First Responder Roll Call

[PaulieDanger]

Firefighters, EMT's, Medics...cops.

Check in.

What do you do? Where do you run? What have you got? And if you're a F/F, do you run emergency lights on your Dakota/Durango?

I've been out of service for the last two months. But I'm at an all volunteer fire house just outside of Chester, PA (and if you know the area, you know we get work). We run two engines, wet rescue & a ladder (plus a utility & command).

Engines, rescue & ladder are all Pierce. We're taking delivery on a new ladder in May. Utility is an old Chevy and the command if I remember right is an Explorer.

And, I'm planning on blue lighting the shit out of my Dak.

[Mr5150]

I'm a Police Officer Trainee. When I become a sworn officer I should have enough money saved up to buy a SRT-10. If I buy the lights they install em for free. :D

[PaulieDanger]

You know what they say, 5150?

If you can't take the heat, go to Police Academy.

I'm just curious, and don't take this as a shot. But around here cops don't light their cars. Why do you need lights in your POV?

[caulk04]

I never got into it, but my father, step-mother and my mom's old boyfriend are all volunteer firefighters in Grove City, PA at Pine Township Engine Co. Step mom is also an EMT part time.

They recently took delivery on a new pumper and run a rescue and engine that are all Sutphen chassis'. Brush is a mid-late 90's Chevy 6.5 diesel dually and the Command is an 06 F-250 gasser.

Dad runs hideaways in headlights and reverse lights as well as two 4" blue strobes behind the grille on his 95 Ram...

[PaulieDanger]

Hey Caulk.
My ex-fiance's from Greenville. I saw the 343 in some other posts, and knew there was a connection somewhere.

[d9a3k]

Former volunteer Firefighter/First responder... Now a LEO.

[caulk04]

You know, you're the first person to ever comment on the 343! It's been in my sig for a couple years now. Small world afterall!

[Cougar03]

EMT here in michigan :mullet:

[Mr5150]

You know what they say, 5150?

If you can't take the heat, go to Police Academy.

I'm just curious, and don't take this as a shot. But around here cops don't light their cars. Why do you need lights in your POV?

Yea, I'm sure thats what "they" say. I don't know how hard Academys are up there but Montgomery is known as one of the hardest in the country. I know that the physical training is harder for a fire fighter but I don't see how they compare.

You don't necessarily need lights in your personal vehicle BUT I live 30 miles away from HQ and we don't get to take marked cars home. If something happens and I need to be there, I don't want to worry about gettin pulled over by HP.

[nlindste]

I am a volunteer EMT for my local town we cover 25 square miles. We do EMS and motor vehicle extrication. I am also a paid EMT for the local hospital and I am contracted to one of the local towns to provide EMS coverage.

I currently have a LED dashlight, 2 LED grill lights and strobes in all the corners.

I will post pics later if anyone wants.

Nick

[dak-rt-2a-XR]

Former Special Forces Rangers Paramedic. Had every damn license a medical guy could have...EMT-P EMT-B ACLS BLS PALS First responder and a license to perform small surgical operations. Had 20 hours short of being a RN when I left.

Greatest time of my life looking back, but once I got hurt and had to leave the military, I was advised doing what I was doing as a paramedic wouldn't be best for my conditions.

[JBert]

Volunteer Firefighter & EMT here in Connecticut

Certified in FF1, HAZ-MAT, BLS CPR, starting EMT school

Looking for a full time FD job or PD job (have an asssociates in CJ)

Otherwise, we use all Pierce rigs in our town. Our main company (1) has an engine (first out) rescue, tower, and 2 utilities. Fire is the best thing thats ever happened to me - :drive:

[4DrMopar]

WAS a FF/EMT-A (yeah that long ago) but still have a stocked trauma bag in the back of my vehicle....

[DaKoTa 35-2]

Volly FF EMT at Lyons Fire...Work part time at Kutztown an EMT, work full time at a Battery Plant (Deka) doing health and safety....Hazmat and EMS calls as well...Run a slim miser in the dash, and 2 mini phantoms in the rear...Have a KME Engine, 4 Guys Rescue, KME Brush, and 4Guys Tanker...Check the pic in the sig...

Heres a link to my vids,


http://www.youtube.com/user/Thirty5TripleUNO

[reitman]

I recently left the Charleston County S.O. after 5 and a half years. Loved everything about it..except for the pay.

I'm a private investigator now.

