Ride alongs

[scottmacd37]

As a DND FF I get limited responses. DND has a very strong fire prevention policy and the ability to inforce it. I am interested in the ride along policies of other departments for FF's who are in their area. IE. If I was in the Toronto area could I arrange a ride along. One is to see how other Departments work. As well as networking and maybe career ideas. I would love to spend a day with Edmonton.

[dentedhead]

Hey Scott I think that most depts offer a ridelong of some sort.Im pretty sure Firefighterkid did a ridealong in Edmonton and he aint even on the job.....yet.

Theres enough big city fellers on here someone should be able to help you out.

Dentedhead

[firebabs222]

Scott, phone 496-3800 and say that you are interested in applying for a ride-a-long. Someone there will be able to help you out. Cheers

[LFD_FF17]

What they will tell you to do is fax them a letter about why you want to go on a ride along. About a month later they will call you back and ask you when you wanted to go. With me they made me pick between friday night and saturday night, i picked friday and there was a 3-alarm on saturday. They will also ask you what station you want to go to. I suggest #1. Its busiest and you can go on both trucks. Pump and Rescue, I dont think you can go on Aerial's if you go to a station with one but im not sure. Station 1 also has 2 new trucks.

[mutts252]

i would be more than interested in any info people have in regards to ride-alongs with Toronto or Fredericton...

i have a few years of volly experience down, and am thinking of making some big shifts towards firefighting as a career (rather than engineering)... i think the ridealong opportunity would be a great way of reality-checking myself, seeing if it's really all i think it's cracked up to be...

if you have any info please PM me... THANKS! :D

[BillyBlazes]

In Toronto we allow ride alongs on our rigs. Last summer on a Saturday night we had 4 guys in the station for the night. We need a letter from your department's chief and we get a waiver signed.

[mutts252]

next (admittedly dumb) question on this... would i bring along all my bunkers, etc? would i be expecting to actually participate in operations, or be there more as an observer/helper kinda deal? thanks for the info so far :)

[dentedhead]

next (admittedly dumb) question on this... would i bring along all my bunkers, etc? would i be expecting to actually participate in operations, or be there more as an observer/helper kinda deal? thanks for the info so far :)

You would strictly be an observer.Maybe even get a really nice vest to wear that says so.

Dentedhead

[Red_Devil]

what fun is a ride along if you cant even get off the truck????

[mutts252]

what fun is a ride along if you cant even get off the truck????

hey for me just being on a TFS truck would be worth it... lol... seeing what it's like on the other side of the volly/career fence. :D

is there any particular person within TFS i should get talking to on this, or should i just start making some phone calls and asking around?

[DoubleHelix]

I'm pretty sure TFS doesn't just do regular Ride Alongs.

They have a partnership with Seneca, Durham and Humber to take on students at the end of their college course to have a month or so worth of a work placement.

It doesn't hurt to try but im pretty sure its a no go.

I did my work placement with Toronto and even if I hadn't been able to get off the trucks (which I did and got to perform hands on jobs) it still would have been amazing. Just day to day station life was a really great experience and being exposed to what will hopefully be my career soon and for the rest of my life.

Give it a try but it might be more worth while checking with a smaller department around this area.

[BillyBlazes]

We have alot of ride alongs in my station from volunteers from departments across the province. You sign a waiver form, have a letter from your chief and bring your bunker gear. We give you a blue observer vest to wear and you get to ride whatever truck runs a call from the station. Depending on the call you could be allowed into the premises at the discrection of the captain of the rig.

We find that volunteer firefighter ride alongs are better than the prefire service college students that we have had.

[t_lag]

BillyBlazes, can you tell me who I need to get in touch with to do a ride along with you guys in Toronto?

[mutts252]

BillyBlazes, can you tell me who I need to get in touch with to do a ride along with you guys in Toronto?

ditto here :)