good.

The mayor has a good point and what he is saying makes good economic sense...in a world of paper and toy cars. Its just not based on reality at all. But, how can you defend against it without looking like the bad guys. How do you come across to your taxpayers that you aren't a bunch of prima donnas who don't want to do some extra work for the community that is paying you quite well to sit in an air conditioned firehouse with your feet up in a recliner?

In my opinion, first thing to do is a education campaign about a day in the life of a FF. Our day is like this. 8AM shift starts. 8-9AM Truck checks. 9-11 Training. 11-1230 PT. 1230-1330 Lunch. 1330-1530 review local buildings and preplans. You get the idea...

Its almost like being caught with your hand in the cookie jar. The other thing to do is to hunker down and not give anyone any reason to think you aren't working or training. Stop drinking your coffee on the bumpers of the trucks waiving at joe public as he goes off to his job. Yes, it may seem to look good to be friendly and waving...but what are you really saying? Ha ha look at me, feet up on the pump, enjoying my coffee and you're in traffic headed for your crappy day job. Don't give them a reason to think you are wasting their money.

[Guest]

Yeah, this is one of those really sticky political messes.  You have a small community with a large tax burden and a good sized standing fire force.  You have a mayor looking to make himself look good. 

The mayor has a good point and what he is saying makes good economic sense...in a world of paper and toy cars.  Its just not based on reality at all.  But, how can you defend against it without looking like the bad guys.  How do you come across to your taxpayers that you aren't a bunch of prima donnas who don't want to do some extra work for the community that is paying you quite well to sit in an air conditioned firehouse with your feet up in a recliner? 

In my opinion, first thing to do is a education campaign about a day in the life of a FF.  Our day is like this.  8AM shift starts.  8-9AM Truck checks.  9-11 Training.  11-1230 PT.  1230-1330 Lunch. 1330-1530 review local buildings and preplans.  You get the idea...

Its almost like being caught with your hand in the cookie jar.  The other thing to do is to hunker down and not give anyone any reason to think you aren't working or training.  Stop drinking your coffee on the bumpers of the trucks waiving at joe public as he goes off to his job.  Yes, it may seem to look good to be friendly and waving...but what are you really saying?  Ha ha look at me, feet up on the pump, enjoying my coffee and you're in traffic headed for your crappy day job.  Don't give them a reason to think you are wasting their money.

←

You're 100% right on the money STAT! Let's stop being are own worst enemy. Guys want to know why the public for the most part has this misconception about our JOB and stereotypes us as bunch of guys just sitting around mucking it up. Well STAT just gave you one of the reasons in his last paragragh, and there are many others I've seen over the yrs. no matter what Dept. it is. Usually right after the coffe break, comes the car washing. This is always good too when a City Official, especially the Mayor drives by to see a guy who not only complains how difficult his job is but how underpaid he is as he's washing his $50,000 vehicle with $1,000 rims. That's always good for our image. Let's all wake the f*** UP and start using our heads! Make COMMON SENSE, once agian more COMMON!

[firecapt32 282]

it wasent long ago in a city in westchester that the mayor ordered the firefighters to walk down the street---block or so from the station and put up the flag every day and take it down every night. a grivience and ohh my someone fell during a snow storm and the order was recinded. I believe the city is still paying the firefighter that got hurt---shi* happend and officiale got to learn some learn the hard way---You cant fix stupid.

[Remember585 815]

Nice post Stat! But you left out the whole "answer calls" thing.

Cutting grass and doing yard work is not the role of the FD. If I lived in a town where the career FD was out all day doing landscaping I would be pissed. There are far too many responsiblities that need to be handled, that is why you pay them! Inspections, alarm responses, rig upkeep, etc. etc. If you're that worried about the bushes and grass then go to the High School, tell the kids that there is "a great community service oppurtunity" for them if they cut the City grass. It's free labor to get your stuff done PLUS it will help keep kids out of trouble and even improve their college resumes.

I think, and of course I am only kidding, that if EMS really wants to "piety" then they should put a few weed whackers and lawn mowers in their "bus" and help the city out....

