You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.
This weekend we all know is the baltimore Fire Expo convention. Many firefighters as well as chiefs from long island depts attend the conference.
How does your dept handle conferences like this one where all your chiefs are out of town? Are there policies set where the capts take out chiefs cars for the weekend? Shifts where each company capt/officer has to respond to all calls? One chief stays behind? Or do you just respond as you normally would do? You also have to keep in mind that the manpower pool that responds to calls might also be affected if a lot of ff's from your dept attends. Any automatic mutual aids?
All the other years I can remember a chief has stayed behind, but for some reason this year all of our chiefs are out of town. Also in my dept the officers go too which makes it extra hard to keep things in order and running the right way.
What we have done is we gave the most recent ex chief a car, and we have one or two officers in town that were asked to simply step up and be around. Other then that we run as normal.
I don't understand what the problem is with Chiefs being out of town. I am sure there are plenty of departments where the entire chief staff works regular 9-5 hours. What happens at those day calls when they are all at work. Trust your officers/senior men. If you get work solicit the help of ex-chiefs for the command post. There will be plenty of people with seniority around. Just get the job done and trust your decisions. I am sure most departments have Sig 10 procedures in place so if you get a job, drop the 10 and know that help is on the way.
Bottom line is we have all been trained. There is no reason why we shouldn't be able to get water on a fire, do primary/secondary searches, vent/ overhaul, etc, without a chief present.
FYI- NYS Law now says Districts cant spend money on out of state training travel without permission from the AG. So our Chiefs arent going anywhere.
When they leave, the "burden" falls upon the first due office. We have occasionally anointed the senior captain with a car, but that doesnt happen anymore.
Highest ranking officer on scene is the IC, same as any other run where there are no chiefs. Rarely we will put someone in place as "acting chief." It used to be done for the State Convention/Parade, but not in a long time. During the Installation Dinner there is usually an ex-chief in town with the standby crews but he acts more for informational issues than to command the standby units.
We have the captain of the company that said chief or chiefs belong take over the car for said period of time, while chief is oos. Same for when the chiefs are on vacation, that policy is in effect.
If the Chiefs are out of town, the next highest ranking officer present will take command.. No Chief then a Capt.. no Capt then a Lieut.. No Lieut.. then an Ex-Chief.. you get the picture..
I don't understand what the problem is with Chiefs being out of town. I am sure there are plenty of departments where the entire chief staff works regular 9-5 hours. What happens at those day calls when they are all at work. Trust your officers/senior men. If you get work solicit the help of ex-chiefs for the command post. There will be plenty of people with seniority around. Just get the job done and trust your decisions. I am sure most departments have Sig 10 procedures in place so if you get a job, drop the 10 and know that help is on the way.
Bottom line is we have all been trained. There is no reason why we shouldn't be able to get water on a fire, do primary/secondary searches, vent/ overhaul, etc, without a chief present.
B I N G O ! ! !...people blow this whole thing out of proportion...
Chiefs Out of District
Re: Chiefs Out of District
