N.C. town's volunteer firefighters stop responding to service calls

[@joker432]

I feel bad for the city residents but good on the volunteers! Volunteer firefighters are always treated poorly by cities.

[@bloodmoongrizzlythefirst6492]

I know we are willing to put our lives on the line with no expectation of pay other then covering us if something when we are call out. I mean hell ours gives us 20 dollar a day for those who man the firehouse overnight for "dinner". Then we found out they was doing that for Per Diem pay which they got $65 in tax credits, so the city was making $45 off us for just being there and gave us $20

[@johndicksonkaraoke2554]

A lot of times Fire Management treats the Volunteers like 3rd class citizens. In Sudbury Ontario Canada over 60% of Volunteers are thinking about quitting.

[@mikegaskin5542]

Me, a Vermont volunteer firefighter: "We have a contract!?"

[@andrewtaylor940]

Actually yes you do. And it’s what allows you to fight fires without legal jeopardy. As a Volunteer you belong to a Fire District. A defined incorporated territory that has created a municipal tax and services district and chartered the Fire Department. That Charter is your empowering foundational document. It defines where you operate as a branch of civil authority. Now where it gets more complicated is with smaller unincorporated areas, or incorporated small towns that do not have the population or wherewithal to operate their own Fire Services. They will typically establish a contract with a neighboring Fire District to provide Fire Services. Often on a per household/property fee basis. The Contract is critical in these outside District areas, as it is what legally empowers you to fight the fire. Grants the necessary immunities from civil litigation when doing so (without the contract you can be sued for property damage for fighting the fire). And without the contract in place your Fire Department Insurance Carriers will not cover line of duty injuries. Remember even Volunteer Fire Departments have operating costs that are paid for via the tax base. The Trucks, Gear, Training, Insurance, maintenance, etc. outside district areas that are not part of this tax base still need to be reaching an agreement to pay for the services. So of course the Volunteers will not respond to an area that is not under contract. Doing so puts them and their families in legal and financial jeopardy. (Do note that what we are discussing here is the situation that develops when an either unincorporated area, or an incorporated area elects to not form and empower a fire district, and instead expects a neighboring community to provide those services with no agreements in place to do so. This is not the same as a Mutual Aid situation where a Fire or Emergency Service provides assistance or coverage to a neighboring service. Mutual Aid contracts are normally coordinated between departments at the county or state level and when in somebody else’s District the Firefighters are acting as Agents of that district or department. )

[@Beandiptheredneck]

So they want the people PAID to be there to be certified as proper firefighters and be licensed to drive fire trucks.. I don’t see what the issue is here. That sounds perfectly reasonable. I know this is an older video but I’m taken back by how many people want them to “suck it up” or deal with it.. but I bet they’d be unwilling to do the same. These volunteers are exactly that, VOLUNTEERS. They are volunteering their time and effort to protect the community, the least the town can do is meet reasonable requests

[@jasonhayes3616]

Wrong. VOLUNTEER.. we dont get paid. We save people as a fuckkng hobby cause the majority doesnt have the balls to walk in a burning building. We need insurance kn case we get injured saving other people's lives. That's all were asking for

[@Beandiptheredneck]

@@jasonhayes3616 are you part of the department in the video? Trust me I understand you. I’m currently trying to become a volunteer FF in my town. But I’d be certified and insured

[@bloodmoongrizzlythefirst6492]

To have full time paid Firefighters on duty 24/7 would cost up the woohoo big time. reason why about every small city fire dept is Volunteers. We could be having dinner with our family and get a call and we leave. We could be working and get a call we leave ( not getting paid while on call) We could be on a Staycation and we still answer the call.

[@Beandiptheredneck]

@@bloodmoongrizzlythefirst6492 if you pay close attention the issue is they have paid full time staff that aren’t certified firefighters and don’t have their truck license to drive the fire trucks, they want that to change so they can effectively do their job

[@scottbc31h22]

@@Beandiptheredneck Unless the CDL laws have changed, in my state firefighters are not required to hold a commercial drivers license. Truck driver training and certification falls under their fire fighter training. Your state may be different. But that doesn't mean that someone with out fire fighter cert. can drive a fire truck.

