It is 5:30 in the morning, and I am in Marquette, on my way to Houghton County today. My bride is trying to sleep, and I woke up at 4:30AM from a sound sleep with the realization that I have effectively planned 3 things to do, all on the same day next month, three things that cannot be done together. So, I have spent the last hour lying in bed trying to think of a way to still do all three, and not make major changes to other people's schedules. Oh well, such is life. We had training this week, and, would score it as about average. I have a sense that the equipment checks are becoming, while profitable, also some what shallow. According to everyone I asked, all equipment was started, and the missing items were noted. I that area, I think next time, I think we will be missing something of importance, just to see if they catch it. I do know that a certain few firefighters are putting the effort forth, as one came to me with a list of missing stuff and also a couple items that were not on the sheet, that were on the truck. We have 8 gas saw, 5 generators, 2 fans, 2 pumps, and a power unit that are to be started and checked each month. You would think that with that many motors to start the station would be blue with exhaust haze, well other than the stuff my group started, I only can say for certain that two other items were started. I sure didn't hear that many motors running. Yet everyone said they started their equipment. Also, each group has 6 firefighters in it, well this month my group had 2, for both meetings. We had 2 show up late for one and not do anything, and 1 show up late for the other and help a little. Kind of hard, to lay 200' of 3" hose, and operate a hand line by yourself, while the other person makes all the hydrant hook-ups. But we got it done. Speaking of training, this has always been a sore spot with me, as I think we do not train hard enough or long enough. Have tried various way to change that and have met apathy, quiet resistance, vocal resistance, and in a few cases, open rebellion almost. Have come to the conclusion, thanks to a fellow EMS director of all people, that this is their (the firefighters problem) not mine. We have documented evidence that they were all trained to FF2 level, with a couple of exceptions, and those are to FF1 level. The main reason we have monthly training is to help them maintain their skill levels at an acceptable level, and to pass on new information now available that was not available at the time they tested and passed. It is also to keep them current on our particular way of doing things. To help them learn our SOP's and equipment. It is not to train them in the basic firefighting procedures. My EMS friend, told me that for his people to keep their job, they need to keep their license. To do that they need so many CEU's in a given period of time, and in a particular number of fields. His department offers the needed training to accomplish this, but if they choose to not attend, that's fine, just keep your certifications or goodbye. I have not just exactly figured out how I will get this point across to the firefighters, but my training office and I are pretty much on the same page. Our thought is to establish a set of standard benchmarks, and say here they are, you keep your training up to these levels or goodbye. We as a department will provide training to help you meet these, but if you don't it is your fault not ours. I think this puts the burden on them to maintain their skill level, not on me. I think I have for too long felt their failure to preform as expected was my fault, not theirs. No more. I can in good conscience say we have provided the training, if you fail, it is your fault. And if you continue to fail, you will no longer be with us. Now to figure out a nice way to transfer this to them.
It has been very hot this week, I think everyone at training wanted to have a water fight, but they got their chance last month. Judging by the performances on Monday night with ladder for rescue placement training, most have lost more than a step on the their skill level. The old man and a 3 year firefighter placed an extension ladder and packed up one firefighter and got that firefighter to the top of the ladder before most had gotten their ladder off the rig. I know it was hot and humid, but we still have fires in that kind of weather. We have the training trailer coming next month, and I'm working on ways to use it and improve there skill level, but also know that the few faithful will show, some will come once, and most likely some will not come at all. Did have a interesting thing happen at the Monday drill. We informed them that they needed to plan on coming in for drivers training competency course for one hour the last weekend of August. They will be paid for it, but it is required. Had one firefighter complain loudly in public that this was a bunch of crap and didn't see why they needed to do it. They took their pager off and slide it across the counter we were sitting at towards me. I grabbed it and put it on my belt. They made some comment that they were resigning, and I asked for it in writing and to put it in my mailbox at the station. About 20 minutes later, as we were about to leave, this person asked if I was going to give them back their pager, I said " you want it back?" I took it off my belt, and held it in my hand, looked at them and waited for them to respond. They looked around, than walked over to me and took it back. They then left without saying another word. I just got to love people.
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