Do rescue firefighters do a good job?

David Whiting

David Whiting

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There's a huge debate going on about funding the reserve/volunteer firefighters who do much of the rescues in the back country. I happened to stumble into this with a column I wrote about a mountain biker being rescued in Aliso Woods the other week. Here's the column on the dude who broke his clavicle.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cyclist-waddell-truck-2370149-park-didn
So I'm thinking this kind of article might shed some light on what's what. Plus interested in other's thoughts.
(Been a while since I been here...been swamped with my reguler newspaper job. Some tough times these days in the print world. Ah well.)
 
Times are tough in the print business, and it's certainly ashame that the OC Register lost many of their good copy editors (one who was a friend of mine who left before times got bad).

Volunteers are volunteers...if they want to get paid more, they'd do what it takes to be formally hired. What else is there to say?
 
Never met a firefighter that didn't take it seriously.

My friends brother is a firefighter.. doesn't have the most common sense in world with every day life stuff but when he puts on the uniform and goes to work he has no problems running into a burning building or helping someone.

He definately doesn't do it for the cash and before they took him on fulltime as a paid firefighter he was doing it for free as a volunteer.

They should fund them completely and without question.

I've called firefighters twice on non-emergency calls (idiot neighbors pulled firealarm thinking it was a light switch, they were FOB from china) and once in the middle of the night when a prankster pulled the alarm.

They were there so damn fast (lights and sirens) and professional even thought they knew it was a false alarm.

I'd back a Firefighter before I'd back a police officer. (nothing against police)
 
2wheel_lee said:
Volunteers are volunteers...if they want to get paid more, they'd do what it takes to be formally hired. What else is there to say?
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Seriously?! You should go introduce yourself at FS 11 in Emerald Bay. Ask them why they are just volunteers and why they dont just do what it takes to be formally hired. Probably just an application and an EMT class or something, right? Maybe learn to tie some knots? Since you seem to be in the know here, what is there level of training? What experience do they have? Just curious.
 
nomadFF said:
Seriously?! You should go introduce yourself at FS 11 in Emerald Bay. Ask them why they are just volunteers and why they dont just do what it takes to be formally hired. Probably just an application and an EMT class or something, right? Maybe learn to tie some knots? Since you seem to be in the know here, what is there level of training? What experience do they have? Just curious.
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You're right, I don't know. If the issue is about them not being paid enough because they're volunteers (albeit well trained, I'm sure), then why aren't they being paid the same as regular fire fighters? What is the reasoning for them not being paid fire fighters? It seems partially obvious...some are getting paid as regular staff, and some are volunteers. What did those who are getting paid do differently?
 
2wheel_lee said:
You're right, I don't know. If the issue is about them not being paid enough because they're volunteers (albeit well trained, I'm sure), then why aren't they being paid the same as regular fire fighters? What is the reasoning for them not being paid fire fighters? It seems partially obvious...some are getting paid as regular staff, and some are volunteers. What did those who are getting paid do differently?
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I could tell you what all my friends who were paid and volunteers would say but I have a feeling it would not go over well.
 
nomadFF said:
Seriously?! You should go introduce yourself at FS 11 in Emerald Bay. Ask them why they are just volunteers and why they dont just do what it takes to be formally hired. Probably just an application and an EMT class or something, right? Maybe learn to tie some knots? Since you seem to be in the know here, what is there level of training? What experience do they have? Just curious.
Click to expand...

You have prove yourself capable of completing a game of patty cake with one of your superior officers while being tazed. At least that's what I heard.
 
2wheel_lee said:
You're right, I don't know. If the issue is about them not being paid enough because they're volunteers (albeit well trained, I'm sure), then why aren't they being paid the same as regular fire fighters? What is the reasoning for them not being paid fire fighters? It seems partially obvious...some are getting paid as regular staff, and some are volunteers. What did those who are getting paid do differently?
Click to expand...

Seems like there is some kind of hiring freeze [a guess] or they are slow to get new hires because of new pension rules adopted a few years back...
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/overtime-firefighters-fire-2374818-percent-ocfa

but those FF on the payroll make a really good living.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ocfa-firefighters-overtime-2372615-pay-salaries
 
mfoga said:
I could tell you what all my friends who were paid and volunteers would say but I have a feeling it would not go over well.
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Seriously have to agree with you on that. I have a few friends that are firefighters and all I want to say is this:

With fire season just around the corner could you imagine what it would be like without them. Or maybe, some of you were just ignorant during the fires last year and don't realize what type of work they do. I'm sure you've seen photos of firefighters helping injured riders on this forum, what if budget cuts reduced their support? Although, I don't want to see anyone get hurt out on the trails, could you imagine what it would be like if there was less support out there.
 
