Worst hour to get a call? [Archive] - The Firehall.com Forum

Brando

01-06-2005, 04:42 AM

Just wondering what hour of the night you find screws you up the most for the next day of secular work? I only ask this cause we got 2 first response calls lastnight, one at 11 and one at 'bout 3:45 in the morning. When I got back home it was about 5 or shortly after. It would have been just as beneficial for me to sit on the curb then in bed. There is just no getting back to sleep, eh?

However, I was sitting there though in that cold, dark rescue unit at 4 in the morning thinking this is not the glory that most see firefighters or picture when you think of a firefighter. But I wouldn't change one thing and there is nowhere Id rather be.

wilderness

01-08-2005, 04:46 AM

The killers for me are chimney fires, usually the ones after 1am,
just seem to be out long enough that you can't fall back to sleep or when you do, the damn alarm goes off telling you its time for work.. anything taking more then an hour after 1:00 am is just wrong.....

iamvff

01-08-2005, 03:45 PM

Anything after I go to sleep is insane, because I got a new pager a while ago...I'll tell ya that freakin thing is like a freaking air raid siren living right in your bedroom. My god... the first time that pager went off I think I spent about five minute pickin ceiling stipple off my eyeballs. After about three or four early morning calls I finally decided to move it to another room, I haven't had a call since, but it's got to be better. Man, I'm worked up just thinkin about it.

Be safe,
iamvff

JGallagher

01-08-2005, 05:02 PM

Chimney fire at 2am!! What a pain!! Or those false alarm fires early in the morning!!

Red_Devil

01-08-2005, 07:13 PM

chimney fire at 2am, hey your a volunteer what are you complaining for?

ndvfd_ff33

01-08-2005, 10:23 PM

Sunday night to thursday night any time between midnight to 8 am because I work and cannot leave unless for structure fires...Otherwise....Give em to me whenever...I'm game

fireman2697

01-09-2005, 03:45 AM

ANYTIME AFTER I'M SNUGGLE IN TO MY BED ,ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER.:D

DFCSmash

01-09-2005, 08:11 AM

Y'know, its not necessarily what time it is, but what you're doing at the time it is!;)

This can truly tell just how dedicated you are.

And isn't really an issue for full timers.:D

Whitewater_419

01-09-2005, 09:05 AM

iamvff

01-09-2005, 01:10 PM

You know...That for the most part that was never a prob. when my kid's were young. All the nieghbours new I was on the fire dept. , and I could just drop them off if the pager went and wifey was away. In a small community the Fire dept. and it's members seem to have a ton of respect. I think thats my favorite part of being involved with it.

be safe,
iamvff

Whitewater_419

01-09-2005, 04:42 PM

Originally posted by iamvff
You know...That for the most part that was never a prob. when my kid's were young. All the nieghbours new I was on the fire dept. , and I could just drop them off if the pager went and wifey was away. In a small community the Fire dept. and it's members seem to have a ton of respect. I think thats my favorite part of being involved with it.

be safe,
iamvff

Yeah, that'd be nice, but one of my kids is severely handicapped, so it's not really possible to just drop him off anywhere (Wherever he is needs to be heavily "angel-proofed", since he puts _ANY_thing into his mouth and will pull on, or knock over anything in his path. Being seizure-prone, as well, I don't really want to subject a neighbour to something like that without the right training :/

Ironically enough, though, another firefighter in our hall recently adopted a baby girl with a ton of medical issues and he ran into the same thing: Had to watch the trucks roll because his wife was out. Since he lives across the street from us, though, we've agreed that should it happen again for either of us, whichever spouse is home will watch em all :) Gotta love being a part of a firefighter family!!!

iamvff

01-09-2005, 06:17 PM

Hey ww419

Sorry if the post seemed to be a little tough for your situation, But I am sure you know what my intentions were by it:) I am glad to see that your fire buddy can help. You know there are a million jobs that need to be done at the fire hall. I have heard of some posts that talk about having someone come in for radio dispatch (we don't do that, but you might at your hall)why don't you see if you can get a radio at home and help out that way, if it happens to be a day that your parenting...Theres always a solution to a situation...you just have to find it!

have a great one,
be safe,
iamvff

Whitewater_419

01-09-2005, 06:34 PM

Generally, I make probably 90% of the calls, so it's not like it's a super-common thing, though the feeling definitely falls under the "worst time to get a call" :)

We don't really do much radio work from the hall - it's handled on scene with dispatch relaying longer-distance messages, if required.

