Does your Fire Chief need a swift kick back to reality?

[sgtdave2002]

I know this one is going to raise a few eye brows. You may even want to use an alias to comment. Lets hear it guys, the truth that is! How many fire departments have a chief that has worn out his welcome or has just been there way to long? I understand that some of these chiefs have alot of experiance in the fire service. I'm talking about the Chiefs that refuse to change. They are stuck in the past and dont feel that thier city or township needs to change. You know the ones I'm talking about. Tell me how you feel. I'm sure there are plenty of guys/gals that need to vent about thier so called Chief.

[Nick SBFD 6]

Alright, if I was the web team I would post a disclaimer, something to this effect:

"Attention: Just as easily as you were able to access and read these forums, so can the rest of the world, including but not limited to fellow firefighters, officers INCLUDING your CHIEF, and sadly enought the general public who approves your budget's and salaries. So post wisely! Before you slander another firefighter, department, chief or citizen remember IT'S A SMALL WORLD OUT THERE FOLKS!" And the thousands of people who post here are only a fraction of the people who read these. Take it from experience, you'd be surprised how some negative things can get back to the wrong people."


There, I'm done and I think most FH Forum Vets will agree.


-Nick

[PyroSlayer]

Thanks Nick...Ditto. Now, with that out of the way, anyone foolish enough to air out their personal problems on this very public forum, go ahead. Just don't be suprised when the stuff Nick warned you about comes true.

[robschmidt]

[ 01-23-2002: Message edited by: Schmidt ]

[Countryboy]

yep we do

[MFD]

our old chief yes (he got voted out)(he's a another word for a donkey)
our new chief(which is up for re election next month)he's cool as heck. He's taught me a lot and I trust him more. most of the younger firefighters like the new chief vs the old chief cause the all the young firefighters(like 35 and under) would do is at scenes like direct traffic,change air bottles,roll hose,stuff like that(i know it's important jobs but he wouldn't let us up on the "front lines") which me being almost 20 kinda of ticked me off cause I'd have to put in 15 years before i even get to go into a house fire.the old chief believed in experience is the best thing(which i agree is important but you gotta try new things occassionally.) I tried to impress the old chief by going to every training we offered (thinking maybe I get to "go into the fire") sure enough next fire i was directing traffic. The guy that did go in hadn't been to training(the whole time i was on the dept)(for atleast 4-6 months) but he had been on the dept for like 10 -12 years. Then this new chief got elected(he was asst chief)(i think)(i know he was an officer) anyhow he doesn't have the same guys doing the same thing all the time.(grant it i don't mind doing traffic once in a while but to do it time after time it gets old)

[SFD13]

MapleWood, didn't you read what Nick SBFD 6, and PyroSlayer said about trashing other firefighters. When you have a few years of experience you can critisize but until then keep your opinions of other firefighters to yourself.

We all have problems with other FF but most of us try to solve them in house. Airing your dirty laundry in public is not the way to do things.

[oldE6man]

Sorry, guys, but I have to disagree with you. Have a pair and sound off! I'm all for not trashing brother firefighters, especially when one's information is derived from anything other than first-hand experience, but there comes a point when information sharing is beneficial.

We would have appreciated a 'heads-up' from our brothers in Augusta before DC hired Ronnie Few. I don't know if it would have made any difference, but we might at least have realized the depth of the disaster that his short tenure would bring. This mutt has been an unmitigated disaster. He has repeatedly ignored his existing managers in favor of, as one of my brothers so succintly refers to them, 'the 84th Regiment of the Georgia Incompetents'.

The last straw occurred yesterday morning. There was a flag-raising ceremony at one of our stations celebrating 100 years of service at that location. According to our regulations, the flag is raised at 0730 hours each morning, and the ceremony was planned for that time. At 0730, no Fire Chief. He sauntered in at about 0800, long after the conclusion of the ceremony. He then proceeded to make a speech to the three or so people (other than the five firefighters on duty) that were still at the station. And he wonders why the troops can't stand him!!