[@medic2807]

This happened in my dept. If you don't have a contract, you won't get workers comp when you fall through the floor, get smoked on the side of the road working a wreck. I'm sure it the city government being assholes.

[@jaysmith1408]

Our only stipulation for coverage is that we have to be dispatched first.

[@tcolondovich2996]

@Brisdad53 Assuming things, then calling someone out for an assumption you made, is ridiculously stupid. You guarantee he's mistaken or lying? I guarantee you're less educated than most 12 year old children if you'd even say something like that.

[@geebee6010]

Yeah here in Pennsylvania we have incorporated communities like Townships and Boroughs outside of cities. The townships and boroughs helps the volunteer fire companies and pays for the insurance, fuel, etc. Everything else they're on their own. The minute they unrecognize you as a fire company, you're done.

[@mrwonderful2142]

There's a few reasons I own more fire trucks than the fire station up the street from me

[@johnbutler6430]

Volunteer is the key thing here. Stick to ur guns. No contact no workman's comp. Screw that. To easy to get hurt.

[@russella7263]

Not really related to this story, but I remember when Saddle River N.J. fire station caught fire in the 80’s. The fire shorted out the electrics which prevented the volunteer fire fighters when they turned up from opening the doors to get the fire truck out. One brave volunteer ran into the building, started the truck and drove it out through the closed doors.

[@hillaryclinton2415]

Figures that they were too ignorant to think of that FIRST

[@williamheber2118]

I thought all garage doors can be opened manually?

[@fredgervinm.p.3315]

Good story...

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

@@williamheber2118 They can but if they have an electric opener, you have to be inside to do it.

[@timothym33]

Bet VFF win the contract!!! We always have after a accident or health call or fire... Don't mess with the ones that can help you from danger. We risk our lives to save yours!!!! Respect the VFF and first Responders in your community.... For my fellow FF!!!

[@pique-nique]

I bet they have enough money for other things not nearly as important as this!

[@be5575]

Gender studies probably

[@Cryptonymicus]

@@be5575 Well, given that it's the South, they're probably studying how to revive the Confederacy, reinstitute slavery, and get ALL the minorities chained to the plantations.

[@ethanpoole3443]

The sad thing in such disputes is cities’ tendency to focus only upon what the volunteers are costing them in terms of operations, equipment, training, and insurance and, like too many corporations as well, are often quite blind to what these people are saving them and their fellow citizens. I started out many years ago (late 80s) in IT and learned first hand how blind many managers and administrators can be when it comes to understanding true costs vs. savings vs. potential for earnings and savings in other departments beyond IT. They all too often viewed IT as an operational expense to be reduced by any means necessary and saw every penny spent on IT as negative profit, yet a well run IT department will not only reduce operating costs and boost efficiencies but also significantly increases worker productivity in every other department while reducing liabilities (and as evidence, just look at any instance where a corporate or government entity has a poorly run, staffed and/or funded IT department and what that ultimately costs them in terms of needless downtime, lost productivity, lost data and records, reduced employee morale, angry customers/clients “sorry, we can’t help you with your billing error today, the servers are all down”, and liability/losses due to successful hacking incidents due to unsecured, or minimally secured, tech., etc.). The problem is often that a well run IT department goes largely unseen by everyone and so all many up above notice is the line item expense incurred...and if something major does fail then they only get to notice the failure with often little appreciation to the effort involved in quickly recovering from a major fault or disaster and how much worse it could have been without reliable backups and a well developed disaster recovery plan plus necessary spare equipment to quickly restore services on short notice. I suspect a well run volunteer FD or EMS is very much the same in that when it is all working then all anyone from up above ever really notices are the line item costs and not the many peripheral savings their volunteer services bring to the community at both government and citizen levels (recognizing that this was in 2017, but a lot of citizens would likely have seen a large increase in homeowners insurance rates in the not too distant future due to the increased fire risks if things were not resolved in short order and fire protection restored back to normal expected levels...whether that be by way of volunteer or professional firefighters).

[@abbottshaull9831]

Exactly. Both organizations the penny counters only see money going in and insignificant value in return from those costs.

[@Ryarios]

The real question here is how much the residents are willing to pony up to get it? Maybe enough. If not then the city may be between a rock and a hard place...

