Firefighter, unions and double hatting, oh my...

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
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Yeah, I remember reading about that. So freaking petty.
“There’s many people in Innisfil, I am sure, interested in being a part-time firefighter,” he said.
Um, probably not.



Santoro says if a person is called to fight a fire in a small town shortly before having to go to work in the city, he will be tired.
I'm sure they would be, but just imagine if they saved some lives in the process. Yeah, that's so completely irresponsible of him. :roll:


And just one small nit pick....it's not a volunteer position if he earns money from it. Small as that money may be. And I'm fairly certain he's not doing it for the coin, but to lend his expertise in his home community. Again, just so damned irresponsible.



And now that that is off my chest, I await the opinions of "the professionals"....which is, I'm sure, why you posted it. ;)
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
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Um, probably not.
Actually, there are. Which is why the union got involved.

And just one small nit pick....it's not a volunteer position if he earns money from it. Small as that money may be. And I'm fairly certain he's not doing it for the coin, but to lend his expertise in his home community. Again, just so damned irresponsible.
Don't know why he does it, but I know a lot of the "volunteers" around here like the money.

I hear that some of the outlying units that are mostly "volunteers" are ripe with exploitation and ineptitude.

And now that that is off my chest, I await the opinions of "the professionals"....which is, I'm sure, why you posted it. ;)
Oh no. Didn't you here? The pro has to much money, but not enough time. We won't be seeing him anymore. Or at least he shouldn't, what with all that money and no time to enjoy it, lolz.

Unions really don't understand love for a job
Unions understand money.
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
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London, Ontario
I hear that some of the outlying units that are mostly "volunteers" are ripe with exploitation and ineptitude.

Wouldn't that make having a professional on board as a "volunteer" a good thing then?

Oh no. Didn't you here? The pro has to much money, but not enough time. We won't be seeing him anymore. Or at least he shouldn't, what with all that money and no time to enjoy it, lolz.
Dollar Tree, Inc.: In-Store Pickup
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
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Mostly the union doesn't like the fact they are not getting a cut of his second job. Volunteer departments have a hard time retaining members, especially with good skills and available during the day. That is why many have gone to a paid on call system, it helps get and retain members. Any of the "reasons" given for wanting him fired are totally bogus.
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
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London, Ontario
I'm sure there are more than a few in said depts that think and claim they are.
lol!


Yeah but thinking and claiming you are can be very different from actually being one, lol.

I look at the same way as if a police officer would be part of a community security group, like Neighbourhood Watch or something, in their home community.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
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Mostly the union doesn't like the fact they are not getting a cut of his second job. Volunteer departments have a hard time retaining members, especially with good skills and available during the day. That is why many have gone to a paid on call system, it helps get and retain members.
Which is why I caption the word volunteer.

Any of the "reasons" given for wanting him fired are totally bogus.
Cannibalism at its finest, lol

But then again, if he really wants to help his community, he could just resign in Tdot and take the full time gig in Innisfil. Leaving a new slot in Tdot for an up and comer.

Yeah but thinking and claiming you are can be very different from actually being one, lol.

I look at the same way as if a police officer would be part of a community security group, like Neighbourhood Watch or something, in their home community.
Not quite the same thing.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
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Why not? Both are professionals in their line of work who bring the knowledge and experience of their professional lives into play in their own communities. Seems very similar to me.
Neighbourhood watch isn't the same thing as pay for play fire fighting.
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
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Depends on your definition of volunteer I guess. To us there are either career or volunteer departments. Volunteer departmentscover a wide range. My first dept. when I was 15 was totally volunteer, to the point where the local pulp mill "volunteered" a lot of bits and pieces. We also did dances and raffles to raise money. Mycurrent dept. has one full time fire prevention officer who is also chief and some pay for training officer and weekend duty officer which is rotated among the officers. We get $15 for practices and have a pool of money that is devided up at xmas for calls. Works out to $15-20 a call. We have a volunteer board of directors that fund raise for us and look after the political aspects, so we do quite well. Nearly all of us are NFPA certified. OTH some of the neighbouring depts. have very little coin abd poor training which shows at calls.then there a a couple in more affluent areas that do paid on call with some making upwards of $ 6000 a year. But most of these guys are there for the experience looking to move to career departments.
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
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London, Ontario
Neighbourhood watch isn't the same thing as pay for play fire fighting.

