Problems with your VFA?

[Serpico]

I would like to hear from any other firefighters who have had problems with their Volunteer Firefighter's Association and whether or how the problem was rectified. I belong to a Volunteer Dept. that has some significant problems with harrassment, drinking, and lack of legislated safety meetings and procedures. I've received no help from the association despite repeatly bringing this to their attention. This appears to be a major flaw with our associations that would never be encountered in a non-volunteer hall. This simply would never be a consideration in a union dept. There is the W.C.B. route which is incredibly time consuming and most volunteers simply walk away from a bad situation even though they are in the right.

[remya]

I take it for you to have gone to your VFA that you have had no help from your officers or chief?

[Serpico]

The Chief and Officers are the problem. It was attempted to be handled internally with no success at which point in time it was taken to the VFA and the Employer, when this met with no success it was taken to the WCB where it has been festering in the huge backlog of cases.

[bcfire]

There is no room for alcohol in firehalls.Our hall is dry and has been for a long time.Think about how you would feel if before he puts you under, you smell booze on your surgeon's breath.
In this day and age, due diligence laws, litigation, liabilities and insurance issues dictate that all firefighters who respond to the call should at least be sober,if not, it does not bode well for the reputation and respect that volunteer fire departments have worked so hard to establish.
Sounds like the harrassment may be due to a few redneck's who expect this fellow to risk his life under their impaired command. If so, it would not be worth the risk to his personal well-being .I suspect that their training is probably equally deficient and they collectively are an "accident waiting to happen".Good luck, and I hope that the headlines don't taint the volunteer fire service, as nationally we are close to winning some important and useful goals for our serious departments.Take care,BCFIRE.

[Serpico]

You hit the nail on the head. It is a bunch, with that old boy's mentally. The sad thing is we've had numerous incidents that were never documented because they have controlled the safety meetings and refused to enter them.

[TiSme]

Well first off .... A much as I love being a FF I also have to think of the safty and well being of my family. That means not risking myself beyond what is normally expected. With the fact that safty issues are not being documented and they are the people most likely to be controlling a accident / fire scene. I would seriously think about removing myself from the situation until things have been properly addressed.

Having said that. you mentioned Employer. Would that be the town (city) or the municipality District (county)?

If this is the case an address to what is elected members of a governing council would be a very good place to start. With the fact that these people are elected by the constituence they tend to make note problems that could effect thier political career ( and an accident cause by carelessness over drinking that ws previously brought to thier attention will definately do that).

There are many ways this can be done including addressing them at the next council meeting, a signed patition, etc. The thing to remember is these are the same people who, even if you are not a part of the department, are going to be responding to your family and friends in the case of an emergency.



Let's be safe out there!!

[whitewater-409]

how many on your department agree with you, on this manner.
remember that you all work together as a team, we had a problem a few years back and have since fixed it. there was some hurt feelings but the good old boy attitude has to go....

[WFD999]

Sounds like its probably going to have to get a bit ugly before its fixed. Heres hopeing you got a few guys watching your back. Its the kind of crap is best to try and handle in house. Not to protect the red neck fools but the department rep on the street with the public. But it sounds like the trouble makers have the stroke. So, If you got a few members with you at a general meeting try a non confidence vote angainst the chief with your reasons why. Even if that vote fails the minutes of that meeting should go to your municpal council. Does your municipality have a rep assinged to your FD if so try a strongly worded letter with as many signaters as you can get. Dont pull any punches the stakes are to great. Another avenue to take is a quite conversation with a member of the police service. Liablity touches us all these days.If these jokers are impared at a Incident Have them removed. Use good contacts with police and ems to bring external pressure to the situation. Try to stay on the high ground.

Good Luck Brother

[Jeff67]

I would like to add that my hall we used to have a real problem with drinking and it was only with a complete change in the chiefs positions that the change was quickly made. The new chiefs said that it was their way or no way . There was some lean times in the dept . for about a year , that was 8 years ago , but now we have new members and it has been stated for the last 8 years that this is no place to be drinking and driving or working. This is the mandate, mind you my dept. has fulltime chiefs that answer directly to an elected board. That may be the big difference, the chiefs are always looking after their fulltime jobs.

[cutie]

I would say complete dry hall would help but not always WE have alcohol in ours but its only accessible after hours after calls and none before our rules state no going on calls after drinking any alcohol so rules do help but I wish you the best of luck in this:confused:

[wilderness]

#1 HEALTH AND SAFTEY
#2 UNLICENSED ESTABLISHMENT
#3 UNPROFESIONALISM
#4 GO TO CITY HALL
#5 LABOUR BOARD
#6 Phone the police and tell them that someone is about to drink and drive. and give license plate number

It's ugly but.........

[BillyBlazes]

I have been in a situation with my former volunteer fire department being unprofessional in their operations.
The chief was constantly putting the public and his firefighters in danger and was getting away with it.
I was also employed by Toronto Fire and was learning how to do our job safely and better.
My volunteer fire department bought a new pumper and went to put it in service with no training, the chief wanted to buy black bunker gear because it hid dirt better, respond to alarm calls and smoke in the area by himself so that he could save the township money, he said that rehab looked bad at calls by having firefighters standing around.
I took a stand against these things and got FIRED!! It was still the proper thing for me to do.

[Serpico]

Thanks for the replies. In the past when I tried to tip the RCMP off
they were obligated to go in an warn the morons not to drive in their state of intoxication. In the mean time, the wheels of justice are slowly grinding away. I,ll keep you appraised. I would not be surprised to see this hit the newspapers by the time the dust settles.

[JGallagher]

Well I was goign to join another Volunteer Department. Any how they are allowed alchool beverages. Well the training was canceled and they went up stairs for a drink. Now one of them was convicted of dangerous drivng. He said you better move your truck in case we get a call.

[bcfire]

SERPICO, HANG IN. KEEP UP THE FIGHT. DON'T LET EM WIN.
VOLUNTEERS ACROSS CANADA HAVE LEFT THIS SH-T BEHIND. NO LONGER DO VOLUNTEERS JOIN JUST FOR THE BEER. TAKE CARE.BCFIRE

[Whitewater_419]

Our hall is dry, too - The hall captain has made it quite clear that anyone showing up for a call under the influence would have to answer to him and I can't imagine that would be a pleasant experience.

We've also got rules that pretty much say that if your team is on call for the week, then no drinking, which most of the guys follow quite well (i.e. if Team "C" is on for a week, then I'll skip the beers at a barbecue, type of thing, just in case)

I agree with the others that if there is any way to handle it internally, that is the best - the hit to your hall's rep is going to be horrendous if that type of thing gets out, but if the situation carries through to it's worst possibility, then the hit would be even worse if someone died because a FF was drunk on a call.

Good luck, man, I don't envy your position :(

[Serpico]

Well the wheels of justice continue to drag. First the WCB refused to investigate then WCAT did the same, now its been referred to the Minister responsible and a reporter.