the big dogs

[blaze79]

As most of you know, I'm a female firefighter on a volunteer department. Well, my aunt's boyfriend is the ex fire marshall of a big city department. He was kind enough to arrange a tour for me so I could see what everything was like in the professional departments. When I arrived, I was introduced to the one of the officers. He was nice enough to shake my hand but didn't even smile at me once. He just kind of pretended that I wasn't there. At least all the firefighters were nice enough to have conversations with me and joke around. Also, another officer was eyeing me up as if I was the first female he's ever seen in his life.

If any of you big city departments get a visitor from a small town department, try to make them feel at home. They obviously admire what you're doing, so try to put up with them. I know it might be hard becuase they aren't all as pretty as me, but at least try to be nice. LOL :p

[Bones42]

blaze, unfortunately, there are "less than polite" people in all walks of life, including fire departments. Don't let a few people bother you, which it seems like it really didn't. From reading your posts, you seem like you have a long, bright future ahead of you in firefighting and life.

Just one little thing, paid departments don't mean professional, they just mean they get a pay check. Professional is the way they and you act, not whether you are paid or volunteer.

[CaptainGonzo]

The same arguement can be made for career firefighters stopping at a volunteer station while on vacation. On a vacation trip to midcoast Maine, I stopped by one of the local volunteer firehouses, introduced myself and asked if if could purchase or trade for one of their patches or buy one of their t-shirts.

The people in the station were quite rude, stating and snarling "they are only for DEPARTMENT MEMBERS, not for "tourists"... then asked me to leave!

I thought this to be rather ironic, since tourism is a big industry in that area....

[MalahatTwo7]

Chief, I had a similar experience with some Navy Firefighters on the West Coast. We were at the Naval yard in preparation for departure to the Arabian Gulf for OP ENDURING FREEDOM, so I took a handful of patches with me to trade along my trip.

Seems that the Dockyard guys were just a "little too good" for us Northern folk, cuz in the end I never did get an exchange from them. All sorts of excuses that went as far as "I don't have any old ones to give, and don't want to take any of the good ones off a shirt."

The guys in Dubai were great, as far as the lack of English vs Arabic and Hindu capablities between us. I did manage to trade a couple back and forth with them, plus a couple stickers too.

Back to original topic though: Professional is the way they and you act, not whether you are paid or volunteer. About says it all, for any job anywhere.

[tanker5117]

Gonzo, not all FF from Maine are like that. We were on vacation last year in western part of Maine. I stopped in at the firehouse and talked to the chief. While checking out the equipment, I asked if he had any t-shirts or hats for sale. He looked every where in that firehouse for something, came up with a patch(which I have displayed on my cubicle wall with all the others) and apologized for not having any shirts or hats. He was a real nice host and really made me feel welcome.

Tanker

[Engine5FF]

For a lack of patch trading I do have one thing to add, sometimes there are no patches or t-shirts to trade. It might be department policy or just a lack of those items. My career department does not do it because my chief said so, and as I run the department web page, I have to refuse requests all the time. I am not rude like in the Capt's example, but I have none to give. My Dad's Vol. department does not give out patches because they do not have anything to give. The patches were ordered at the same time and at the same number as the dress shirts so there are none left over. They don't have the money for extras.

As far as Blaze's story goes, just chalk the rude guy up to a sour puss and leave it at that. Not everyone is a Pollyanna. And yes there are pervs in every walk of life too.

[raven911]

The previously mentioned Navy firefighters probably did not have any to trade anyway. I used to work for the Navy at one point and patches were pretty hard to come by. Heck, they even made me turn in my old collar brass when I left. It was not even like anyone could ever use it again, it was pretty messed up.