By the time my wife gets back on those types of days, it's a quick hop down to the hall to radio the IC and ask if another pair of hands are needed. If not, then ya put the coffee on and wait for the stories from the guys and gals when they come back :)

wilderness

01-10-2005, 05:03 AM

Whitewater 419 is just pissed that i make sure i leave the siren on when i,m driving pass his house and waving and smiling like mad hell...oops did i say that out loud.....sorry Marc no i,m not.......

Whitewater_419

01-10-2005, 06:52 AM

You just wait until I get my Dz, Wilderness - I'm gonna do a DI in your laneway at 3:00 AM and make sure to test each and every siren mode - you know, just to be sure they work and all :) :) :)

rescue1008

01-14-2005, 11:38 AM

As far as im concerned the worst time is when you just finished a 12-13 hour day you just want to go to bed and cuddle and WHEN you have a pager in the bedroom and also a loud radio in the living room at 2-4 in the am you run to the hall get dressed, a few minutes away from a MVA and you get called to stand down... lol lol so then what do you do then... easy you sit up and have coffee and get ready to do it all over again...

The life of a volunteer is never ending..... As i once read on here it says " On Call 24/7 " :D :D :D :cool: :cool: :eek:

Hamp42

01-17-2005, 06:47 AM

I would say at 2:00am. Especially those nuisance calls that take a 1/2 hour. They are good for a two hour buzz before being tried enough to get back to sleep. Then get up for work at 5:00am sometimes.
I guess I do it because I want to and someone out there wants our help, no matter the time of day.

shaneb

01-23-2005, 09:51 AM

I find that any call after 12o'clock be it at night when I'm on dayshift, or in the afternoon when I'm on night shift. But I love all the calls except the ones that give you a stand down when you are 3 km's down the highway!:mad:

mcleodkent

01-24-2005, 11:36 AM

2-6 am most people are going through there REm stange of sleeping. thats the deepest part of sleep (mostly when people start talking crazy) man getting a call in that time frame!!!! it can be killer trying to get out of bed. thats why you need to leave the pager on full blast right beside your head.

WFD999

01-31-2005, 11:37 AM

Any time theres food on my plate. Other than that early morning when it takes ten minutes to build enough head pressure in the bladder to demand the use of the relief valve.

ssifire

02-05-2005, 03:03 PM

Originally posted by Red_Devil
chimney fire at 2am, hey your a volunteer what are you complaining for?

RD I'm assuming by that remark your fulltime, so you get paid to go to that call at 2am, and don't have to be at work the next morning. Most Volunteers don't have that luxury!

Scuba

02-05-2005, 10:34 PM

In the middle of the night when my pagers batteries have conked out :)

Actually.....I find the 3-5am ones the hardest to deal with......going from dead sleep to dealing with whatever is quite the shocker (esp. without my usual pot of coffee)

Roadwarrior

02-06-2005, 12:55 PM

Actually, the worst time (not necessarily hour) is when you and you wife/girlfriend are....ahem....engaged so to speak.
(do I finish or do I go, do I finish or do I go....)
I've know a few guys at our hall that have been in that position...

JGallagher

02-06-2005, 01:02 PM

Originally posted by Roadwarrior
Actually, the worst time (not necessarily hour) is when you and you wife/girlfriend are....ahem....engaged so to speak.
(do I finish or do I go, do I finish or do I go....)
I've know a few guys at our hall that have been in that position...

Take off, once you get back u will have a reason to continue!!!

iamvff

02-06-2005, 01:34 PM

Originally posted by Roadwarrior
Actually, the worst time (not necessarily hour) is when you and you wife/girlfriend are....ahem....engaged so to speak.
(do I finish or do I go, do I finish or do I go....)
I've know a few guys at our hall that have been in that position...

