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Editor’s note: This editorial was submitted by a rural firefighter who asked that his name be withheld due to fear of retaliation for speaking out on this issue that affects the safety of us all. The editorial came in response to our story, “Why are so many fire stations closed—and what’s being done to boost staffing?” Our story revealed a shortage in volunteer firefighters paid a minimal stipend. Recruitment rates are lower than loss rates as newly trained volunteers are hired away by Cal Fire and other agencies. Read our original story here: http://www.eastcountymagazine.
August 11, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) --I think this was a great article; being in the fire service for more than 20 years I can tell you I think you missed one key area.
Trained personnel is a key part of firefighting. The county lacks the ability to retain the people they train. This means they continue to have new people that lack experience. Without experience and training you will come into a situation that you will possibly kill firefighters.
I started my venture in the fire service working in the rural area as a volunteer firefighter for Dehesa Volunteers. I know the rural community very well and I know that I will never move my family to an area where there isn't adequate fire protection. Without adequate fire protection and emergency services you the community will have a lower chance of living in a true medical or fire situation.
Proper training doesn't come from just sending them to a academy. It takes years of running calls to become experienced. Your ability to write a story didn't happen over night. It came from years of learning and finding the ways to develop a story. The same comes with firefighting. If we get a significant fire in the rural area and these new firefighters with minimal experience are left out there to fight these fires with minimal years of training you will kill firefighters. Wildland fires are like nothing else. The County fire protection system lacks money and lack the ability to attract seasoned firefighters. We can't expect to be like Riverside, LA County or any other community unless we spend the money to do it. You can't expect a city fire response unless you pay for it.
When we have a house fire in our community this is what responds. We call them Alarms meaning 1st alarm, 2nd alarm and 3rd alarm
When you get a house fire you get a 1st alarm sent to the fire right when the call goes out over the radio
A 1st alarm for us is:
- 4 fire engines
- 1 Ladder truck
- 1 Paramedic unit
- 1 battalion chief
Once the first engine get on scene they give a size up and that will tell everyone coming what is going on. That Captain will either say what they can handle with the first alarm or maybe they will requested a 2nd or even 3rd alarm which will immediately call for additional units.
The 2nd alarm will send these addition units
- 4 additional fire engines
- 1 additional Ladder truck
- 1 Light and Air Unit (special rig for lights and Air which is used to fill our breathing bottles on our back)
- 1 battalion chief
The 3rd alarm will be these additional resources.
- 4 additional fire engines
- 1 additional Ladder truck
Rural community will never have this type of response with the money they spend on the fire service. I don't see how they will ever retain quality employees with the amount of money they pay their employees.
So it goes back to what I feel is the important issue which should never be overlooked. Experience and having trained employees and enough firefighters to do a safe and efficient job. This comes with experience and the qualifications to do it. It take years to get experience. We don't just look for a warm body to fill a firefighters slot, we want a quality employees that can be trusted to save lives. This person must have the same quality members around them.
This is just my 2 cents,
Thanks,
Experienced Firefighter
The opinions are those of the author and not necessarily those of the East County Magazine. Those with comments and opinions for consideration should submit them to the editor at editor@eastcountymagazine.org.
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