Wednesday, May 26, 2010

It Sucks When...

... You get left at the hydrant


and your teammates are first at the door.


I'm just sayin'

Thanks for looking,
Schmoe
Posted by at

9 comments:

  1. AngelaMay 26, 2010 at 8:12 AM

    *raises hand* Can I ask a stupid question? I thought that each fire fighter each had their own job that they always do. One guy is a hose person, one guy is a nozzel, one does entry one runs the hydrant etc.... Or does it differ from department to department? Just asking as I used to date a Firefighter and that's how it was in his department... that or they just told him that becuase they didn't trust him with the hose...

    xx
    Jaxs

    ReplyDelete
  2. Firefighter/ParamedicMay 26, 2010 at 10:03 AM

    Ouch!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Firefighter/ParamedicMay 26, 2010 at 10:07 AM

    Hahaha. Jackie, that can differ from one department to another. It depends on department policy, how close the next responding engines are, staffing levels...just to name a few. At my department the first in engine doesn't bother getting the hydrant (unless it's close and the engineer can do it by himself). The second in engine is tasked to grab the hydrant. This makes for a mad dash to get dressed and be first on scene, especially if it's not in your district.

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  4. Capt. SchmoeMay 26, 2010 at 10:18 AM

    Well Jackie, a good question with a rather vague answer. Some departments (usually older, larger municipal departments with a heavily staffed first alarm - typically in the eastern part of the country) have pre-designated tasks for each unit and crew member to do. Out where I work, there is more flexibility as to what each unit and each crew member does.

    Usually, if an engine is tasked with taking the hydrant, the junior firefighter or firefighter medic will take the hydrant. Sometimes, if a crew has been together for a long time or both of the firefighters have been on the same amount of time, they take turns.

    The other factor is location. Some parts of the KBFPD (like the area where I work) have hydrants every 300 feet. Often the engineer (driver) establishes his own water supply.

    Then it is a battle as to who gets the nozzle. I usually don't care who gets the knob, but I don't want the discussion over it to delay operations.

    Once you get the nozzle, you never give it up. Unless it's to a grumpy old captain who wants to play.

    Thanks for the comment.

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  5. The ObserverMay 26, 2010 at 2:01 PM

    Capt Schmoe:
    The photo of the lonely firefighter at the plug made me LOL!

    "They get to play and I'm left here all alone. :-("

    The Observer

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  6. Capt. SchmoeMay 26, 2010 at 2:35 PM

    Don't feel too bad for him, he got to play alright. He got to go help mop-up!

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  7. AngelaMay 26, 2010 at 5:47 PM

    Capt. Schmoe: Thanks for answering my question!! I'm sure they let the grumpy old Capt. play every once in a while... as long as it doesn't delay operations

    xx
    Jaxs

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  8. Edith BunkerMay 26, 2010 at 7:00 PM

    What's wrong with standing by the hydrant? I think I'd want that job, who wants to get their brows singed?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Capt. SchmoeMay 27, 2010 at 2:10 PM

    Well Mrs. B, singed eyebrows are a bonus. They improve my look as they then more closely resemble my nostril hairs. I'm just sayin'...

    ReplyDelete

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