Ride Along - Albuquerque Fire Rescue PIO

I rode along with Lieutenant Jason Fejer who is currently assigned as the Public Information Officer for Albuquerque Fire Rescue. We discussed the PIO role, a recent major incident, and toured several AFR facilities including the Alarm Room, Training Center and Fire Museum.
To learn more about their organization visit www.cabq.gov/fire and follow them here on KZbin / @albuquerquefirerescue

[@davidbehrend7054]

As a retired public safety dispatcher (Fire / EMS / Police), I always appreciate when dispatch centers are highlighted, as too often they are forgotten. They are normally where the incident response process starts and follow the units until termination and return to service. However, they usually don’t have the “closure” like the responders do, often knot knowing all that happened. Also, while responding units are in normal cases dealing with a single incident, dispatch is often handling multiple incidents simultaneously.

[@WorkingFirePIO]

I spent 12 years of my career in dispatch and I completely agree. I'll always to my best to incorporate dispatch and the technology being used into my videos.

[@Burque_news]

The fact these two come together and gave us great content and to show AFR. I really do like that AFR is gettin put more on to the map with firefighting. Even though we are a small city in the USA AFRs probably one of the toughest departments out here.

[@Benicemedia]

Lieutenant Fejer is a gift to the Albuquerque Community

[@W0rld0fC4rz]

Thank you for doing an Albuquerque series man. Abq always gets over looked so this was really cool to watch!

[@jamieo8653]

Eric, great content. As an elected city councilor, learning about the fire services is extremely helpful particularly at budget time. Saving lives is not inexpensive and protecting those in the fire services is imperative. Thank you for your channel!🇺🇸

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Thank you for watching and sharing your perspective! Being a city councilor must be quite challenging, especially with so many internal requests for more budget money.

[@firey9998]

Absolutely crazy they work 48 hour shifts when they are that busy!

[@Loeschlasterfahrer]

You two absolutely look like Brothers! Keep up the good work! Really enjoy watching your videos! Greetings from Germany

[@WorkingFirePIO]

We heard that a few times while I was visiting! Thanks for watching.

[@MRDJDOMINATE]

Awesome job Jason!!! I'll see you in Albuquerque soon!!!

[@trob0914]

Nice overview of Albuquerque Fire! Thanks Eric!!

[@samgoodwin3622]

I really appreciated the brief overview of AFD at the beginning of the video. This would be cool to have for every new department we get to see! Love the work you are doing for the fire service a whole.

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Thanks for that suggestion!

[@nosauce3039]

I knew that helmet cam footage and voice was familiar! I remember our shift training with the chief and going over this footage! Much love from Byron Fire and thanks again for more great content!

[@bm7151]

AFD Station 13 R/A was my favorite ride along on this channel so far. Let's see if this one tops it! The only one that's topped it so far is the SMFR Firefighter R/A that you did!

[@davidbehrend7054]

I had to make a spreadsheet to figure out the dispatch shift matrix for their 24 on /24 off / 24 on / 120 off schedule. Essentially 14 shifts over an 8 week period, to average out to a “42 hour week”. I’m glad their financial office could figure that out. When I worked dispatch, we had gone to 12 hour shifts working 48 hrs one week and normally would work 36 the next week. Because our financial office couldn’t program the computer to average out the hours over a two week period, we ended up working a very weird shift pattern, coming in for 4 hours on what should have been a day off.

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Lt. Fejer can confirm, but I think because dispatch is staffed by line firefighters and not civilians, it makes the financial aspect a bit easier for them. By comparison at South Metro, civilian dispatchers work 24-hour shifts but only get compensated for 18 of those hours unless their 6 hour rest period is interrupted by work. That leads to 36 or 54 hour work weeks and built in 14 hours of overtime on those long weeks. It's a lot to keep track of.

[@Edick108]

Here in Maine, many fire departments work 42 hours per week. Most commonly, 24 on 24 off 24 on 120 off or 24 on 48 off 24 on and 96 off. Dispatch is usually 8 or 12 hour shifts. Can't imagine Dispatch working 24-hour shifts!

[@jeffpatch5]

Great job as always Eric... I was really interested when you talked about the compassion issues... That's a true story for a lot of us.

[@indianawxbuff3186]

Another great video Eric! Thank you.

[@joshsnook4549]

You should get a hold of the boys in Easton PA

[@schmegle1]

PA is the worst

[@ktar7189]

Thank you Eric for the awesome videos keep up the good work your friend kyle

[@kooldude7876]

awesome content!!! thankyou for putting these videos out!!!

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Glad you like them!

[@LakesRegionEmergencyPhoto]

Really interesting to see how they do dispatching. The 24 hour dispatch shift is weird to me, here in New England those are very rare, usually they are 8 or 12 hour shifts. It seems like it works well for them though!

[@WorkingFirePIO]

24-hour dispatch shifts are definitely rare. In Colorado Denver and South Metro operate on those, but it's a bit easier for Denver since all of their dispatch personnel are line firefighters.

[@firemedic222]

Awesome !!

[@tiny4363]

do a ride along with Pittsburgh fire rescue! They opened them back up.

[@lonepeakfirebuff]

The chemicals and carcinogens in that smoke has got to be astronomical

[@marcusp9504]

Great video Eric Come To New Jersey And Film A Ride Along There If You Can!

[@Excel_Farming]

You should go to Los Alamos Fire, NM it’s 2 hours north.

[@reutzelfred]

Awesome channel

[@marylandemergencyresponses]

👋🏽👋🏽From Maryland

[@choprox01]

This LT is dialed in

[@ryanbramley70]

Eric. I believe that has been the best video recorded so far. The interaction between you and the Lt. Was great . Thanks for all you do.

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Wow, thanks!

