Fire Department Jumping

I am in my second department. I left the first after 3 years due to moving. I am now living back in that Departments jurisdiction, but staying in my current department because I'm close enough to make the first due truck and I have 14 years invested in my current department.
I have no problem with 'station hoppers' although nobody likes to lose any members.

I'm still with the first dept I joined 6 years ago, but I'm not an active member there anymore. I do have an attachment to it though, because I grew up in that department, my step father was is a member there and I started hanging around when I was 5 years old. I am now a Lt. in another department about 20 miles away on the other end of the county. This is where I live now. However I'm glad I did move, because there is a lot of political bs going on at the station I started off at that I wouldn't want to be in the middle of. It doesn't bother me if people station hop, as long as they are not causing problems everywhere they go.

Oops! I didn't answer your third question. No, I don't care if a person "station hops".

I've been in three Departments over the last 18 years, all changes were due to job relocation; but I made the effort to keep in the Fire Service. I may be leaving my current one as well, due to job relocation.

I am currently with my second department. I left the first one due to political reasons and the desire to belong to a more professional department with a higher call volume. It does not bother me if someone wants to leave, this is a free country. If someone is going to volunteer their time and energy, they should be able to do it wherever they are going to be the most comfortable.

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Glenn Ralston
Firefighter/EMT-D
Bay Ridge Fire-Rescue
[email protected]pe.net

This is a 3 part question.

1. How many people have stayed with the original fire department that they joined?

2. If you havent, give a brief description as to why you left; moved, politics etc.

3. Does it bother you if a firefighter from your station jumps to another one?

Now that I asked the question, I will give my own answers.

I am currently with the company I 1st joined which is now 13 years. I have seen a handful of firefighters leave due to moving from the area and a few due to political reasons. Since there are 5 stations in town, there tends to be "house jumping", sometimes it's for the better, other times it's a disaster. I dont have a problem with people moving to other stations but I have seen some firefighters go through 4 of the 5 houses, to me thats a bit ridiculous. I always go by the moto of the "Grass isn't always greener on the other side of the street"

[This message has been edited by Firefighter194 (edited 02-20-2001).]