How Do You Ride?

[M' Ave 1,466]

This question is geared more toward a career dept. or a vollie dept. where guys don't drive themselves to the address.

What positions do your companies have and hwat do they do?

How is each position assigned? Who makes these decisions. (ie, seniority ect. ect.)

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Positions as in rank structure or positions as in riding assignments?

[M' Ave 1,466]

Positions as in rank structure or positions as in riding assignments?

Assignments, we also call them riding positions

[fireguy5 0]

In our Department Danbury Engine - 5 We ride the highest ranking officer in the officers seat then the driver is the lowest ranking officer. If there is no other officer then senior most driver will drive and in what we call the 3rd seat (since we need at least 3 to roll) is the next senior most firefighter.

[grumpyff 1,159]

We have had some discussion on assigned riding positions, and are still trying to figure out some of the details. Now, it is done by who is on the apparatus while responding to the call, and figured out by the crew.

When I saw the title of the topic, the smartaleck in my thought of this. This is how I ride:

Edited December 10, 2008 by grumpyff

[STAT213 332]

Three guys per pump.

Officer - mandatory by contract.

Paramedic, also mandatory by contract.

Firefighter.

Driver and tailboarder are sorted out either month by month or morning by morning. All depends on the crews and Lt/Capt. preference.

Everyone (with the exception of probationary members) has to become a driver/operator.

Hope that's clear enough.

RA

[firemoose827 324]

First come first serve, orders are issued out by the responding officer either en route or on scene so riding positions are non-existent for me. I think they should have them though, it makes it easier for the officer to know who he has and what they are doing ahead of time.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

We have had some discussion on assigned riding positions, and are still trying to figure out some of the details. Now, it is done by who is on the apparatus while responding to the call, and figured out by the crew.

When I saw the title of the topic, the smartaleck in my thought of this. This is how I ride:

Hey, I was at that burn! Ah the day of being a junior, though I can't remember if I took that picture or one of the Patterson guys did.

In Allingtown Engine 8, we ride as follows:

Driver

Officer

Pipeman

Backup Pipe

Hydrant

Backup Hydrant (after water supply is established, this individual or the hydrant man, whoever is FF1 or most senior, goes for a new assignment per OIC)

Edited December 10, 2008 by SageVigiles

[M' Ave 1,466]

In our Department Danbury Engine - 5 We ride the highest ranking officer in the officers seat then the driver is the lowest ranking officer. If there is no other officer then senior most driver will drive and in what we call the 3rd seat (since we need at least 3 to roll) is the next senior most firefighter.

Why would you have an officer drive? It seems to go against the very nature of what an officer is supposed to do. He can't command a house line or a search from the panel. What is the thought process behind this?

[grumpyff 1,159]

In some volunteer departments, the officer may be the only one who that is qualified to drive. Unfortunately it does happen (more than I like it to). If I am on an apparatus and we know we will be going to work we usually call out which position we will fill i.e. I got the nozzle, I got the irons, etc., and then let the officer in the front know who is doing what.

The photo from the live burn drills in Sherman, is one that I took (member of Patterson). I have alot more if you are interested., most ended up the Patterson website. I had just joined Patterson maybe a week or two before the drills occurred.

Edited December 11, 2008 by grumpyff

[50-65 205]

When the tones go out, we respond to the station. The nature of the call determines the first due apparatus.

Mostly depends on manpower available. Usually, first qualified driver will drive. However, if another driver who is, shall we say, "older" shows up, then maybe he will drive. Officer up front. If no officer shows, then either an ex-officer or most senior firefighter takes that position.

A minimum of one in the back, preferably two. Officer will decide who does what enroute to scene, again, depending on nature of call.

If there are enough people in house before responding, then the highest officer or firefighter will assign seats.

[M' Ave 1,466]

I think guys are taking this questions the wrong way. It makes no difference if you sit up front, facing backwards or whatever. You can ride surfing the bedded aerial, it really doesn't matter.

What "positions" you take indicates what job you do in your company when you go to work.

Example, an engine:

Officer

Chauf.

Nozzle

Backup

Door

Control

What are the positions, what do they do and who decides who does what?

[Guest]

We dont have riding assignments first come first serve althought they ask to let green tags first on engine

[DFD801 0]

I think guys are taking this questions the wrong way. It makes no difference if you sit up front, facing backwards or whatever. You can ride surfing the bedded aerial, it really doesn't matter.