[@HellfrozeoverDitto-lj1rm]

Pony up? With all the freakin taxes we pay pony up! Dude shut the hell up! Don’t the city take enough already? Time to buy an rv and live on the road, let the city collapse due to people leaving, problems solve. Just leave the city and watch it die like all the other little towns.

[@markinman8156]

When their insurance skyrockets because there is no fire dept within reasonable distance, they the residents will be glad to pay a fee or slightly higher taxes.

[@Dogvinity]

I learned today that volunteer does not necessarily mean "volunteer". Good on them, sticking up for themselves.

[@heyrod59]

Local governments don't realize how important volunteer fire/ambulance services truly are until they don't have them. And unless local government officials live in this community, it becomes much more of an imperative.

[@MegaMantim]

Go fulltime...Volunteers eventually fade out one way or the other...Truth...

[@Mark152093]

Sure we do, and then we get replenished by new blood. Its the cycle.

[@chloehennessey6813]

Four kids from 2 to 13 just died in my city this past week due to a house fire. Start paying your god damn firefighters a livable wage. If they’re volunteering than make sure they have ALL the support they need.

[@R-T_BK79]

I can´t be the only one, who misheard the name of this placa as "not silent"

[@JS-zb1vv]

I bet if the county just raised taxes enough to just pay full time firefighters . Tax payers would blow their lid !!!!

[@Kyle-mo7hx]

You said it. So many shitbags in this country want more services, and always seem to blame government. If you raise their taxes though, Oh boy, don't tread on me

[@scottbc31h22]

@@Kyle-mo7hx And that' just the start. When the services begin to perform poorly, these same people will 'punish' that department by cutting their budget. when that causes that service to perform even worse, they cry to privatize. BTW there are some places where individual homeowners have to pay for annual contract with a private fire fighting company. No contract, your house burns down.

[@JawTooth]

Knotts Island is a small island. When the guy said that Creeds fire house was 16 miles away, that was an exaggeration. There is nowhere on that Island that is anywhere near that far from Creeds. Just measure it on Google Maps and you can see. Now why did he exaggerate like that?

[@ahmadabdelrahim7777]

Wait. Hold the phone. I thought volunteer firefighters were VOLUNTEERS. I didn't know they got paid. Shouldn't they be called city employee firefighters then?

[@dawsont933]

Yea, and no, From what I could tell they had mostly volunteers but maybe 1 or 2 paid FF's (most of the time they are paramedics and run EMS calls all day)

[@keithfreitas2983]

They are volunteers but need certification, training and equipment. A contract insures they get medical coverage if they get injured and what is required to do they job.

[@ahmadabdelrahim7777]

@@keithfreitas2983 Ohh. That makes sense. Thank you.

[@tbugher62]

The residents can pay for the Fire service.

[@tmilesffl]

I leave instructions for my neighbors that if my house catches fire to let it burn

[@anthonythorp7291]

Worked for a farmer who said the last thing you want is a half of barn standing. He said his fire protocol is get the cows out, call the insurance company, and then call the fire dept.

[@joshwilburn-dudley3560]

We've always said get the kids out get the dogs out wait 5 minutes and call the fire department

[@theshadow4292]

When Volunteer Firefighters refuse to answer fire calls, the only difference is that the residence, business, and/or building that is ablaze will burn to the ground a few minutes quicker, which is actually a good thing. I say this, inasmuch, as the air quality within the immediate area will not be negatively affected for as long a time period and the water's poison runoff caused by burning debris will not happen either, as it would have if the VFF's had answered the call. So rejoice and be thankful to the VFF's who did not answer the fire call, since they were all unknowingly being a good statesman of our environmentalist.

[@robertpierce95]

Ok this will open a fire storm of comments directed towards me; but; I am gone to speak my mine and that is 1. The requirement for being a FF I or II is not based off of a contract, it is based off the ability of the firefighter to take classes and pass examines by the governing agency which certifies them. This is normally a State controlled academy. 2. I would really hope that all members of the Dept. has EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operation Certification) before getting behind the wheel. Please people this is not a contract dispute, this is a bunch of boo hooing over nothing! If the firefighters where serious about their job; although volunteers; they would go out and get FF I & II cert and EVOC training and then come back and have a real dispute with the county about how they are certified and want to get paid and not be volunteers!!!!

[@lindanwfirefighter4973]

robert pierce Who pays for all that training though?