Yeah but I'm taking about the benefit it brings to the smaller communities that can't afford a full time firehouse. Which would be not that dissimilar from a small community that relies on the OPP instead of a local police presence and the benefit a professional law enforcement officer would bring to a community security group.
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
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36
London, Ontario
. OTH some of the neighbouring depts. have very little coin abd poor training which shows at calls.

See this is where I think having a professional experienced fire fighter involved might help. Paid or not, the benefit is at least potentially there for the community.

And how is working 6 hours part time as a firefighter anymore tiring than working 6 hours dry walling (or whatever) in your off hours anyway? I mean, really? That seems to be the point of contention that the union is floating anyway.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
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Yeah but I'm taking about the benefit it brings to the smaller communities that can't afford a full time firehouse. Which would be not that dissimilar from a small community that relies on the OPP instead of a local police presence and the benefit a professional law enforcement officer would bring to a community security group.
Ya but it isn't really volunteer work, they get paid, and in some areas, it adds up neatly.
This ain't play dude. Just as deadly for a volunteer as a union firefighter, perhaps moreso due to the lack of practice.
I wasn't talking about the work dude, pay for play is a term used by some of the locals to describe their "volunteer" fire fighting.

See this is where I think having a professional experienced fire fighter involved might help. Paid or not, the benefit is at least potentially there for the community.
I didn't say it wouldn't.

And how is working 6 hours part time as a firefighter anymore tiring than working 6 hours dry walling (or whatever) in your off hours anyway? I mean, really? That seems to be the point of contention that the union is floating anyway.
That would fall into the bogus taxslave mentioned earlier, and the cannibalism I mentioned in the OP.
 

Cannuck

Time Out
Feb 2, 2006
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This ain't play dude. Just as deadly for a volunteer as a union firefighter, perhaps moreso due to the lack of practice.

Any moron that would use the term "pay for play" obviously has no idea what volunteer firefighting is about. While I can't understand why he repeatedly and continuously makes a fool of himself, I do appreciate the entertainment value.

Now, as to the OP, volunteer positions take jobs from career firefighters and that is what it's about. Why would anybody be surprised that the union is looking after it's own interests. It's not that much different than business that won't let their employees respond to calls during work hours.
 

CDNBear

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Sep 24, 2006
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Any moron that would use the term "pay for play" obviously has no idea what volunteer firefighting is about.
More of that awesome cannibalism.

While I can't understand why he repeatedly and continuously makes a fool of himself, I do appreciate the entertainment value.
You know Brian?

Does he know you talk about him like this on the net?

Now, as to the OP, volunteer positions take jobs from career firefighters and that is what it's about. Why would anybody be surprised that the union is looking after it's own interests. It's not that much different than business that won't let their employees respond to calls during work hours.
Like I said, cannibalism at its finest.
 

Cannuck

Time Out
Feb 2, 2006
30,245
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Alberta
This ain't play dude. Just as deadly for a volunteer as a union firefighter, perhaps moreso due to the lack of practice.

....and equipment. Lots of these small communities would kill to have the back up equipment the big centres have. Our dept is not too bad but that's only because the fire association throws 20 - 50k a year into equipment and training.

I don't make a dime off of firefighting. It probably costs me a few hundred/year once it's all said and done
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
43,839
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Ontario
I don't make a dime off of firefighting. It probably costs me close a few hundred once it's all said and done
Not surprising, you admittedly don't understand things. I remember you admitting you can't even hunt without costing yourself a fortune.

I feel bad for you.

Isn't there someone in your dept that can hold your hand and help you out?