Probationer's

[bestcoast]

How long are your rookie's considered to be on Probation for with your department before they are called "Firefighters". It's 12 months of tests and practical exams and being the butt of MANY practical jokes out here.....cheers

[scoop422]

In our department you are off probation after nine months. However, I am first class and still the "Rookie" in my station.

[Leafs Fan]

6 months, but can be extended to 12 based upon testing and evaluations .

[BillyBlazes]

For us in Toronto it is now 9 months, it was 6 months.
They still get a pay increase at 6 months.

[colin911]

After the 14 weeks of training, they have another 6 months probation period. Total of about 9 months, then a raise each classification. 4th class is 65% of 1st class wages, 3rd is 80 %, 2nd is 90%. But around the hall, I think you're a "rookie" until
1st class.

[Rescue78]

For us, 10 weeks of basic training, 1 year as probationnary. One year between reclass exept between 2nd and 1st (6months). So 3.5 years to become 1st class.

You tend to be a rookie untill somebody is affected to your crew behind you :)

[Leafs Fan]

Rescue78, where do you people do your 10 week basic recruit course? Is it in house and is it based on NFPA or that Cirriculum thing from the province? I would find it hard to believe Fred L would like the Fire Marshal's Cirriculum.:)

[Rescue78]

In house.

Based on NFPA and provincial Curriculum. Fred doesn't seem to have anything against the curriculum as a standard. It's the certification process and it's "voluntary" label he doesn't like.

[bestcoast]

Do your rookies have to put on a feed for the crew once they are through their probation???

[Fireknight]

Hey BC,

The only thing rookies touch in the kitchen here is dishes, most of the station "cooks" here are pretty touchy about their domain.

Do you guys do the transfer cake?

[bestcoast]

The same goes out here FK, but the one exception is the probie dinner. He has to put on a feast for his crew for getting him through and then of course he has the pile of dishes to do as well. Then back to hall duties for him!!!...cheers.

What's a transfer cake??

[Fireknight]

It is tradition to bring in a cake on your last shift before transfering to a new station. It also becomes a Captains threat..."Get to work or you will be bringing in a cake"....;)

[bestcoast]

Sound's like a good tradition.

Hey BB, any prediction's on Grey Cup......

BC 28 Toronto 14....is mine;) ;)

[Leafs Fan]

Originally posted by Fireknight
It is tradition to bring in a cake on your last shift before transfering to a new station. It also becomes a Captains threat..."Get to work or you will be bringing in a cake"....;)

We have transfer cakes as well but they are usually paid for out of the shift coffee fund. One of the guy's goes and gets it and then we put something obscene on it to wish the guy well. We don't just do it for transfers though, promotions, retirements, really any excuse to get cake.

[craigfd]

Mississauga's probation is one year. Classifications as follows:
prob. 5th class - for 6 mths. - 65%
prob. 4th class - for 6 mths. - 70%
4th class - for 6 mths - 70%
3rd class - for 1yr - 80%
2nd class - for 1yr - 90%
1st class - 100%

[smoke286]

Probation is one year here, but matters not a whit, once your in the union has you no probationer has ever been fired

[firebabs222]

Probation is 1 year and then they graduate from a probie to a junior Whore.

[Firefighter1680]

18 months here...Just a written test for them after 18months..Bestcoast, its nothign like vancouver here...Its a cake walk compared!!! No probie dinner either..Sucks, some of the traditions are lost..Cakes on your birthday though..I dont like that tradition so I dont bring a Birthday Cake , I bring a screw you cake!!! :)

[smoke286]

We had to give up almost eveything we used to do to recruits, in this day and age it would of wound up in jail time in many cases

[bestcoast]

18 months here...Just a written test for them after 18months..Bestcoast, its nothign like vancouver here...Its a cake walk compared!!! No probie dinner either..Sucks, some of the traditions are lost..Cakes on your birthday though..I dont like that tradition so I dont bring a Birthday Cake , I bring a screw you cake!!! :)
FF1680, it's nothing like when I went through or even when you did for that matter. Too many "sensitive people" out there nowadays and we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings now do we...:rolleyes:....BC...

[BCFFFV]

Probation is one year here, but matters not a whit, once your in the union has you no probationer has ever been fired


All I can say is it would almost be better to just be fired than to have everyone know you barely passed probation. It really matters how you do in our dept. Your reputation starts from your probation.....