[@jaysmith1408]

Linda NWFirefighter in our area, the county runs and funds the County Fire Academy. Surrounding counties do the same.

[@brucenadeau1280]

If government want then certified then it should train them Yes they want to be paid are you going to do a dangerous job not be paid

[@devinbreckmann8956]

1 year 3 comments lmao yeah no one cares _firestorm of comments_

[@robertpierce95]

@@devinbreckmann8956 I am shocked because I make a comment like this on FB and it blows up

[@anthonythorp7291]

Don't know how our government doesn't consider fire and ambulance essential services. Both should be provided full time through taxes.

[@Sea-Bass]

That would be impossible especially in rural communities. 80 percent of firefighters in the United States are volunteers.

[@kenfulkerson9567]

Bet the county has the money for all their Union people to get contracted health, good for the goose.

[@geoffg8840]

Any updates on this?

[@skitzochik]

get right with the firefighters... you have to expect that they're HUMAN... be fair, get it done!

[@williammassey911]

replace the county officials.

[@RealJPMcGrath]

This is why professional firefighters are essential. It's a little more pricey but the fact that most of our nation is reliant on volunteer departments is scary. When you need them, you NEED them. Hire a full time department or don't be surprised when the heros working for free get fed up with dealing with political bs that they aren't even getting paid to deal with

[@markinman8156]

In the 1970's PA had 300,000 volunteer firemen. Now with the same land mass, larger population, it has 30,000. You do not know and appreciate what you have until you lose it.

[@dauntlessasmr7910]

Normally, nothing but respect for firefighters. Especially volunteer firefighters. But this is just sickening. Refusing to respond over a contract dispute? Putting peoples' lives in danger? Oh hell no. Fire every single one of them, get new volunteers, and offer them more than these individuals were getting. God forbid if someone dies in a fire. Apparently they're just going to just stand around and watch them burn.

[@woodskier964]

The very poor town I lived in in northern new England Lost both its firemen, police and library when the teachers union stole all the funds. Yup many homes were lost.....the 2 old Liberians were kicked to the curb by the kindly teachers union. Town to the south saw this and booted to teachers union out.

[@scottrjmatmsncom]

Have the town residents stand outside the city leaders house at midnight with flaming torches and say you either give us our fire coverage now and immediately step down or the house gets burned down and you can wait for outside help

[@kcook8119]

Good for you them. Don't put up with the BS.

[@Papa_Mike]

I'm confused. Doesn't "volunteer" mean the same thing anymore?

[@keirfarnum6811]

They still need a contract for insurance purposes if they get hurt while fighting a fire.

[@shadiankeeper]

Also, volunteer doesn’t mean they pay everything out of pocket, for example: The certifications and trainings.

[@obiesunstreak2409]

@Bret Bouder The fuck, do you even understand what is going on? In this case the CITY won't negotiate, that means no workers comp, no coverage, no pay for the VFF. That means if one gets hurt/dies, oh well too bad so sad. The CITY is the bad guy here, the people working for the city should be stripped of their jobs, and brought up on charges. Hell if I had my way they would be stripped of their citizenship and sent packing. People like you should be put on trial, found guilty, stripped of your citizenship, then executed.

[@shadiankeeper]

@Bret Bouder so you're going to pay all the medical bills when a volunteer firefighter is hurt responding to a fire? Pay for damaged equipment and updated training? Food and drink when they're on a long job?

[@ArtStoneUS]

Why would volunteers have a contract?

[@smitty3700]

For workers comp insurance in case of on the job injury

[@23879988]

For a rich country this is bad

[@gregcooner2289]

As a firefighter with 18 year. I find this infuriating. Everyone that was a part of the department should be ashamed of themselves. Putting people lives and property at risk. So you can get you way. That is not acceptable behavior of a firefighter. I feel sorry for the community.

[@DryLog420]

Why does he keep saying they are not silent firefighters? They aren't even at work, seems like they are very silent to me.

[@DryLog420]

@M S yeah, I had to attempt some type of word play, it was fed freely on a sliver platter.

[@rushinroulette4636]

Im surprised that none of them wanted to talk to the reporter... I mean they were "not silent" fire fighters if you listen to the audio only.

[@thfi5294]

Very stupid indeed, to push firefighters to that level.

