needing advice

[InstructorJV87]

The fire department is a lot like a totem pole.. the chief sits on top, looks down and sees nothing but smiling faces...

The rookie with the least seniority looks up and sees nothing but @$$holes...

Most likely the best/most truthful comparision ive heard in a while

[hinesfire]

My take is this, in a town of 1200 people, you dont say how many folks are on the dept, but i'm gonna guess 10-15. Similar to us, although with 500 calls a year, you guys sound way busy for a town that small, is there a mega nursing home or something?
I would guess that the diff between Lt. & Capt. is insignificant in a small organization, heck I bet you also spend time acting as capt or chief etc anyway, at least at times. It probably gives you some responsibilities of having 1 or 2 more guys under you, but again unless the FD has a significant membership, it really doesnt change that much.
In our small departments, the officers of any rank have to be flexible and do whatever needs to be done, because there just isnt a large organization.

[johnny46]

Congratulations on your upcoming promotion. Check out the Career Forum. Lots of great advice on this subject. Take your job seriously, not yourself. Your crews are already used to you being in a leadership position. Keep doing what you've been doing. Just do it better.

There's nothing here for me to mock. Thanks a lot.


Oh yeah, congratulations.

[johnny46]

I capitalize Captain, if I had the ability I would capture Captain in a caption possibly riding in a silver capsule of capsasian.

You're drunk.

[Capt387]

You're drunk.

If snow is drunk on that post I bet he could walk a line smashed! No really Ossifer.... LOL

[LVFD301]

"Oh Captain, my Captain...."

Rise up and hear the bells.

Always a good idea to make the call....

[ffbam24]

How about a SIMPLE CAPTAIN & Coke? T.C.

C & C
Spelling quandry eradicated.

[Chewy911]

hinesfire: We have a roster of about 25 but we do good to get 10 guys for a working 1st alarm. We run alot of mutial aid, our closet neighboring department is less than three miles away. We are on 5 other departments first alarms including two from the adjoining county. We also run all ems calls in our district which with the frequent flyers and the falls can add up quick. The ambulance service in the county has topped 10,600 calls for the year. We are one of 13 different fire departments in this county. We definitely stay busy.
Firefuss: Yes, Im usually working when I read and post on this forum. I work 12 hours and get interupted quite often.

[BSFD9302]

C & C
Spelling quandry eradicated.

Or just Captain!!!!

[Dickey]

Congrats on the promotion!

In some respects, I agree with OldTimer, depending on how your department is set up. I would assume you have a few more administrative duties and/or extra responsibilities that come with the rank but the on scene work is pretty much the same. You might be thrust into a command role on scene quicker now, that's all. Just remember to delegate when you can, praise in public, punish in private and you will do fine.




Oh and Gonz...I got 4 bugles, that must mean that I have two for each fist to plunge it away!!!

[Chewy911]

I work as a 911 dispatcher/call taker and just last year processed over 80,000 calls. Thats 219 calls in a 24 hour period and roughly 109 in 12 hours. We are staffed with three call takers/dispatchers. So to take the call and work it, can interrupt my "free time" quite often.

[Chewy911]

Ahh, answering phones in the little windowless cave...

Yes, except in the full time center we have two windows and there is small section of the wall, its kind of like a sun window. Its there in case on day they want to add on. So were not complete hermits here. lol now the other center i work part time for is exactly that...its in the ground far enough we dont have to adjust the thermostat, it stays a constant temperature year around.

[FWDbuff]

Ahh, answering phones in the little windowless cave...

Not all dispatchers are kept in a basement dungeon like at Third and Spring Garden........

[CaptOldTimer]

Not all dispatchers are kept in a basement dungeon like at Third and Spring Garden........

And, like they were around here too in the sub basement!

Now they are out next to the recycling center, aka garbage acceptance center!!!

[10HouseMountaineerFF]

THINK.
Take care of your people.
Accomplish size-up.
Know your limits.
Never forget what it was like to be a yellow hat.
Don't back down from the hard decisions.
Be willing to listen to your subordinates.