Driver Requirments & "sog"

[btfcsta3]

this is a start of driver requirments that our Dept. has come up with I'm looking for input from others as to what changes should be made thanks Rich
Engines:
1. EVOC
2. Satisfactory Driver’s Training on at least 3 occasions. At least one must be with a Chief Officer. At least one must be after completing the EVOC Course.
3. Working knowledge of vehicle and all controls (cascade, generator, saws, etc.)
4. Written Test
5. Pumps 1 (or equivalent) – for all calls
6. Pumps 2 (or equivalent) – for structure fires and Mutual Aid calls

Rescue
1. EVOC
2. Satisfactory Driver’s Training on at least 3 occasions. At least one must be with a Chief Officer. At least one must be after completing the EVOC Course.
3. Written Test
4. Working knowledge of vehicle and all controls (cascade, generator, saws, etc.)
5. Basic Vehicle Rescue (or equivalent)

Tanker
1. EVOC
2. Satisfactory Driver’s Training on at least 3 occasions. At least one must be with a Chief Officer. At least one must be after completing the EVOC Course.
3. Written Test
4. Working knowledge of vehicle and all controls
5. Rural Fire Ground Water Movement or LDH and Rural Water Supply Class

Brush
1. EVOC
2. Working knowledge of vehicle and all controls (pump, generator, saws, etc.)
3. Satisfactory Driver’s Training on at least 3 occasions. At least one must be with a Chief Officer. At least one must be after completing the EVOC Course.

Hummer
1. EVOC
2. Working knowledge of vehicle and all controls
3. Satisfactory Driver’s Training on at least 3 occasions. At least one must be with a Chief Officer. At least one must be after completing the EVOC Course.

Trailers
1. EVOC
2. Working knowledge of vehicle and all controls
3. Satisfactory Driver’s Training on at least 3 occasions. At least one must be with a Chief Officer. At least one must be after completing the EVOC Course.

Ambulances
1. EVOC
2. Working knowledge of vehicle and location of all supplies
3. Satisfactory Driver’s Training on at least 3 occasions. At least one must be with a Chief Officer. At least one must be after completing the EVOC Course.

[TWEJFD]

Having someone "qualified" to operate the engine at some calls but not at structure or mutual aid calls might be a little tough to manage. You may and up happier with just one standard for all calls- either they're qualified or they're not. What'll you do if a non-structure qualified operator has the engine out of quarters when you get a structure call?

You may want to add the Rural Water/LDH requirement to the engine operators, too.

You also may want to be more specific about the content of the "Satisfactory Driver's Training". Unfortunately, I've seen a lot of "satisfactory" training that included nothing but driving forward on public streets in broad daylight. "If you don't hit anything or violate any traffic laws, its satisfactory". What about close quarters maneuvering, backing up, working in narrow driveways- especially for the tanker operators?

Just my two cents. All in all, I think you've got a good thing underway- far more advanced than my dept. Keep up the good work.

[bobsnyder]

I'm with TW on all three of his points, but I'd also add these comments:

3 "occasions" of driver training seems both too vague and too little, I'd be more inclined to go with something like "X hours" of training time for each unit, and they'd be substantial...anywhere from 8 hours on the hummer up to something like 30 or 40 hours for the engine. If you're worried about pushing people with professional truck driving experience along faster, then put a set of proportionately lower hours requirements in the SOG for people with CDL's.

I'd set an order in which people must proceed, from least complex unit to operate up to most complex, such as: hummer, brush, ambulance, rescue, tanker, engine. Essentially, they'd need to take EVOC very early in the process, then work on the water supply and pump classes as they work on driving the smaller units. This also lets you see them in action on smaller units first so you can judge whether or not you really want any particular person behind the wheel of a "big truck".

I'd dump the extra "written test" at each level in favor of a practical with a checklist of things they need to do, which would include things like TW's close quarters maneuvering, backing up, working in narrow driveways, etc. This would also eliminate the problem of the 3 "satisfactory occasions" language...you either pass the practical or you don't. Period.

All in all though, I think you're moving solidly in the right direction.

[btfcsta3]

http://www.vfis.com/store/downloads/...s.htm?Openform
Safety Forms - Street / Highway / Off Road Driving Evaluation
is the check form that we are going to be using and the thought was to give all drivers till 1 Jan 2005 to get all the training such as pumps 1 & 2 vehicle rescue ect ect

[Sleuth]

How about adding something about the area? For example, I know a police Department with a congested 1 square mile town. After one year, they hand you a blank map, and you have to write in all the street names. Or find all the hydrents in the area, identify all hazmat locations, etc.

[Fireman488]

Age requirements??

What about minimum and maximum age requirements??