[@2-old-Forthischet]

So why aren't other residences volunteering? If others aren't going to step up, then get ready for higher taxes. Simple.

[@ericrader5120]

What an embarrassment to the fire service...go get yourselves like everybody else.

[@joenissan]

So they’re not volunteers then? Volunteers can’t strike.

[@cameronsavoie768]

It’s not there job they do not need to be fire fighters they were volunteers the state needs to pick up the slack

[@rickschuman2926]

This is a disgrace to the very idea of being a volunteer. Of course the problem is with the paid employees that are opening the way for a unionized fire department. It's all about power from now on.

[@mcaddicts]

Wow it's serious when the wackers won't respond, and turn off their multiple pagers and radios.

[@jackremington2020]

I personally disagree with the FD's view. Put all contract and legal disputes behind, when the public is in danger, it is our responsibility to help people whenever someone needs us. I know my department would not do the same, and it is a shame that fire departments care more about contracts than the community the serve. Enough said.

[@dangerzone10473]

Disgusting

[@ethangurwitch8555]

Those volunteer firefighters are acting selfish. They may have contract issues but they know they are the best hope for those people.

[@markinman8156]

Are you even aware how this works? Volunteers without a contract that includes insurance and legal protection will put these volunteers in complete jeopardy. If they get hurt fighting a fire at your house they could be held completely responsible for all medical costs and lose all income. If a truck they are driving is in a accident and they are sued the could lose their homes. The fact that they volunteer and go through countless hours of training while not getting paid proves they are not selfish.

[@donaldspieker5869]

My sister and her husband are volunteer firefighters. Sometimes people don't realize that volunteer firefighters are essential. They run towards danger while everyone else runs away

[@dauntlessasmr7910]

Not in that town!

[@shannonsmith4174]

THEY SEEM TO FORGET VOLUNTEERS ARE NOT EMPLOYEE'S OR SLAVES THEY EXPECT RESPECT THERE DOING YOU A FAVOR AND YOUR TREATING THEM LIKE CRAP I HOPE THEY DON'T GO BACK AT ALL..... GOOD FOR THEM.... KEEP ALL THE POWER...

[@kevincasey5996]

and had a house burned fown or a life lost I'm sure these vollies would be willing to hand over all funds to the victim?

[@newb4life11]

Oh is that how it works

[@ronstrulic4388]

What in the world are you talking about Kevin???

[@perrysims3320]

Maybe if his racist house burns down, his slave trader flag will go up in flames also. These people deserve each other.

[@alexkish5922]

So you put the town and people in harm's way for training requirements

[@tmilesffl]

NOT a training requirement, an insurance issue.

[@lookingglass9175]

Not sure why so many fire departments still call themselves volunteers when the majority of them are paid for calls and training.

[@lookingglass9175]

@Thack I agree with all you said but the point I was trying to make was if you get paid per call and for training as well as other benefits can you really call yourself a volunteer. They pay kinda negates the volunteerism.

[@Chris_Sokol]

No, a majority are not paid for calls. And yes, paid training for people who are volunteering their time and money for a dangerous job, while sometimes working 2 jobs to sustain their families.

[@lookingglass9175]

@@Chris_Sokol if you are compensated per call, stipends, yearly bonus, property tax reduction, training, state funded pensions based on years of service, mileage and fuel reimbursements to name a few, you shouldn’t call it volunteering. Many so-called volunteer departments over the last decade or so have resorted to these types of benefits to keep and recruit new members. If this confuses you look up the definition of volunteer.

[@Chris_Sokol]

@@lookingglass9175 28 years in the service as a Firefighter/Paramedic in volunteer departments. I think I know the definition.

[@lookingglass9175]

@@Chris_Sokol well I’m not trying to one up you but 32 years in the fire service, 22 years as a career full time paramedic/firefighter. I began in a strictly volunteer department and left when all the bellyaching began about getting compensation for their so called volunteerism. That’s exactly my point, when you receive any type of benefits, pay per call, stipends, tax breaks or whatever, you are no longer volunteering. Merriam-Webster definition of a “volunteer” is “a person who works for an organization freely without pay or compensation.” My IAFF local does a ton of community outreach, Muscular Dystrophy fund raising, blood pressure clinics, children and school fire safety, elderly injury prevention to name a few. This is all volunteer.

