smoking FF's

[nobull911]

I have noticed a lot of FFs smoke. This doesn't make sence. First of all many FFs, expecially in my area, area also EMTs so they should know first hand the problems that smoking causes. Second I don't want a FF that only uses part of his lung capacity due to years of smoking to be sent in a burning building to pull me out. I think this job is way to physical to compromise the job by smoking. I think that more departments should prohibit smoking at all on duty and they should really discourage members from smoking at all. This also goes for any tobacco produce as well. I don't understand what these people are thinking.

[mongofire_99]

I have noticed a lot of FFs are out of shape - OK, fat. This doesn't make sense. First of all many FFs, expecially in my area, area also EMTs so they should know first hand the problems that being overweight causes. Second I don't want a FF that only uses part of his strength due to years of eating forcing his body to carry that extra weight to be sent in a burning building to pull me out. I think this job is way to physical to compromise the job by over-eating. I think that more departments should prohibit eating at all on duty and they should really discourage members from eating at all. This also goes for any alcohol products as well. I don't understand what these people are thinking.

I have also noticed a lot of FFs are weak - OK, wimps. This doesn't make sense. First of all many FFs, expecially in my area, area also EMTs so they should know first hand the problems that being a wimp causes. Second I don't want a FF that doesn't have enough strength due to years of being a wimp to be sent in a burning building to pull me out. I think this job is way to physical to compromise the job by putting wimps on the line. I think that more departments should prohibit wimps at all on duty and they should really discourage members from being weak at all. This also goes for any women as well. I don't understand what these people are thinking.

You have every right to your opinion, but what's my point?

Hey, I'm a life long no tobacco user. Personally, I think they're not the sharpest knives in the drawer, but that's OK. I don't know what smokers, chewers and dippers think and I could care less. It is not my place (yet) to police their thoughts. I say yet, because thought crime legislation is sweeping the country and soon we'll be required to turn people that generate 'negative waves' in to the local branch of the imperial federal government thought police.

But!

Tobacco is a legal product. And as long as it is, grown adults should be able to make up their own mind about whether or not to use it.

And, under the guise of diversity, smokers have a legal right to be employed in the city they live in. Remember, the city employee staff is supposed to reflect the demographics of the population of that city. If they do not employ smokers, then that segment of the population is not given equal opportunity. And Lord knows above all else, we must have equal opportunity. Even to the extent that we have to lower the standards to achieve it.

My advise...

If you feel as strongly as you suggest when you said "I don't want a FF that only uses part of his lung capacity due to years of smoking to be sent in a burning building to pull me out," then you should immediately file a request of transer with your supervision, begging for a transfer to another company without smokers.

At the same time, you should institute any and all steps necessary to ensure smokers do not follow you in either as second due from your own department or from mutual aid.

Should you fail to be able to ensure your safety in that no smokers follow you in or come in to get you out, you should immediately transfer to a position that this isn't an issue, maybe in dispatch or some other admin position (chief?).

If that's not possible, you should find a new line of work.

Do you feel that strongly about your safety?

[ 07-10-2001: Message edited by: mongofire_99 ]

[Davidjb]

Maybe eating should also be regulated to control obesity.

[FireCapt1951retired]

Well if we're going to go there we need to control all of the following.

No one is to eat any steaks, eggs, bacon, candy etc. You must all be vegetarians to prevent cholestrol from clogging your arteries and gaining to much weight.

You can no longer play any physical sports because it causes to many injuries and prevents you from doing your job effectively.

You are not allowed to drink any alcohol because of possible liver damage and you tend to make an [email protected] of yourself sometimes.

You can no longer enter a dwelling thats on fire because you will probably get hurt at sometime during your career and that is not cost effective.

And don't dare work another job that can get you hurt while performing it.

You can't make love to your spouse or girlfriend before a shift because it causes you to lose strength

All of these rules shall be adhered to on and off duty. If you violate these rules we will send the local officals to pick you up, fire you and tell you to find another career.

What are these people thinking

The way some government agencies are going, this may happen in the near future.

[toneloc177]

ok, i'm a fat bastard who eats unhealthy food, smokes a pack a day, and drinks the coldest beer i can find . . .

guess i'm just f*cked, huh.


(your opinions and views on how I live my life will not be honored, and may be hazardous to YOUR health!)

[gonzoff16]

Well it is like this if it was me that needed pulled out I don't give a sh*t who it is weather there fat, smoke ,or just stupid.As long as there their to try. To say that you rather die than have a smoker try to save you is stupid.Remember he or she is also putting their life on the line,and for who? the guy that is judging them because they smoke! Yes I am a smoker.Yes i know it is not the best for me but when i started it was not bad for ya so they said.Believe me it is more than hard to quit i'm still trying. But one thing is for sure if your in trouble i'll be there ready one lung or two.