[Oswegowind 17]

Just got off the phone with the Mayor...

He says, about responding to calls, the ride on lawn mowers aka tractors will be equipped with emergency lights. 2 firefighters will be assigned to this portion. The officer and the chauffeur will operate the weed whackers and move the apparatus to a location close to their working area. If a job comes in they will all respond in parade like fashion. Apparatus, mower "A", and mower "B". A DPW/Parks worker will also be assigned to the crew in will operate a third mower, untitled. He will remain in the assigned work area and complete as much as possible until the rest of the crew returns.

As well each apparatus is being equipped with a trailer hitch and small trailer to carry the equipment to and from the station house for work periods.

An open letter to the public was put out stating use caution when seeing responding fire apparatus because they are travelling in "threes". A large red vehicle with proper warning lights and siren and two small vehicles with limited lights and an air horn.

Enjoy!

[Future Fireman 4]

Just got off the phone with the Mayor...

He says, about responding to calls, the ride on lawn mowers aka tractors will be equipped with emergency lights.  2 firefighters will be assigned to this portion.  The officer and the chauffeur will operate the weed whackers and move the apparatus to a location close to their working area.  If a job comes in they will all respond in parade like fashion.  Apparatus, mower "A", and mower "B".  A DPW/Parks worker will also be assigned to the crew in will operate a third mower, untitled.  He will remain in the assigned work area and complete as much as possible until the rest of the crew returns.

As well each apparatus is being equipped with a trailer hitch and small trailer to carry the equipment to and from the station house for work periods. 

An open letter to the public was put out stating use caution when seeing responding fire apparatus because they are travelling in "threes".  A large red vehicle with proper warning lights and siren and two small vehicles with limited lights and an air horn.

Enjoy!

←

Man, people really ARE stupid!

Mike

Edited June 9, 2007 by Future Fireman

[RWC130 594]

How about CITY HALL staff gear up and fight fires?

[Future Fireman 4]

How about CITY HALL staff gear up and fight fires? 

←

Now THAT I would want to see! LOL!!!!

Mike

[helicopper 1,050]

Just got off the phone with the Mayor...

He says, about responding to calls, the ride on lawn mowers aka tractors will be equipped with emergency lights.  2 firefighters will be assigned to this portion.  The officer and the chauffeur will operate the weed whackers and move the apparatus to a location close to their working area.  If a job comes in they will all respond in parade like fashion.  Apparatus, mower "A", and mower "B".  A DPW/Parks worker will also be assigned to the crew in will operate a third mower, untitled.  He will remain in the assigned work area and complete as much as possible until the rest of the crew returns.

As well each apparatus is being equipped with a trailer hitch and small trailer to carry the equipment to and from the station house for work periods. 

An open letter to the public was put out stating use caution when seeing responding fire apparatus because they are travelling in "threes".  A large red vehicle with proper warning lights and siren and two small vehicles with limited lights and an air horn.

Enjoy!

←

Freakin' hysterical!!!

Why doesn't the mayor buy some goats - make a roving petting zoo and charge for little rug rats to pet the things as they eat the grass. The city will actually generate a profit and the grass gets "cut" without any union violations because goats had that job description long before there were any DPW's.

Plan B = pave over the grass and paint it green. Didn't NYC do that in the 70's or 80's?

Plan C = fill all the tanks on the apparatus with grass killer and go "water the lawn" as a civic service. Dirt doesn't need mowing.

This shouldn't even be an issue for us - FF are FF. We expect them to be experts on firefighting, rescue, EMS, haz-mat, WMD, collapse, confined area, OSHA, extrication, code enforcement (this is not a complete list, I'm just making the point) but think they have "down time" to do yard work? I completely understand the need for fiscal responsibility and tightening the municipal budget belt but maybe they should look at all the employees on the city payroll who don't actually do anything but hide in an office or cubicle all day.