[@Tom-inthetrash]

Sadly the fire station burnt down, then all the firefighters houses burnt down from lightning. The moral of the story is don't piss God off.

[@collinmankin4334]

I think the FD needs to suck it up. I know everybody doesn’t have the time to be at the station as a volunteer but considering you signed up for the job, you’re more than obligated than to get the training.

[@danielsj737]

alright so you will pay their Hospital bill when they get smoke inhalation or get burns, or any other injury that comes from working in the Fire service?

[@collinmankin4334]

@@danielsj737 they could prevent injury by training. I guarantee you no dead firefighter will tell you his/her training got them killed. And that station probably is well funded from what the news report showed, they can afford training so they can afford to pay for a fireman’s hospital bill if they get injured. Not wanting to train is selfish and only puts you and the citizens you serve in more danger.

[@danielsj737]

@@collinmankin4334 training by most volly departments are once a week because not everyone has time. 10 ounces of training is worth 1 ounce of prevention. Just because a training is doesn’t prevent. Because training is done in a controlled environment and real life incidents have about 1 million variables.

[@danielsj737]

@@collinmankin4334 also 10% of deaths this year have been on training grounds

[@tomjefferson3148]

Democrat run city..... need i say more?

[@ArtStoneUS]

Do they want to unionize the firefighters?

[@interstate1165]

Democrats are pro worker and pro union aren't they? Interesting thought though

[@proudveteran4696]

What the fuck

[@elmerfudd7674]

Contract for a Volunteer??? That is not a volunteer. Typical Union attitude. We are special. Fire them all, get new ones.

[@elmerfudd7674]

@MTR What? So you are saying when someone "voluntarily" takes any job out there that they are a volunteer?? WOW, let me guess, Dumbocrat?? I was a volunteer firefighter for 29 years, NO contract. A real volunteer. Sorry to burst yur libtard bubble.

[@keithfreitas2983]

@@elmerfudd7674 would the city have paid your medical bills if you got hurt? How about your training did you pay that yourself?

[@elmerfudd7674]

@@keithfreitas2983 Around this area the FD are Special Districts. They get tax money just like the schools, etc. They have insurance and also the volunteers get a pension after 20 years. I am getting $1250 a month for life. Best equipment money can buy because the volunteers are not paid.

[@ossia1708]

​@@elmerfudd7674 Libtard. When did using retard as an insult become acceptable again? I don't really care that you insult liberals or democrats as for the most part they can defend themselves, but someone who is mentally disabled sometimes cannot. What has a mentally disabled person ever done to you?

[@HellfrozeoverDitto-lj1rm]

So stupid, such a waste of man power. The last report I saw, the volunteers were old, over weight and shouldn’t be volunteering! They should have a fitness requirement first off! I don’t want one of them having a heart attack while putting out flames.......

[@HellfrozeoverDitto-lj1rm]

It’s a joke, if you can’t take a fitness test you dam well do not belong volunteering. PEROID! The state does not want a lawsuit, they are that dumb. “Oh well” whole towns disappeared and theirs is no difference. That is just part of life. Do you think people gives a shit in today’s society? Appreciate! Lmao! Those dumbasses will die of a heart attack before the flames can be put out. “Reality”

[@414RadioTech]

Just break in and hot wire the trucks and takeoff with them to put out fires then that's what the neighborhood should do on that island

[@Fireguy97]