Oh come on...what are the odds of a page out during that 2 minute time frame:eek: :eek: :eek: :o :p :D

Be safe
iamvff:)

JGallagher

02-06-2005, 02:09 PM

Originally posted by iamvff
Oh come on...what are the odds of a page out during that 2 minute time frame:eek: :eek: :eek: :o :p :D

Be safe
iamvff:)

Wow, your only a minute man!!:p I am like the energizer bunny!!:D

DFCSmash

02-06-2005, 07:15 PM

Now, now JG. Yer starting to sound like a legend in your own mind.:D

And furthermore, I covered this situation in my first post on this matter!;)

:cool:

wilderness

02-08-2005, 05:08 AM

Stop Stop are we going to have to put a pg warning on the site....geshhhhh

Scuba

02-08-2005, 07:54 AM

I'm begining to think that's about the only reason you gotta be 18 to join a department.......those damn age ratings got to us as well. :D

bestcoast

02-08-2005, 08:21 AM

Originally posted by JGallagher
Wow, your only a minute man!!:p I am like the energizer bunny!!:D

JG are you saying you are annoying and battery operated????;) ....BC.....

Fireknight

02-08-2005, 08:35 AM

Originally posted by bestcoast
JG are you saying you are annoying and battery operated????;) ....BC.....

Naw..BC.. I think he is saying that he is small, pink and needs batteries to keep going.......:D

scoop422

02-08-2005, 08:39 AM

Let me get this straight, JG is a marathon man in the sac and he has boobs? Mrs. JG is a very lucky lady!

JGallagher

02-08-2005, 09:53 AM

Originally posted by scoop422
Let me get this straight, JG is a marathon man in the sac and he has boobs? Mrs. JG is a very lucky lady!

There is no Mrs JG. Just alot of mistresses!!

wilderness

02-08-2005, 10:08 AM

I,m not even going to comment on this subject.... nope not going to do it....

Red_Devil

02-08-2005, 11:56 AM

and the same old palm huh JG!!!:)

wilderness

02-08-2005, 12:49 PM

My question is all those mistresses..... what you only have two hands or are you using a glove? and if this is the case, i think we should call you Michael

JGallagher

02-08-2005, 02:39 PM

Hey now!! I am young and able to have fun!!

iamvff

02-08-2005, 02:42 PM

Uh,yes....and the "bar of quality conversation" at the ole firehall gets raised just a little higher yet again;) :D :D

Don't worry Boss...we'll head back to topic.......... shortly!:cool: :rolleyes:

Be safe
iamvff

JGallagher

02-08-2005, 02:54 PM

Well with the tension that I was at last nights meeting and today in the house be a great time to get a call.

Red_Devil

02-08-2005, 06:56 PM

im sure you can think of other ways to RELEASE the tension JG

wilderness

02-09-2005, 04:06 AM

It's been so long what was the orginal subject........

Fireknight

02-09-2005, 05:33 PM

Originally posted by wilderness
My question is all those mistresses..... what you only have two hands or are you using a glove? and if this is the case, i think we should call you Michael

I guess we really can't pick on JG spelling skills now that we all know he is at the computer typing with one hand and closed eyes...;)

iamvff

02-09-2005, 08:40 PM

Originally posted by Fireknight
I guess we really can't pick on JG spelling skills now that we all know he is at the computer typing with one hand and closed eyes...;)

:D

iamvff

DFCSmash

02-09-2005, 08:57 PM

(raising right hand) I solemnly swear thet I won't bug JG about his spelling anymore.

Because he is being a good sport about it so far and it's getting a little repetitive.

Because we need someone else to pick on for a while.

I hereby nominate...iamvff

Seconder?

And then we can get right back on topic. He is the reason we are running amok. :rolleyes: :D :D

:cool:

Scuba

02-09-2005, 08:59 PM

I'll go for a change of pace.....

But in order to be able to bug iamvff about anything he's gotta increase his responses past 1 word or a smiley face. :D

DFCSmash

02-09-2005, 09:04 PM

Sometimes, ScubaJude, thats a good thing! :D

iamvff

02-10-2005, 05:18 AM

Originally posted by ScubaJude
I'll go for a change of pace.....

But in order to be able to bug iamvff about anything he's gotta increase his responses past 1 word or a smiley face. :D

NO:)

be safe
iamvff

mutts252

02-16-2005, 01:27 PM

*attempting* to get this back on track.... LOL

worst time for a call, other than the previously-mentioned times of 'engagement' :eek: , has gotta be between 3 and 5 in the morning... because depending on the nature of the call, you're probably screwed for getting back to sleep before having to get up again for work the next day.

we had a 3am mutual aid call to a structure fire this summer - i was a useless blob at work later on, let me tell ya!

firewhirly

02-20-2005, 10:43 AM

Forest

02-20-2005, 03:20 PM

I hate the ones at three after cause like mutts said your going back to sleep isnt going to happen.

