Why Fire Dept's at Medical Calls.

[Foxx]

Yes fire fighters can & do play a big part in first response to medical calls.
My big pet peeve is the use of the term "volunteer firefighter".
By using this term most of the public actually believe they are actually volunteering their time where in most cases they get paid for their services.
Very few "volunteer fire services in Ontario" are actually volunteers but actually part-time employees.
Rates of pay vary service to service with some per call/training night to a percentage of the pay budget based on how often the individual participates.
This I have no problem with but lets call a spade a spade.
Yes they provide a vital service & leave their families at inopportune times, but not as unpaid volunteers.
Yes they have my respect but I've meet some who play on the term "volunteer" and won't admit they are payed for their services unless confronted by someone who has the actual facts.

The volunteer firemen in the City of Kawartha Lakes are unionized at over$ 24/ hr.

[JBen]

"2017 Volunteer Firefighter Wages: Suppression/ Training
Basic (new hire)$19.45 /$19.45
Advanced (as recommended) $21.89/ $21.89
Officers $24.34 /$21.89

http://www.city.kawarthalakes.on.ca/...r-firefighters

The main thing holding me back is
A) wondering if I'm still in shape enough
B) While I have the time now to answer calls (where many others don't) I may not in 6 months or a year if/when I decide to rejoin the grind. Don't like the idea of committing to something if I think theres a chance I can't stay to my commitment.

$20 to risk your life or deal with a mangled child at a car accident.

[3Wheelerdude]

Yes fire fighters can & do play a big part in first response to medical calls.
My big pet peeve is the use of the term "volunteer firefighter".
By using this term most of the public actually believe they are actually volunteering their time where in most cases they get paid for their services.
Very few "volunteer fire services in Ontario" are actually volunteers but actually part-time employees.
Rates of pay vary service to service with some per call/training night to a percentage of the pay budget based on how often the individual participates.
This I have no problem with but lets call a spade a spade.
Yes they provide a vital service & leave their families at inopportune times, but not as unpaid volunteers.
Yes they have my respect but I've meet some who play on the term "volunteer" and won't admit they are payed for their services unless confronted by someone who has the actual facts.

We definatly are paid volunteers when we answer to calls. Nothing to hide here.

To me the 'volunteer' remains because we spend just as much time doing unpaid work : 1st of July celebration, Winter Carnival organization, boot drives for multiple causes, fishing tournaments boat inspections, car seat installations, schools fire drills and fire safety sessions....the list goes on of unpaid things we do on our own time.

"Volunteer" also applies to what we do since we still have the choice to answer to calls or not. I know some of my fellow FF that do not answer to specific calls because of past trauma. Or others that stay in their tree stands during the prime hunting season!!!

[3Wheelerdude]

One more thing.

If people complain about the "Volunteer" part and we are determined to be Part Time or On Call Fire Fighters, then most employers will not allow us to leave our work to attend to calls.

Good luck getting any help if the only guys responding are the ones on night shift.....

[Fox]

I guess we don't have that many fires.

I have paramedics in the family and they are getting hosed while the firefighters are being paid to sleep, literally, it is a contentious thing in our family. The volunteer fire fighters, they are what saves rural Canada, many places where fires happen due to the use of higher risk heating and cooking appliances and they do not get paid to play cards on the off time, they are on call and jump whenever needed, no matter what.

[Rustic]

I guess we don't have that many fires.

I have paramedics in the family and they are getting hosed while the firefighters are being paid to sleep, literally, it is a contentious thing in our family. The volunteer fire fighters, they are what saves rural Canada, many places where fires happen due to the use of higher risk heating and cooking appliances and they do not get paid to play cards on the off time, they are on call and jump whenever needed, no matter what.

Curious , how are they being "hosed " ?

[terrym]

Even if they are only "part time" paying those guys only $20/hr is insulting. When called into service I wouldn't mind if they paid them $100/hr. Many government paper pushers make double that.

[dutchhunter]

I understand both sides to fire department be called out on 911 calls.coming from retirement home back ground. Every time ems was called to transport a person to hospital the fire department shows up lights and sirens going. There should be two types of calls to 911.it truly scares the heck out of the rest of the residents when thy show up at 3 am for a senior needing transfer. We talked with all departments about this.vut were told that's just the way it is...why waste value able resources when thy are not needed.

[Ladderman]

I understand both sides to fire department be called out on 911 calls.coming from retirement home back ground. Every time ems was called to transport a person to hospital the fire department shows up lights and sirens going. There should be two types of calls to 911.it truly scares the heck out of the rest of the residents when thy show up at 3 am for a senior needing transfer. We talked with all departments about this.vut were told that's just the way it is...why waste value able resources when thy are not needed.

This has to do with how the call is made. Fire responds for trouble breathing, chest pains, unconscious, things deemed life threatening. So it all depends how the person's condition is described when the call is received.

[3Wheelerdude]

I understand both sides to fire department be called out on 911 calls.coming from retirement home back ground. Every time ems was called to transport a person to hospital the fire department shows up lights and sirens going. There should be two types of calls to 911.it truly scares the heck out of the rest of the residents when thy show up at 3 am for a senior needing transfer. We talked with all departments about this.vut were told that's just the way it is...why waste value able resources when thy are not needed.

The Dispatcher decides who is called to respond. For us it depends on who works at the dispatch that day. But I totally agree that sometimes we are sent to calls that dont necessitate FD.
I guess its a matter of training the dispatchers uniformly.