What "positions" you take indicates what job you do in your company when you go to work.

Example, an engine:

Officer

Chauf.

Nozzle

Backup

Door

Control

What are the positions, what do they do and who decides who does what?

The Danbury career firefighters run 3 man engines and 4 man truck company.

Engines:

Lt. - boss

Driver - drive/pump operator

Backstep - nozzle

Truck:

Capt. - boss

Driver - drive/operate ladder

Irons - forcible entry/search and rescue

Vent - outside vent/roof

Captain/irons go in together. Vent/driver go to the roof together.

Second, third and fourth due will fill in where needed. Off duty career staff will be called back for larger incidents to form additional engine/truck companies. Danbury volunteers may be used in certain circumstances as directed by the IC.

[Guest SQUADco119]

In my company(VOLLIE) its the job of the officer to issue assignments. We are an engine company but we are trained in truck ops and FAST ops so we never know what we might be doing when we pull up to the scene. The officer will look at the crew and decide what needs to get done and whos best fit for that task. Its very loud in our cab so its hard to here the officer issue assignments while enroute while trying to mantain on scene info from IC or dispatch. We usualy meet @ the pump panel tag in and the officer and crew will go from there. The only time they usualy shout to the back is if its a message like hit a hydrant or stay with the truck, or shut the hell up I cant here anyhting LOL. Its hard to have riding positions in the vollie service cuase the crew that shows up might be a great FF crew but one might be better @ something than the other so we play it by whatever job needs to get done the officer will choose the best FF fit for the task @ that time. It works just as well as riding assignments. When we have a crew on stand by and know whos on rig then we might assign seats before the call comes in!

[Guest SQUADco119]

Oh I forgot one thing LOL. Its the job of every firefighter to perform scene size up and have an idea of what should be demanded of them when they pull up to the scene. This will help the officer and crew as well to make decisions and get the job done.

[Capejake72 8]

I get to fill all positions, but that's the nature of my "department"

Driver/Operator, OIC, and basic firefighter

I don't worry about catching the plug, taking the doors or pulling the nob

but when i roll up on this I'm sure you'll understand why

[Paul J DeBartolomeo 0]

Although it seems difficult to maintain riding assignments in a volunteer department it is a good practice to have a loose framework at the very least. I know we cant gaurantee how much manpower we will have at any given time and what there qualification will be, filling assignments prior to arrival is vital for fireground sucess. PDA's insure that vital functions will be done in a timely manner and they also reduce freelancing. Each member knows what is expected of them and can focus there individual efforts on acomplishing that task. PDA's also benefit the officer or IC because jobs are being done in a specific order without having to give job specific directions and vital functions arent being overlooked. As with anything else a great deal of training is required by all those involved to understand each assignment and what is expected of that position, and a great deal of discipline is required to stick with the game plan. Ive seen this used in both career and volly depts and it works well if everyone is committed to it.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

One way I have seen to distribute the work is to assign certain tools to a seat and have whoever sits there to get those tools. The officer will then tell everyone where to go and what to do.

[Remember585 815]

In my company(VOLLIE) its the job of the officer to issue assignments. We are an engine company but we are trained in truck ops and FAST ops so we never know what we might be doing when we pull up to the scene.

We're in the process of creating FAST riding assignments to make that job a little more efficient. We figured that as a FAST we're more of a Truck Company, so riding assignments will (should) be easier to follow.

As for the "yelling back to the crew to shut up" thing... I have NO IDEA what you are talking about! Ahhh, I miss that seat.. no one to talk to in my car.

[ny10570 745]

One way I have seen to distribute the work is to assign certain tools to a seat and have whoever sits there to get those tools. The officer will then tell everyone where to go and what to do.

The problem in the volunteer world is not everyone is up to doing the same jobs. If your exterior or brand new member is sitting in position they cannot handle you wind up having to assign jobs anyway. Why not just assign jobs en route every time and eliminate the confusion.

[Paul J DeBartolomeo 0]

How about assigning specific seats that corespond with a specific job or posistion. For example, the seat directly behind the officer in the ladder truck is the canman seat. That where your junior man always sits. If you have personell to fill all the seats its done based on experience. If you have limited personell you fill the seats based on priority. If you have members that lack experience you train them to ride only in the position they are currently qualified to man. Ive seen this concept in place in my old volunteer/combo house and it worked very well once all bugs were worked out.