now saying that, if I'm crawling out of bed at 3 am it had better be for something good. Theres nothing I hate more then getting out of bed for a chimney fire that didnt happen, standing under the ladder for who knows how long in -30 degree weather.....that makes me shudder just thinking about it.

iamvff

02-20-2005, 05:33 PM

I just found out the worst hour to get a call. It was 4:15pm this afternoon.....when you are 2 hours from home visiting DFCsmash for a great tour of the nice new firehall in Shoal Lake, and you check your messages from your wifey on the cell and she say's guess what.....the fire trucks went out at 2:10 for a house fire in the middle of town this afternoon. I had just commented to DFC that we haven't had a call since about Nov..... Damn!!!! Although, I will send a big thanks to you DFC for the great visit, and tour of the facilities. Hopefully next time we visit, I will have most of my voice back and will actually be able to participate in the conversation to my full extent. I got home 15 minutes after they had finished. Did I say Damn....well Damn anyway!!

Thanks again
Sincerely
iamvff

DFCSmash

02-20-2005, 07:54 PM

Well thankyou. Glad you enjoyed the tour. I can empathize with missing the call! Next time, I'll head down your way so I can miss a call at my dept.:D

:cool:

mutts252

03-11-2005, 03:16 AM

worst time for a call.. any time after midnight in the middle of winter when it's minus OMG it's cold..... and it's a holy **** fire...
ie..pager goes off at 00:30. -35 windchill of -55 and it's a lumber mill on fire..... makes for a LONG long cold night...

oh god yeah... the middle-of-the-night 'useless' calls are a huge pain, too... the hurry-up-and-wait-for-an-ambulance calls (minor medical calls)... lol

(we do all first-response stuff in the area, so we go to those... no getting uppity cuz i said a call was useless!) :-p

dave5171

05-11-2005, 06:01 PM

The worst time for me, personally, is when my wife's gone out of the house for a while and I'm home with the kids - It's like a kick in the gut seeing the trucks roll right past your house and knowing you can't be with the crew.

Ohhh I know that feeling we had a call the other day with my wife gone and my baby sleeping in my arms.... The one time I really wanted my wife to walk in the door.

iamvff

05-11-2005, 06:10 PM

pager goes off at 00:30. -35 windchill of -55 and it's a lumber mill on fire..... makes for a LONG long cold night...

It's a lumber mill on fire.....how cold can it be!!??? :p :D

iamvff :)

dentedhead

05-11-2005, 06:28 PM

When I am in deep rem and lost in my world of circus midgets....Thats for you MFM!

Dentedhead

fireman-911

05-22-2005, 08:28 PM

I remember one time we where coming home from a training & I was joking around with the other ff's that where there that we had probably missed a good call.

Well, I never thought I was right. They had a house fire with a flash over. It had happened earlier that afternoon & we where pulling in after supper.

Now, for the worst time, it's when you are pulling into work & the pager just goes off. My fd believes in work first & fire next. We usually have enough people to cover all times of the day.

MFDFF33

06-09-2005, 08:10 AM

I find the worst time is when I'm stuck at home without a car, I ended up pacing upstairs, saying "It never F'ing fails"... or if She has just taken the car, like just left within 10 mins. That really gets to me. That and the false alarms in the early hours.

mfdff10

06-09-2005, 08:17 AM

time of day doesn't bother me, adrenaline is flow'n all the time lol, but i hate those adt burnt toast calls..... man.....

MFDFF33

06-09-2005, 08:27 AM

time of day doesn't bother me, adrenaline is flow'n all the time lol, but i hate those adt burnt toast calls..... man.....

Man, it's not just burnt toast the problem could be a sudden change in temperature in the house too... Do you guys get problems with ADT home security as well?

firemedicbern

06-09-2005, 09:15 AM

The wosrt for me is when I have just fallen asleep. The tone goes off and I think I have been sleeping for 6hrs and realise when I get on scene that I had only slept for 20 min. That messes me up.
We also have a seniors housing complex in our area that has a problem with the alam going off for NO reason. What ticks me off is the last time we had a call there, we only had 2 guys show up. Me and the DC. It takes three of us to turn the alarm off. The three panels need to be turned off in sucsession 2x. Forget the fact of turning off the alarm, what about the seniors? What if it was not a false alarm? Sorry I'm venting. Next.

MFDFF33

06-09-2005, 01:15 PM