Hey all.....
I am a new member of a volunteer fire department and EMS service in a small rural area of Louisiana. Municipal work is new to me, but industrial emergency response is not. I am trying to get ideas on how to get set up for quick response in our small town. At the refinery where I am on the Emergency Response Team (Fire/Hazmat/Rescue) we report to the safety bay for all incidents and then get assigned definite jobs and responsibilities for the start of the incident. I am finding out quickly that in a 28 member volunteer service, your job changes by the minute. As I am one of the few who can operate the apparatus (Engine), I usually respond to the station and take the truck to the scene. However, I find myself stretching hose while the chief or assistant chief has to operate the pump due to a lack of experienced FF's. Keep in mind, I am fairly experienced at fighting hydrocarbon fires, but house fires are still very new to me.
I can't keep my gear at the station because of the issues it will cause from all the other members wishing to keep their gear there as well, so I am having issues with keeping the gear in a ready state.
I have a nice step in bag from my other department, so I have the gear packed and ready, but it sure takes a lot of room in the back seat of my truck. No that I am EMT certified, I have the trauma bag as well.
So here are my questions, and I am open to any and all opinions!
1. Should I buy a tool box for the back of the truck to put the gear in, or just grab the gear out of the closet as I am running out the door of my house? The tool box creates other small isues, namely during hunting season when I tend to keep an ATV in the bed of my truck.
2. I tend to wear my bunker gear even on vehicle collision calls while working EMS/Extrication, due to the bloodborne pathogen layer it has. Is this overkill? Should I invest in some lighter EMS gear instead?
3. Instead of hauling this turnout gear bag on each call, would it be easier to bunker out in my garage, and then throw the dirty gear in the back of the truck for the ride home?
4. Do any other vollies sleep in a shirt and shorts so they will be a little more prepared for the page?
This all may sound silly, but it is so much easier responding to a station first, and out here in the sticks a few minutes could mean death or brain damage for a victim/patient. Therefore, I really want to streamline how do things.
Like I said, all comments welcome.
Dave
I am a new member of a volunteer fire department and EMS service in a small rural area of Louisiana. Municipal work is new to me, but industrial emergency response is not. I am trying to get ideas on how to get set up for quick response in our small town. At the refinery where I am on the Emergency Response Team (Fire/Hazmat/Rescue) we report to the safety bay for all incidents and then get assigned definite jobs and responsibilities for the start of the incident. I am finding out quickly that in a 28 member volunteer service, your job changes by the minute. As I am one of the few who can operate the apparatus (Engine), I usually respond to the station and take the truck to the scene. However, I find myself stretching hose while the chief or assistant chief has to operate the pump due to a lack of experienced FF's. Keep in mind, I am fairly experienced at fighting hydrocarbon fires, but house fires are still very new to me.
I can't keep my gear at the station because of the issues it will cause from all the other members wishing to keep their gear there as well, so I am having issues with keeping the gear in a ready state.
I have a nice step in bag from my other department, so I have the gear packed and ready, but it sure takes a lot of room in the back seat of my truck. No that I am EMT certified, I have the trauma bag as well.
So here are my questions, and I am open to any and all opinions!
1. Should I buy a tool box for the back of the truck to put the gear in, or just grab the gear out of the closet as I am running out the door of my house? The tool box creates other small isues, namely during hunting season when I tend to keep an ATV in the bed of my truck.
2. I tend to wear my bunker gear even on vehicle collision calls while working EMS/Extrication, due to the bloodborne pathogen layer it has. Is this overkill? Should I invest in some lighter EMS gear instead?
3. Instead of hauling this turnout gear bag on each call, would it be easier to bunker out in my garage, and then throw the dirty gear in the back of the truck for the ride home?
4. Do any other vollies sleep in a shirt and shorts so they will be a little more prepared for the page?
This all may sound silly, but it is so much easier responding to a station first, and out here in the sticks a few minutes could mean death or brain damage for a victim/patient. Therefore, I really want to streamline how do things.
Like I said, all comments welcome.
Dave
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