[@Hurst6969]

Interesting how much time was spent discussing the 48 hour shift and sleep deprivation BUT, the folks insist on the longer shifts to increase the time off Can't have it both ways but critical to ensure folks are getting the mental health support necessary. What these professionals see can't be understood by the average person.

[@bunker108]

Yeah it's tough. But I've worked 24s at a slow department. Worked a 10/24/14 and 48/96 here. I have to say that I prefer the 48/96. A 4th shift would be ideal but it's just not realistic.

[@tcdupont33]

Would love to see if you could visit New Bedford, MA Fire Dpeartment

[@MrStunnd]

Another fantastic video. Just need the music a little quieter during the talk sessions, it's a bit hard to hear what you guys are saying. Otherwise, looking forward to the next video!

[@jeremycastaneda3020]

Great video ! And Come to LA City.

[@seanrettmueller7234]

Come to CFD

[@nerdfallfeuerwehr3944]

❤❤❤

[@vincentparlante6274]

Hey Eric? Do you do any videos of the various Volunteer firefighter services as well. I was for a bit a Volunteer firefighter back in the late 80s. . I'm new to your channel here and have enjoyed your videos I've seen so far. I was a volunteer in the very county Albuquerque sits in .

[@BreezoFire]

come to the EAST COAST you put out great videos

[@xin5aneshot410]

You should visit the FDNY

[@SD45-ET44AC]

Perhaps with time, the stigma associated with asking for help will diminish.

[@Rebsammy-ek6gg]

I live in Lakewood nj and we have a organization called hatzola which is basically random people volunteering all over the town and they have equipment in they’re car so our fire department doesn’t do medical calls

[@kovigyurka]

Does Jason have Hungarian ancestry? :) I'm sure. (Fejer ... fejér ... fehér and this is white in Hungarian. His name is written like a county in Hungary.)

[@e4trucker]

Yes. My dad took his stepfather's name. So there is some ancestry but not bloodlines.

[@kovigyurka]

​@@e4truckerreal cool! Thanks for the feedback. 😊

[@commandoseals]

I hope you can ride with Chicago Engine116/Squad 5 soon or some of the ghetto fire houses in Chicago

[@W0rld0fC4rz]

Will you ever do Scottsdale FD?

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Maybe one day!

[@johnlebzelter4208]

@OfficialxBafoon willl you ever stop trolling?

[@W0rld0fC4rz]

@@johnlebzelter4208 ?

[@gageedwards2780]

Can you do a ride along with Bakersfield ca fire dpt.

[@melpolichuk3166]

Good evening Eric, I was just wondering if you were still pio with South Metro

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Hello, yes I am still Communications Manager - Public Information Officer at South Metro.

[@jarhead51996]

Did I miss something about you leaving SMFR or are you doing this on your off days/vacation?

[@alex_1798]

Do a ride along with Chicago Squad 1

[@nicholasmakepeace8748]

❤

[@littlesaltine1583]

Go to San Diego to do ride alongs

[@NoName-gf6xo]

Get to the east coast. Northern NJ departments, FDNY, CT, Boston, ect...

[@tg5298]

Eric. Hit up Orange County Fire Authority in California

[@Ms.Opinionated]

Eric, Why are ambulances privatized? In Maryland, the ambulances are owned by the counties and cities. Thank you.

[@whuffer5103]

Money is why

[@WorkingFirePIO]

There isn't an easy answer to your question, but many metropolitan areas have municipal fire departments and private ambulance services by contract. Some fire departments would struggle financially to support EMS transports since a large percentage aren't paid back. Additionally, single role EMT Basics and Paramedics generally earn much lower wages than Firefighter EMT / Paramedics, so there's additional cost savings by contracting the ambulance service. Large providers like AMR, Falck and Rural Metro are examples of private ambulance companies that often compete for contract services to cities and counties.

[@whuffer5103]

@@WorkingFirePIO Correct. EMS is now the same level as dietary and housekeeping at the hospital

[@jasperaivaninsigne7708]

Hi, I'm a Fire and Rescue Volunteer here in the Philippines, I just want to ask for your help connections on different fire houses departments that can Donate of some gears for our group PATEROS DOWNTOWN FIRE AND RESUE VOLUNTEER

[@illinoisoutlaw2197]

At 12:20ish in the video I keep hearing someone EAS going off over the radio

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Great catch. I don't remember hearing it in-person so I'm not sure what the circumstance was.

[@chrisg7838]

Wait so that LT is not a medic? I’m asking because is says “EMT-B” under “Lieutenant”

[@e4trucker]

No I am a Lieutenant and and EMT-B.

[@justinboyce2902]

I think taking out the music from the background would add a lot to these videos. Just constructive criticism. It takes away from what the person is saying.

[@CymruEmergencyResponder]

24/48 hour shifts are inherently unsafe.

[@EricWhiteTheGamer]

No water rescue specialty besides what I saw in your other video?

[@bunker108]

There are multiple arroyo rescue stations but it's not considered a specialty. Every designated station trains on it annually and all cadets get trained on it in the academy.

[@mohaddock1080]

Appreciate the video but could do without the background music during discussions in the beginning

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Thanks for your feedback.

[@johnlebzelter4208]

@mohaddock1080 Wow..go cry about it some more.

[@wesleymoore8413]

A video with two of my favorite fire folks? Yes please!!

[@gbprodz]

please make more videos

[@henihig8968]

You should go to Los Angeles city fire station nine, the busiest station in the country

[@edsmetaldetecting31]

Awesome video!!

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Thanks!

[@ghostrix1046]

check out the Tucson fire department

[@WorkingFirePIO]

Thanks for your suggestion!

[@johnlebzelter4208]

@ghostrix1046 Pretty sure he needs to be invited!

[@naomibryant3172]

The best of the best love my firefighters God bless thank you for your services