Can you believe the disrespect this idiot has for the firefighters of this great city? I just hope the mayor comes to his senses before the department is irreparably damaged (if it isn't already).

If and when this nitwit and his band of sycophantic hangers-on are finally exposed for the fraud they have perpetrated on DC, I hope anyone dumb enough to consider him as their chief will contact ANY fire station in DC to get the real scoop.

Man, do I feel better!! Thanks for allowing me to vent a small amount of my frustration.

[MFD]

sorry E6 my hat/helmet goes off you you guys.
I know we had a big celebration for our 50th year of service(in 1996 but i wasn't on the dept cause i was only 14 at the time).The chief should have been there at 7:00 to make sure everyone and everything ready. Since he's leading the men he should be setting an example. How does he expect the men to be to work on time when probably one of the biggest days of the dept's history he's late to? all i have to say is hang in there. If you keep doing your best and this idiot keeps goofing up you might take his job.

[robschmidt]

[ 01-23-2002: Message edited by: Schmidt ]

[oldE6man]

Wow, Schmidt, that is a radical step to take. I agree that you can't allow the top dogs, whether they are homegrown or imported MUTTS, to impact your psyche to the point that you resign.

We can't forget the infamous A.D. Bell from Atlanta who spent a very short but memorable stint as Fire Chief in PG County, Md.

**NOTE TO MY GEORGIA BRETHREN: It seems like there is a pattern developing here. Y'all need to export a few good chiefs to rebuild your tarnished reputation.**

Oh, well, the good news is that these imports are usually exposed for what they really are in relatively short order and move on to spread their bullsh*t in another community.

[pwc606]

Could this be a result of politics; the hiring of these unwanted chiefs. Or could it be that the jurisdiction that they are coming from wants to get rid of them that much they don't speak up? Maybe they are just that good at selling themselves. Look at the gentleman from Notre Dame that supposedly falsified his resume. He could talk the talk and walk the walk but it all caught up to him after awhile.
I think that most chiefs have really good intentions to do a good job and serve the public but end up wrapped around the political flag pole. Some also may just feel that they "Deserve" what they "Take" or don't feel that it is wrong. This results in a lack of attention to the functionality of the day to day business of the department and the needs of the troops. It can not only affect the department negatively but can be a real nonmotivator for new people and hopeful recruits. They see the negative atmosphere and look for another place to work or volunteer.
I will say that posting comments on this web site can be taken the wrong way by people if one is not careful. I believe in the good sense claus of employment.

[robschmidt]

[ 01-23-2002: Message edited by: Schmidt ]

[hctrouble25]

Hey if you got a set big enough to speak your mind and stand behind your words when someone from your department reads them..then I say go for it! Luckily our Chief is a hell of a guy. Very young...but he has had 100% of calls for several years and I have never seen anyone so dedicated to a volunteer organization before. He is compassionate, understanding, and a pretty great guy all around. He has some things to learn...his communication skills are not the best, but no one is perfect...we all have things we can improve upon. There are of course some guys on the department that don't like him, but the ones that do, are the one that do the majority of the work and they are the ones that are there for calls, drills, etc. The way I see it...either get behind the officers, the department, the goals, or get out. No one wants to put up with the bs whining that goes on..and every department has these issues. So I make the best of it. I speak up when the Chief and other members do something I don't agree with, or don't like, and that way they know my position on things. I can't stand it when people don't open their mouths when they should - like during meetings - then spend the next three weeks bitching to anyone that will listen that they don't agree with what happened at the meeting. PLEASE. So either speak up when you don't agree or shut up and go with the flow. To those who have Chiefs that don't do the job I say - get a meeting together, voice your concerns, issues, etc. then see what happens. Maybe your Chief does not realize that he is viewed the way he is. No offense, but until you tell him you shouldn't bitch about it. Good luck to you all. Take care.

[FiReBaLl]

Yeah My town fire chief need to retied because he is gettinh way too old for the job andsometime he a jerk to other peoples and at a drill he all most left and when home to got back to bed.
and the drill was not ever done