Seems odd that Firefighters can't find work, and volunteer as a way to get a foot in the door, when you take a look at the recently published yearly take home pay.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/o...5-pay-salaries
Most are nearly doubling their salaries in overtime, going from a base salary of say $70 K up to $120K.
I'm sure there’s plenty of government and union BS involved here, but to me it would make sense to cap overtime, hire more fire fighters, increasing the number of people we have for big disasters and wild fires. If somebody’s pounding on my chest to keep me alive it would be nice to know that they're not at the end of a 30 hour shift!
But I do think they do a fantastic job, and we need to remember that.
 
I'm curious as to what San Diego county does for back country rescues.Since they refuse to fund a county fire service do they depend on rescue from a local city F/D or a small town volunteer service?-Lloyd :wave:
 
I remember in Colorado once, the FF parajumpers (whatever they are called)... jumped/parachuted into a wildneress area to cut a fire break. The wind shift direction and they ended up with their backs at a mountain and they dug in and tried to wait it out.

They all died.

They don't get paid enough IMHO, regardless of where they work (volunteer/fulltime) and how long they work..
 
To make it simple, volunteers have much less training and experience then fulltime firefighters. In most cases people become a volunteer as a stepping stone to become a fulltime firefighter. The volunteer system works well in rural areas where there is not very many 911 calls, but in urban OC it doesn't work very well. It puts the citizens at risk. The volunteers that OCFA has roots back to when it was CDF and the OC was mostly fields.


Most people don't know the reason why Police Officers and Firefighter work so much overtime. Its a matter of public safety. Whenever someone calls in sick, takes a vacation day, has training, or is off for some other reason, it has to be backfilled with another person, thus creating overtime. Overtime is a volunteer system until no one wants to volunteer for certain days, like holidays, in this case they will be forced to work no matter if they had plans that day or not. How many jobs force people work on weekends and holidays? In most cases, it is cheaper to pay someone overtime then hire extra Police Officers and Firefighters.
 
Being the guy that broke his clavicle (and other bones) in Aliso Woods 3 weeks ago, I'd have to say that the fire fighters do an excellent job! These guys take their job seriously and seemed very well trained. They saved my ass, and I am thankful for that!!!!!

Not sure what they make for pay, but I'll bet its not the reason they chose fire fighting/ rescue as a career.
 
Napoleon D. said:
To make it simple, volunteers have much less training and experience then fulltime firefighters. In most cases people become a volunteer as a stepping stone to become a fulltime firefighter. The volunteer system works well in rural areas where there is not very many 911 calls, but in urban OC it doesn't work very well. It puts the citizens at risk. The volunteers that OCFA has roots back to when it was CDF and the OC was mostly fields.


Most people don't know the reason why Police Officers and Firefighter work so much overtime. Its a matter of public safety. Whenever someone calls in sick, takes a vacation day, has training, or is off for some other reason, it has to be backfilled with another person, thus creating overtime. Overtime is a volunteer system until no one wants to volunteer for certain days, like holidays, in this case they will be forced to work no matter if they had plans that day or not. How many jobs force people work on weekends and holidays? In most cases, it is cheaper to pay someone overtime then hire extra Police Officers and Firefighters.
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I understand the ot system well.I have been working shiftwork for 30+ years.We also work 3 on/off,12hr shift,rotate days to graves and back.When someone calls in sick the shift has to be covered.We use an on call system where on one shift,either day or night we are on call to work if someone calls in sick or vacation.Our company also would rather pay overtime then hire someone.It's cheaper.-Lloyd :wave:
 
You guys do understand that "Overtime Pay" is when they are fighting wild fires(but not limited to) for DAYS/WEEKS on end w/o sleep or days off and very little breaks.....
 
UzziSLX03 said:
Being the guy that broke his clavicle (and other bones) in Aliso Woods 3 weeks ago, I'd have to say that the fire fighters do an excellent job! ...
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Hey, good to hear from you! You looked in tough shape that Sunday and I figured I'd not bug you. What happened? Just curious. Hope you are mending!
 

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