Do We Really Just Sit Around And Wait? Even though I am retired now, this article takes me back to a discussion I had with a politician a few years back. It was during a time when we had one of the worst commissioners in the history of the New York City Fire Dept. He had more studies done, kept track of more times, of more types of activities, required more paperwork and micro-managed everything and everyone (at least the chiefs that were supposed to be running the show). He was feared and not respected. Nobody spoke up. If they did, they were doing something else, somewhere else. Most of the damage was done. Those who drank the juice at HQ were contaminated and it shows today. Nuff said? This article is basically what I tried to explain to the politician. This was after a report got around that they think we actually work about 50 +/- minutes per shift. This is basically a typical day tour for generally the good companies in the NYC Fire Dept. I’m writing about my particular firehouse at the moment. I believe that this is more typical of any good fire company [house] across this great country. First of all, you can always tell a fireman on the commute. He’s the one sitting in traffic (stopped) bouncing, jamming to the music or laughing at the morning talk show hosts. Generally a smile on his/her face. This is probably the only real profession in which people look forward to going to work. Everyone else is sitting in traffic, grim-faced and infuriated. You’ve left early enough for stops; cash machine (you’re married with kids, you never have any cash), gas, paper, some type of breakfast item (doughnuts, cereal, eggs, bananas, fruit, something…). You could go cheap and pick up a $1 bottle of oatmeal, (J.E.). Leaving early allows for the traffic, car problems, flat tires etc. Funny I should mention flat tires. I’ve commuted for more than 20 years to some of the worst sections of the city, on definitely the worst roads and streets. I have never had a flat going to work. I’ve had flats, but never going to work. So how about the guy who gets a flat every two or three months? Your excuse is getting old, leave earlier. You arrive around 8 a.m. We change tours at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. If it’s 8:15 a.m., you feel guilty that you’re “late.” So you’re early and generally come in through a side or back door that a lot of times leads directly into the kitchen/dining area. Your arms are full of all the junk (project stuff) and your breakfast item. You flop it down on the table and say “hi” to all. Sometimes it’s everybody (shit night). Sometimes it’s nobody (companies are out on a run). Sometimes it’s nobody (multiple alarm fire all night, or a gazillion B.S. runs and all are crashed somewhere throughout the firehouse). Sometimes it’s all new faces (relocated companies due to a fire your house is working). Generally a half-dozen guys are sitting around reading the papers and watching the morning news. They’re all waiting for you and the others to bring in something to eat. Rule 1: Show up early. Rule 2: Don’t show up empty handed. A few brief “hi’s,” and then check out the chalk board. This lets you know who needs what off, who’s hurt, (whose feelings are hurt), who had a baby, who died, sports times and locations and all important house information. You check it out as you quickly walk by. If it’s a night tour, you have to check the refrigerator for day tour leftovers. Somewhere between the back door and the housewatch, you relieve someone. Generally, your 24-hour mutual partner, but not always. Out-of-house details get relieved first. You can smell the smells as you get your gear out of your locker. Smells like a good fire the last 24 or some food on the stove this morning. You find the gear of the guy who you relieved and take it off the rig. You switch your facepiece, make sure there’s at least some air in your bottle, and make sure your radio and tools are there. Now it’s time for coffee, snack, little morning talk, or depending on how good your clothes are, you go and change. You don’t want to ruin good clothes should you have that change-of-tours fire. Rule 3: Have all your gear out and ready. Between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. we generally solve all the world’s problems. We’ve even done the work for the union and settled our next contract. Somewhere around 9 a.m. the Boss will have a formal or informal roll call. Pretty much to see if everybody is in, who has what assignment, any problems with tools or the rig, anything important that came down from the higher echelon in the past few days. We plan for the day, see what needs to be done from our perspective, what we have to go out and do. Probies, you have the rig completely checked out by now. You’ll get your coffee between breaths. After about 10 or 15 minutes of Jerry Springer’s nonsense, it’s off to really start the day. By this time everyone has changed into the work uniform except Todd. Everyone is responsible for checking out their equipment and SCBA assigned for that tour. Yes, the probie already did it. You still check your own equipment. From there everyone scatters. Bathrooms, kitchen, bunkrooms, sitting rooms, company officer’s offices, chief’s office — they all get the GI treatment. It all gets cleaned, mopped, garbage etc. … no cleaning service here like the P.D. Funny how this isn’t figured as work for contracts. Imagine if they had to contract this out like the mayor’s office, etc. The chauffeur is working on the rig with all the mechanical and safety equipment. Fixing what needs fixing, washing if necessary, double checking the key tools, sweeping