[smoke286]

Your reputation in the Fire Dept, in reality has little or nothing to do with what managment thinks of you. Rather what your fellow firefighters think of your performance when the chips are down

[smoke286]

In fact, if management doesn't like you, its almost a guarantee that the rank and file thinks your a stand up guy

[colin911]

In fact, if management doesn't like you, its almost a guarantee that the rank and file thinks your a stand up guy
Not on my department ... there's gotta be a reason management doesn't like you. Either you call in sick too many times, always late, drinking/drugs on the job, not following SOG's, accidents and the list goes on. If that's the case, I'll bet that your fellow FF's are not your biggest fans either.

[BCFFFV]

Your reputation in the Fire Dept, in reality has little or nothing to do with what managment thinks of you. Rather what your fellow firefighters think of your performance when the chips are down


I wasn't talking about management. I was saying The last thing you would want is to have the fellow firefighters think poorly of you. That would make a very unhappy career.....

[bestcoast]

I wasn't talking about management. I was saying The last thing you would want is to have the fellow firefighters think poorly of you. That would make a very unhappy career.....
Like the saying goes...it takes no time at all to make a bad name for yourself and possibly an entire career to get rid of it!!....BC........

[smoke286]

you suck one ........

[bestcoast]

you suck one ........
??:confused:???......BC........

[dentedhead]

??:confused:???......BC........

I think hes refering the old joke lay a million bricks noone calls you a bricklayer suck one......and you are .....sucker for life.

Completly uncalled for.In a faceless setting without at least giving a preamble for context.IMHO.

Its kinda hard to put the proper expression to it!

Dentedhead

[BCFFFV]

Dentedhead.....how do you know EVERYTHING? I swear you are like a walking set of encyclopedias.

[dentedhead]

Dentedhead.....how do you know EVERYTHING? I swear you are like a walking set of encyclopedias.

I read just about everything,talk to lots people from all walks of life. Not just talk but listen too, and in my shortish life have done a bunch of things both stoopid and worthwhile.

I think my dad refered to it as HK.University.My wish is not to come across as a know it all because I aint,my wife will back that statement up. But rather a street corner educatorLOL.

Thanks for the compliment ...I think

Dentedhead

[BCFFFV]

No worries.....you don't come across as a know it all. You just come across as a guy who knows it all.....And you make us laugh:)

[iamvff]

Except for how to spell "stupid"!!! Hee Hee...sorry buddy, couldn't resist...all in fun and the other great thing about ya is you take a poke in the ribs very well! :cool: ;)

iamvff :D

[dentedhead]

No worries.....you don't come across as a know it all. You just come across as a guy who knows it all.....And you make us laugh:)

Laughing is the most important part. If I can get a chuckle out of one person my day is complete.As previously stated I dont even care if your laughing at me.

Dentedhead

[dentedhead]

Except for how to spell "stupid"!!! Hee Hee...sorry buddy, couldn't resist...all in fun and the other great thing about ya is you take a poke in the ribs very well! :cool: ;)

iamvff :D

Just dont poke me while I am eating ribs.

Dentedhead

[bestcoast]

I read just about everything,talk to lots people from all walks of life. Not just talk but listen too, and in my shortish life have done a bunch of things both stoopid and worthwhile.

I think my dad refered to it as HK.University.My wish is not to come across as a know it all because I aint,my wife will back that statement up. But rather a street corner educatorLOL.

Thanks for the compliment ...I think

Dentedhead
I think i can sum it up DH, You are an intelligent fella with lots of info for us (medic in the big smoke) so keep it up, haven't seen a guy that can top ya yet!! only a few on FD with lots of street smarts for us from Toronto EMS......BC.....Hell i'm 11 yrs and learning things from this forum...All Good....BC...

[iamvff]

Just dont poke me while I am eating ribs.

Dentedhead
MMMMMMMM.....rib's and meatballs, damn...I should have had breakfast! Stop talking about food!

iamvff

[dentedhead]

I think i can sum it up DH, You are an intelligent fella with lots of info for us (medic in the big smoke) so keep it up, haven't seen a guy that can top ya yet!! only a few on FD with lots of street smarts for us from Toronto EMS......BC.....Hell i'm 11 yrs and learning things from this forum...All Good....BC...

Thanks for the kind words.I also have gathered a great deal of info from this site.I am still in my infancy as a FF,some may say in my life as wellLOL.

There has been some great thought provoking posts,(politics aside) here that has at least made go back to my books/sogs or brought up around the table at the hall.Not because I didnt believe but to make sure I was clear on it.

Dentedhead