Cell Phones

[jester12]

How do you protect your cellphones on calls?
Just wondering while looking around and seeing so many personal cell phones on hips. Do you keep them on you or put them in your turnout pockets?
I have been debating carrying one after reading some articles about FF's using them when their radios quit on them.

[Hondaguy1980]

I don't bring mine with me. I just leave it in my car.

[AFD368]

I carry mine with me (if I remember it in the morning), on my belt.
The plastic belt clip broke the first day I had the phone, (I never did trust plastic), so I purchased a cordura cell phone pouch. Very durable and holds the phone in very snug. The phone is protected at calls by my bunker pants and turnout coat and is still accessible if I need it.

[firefighterox]

I usually leave mine in my car just because a lot of guys brings theirs I personally wont need it. our dept doesnt do many internal attacks so really protecting our phones usually isnt a problem but the bunkers will protect it fine. they protect our pagers so why wouldnt they protect a phone. as far as radios going out, we have like 1 yr old portables plus radios on all trucks, plus we have a cell phone on our main pumper that we got a sweet deal on, we only have to pay for the minutes we use.

[Dalmatian90]

On the dash of the truck.

What the hell are you going to do with a cell phone in your bunkers while your in the hot zone, get a sudden hankering to order take-out? "Yeah, 51 Elm Street, can't miss us, buncho of big red trucks, just come up and deliver the order to the guy out front in the white hat and coat. He'll pay you."

[Duffman]

What the hell are you going to do with a cell phone in your bunkers while your in the hot zone, get a sudden hankering to order take-out?

If my radio fails or is lost and I become trapped or lost I have my nextel in my pocket. I can always call dispatch and be able to communicate. It may be a longshot, but it is better than nothing.

[SamsonFCDES]

Where I go my cellphone goes.

I take it everywhere, no problems ever encountered.

They are the shiznat on a wildland fire, fit nicely into your tactical gear, and are neat for takeing notes with the voice note option.

I want to get one with a camera for obvious reasons.

I only have killed one so far. I like carpenter style blue genes. I use the tool pocket on the leg to carry my phone, easy to forget it...

Laundry time...

Squeky clean phone...

Broke.

[hwoods]

Originally posted by Dalmatian90


What the hell are you going to do with a cell phone in your bunkers while your in the hot zone, get a sudden hankering to order take-out? "Yeah, 51 Elm Street, can't miss us, buncho of big red trucks, just come up and deliver the order to the guy out front in the white hat and coat. He'll pay you."


In Fact, I have ordered pizza. Yes, Really. I use my Nextel as much as my radio, on some incidents. I'd almost consider my phone as essential as my gear, ON SOME INCIDENTS. on others, no big deal... I guess it's a matter of what you are comfortable with. Stay Safe....

[CALFFBOU]

When I go to work, it is to WORK. Not gab on
the cell phone while on the clock. Stay
focused on why you are there and who you
work for.

If I get an alarm at work and need to jump into
my turnout pants, I dont need some plastic
phone getting caught up in my gear, ringing
while at an EMS run or maybe even melting in
my pants at a fire.

I leave the phone in my personal room at the
station and return any calls during lunch
and/or after dinner.

And, if youre a rookie, FORGET the phone. You
have too much other things to be working on
other than gabbing with the girlfriend, etc.
After all, how did you get by BEFORE the
cell phone?

[MrJim911]

Doesn't sound like that is the problem. Sounds like a few people want the added security of having an additional form of communication while working, not use it to gab. As a Telecommunicator I'm all for that idea.

Originally posted by CALFFBOU
When I go to work, it is to WORK. Not gab on
the cell phone while on the clock. Stay
focused on why you are there and who you
work for.

If I get an alarm at work and need to jump into
my turnout pants, I dont need some plastic
phone getting caught up in my gear, ringing
while at an EMS run or maybe even melting in
my pants at a fire.

I leave the phone in my personal room at the
station and return any calls during lunch
and/or after dinner.

And, if youre a rookie, FORGET the phone. You
have too much other things to be working on
other than gabbing with the girlfriend, etc.
After all, how did you get by BEFORE the
cell phone?

[Weruj1]

I personally would leave mine in the rig or at the station when I worked ........as they really have no place on an emergency scene unless you are in a command kind of position or perhaps at a large incident.

[Duffman]

they really have no place on an emergency scene unless you are in a command kind of position or perhaps at a large incident.