the bay floor, and washing if necessary. Rule 4: Everyone helps with committee work. Usually after committee work, everyone is scattered, maybe more coffee, or trying to line up a couple of tours off, etc. In my house, specific tools are checked on specific days — Hurst tool on one day, roof rope repacked on another, and different compartments for certain days. The rope is usually done by the junior man, supervised by a senior man. It generally turns into a short company drill and a group effort. Before I left, it seemed it was being done by the senior men just to make sure it was done. The junior man used to be 15-16 years, but that’s all out the window now. We’re still trying to figure out what we are going to eat for that particular 24 meals, or at least what we are going to eat for lunch. I haven’t even mentioned any runs yet. All this usually gets interrupted several times by runs. Either way, it all gets done by lunch. Not noon, but by lunch, sometimes 1 p.m. and sometimes as late as 3-3:30 p.m. Depending on the schedule for the day we like to drill around 10:30 a.m. There is a set time (2 p.m.) and schedule in our department for drill. Our quality drills are done on our topics, and at our times (10:30). If we are out at that time for building inspections or hydrant inspections, we still drill, only from a different perspective and topic. We do building inspections twice a week, which usually turns into a good “what if” drill. Chauffeurs should be looking at apparatus placement at different buildings in the block and from different approaches. The same generally holds true for hydrant inspections, which we do twice a year: fall and spring. I can’t say enough about hydrant inspections. You have to be out there, so why don’t you just check them out properly, even if you’re in the ladder company. Remember: “No water you Fry” (Gus, E-45). Other things that go on during the day tour include, but are not limited to: checking on complaints from the public or the chiefs. Some days we get called to the Division of Training, some days to the mechanic shops, a local school for a talk, etc. We head out for the meal[s] to local stores in our response areas. This is high-profile, big red firetruck in the block. Many are jealous, and complain. They see you out there, spending $$$ in the neighborhood, socializing with those you work for, pay your salary, and whom you protect. Over a career, you are on a first-name basis with many. They look forward to seeing the firemen. I consider the meal a procurement drill. We pick up a considerable amount of information by just going for a meal. “What ifs,” looking at security locks, layouts, contents, etc. I’m sure somebody in HQ hates us being out there doing this (might have an accident, wasting fuel, people thinking we are goofing off, etc.). Again, we’re on the streets, seeing what’s going on, and what’s going up. We stop at construction sites, walk around and see what’s going on, how it’s built, quality of construction, the flaws, etc. At various stores we are either consciously or sub-consciously looking at locks, doors, hatches, and hazards. Example: We stopped at an auto-parts one day because a brother needed something for his car. While shopping, we noticed a new laundry mat next door. This turns into a 45-minute drill on the hazards of laundry mats. You never get this stuff at the division of training. You never get this stuff if you don’t go out, or aren't not allowed out, unless you have to. Remember, we haven’t even been back yet to prepare lunch, let alone make any runs. I would have to guess that half of our meal trips are interrupted by a response, and it’s usually to the furthest, opposite side of our response area. Oh, well. When we finally get back to cook, everyone is expected to help with the meal. The cooks take control, but all hands help prepare. It’s inevitable you’re interrupted preparing the meal. And somebody usually goes out on a run while we’re eating. Afternoons change each day. There are afternoon building inspections one day each week. Again, depending on the time of year, if they weren’t done in the morning, you still have the hydrants to check. Like I mentioned earlier, the department schedules drills for us at 2 p.m. and has set topics. So we play the game, 2 p.m. drill. If it’s a good topic from the department, that’s the drill. If it’s not a good topic, cover the poor, not interesting topic quick (CYA); then discuss something we all can use. Rule 5: Drill!! Even if it’s a 10-minute drill, make it interesting. By 4 p.m., generally, we are back in quarters. Some guys are working out, others watching T.V., some studying, and some taking a safety nap [D.M] for the ride home. The probies are cleaning up, so things are somewhat clean for the night tour. Around 5 p.m., the entire sequence starts again. Man-for-man relief. Hopefully you get a decent relief. Nobody likes working 25-hour shifts, or 10-hour day tours. So it’s not like we sit around and wait all day. There’s plenty to be done. If your shifts are dragging by, keep busy. We have no control over our call volume, but we can control how productive our tours are. If you’re the company that doesn’t have to walk through the truck bay to get to the T.V. room and don’t even know if the rig is there, let alone checking out your equipment, shame, shame on you. So, “ No,” Mr. Politician, we really don’t just sit around and wait. This and all my articles are dedicated to the late Andy Fredericks. We all miss you! “Never Forget.” © Copyright Firenuggets.com 2006 • Click here for Terms and Conditions of Use
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