[Capejake72 8]

i can understand if they wanted them to cut grass at the station(s) while on duty, station maintenace and upkeep is part of our job (the little stuff anyways)but maintaining parks, etc is just silly, how much would it cost to hire a bunch of high school kids for the summer to do that sort of thing?, it was seen as an entry to the parks dept/DPW. I can understand doing hydrant inspections as part of the FF's job as well (i did this when i worked for the water dept. as a summer temp). there just isnt time for this stuff when you are also traiing, working out, maintaining the apparatus, cleaning the station etc.

This is a good time for the department to get out and show the city and the mayor what they actually do all day while on duty, and break the stereotype of "lazy firemen just sitting around all day playing cards, etc"

[firecapt32 282]

having the ciyt hall gear up and fight fires?? maybe they do that already-- we call them volunteers!!!

[FFD941 20]

having the ciyt hall gear up and fight fires??  maybe they do that already-- we call them volunteers!!!

←

Thank You

[Future Fireman 4]

having the ciyt hall gear up and fight fires??  maybe they do that already-- we call them volunteers!!!

←

Thank You

←

What if they werent volunteers?

Mike

[firecapt32 282]

lets not get into that fight we are talking about cutting grass

[AFS1970 504]

There is a HUGE difference between being permitted (or even encouraged) to respond as a Volunteer Firefighter during working hours, and being told that as part of your job you will now be assuming duties that are not normally considered part of your job and were until recently part of someone else's job.

The fact of the matter is that there are places that make combined systems work but those are places that combine fire with police or EMS and generally work towards a unified public safety department. That is completely different than splitting up a firefighting crew to mow laws at different locations and then expect them to come together in a timely manner when there is a fire call.

The Mayor in question clearly has no concept of public safety and what it entails to run a fire department or what it entails to be a firefighter.

[shac 7313 0]

this for firecapt32. whats wrong with raising our flag in the am. and bringing

down the flag in the pm. ?? walter last time i checked this is america !!!.

when working at your station ??.

[firecapt32 282]

not a thing wrong with it i am proud to be in America where this can be done every day and night. If the Mayor let the firefighter bring the rig but to take hime out of the fire house, and make him walk to and from the flagpole is another story. To futher answer your question shac the firefighter that filed a grivience was a decorated viet nam vet so his loyalty was never in question.

In my career we had a flag pole right out side the station door--- we raised it evey morning and lowered it every night--untill we put a light on it then it was out all day and all night.

how are plans coming for the new hudson development??

[RC2389 0]

As well each apparatus is being equipped with a trailer hitch and small trailer to carry the equipment to and from the station house for work periods.

So essentially the apparatus becomes a gardening truck? I hope they unhitch the trailer before they have to respond to any emergency calls.

He says, about responding to calls, the ride on lawn mowers aka tractors will be equipped with emergency lights.  2 firefighters will be assigned to this portion.  The officer and the chauffeur will operate the weed whackers and move the apparatus to a location close to their working area.  If a job comes in they will all respond in parade like fashion.  Apparatus, mower "A", and mower "B".

Maybe I'm not understanding this correctly, but is he saying that if a call comes in, the two lawn mowers (with their "emergency lights") will respond to the fire behind the truck itself? Now, I don't know what kind of lawn mowers the town has, but having used a tractor-style mower for the past seven years to cut my own grass, it'd be more timely to just walk to the emergency.

[huzzie59 75]

50 posts about cutting grass???

[Guest]

50 posts about cutting grass???

←

And only 6 on Diversity in your Dept.. Figures!

[firecapt32 282]

shows you whats important

[ex-commish 490]

So essentially the apparatus becomes a gardening truck?  I hope they unhitch the trailer before they have to respond to any emergency calls.

Maybe I'm not understanding this correctly, but is he saying that if a call comes in, the two lawn mowers (with their "emergency lights") will respond to the fire behind the truck itself?  Now, I don't know what kind of lawn mowers the town has, but having used a tractor-style mower for the past seven years to cut my own grass, it'd be more timely to just walk to the emergency.

←

Next the mayor will have the police in SUV's with plows so they can patrol and push snow in the winter.