[nobull911]

ok for all you that are making little smart *** comments about not eating meat or making love to your girlfirends/boyfriends i think you are missing the point. for one thing, mean is healthy for the body. i'm not saying give up anyting that has something bad about it. smoking has nothing good about it, everything is bad about it. and i would think that people who are in a line of work that involves an aspect of health care should be smart enough to understnad the dangers and how it effects their performance in a high stress job. the number one killer of FF's is heart attacks...so yes maybe departments need to watch what their employees eat and install exersise programs. i think they should also try to discourage smoking too. i want to be the best FF i can possibly be therefore i don't smoke, watch what i eat, and exersise. i'm sorry if the rest of you don't care about being the best you can be. and remember that any less than the best WILL put someone's life at risk. Just think about that before trying to defend your bad habbits and not admiting that you are too weak to quit smoking or you are too ignorant to understnad how it effects your job.

[Tanker06]

Personally, I've never seen what the fascination about it is. I've tried cigars a time or two, and tried dip for about a week, and gave them up because I didn't see what the big deal was. I tried it just to see, couldn't figure it out, so I dropped it. That's me.
However, like another poster or two had noted, it's a legal product, we're all grown adults, and it's a (semi) free country. So, who am I to say anything to them? Everybody has a bad habit (I could lose a few pounds and drink more water/less soda), and this happens to be theres. On my crew, our Captain and Master Tech both smoke. If it comes down to it (heaven forbid), if I go down, I don't care who drags my unhappy butt out of the building - just do it, and I'm indebted. Smoker or not. Short, tall, fat, skinny, whatever.....
(Our MT who never starts a shift without at least two packs on hand, in case we have a big incident, also runs at least 6 miles a week. So if it's impaired his lung capacity, I haven't seen it.....)
Just my thoughts......

[comwhite]

"Just think about that before trying to defend your bad habbits and not admiting that you are too weak to quit smoking or you are too ignorant to understnad how it effects your job."

I started not to respond to your post, because I feel everyone is entitled to their opinion. I do smoke so I'm somewhat biased in my opinion. I don't defend my bad habit, and I won't admit to being too weak to quit. I realize smoking isn't healthy, just as I realize a lot of things aren't, but I enjoy it.

Now, I usually don't do this, but since you made the statement, "too ignorant", might I suggest you reread your posts and look at the intelligent way you spelled a great many words in it.

Here's the deal, you don't judge me and I won't judge you.

[res7cue]

I'm not a smoker, other than an occasional cigar for special occasions. I used to dip until I had a gum problem and stopped, then started again and finally stopped for good.

Every adult has the right to make their own decision on whether to smoke, dip or whatever.

But to make a statement that a person is not being the best they can be because they smoke or dip is just down right ridiculous.

I know a hell of alot of F/F's that do both and I would put them up against ANY non-smoking, non-red meat eating, exercise all day everyday F/F.

It's a personal decision that one has the god given right to make and who are we to degrade them for that decision.

[FireCapt1951retired]

Geez nobull 911, lighten up a little. Humor is good for the heart and soul. If you keep getting stressed like this it will effect your health. Stress is a huge factor in heart problems too.

As far as your comments about ignorance etc, I would have to say that I know firefighters that smoke, over eat and have other habits that aren't exactly good for a person but I would trust these people with my life and I have and will continue to do so.

Bad habits do not make a good or bad firefighter, attitude does! If you have no trust in a person you work with and do not trust them with your life, your in the wrong line of work.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss

[nobull911]

i'm not saying that smokers can't do the job, I am just saying that they could do it better if they didn't smoke and/or took care of their bodies a little better. i know there are smokers out there that are great FFs but think of how much better they could be. i know its a free country and i don't care if people choose to smoke or not. i'm just saying that we need to think about decisions we make when we are in such a high strett and very physical field such as ours.

we are all adults, and since adult can do the activites that we know that are bad, why not consider to have your city or county pass a bill that limits the activites of tobacco use in the stations. Many depts are now tobacco free. If you are that concerned about the usage of tobacco, hit up your leaders about the implementation of the tobacco free work-place

[Captain 12]

I gave up Smoking, Drinking and Women Once..
the worst 15 min. of my life...

[fvdhosejockey]

Hey buddy, what difference would it make if I had 1 lung or 60 lungs, if i was trying to save YOUR LIFE. You should be thankful and gracious to those who put their lives on the line selflessly. With the mentality you've shown, i suppose that if I was a heavy smoker who was part of a Volunteer dept, you'd rather hose down your home with a garden hose as opposed to my dept responding to help you out!


just my oppinion,