I could not disagree with you more. I have already addressed the value of having my nextel on fire calls, now I will address the advantage of having them for EMS and other reasons.

I have our E.D.'s number stored in my phone. It works great when I need to contact the medical control and the rig phone won't work or I am not in the rig. It has been an asset more than once.

While my wife was pregnant, it was nice to know I could be contacted if she went into labor while I was at work. I may not be able to answer the call, but I would know she needed me, and I could call back ASAP.


I dont need some plastic phone getting caught up in my gear, ringing
while at an EMS run or maybe even melting in
my pants at a fire

Give me a break Cal.

If you can't dress yourself with your phone on your person I can't help you.

In case you haven't heard, they have a feature called "vibrate"

The phone in your pocket is no more likely to melt than the plastic flashlight in your hand.

My phone has never been a distraction on a call, and could one day contribute to saving my life. I consider it a valuable tool.

[Duffman]

I can see the points for career FF's of not carrying or keep it off.

What are the points for career FF's not carrying a phone?

Why is career/volunteer an issue?

I have yet to read one good reason why I should leave my phone behind.

[firedog21]

My only concern with the cell phone issue is, is it intrinsically safe. My Dept. takes great care to insure that our flash lights and portable radios are intrinsically safe. I would hate to get my ass blown up because of someones cell phone.

Stay Safe

Firedog21

[RoofHook63]

Mine is usually left in my truck or on my gear rack (that is, if I didn't leave it at home) when on at a call. Occasionally I will forget to take it our of my pocket or off my belt. In fact, my radio strap has a clip on it for cell phone holsters; never used it though.

[UsingAllHands]

Originally posted by firedog21
My only concern with the cell phone issue is, is it intrinsically safe. My Dept. takes great care to insure that our flash lights and portable radios are intrinsically safe. I would hate to get my ass blown up because of someones cell phone.

Stay Safe

Firedog21


That is probobly the only valid reason NOT to carry a cell phone with you, and is a good question raised that someone should find out the answer to. In any event, keeping the phone in your pocket, turned off should prevent any catastrophies.

Now for the point of my post on this subject... If you have any family that gives a damn about you, you owe it to them to have your cell phone with you at all times. Let me tell you my story. This is something that I don't like talking about, but I'll tell it to you to understand the importance so you can make an informed decision about why you might want to carry yours with you also.

I used to leave my phone in my locker while I was working. Check for messages a couple times each tour, no big deal.

At a few minutes before 9 a.m., on a beautiful, crisp, sunny Tuesday morning in September a couple of years ago, I was about to go home from work when a plane crashed into the World Trade Center. I called my wife, who was at work and as of yet oblivious to the situation, to tell her that I was going to stay at work a while because "we might be going down there." Both of us, unaware of the magnitude of the event unfolding said 'see ya later, don't wait for me for dinner' type stuff.

Fast forward to 3 p.m. that day. There was no way you could find a working public phone, and after hours of trying to get her on my cell (the lines were jammed and/or down.) to tell her I was alright, I finally got through. Needless to say, at this point, she was still at her desk, crying, thinking she was now a widow. I cannot describe the sound of relief in her voice when she heard me on the line. I will never forget that.

I have also heard countless stories about guys who said their final goodbyes to loved ones while on the ride down there that same morning.

Now my phone is always in my pocket when I'm at work. It is small, unobtrusive. I keep it turned off, and if enough heat ever gets past my bunker gear to harm it, I've got much worse things to worry about than a damaged phone. Finally, if I'm ever in a hazmat situation where all my stuff gets confiscated, so be it. Another phone can be had for $50.

[SamsonFCDES]

Has the urban myth/paranoia about cell phones blowing up gas stations by ignighting fumes even been proven/dis proven.

That is about the ONLY negative I can think of with a cell phone, albiet a biggy if substantiated.

There are cell phones designed for first responders, Nextell has a very neat one, but they dont work yet in my area, we are still analog... :mad:

There are so many positives and applications for cell phones, IMO that far outweighs the negatives.

You would have to be a major tool to use your cellphone inappropriatly at an emergency.

[SamsonFCDES]

BOOM!!!

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa062399.htm

http://slashdot.org/articles/03/10/10/0054230.shtml

Or no?

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/c/cellgas.htm

[MrJim911]

Originally posted by SamsonFCDES
Has the urban myth/paranoia about cell phones blowing up gas stations by ignighting fumes even been proven/dis proven.

