Redhats

So the good news is I have about 8 redhats at my station that should be going to fire school in the new year. Problem is only about 1/2 of them are viable in terms of being an actual useful, proficient and effective firefighter.

This sucks.

I have one redhat (I directly mentor 2), who knows where *everything* on our rescue engine is. In fact, I'll put his knowledge up against anyone in the fire station, with the possible exception of the Chief (who specced the apparatus).

My other redhat, who is brand new, is hungry for knowledge and training. She wants to be another (redhat #1).

On the other end of the extreme, we have a guy who only talks about another station he went to, is dramatically out of shape (unless that shape is round), and doesn't have the highest level of motivation.

Fortunately, I'll be one of their instructors when they go to fire school in january. This means I'll have an accurate assessment of how they are doing. The last redhat we sent to fireschool failed everything, and when asked how he was doing - he said he had no problems. Happily he moved to Tx. Let the Bush Clan deal with him.

The key obstacle I need to overcome is the culture within the firehouse. Most of the crews don't do *any* training while in house. Ask more than 1/2 of our members when they last pulled a hoseline or threw a ladder they would have to stop and think about it. While the decision of minimum staffing vs quality staffing is for chiefs, for us guys on the ground trying to motivate our brand new members, it is a real pain in my arse.

Shame I can't use a cattle prod. Would make my life simpler.

I worry that our more motivated members will go join stations with more calls and a better training culture.

Heck, I worry that I'll go too.

Election fever, results and a sigh of relief

So my fire department annual elections have come and gone. Thankfully the result was overall pretty good.

While I think that electing the company level officers (Lieutenant and Captain) is really really really really really really really dumb, I don't see many other recourses in a volunteer organization. Just because people like you, or don't like you - doesn't mean you are the best qualified person to ensure that everyone goes home at the end of the shift.

After all, that's the primary job of the company officer.

The paid guys in LCFR have a good solid testing process. If you know your stuff, you pass and go on the lieutenant/captain's list. If you don't - you don't.

I was nominated for LT, but thankfully didn't win. I really didn't want the job, but I wanted someone else to become LT even less, so I accepted the nomination. Happily neither of us are the LT.

This means I can relax, and continue learning/training and gaining experience that one day, if i end up in that front right seat, will be very helpful.