5150...just a word of advice..don't be that guy and put lights in your POV. If something bad enough happens that you get called into work, all the other cops around will be going there to.

[03'Dakota]

hey I decided I needed something to keep me busy... without spending a shit load more money on my truck lol. so I have been wanting to sign up for as a volly FF. any words of advice for me? tips? anything would help me. and no I'm not just doping this to do it. I have wanted to for a while now.

[Mr5150]

5150...just a word of advice..don't be that guy and put lights in your POV. If something bad enough happens that you get called into work, all the other cops around will be going there to.

Troopers won't be responding and that is most people's reason for the lights more than anything else. Mainly people that don't live in the city.

[DaKoTa 35-2]

hey I decided I needed something to keep me busy... without spending a shit load more money on my truck lol. so I have been wanting to sign up for as a volly FF. any words of advice for me? tips? anything would help me. and no I'm not just doping this to do it. I have wanted to for a while now.

As far as tips are concerned...Just do it...Usually departments let you sign up and take classes from there on out...Not sure how it works up that way...But down here they let you join then they pay for your classes...



Quote:
Originally Posted by reitman View Post
5150...just a word of advice..don't be that guy and put lights in your POV. If something bad enough happens that you get called into work, all the other cops around will be going there to.
Troopers won't be responding and that is most people's reason for the lights more than anything else. Mainly people that don't live in the city.

As far as needing lights as a Statie...Doesn't seem to make sense...If your off and they need you that bad...There should be others going in as well...No need for lights...

[RagingRedR/T]

Volunteer Firefighter here in Cedar Grove WI. We've got 5 engines, a command vehicle (old chevy 1 ton quad cab, doubles as our grass fire unit), and the ambulance of course.

I've only been on for about a year now, but I don't plan on leaving any time soon. I don't run lights in my dakota because I just don't drive it enough to justify the cost, nor would I want to leave it parked near the insanity that our firehouse becomes during a call.

I'm planning on getting some lights for my DD, a 2000 GMC Jimmy.

I thought blue lights were illegal unless on a cop car...

[DaKoTa 35-2]

All states are different with that...In PA Reds/Blues are pd....Fire and ems units have all red as well as officers and Game Lands Officers...Firefighters and EMT's get the blues

Sirens for PD FD and EMS Units as well as Officers...Not for FF's

[Kota04SXT]

Getting ready to go into police academy shortly.... just doing ride alongs at the moment...

[Perdue]

Full-time, I'm an EMT for Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority, who is currently paying for me to sit in station and cruise the net. Today isn't the usual though...We're the second busiest unit in the county. They'll also be paying for me to start paramedic school this summer. I'll be going from 27k/yr to 38k/yr (really good for this state). We have some kickass benifits too.

I'm also a part-time driver/firefighter for Cedar Grove Fire and EMS and a Volunteer Firefighter for Loudendale Fire Department, both here in the Charleston, WV area.

Right now I'm running a Galls slim mount siren speaker, remote siren, and just a small dash light. Planning on doing headlight flashers and a galls visor light soon though. I'll move my current dash light to the back window then.

[DaKoTa 35-2]

27 nor 38 isnt any way to make a living anymore esp for the job, thats why I went to part time status and found something else to pay the bills, i love doing it, and would love to do it full time, but the amount of training it takes (technically im alreayd half way there having my emt) but anymore would be foolish to only make around 35k a year...Im doing pretty much the same thing at my job now...Run emergency calls in the plant, but also to testing and such in the plants...Im making 40K...Sounds a lot better to me and I didnt have to take any further training...

[Jjud13]

Firefighter/EMT here in Bridgeport, Michigan. Been doin it for 5 years now and wouldn't trade it for the world! We don't run lights in our POV's but I have whelen corner strobes and wig-wags just for the hell of it.

[pirahnah3]

well ill chime in i have to respond for wastewate rtreatment plant and im trained in cpr nd all that great stuff. But have a whle dif set of problems to deal with than yall

[Perdue]

35-2, I don't see that having the same excitement I have for my 27k/yr (38k/yr in about 18 months if all goes well). I mean, hell...The fights, the guns, the Category A/B-Meds. Shit, son, look at all that you're missing. :jester:

Honestly, I wouldn't trade my job for anything though. I love it, I just need to get some more money coming in. Bear in mind that 27k here is not the same as 27k in PA. It's actually decent pay. If I didn't have a truck payment, I could make it without being paycheck to paycheck, but what fun is that? The medic license will allow me for a lot more money to play on.