@Railfan 51 Yeah, that sounds perfectly reasonable. Let's have a bunch of untrained individuals running around without knowing how to operate a truck or the pumps. What could go wrong? A few years ago we had a town that just signed a mutual aid agreement with the city. Exactly three days later the town experienced a major fire at a new hotel that was nearing completion. The town enacted the mutual aid request. The city sent a crew of fully trained full-time paid firefighters to assist. The paid firefighters were told to hook up to the hydrant on the south exposure and get hose lines on that side. This fire was at a ski hill. The paid firefighters hooked up to what they thought was a hydrant, but later admitted that it looked a little different and never have seen one like that before. Actually it was a hydrant, but it was a hydrant for the ski hills snow making machines. The fire hydrant was fourteen feet away from the snow making hydrant. When water starts to flow, (hydrant is opened) pumps automatically kick in to get water to the snow machine with enough pressure to be effective. Now this is the fun part. The pumps kick in at 800psi. for enough pressure to accommodate the snow machines. Do you know what a water hammer is? When the hammer of 800psi. hits the pumps on the truck it split the pump into four pretty even pieces. The pressure was so great that even with the pump split in four they still had enough pressure to run one 2 1/2" line and two, inch and a half lines. If a crew of fully trained firefighters could make a mistake like this, what kind of mistakes do you think might happen with a group of well-meaning but completely untrained people might make? (Sun Peaks fire, Sun Peaks, British Columbia October 26, 2001 Delta Hotel, Sun Peaks) These were experienced, paid professional firefighters. Do you know how to operate a pump on a truck? Its not easy my friend. Responding to an emergency situation requires training, experience, faith in yourself, your team, and your equipment. Training is also a group effort. It isn't for four or six people running around looking for equipment, parts, or asking questions about what goes where or how does this work? I wouldn't want to be the person that shows up, untrained, trying to get an extraction kit together and not know how to safely secure and safely open up a vehicle with an injured child inside. But then again, go for it. Break in to the fire house when there's an emergency situation. Get some untrained people, jump in the truck and take off for the call. What could go wrong?

[@justinjustin337]

Lol. Fire trucks rarely have a key. Just battery switch and push button start. So no need to hot wire. 😎

[@Fireguy97]

@@justinjustin337 Not all fire trucks are keyless/pushbutton. Not all fire trucks are mounted on dedicated bodies. We had a Top Kick that was built into a fire truck as well as a tanker that didn't start life fighting fires. Our fast attack and bush trucks also were keyed. But if they're not, keys have been normally kept in the ignition switch. Breaking into a fire house as well as vehicle theft are still crimes as far as I know.

[@justinjustin337]

Fireguy97 you are correct. That’s why I said rarely. The old school ones that were converted into a fire truck will surely have a key. Usually.

[@ronstrulic4388]

I would love to see the person with zero training try to even figure out how to operate the pump. Let alone even figure out how to engage it. Stick to foaming railfan your idea is hilarious

[@gewglesux]

thats just plain selfish

[@ronstrulic4388]

Hope you're talking about town officials and not the Dept.

[@gewglesux]

@@ronstrulic4388 Maybe i dont have enough information. How does a Volunteer sqd have a "contract"? I can also say that as a 30+ year unpaid EMT/FF.. I would never stop serving the community that depended on me because of a beef with my local Govt. This kind of situation has never happened here in Long Island.

[@ronstrulic4388]

I believe from sound of the story that they do have paid personal. It said employees of the station are looking for funds to help train these people as ff1 whatever is a level of training I assume paid staff have. I'm from PA so not sure what NC does. As for the volunteers not showing I dont understand that. Im assuming the paid staff are drivers of the apparatus. I dont know if that's the case. But sounds like the employees have to have some contractual agreement for the FD to actually operate.

[@smitty3700]

@@gewglesux the contract is for workers comp insurance in case a volunteer is injured on the job

[@gewglesux]

@@smitty3700 Thanks for the Clarification.

[@colbornfarms4849]

Cowards

[@buzman1985]

The area is a LOT safer now because shit Voly’s aren’t showing up.

[@andrewtreece3708]

Fuck you asshole.

[@ronstrulic4388]

A lot of us shit volys are better trained then some paid guys Spoken like a typical asshole who is either a union ff or someone who has never given a minute to the fire service.

[@dee7353]

Ron Strulic. This is true. I have many family and friends who are FFs, EMTs and Paramedics. Some have paid jobs and also volunteer. Some of the EMS also fight fires on a volunteer basis. They train constantly. I have been told by other fully paid, trained FFs that many volunteers are the best because they train constantly and because they have the best equipment. In my area they are also trained in mountain rescue. They often rappel down the mountain to aid injured hikers then bring them back up the mountain. In my area you see these volunteers on TV saving lives as often as you see the paid workers who do it for a living. I would be thrilled if any of them were to come to my aid whether it be a fire or accident. They are more than qualified. They often start training as teens and do this for years. They know their stuff.

[@critter2]

I agree with most you're helping people not government. The fact you're not doing anything puts in Respective your not a real firefighters