That is about the ONLY negative I can think of with a cell phone, albiet a biggy if substantiated.

It has been DIS-proven. Cell phones will not cause explosions at gas stations, the electrical energy needed is ALOT more then a cell phone can produce.

http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/gasvapor.asp

When reading the info in the above link you can ignore the 'Mythbusters' on Discovery Chznnel comment. I saw the episode where they disproved this theory.

[Dalmatian90]

Has the urban myth/paranoia about cell phones blowing up gas stations by ignighting fumes even been proven/dis proven.

The phones aren't intrisincally safe.

Neither are all the cars pulling in and out while you're fueling your car.

And gas stations just aren't blowing up because of all those non-intrisinc electronics. Static electricity & poor grounds, much bigger problem.

Cell phones could, *in theory* be an ignition source. They also *in theory* increase your chances of being struck be lightning -- the ionized air created by any radio transmission creates a slightly easier path to ground. In practice, neither is likely at any rate to be a reasonable risk to worry over. Although I wouldn't key a 110w low-band mobile with lightning coming down around me :)

I'll admit, I'm a bull in a china shop, and I've been banged around enough and soaked to the bone enough despite full gear that I just automatically secure my wallet & personal electronics before bunking. Always have, and I've carried a hand-held cell phone longer than most people (wow, thinking of it, 1993 -- 11 years!). With my current job, the Nextel stays in the apparatus, and I check it periodically, say between bottles since I'm also on call 24x7 with my employer and have to balance the two committments. None of these arguements about being a last resort or staying in touch with family convince me it's necessary to carry a fairly fragile piece of electronics with me into hostile environments.

[Dalmatian90]

Ok, spell check of myself:

It's:

intrinsic and
intrinsically

[gunnyv]

My Dept does not allow personal cell phones to be taken on the rigs. Why?
1.)There is a Dept Nextel on each rig for situations that require it.
2.)Too many guys were caught with their phones ringing on scenes, over the radio, talking on them while DRIVING apparatus on an emergency, etc..

If you allow your members to carry cells on calls, I hope they are more professional than most of my workmates. Or, maybe your Dept has a better disciplinary policy. I accept the restriction over the bad PR caused by these morons.

[FIREFIGHTERRICH]

if i rember it goes in my turnout coat or on my suspenders if not i leave it in the truck. then iforget it and find it on our next call.

[SamsonFCDES]

It was mentioned that this is a bit different issue when viewed from the Volunteer side as opposed from the paid side.

I would tend to agree.

As a volunteer you may get paged out from where ever you are. Your familiy may think you are at work, but you are realy on a 5,000 acre wildfire that will last for 1-2 days. It is IMO a volunteer fire fighters duty to his loved ones to keep them informed of what is going on. You can bother dispatch and ask them to put a message through... but why not just have your tiny weiny cell phone and do it yourself... with an I love you... just incase... :eek:

Realy, the above can be said for paid guys also, and I see no problem with it.

Cell phone ringing at the scene. That is just because the bonehead with the phone does not know how to run it. PUT IT ON VIBRATE!!! You will not even notice it vibrateing when things are hot and heavy. When things are calm, you will notice it and can then decide if you need to take the call. Simple system, no brainer.

[jester12]

Wow, didn't think I was going to cause a "Tastes great, Less filling debate. You all have certainly given me alot to think about, and I appreciate it.

Thanks to all for their input.


Stay Safe

[firenresq77]

I usually have my Nextel with me, on my belt under my gear. I try to remember to put it on vibrate for calls and inspections and such.

[RSchmidt]

I very much agree w/GunnyV...I used to sit in front of the station not too long ago looking at all the idiots driving(and I use that term loosely) whilst engaged in conversation wondering how long it would be before we'd be responding to the accident they more than likely caused...Now days I see more and more FF's and Police with thier cell phones firmly glued to an ear while driving thier apparatus....I agree that there is a right time and place for use of these-but there are some who show very bad judgement in the use cell phones...

[Duffman]

becuase you wouldn't carry your cellphone onduty if you worked at a department store?

Yes, I would. Just as I carried my pager with me when I worked at a department store.

[FDNY101TRUCK]

I'll either leave it in the car or when leave it on my gear rack and when I do forget to take it out i hardly even realize its there when I have my gear on.And I also carry my cell at school and at work and leave it on vibrate just in case something comes up.