Equipment List for Ladder Comany

[Ex-2114 7]

Why not take the position of understanding that there will be a fully trained and very competant crew on the truck at all times. Let's just get past the needling of staff levels because some of you think that this is a Volunteer organization that is in the middle of nowhere with only one or two people coming out of the corn fields to answer a call for help. Must everything have a negative connotation to Volunteering??? Get over it.

The Assistant Chief asked a question about what is needed..... The truck is the first item. The trained and capable crew is the second item. Let's move forward by answering items 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, etc.........

[Paul J DeBartolomeo 0]

O.K. EX-2114 Lets have it...3,4,5,6,7,8 No one ever indicated that staffing would be an issue that I saw on this thread, and the make-up of the dept(paid,volunteer,or otherwise) was not mentioned much either. Guys were just stressing the fact that to be considered a fully functioning ladder company, as was asked in the original post, trained personel is the key component. I personally find the discussion rather insightful, and I cant figure out why people are getting upset with some of the dialog. Perhaps you can expand on some of the other requirements needed since we have apparently beat #'s 1 & 2 to death.

Paul D.

[FFPCogs 863]

Sorry to go off topic a bit, but I have to throw this out here. BTW I'm not posting this as a challenge...think of it as unsolicited advice.

It can be aggravating when career FFs post in a seemingly deragatory manner towards volunteers on threads not related to the career/volunteer issue. That being said, and anyone reading can take this how they want, for me I don't get overly upset about it. I know who I am as a firefighter. I know the work I've put in to become a good FF, fire officer, and instructor, and no amount of sarcasm, insult or predjudice can take that away. I'm a professional, as are most of my volunteer colleagues, not because we get a paycheck, but because we work damn hard at being the best FFs our abilities allow. If you know that you are the best you can be, than anything posted in opposition to that is meaningless...try take it with the proverbial grain of salt.

Back to the topic at hand

To me it seems that there have been a good number of posts here that have listed some of the standard equipment requirements for an aerial. Some have even gone a bit farther and suggested placement locations ect. I too have found this thread to be insightful and useful overall, and look forward to gaining a few ideas myself.

Cogs

[Guest]

Why not take the position of understanding that there will be a fully trained and very competant crew on the truck at all times.

When you make this assumption you are setting yourself up for failure.

Hey look, I am a volunteer, and as Cogs said so well, I find no insult in this thread. I agree with the points made about personnel in the truck company, in fact I made a few of them myself.

I have traveled the country training dive and water rescue teams, and have seen plenty of nice shiny aerials, and people proclaiming themself as a truck company, with hardly any hand tools aboard. The original poster should be commended for taking a pro-active stance in opening a new realm in the services his department provides. Some very knowledgeable members have added their two cents here as well, and should be thanked for their contributions.

Members of the truck company have to be able to "bust a move". It is not the place for people who fumble with the irons at the front door while the engine waits for you to take the door because you said you were a truckie but never bothered to get training to become proficient in forcible entry. It is not the place for those "track stars" in the department, you know.. the ones you will find "checking the basement for extension" at a top floor fire.

So, anyone who thinks this is a paid vs. volunteer thing needs to rethink themselves. It's about being a good firefighter in a competent, agressive truck company as opposed to being a knife and forker playing a role.

[helicopper 1,050]

I believe that the points regarding staffing the apparatus with trained and qualified firefighters has been made. There has been very insightful discussion about it and the need to train in all aspects of truck company operations - not just operating the aerial - but let's move on.

The whole issue of career/volunteer issue is rising in this thread and I will echo a previous comment - the point has been made. Please move the discussion back to the original question to keep this thread on topic.

My department is finally getting an aerial. Can anyone point me in the direction or e-mail me a inventory of what we need to be a fully functioning ladder company.

Thanks

Thanks!

[Guest]

Apparently the powers that be do not want a discussion of the human side of what it means to be a "fully functioning ladder company".

So be it.

Anyone interested should go to vententersearch.com, and I know several members of the fraternal order of leatherheads, www.nefools.org

Edited August 19, 2008 by Sqd47

[FFPCogs 863]

Personally, it is the evolution of these threads that keeps me coming back. Sure they divert off topic..uusually because the basics of the topic has been thoroughly explored, and people are just expanding on the original idea. I have found that these diversions can and do open my mind to new ideas and in some cases actually bring me back to the original topic by jarring my memory. I for one value the ongoing discourse within this or any thread so long as personal attacks and juvenile BS is kept to a minimum.

I look forward to what's next.

Cogs

[ex-commish 490]

Why not take the position of understanding that there will be a fully trained and very competant crew on the truck at all times. Let's just get past the needling of staff levels because some of you think that this is a Volunteer organization that is in the middle of nowhere with only one or two people coming out of the corn fields to answer a call for help. Must everything have a negative connotation to Volunteering??? Get over it.

The Assistant Chief asked a question about what is needed..... The truck is the first item. The trained and capable crew is the second item. Let's move forward by answering items 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, etc.........

May I ask you who has been "needled" and when were volunteers the target of negative connotation? I guess the truth hurts. If I recall the two brothers who addressed staffing had volunteer in thier profile besides being career firefighters so I believe when they talk it comes from experience and knowledge so perhaps we should listen to thier opinions. I think the volunteer fire service needs to "get over" the attack syndrome everytime someone spells out flaws and listen with an open mind and react without emotion.

I believe the chief was given plenty of advice from some very good people on how to equip his truck and I wish him the best of luck and if his department does have full trained and competant crews than he must be doing something right.