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Does any department have a provision for someone to join the department as a member but not to respond to fire calls (class C, administrative members). many have provisions for someone who has been a member to "retire" to that status, but what about someone who wants to join and give something to the community, but for whatever reason can't respond to emergencies. Many departments have honorary members, but why not let someone join and be a full member of the department. Many departments are struggling with membership and the current membership is doing the same work now with far less, not just on fire calls but everything the department does. If we had 5 guys that volunteered to do committee work, fund-raising, cooking or whatever it would take the burden off everyone else and would allow that person to give back to the community in some form. Maybe a retired business person or computer person would want to volunteer their time to help with the administrative aspects? Someone may just want to be involved in the brotherhood and for a medical reason can't be a firefighter but would love to work on fire prevention, go to a few parades, etc? Any thoughts?
in my department we have honorary members who may not respond to alarms but help out with company meeting night, man the bars, and grill the food for cookouts. they cant participate in parades but are able to attend the installation dinner. they have an important role as far as taking some of the weight and responsibilities off of the junior guys, but as it comes to totem pole, their non-existent
A Members is a Member and having "social" members only turns off the hard working members that get up 3 am for that BS automatic alarm. Since these members would be entitled to the same perks, losap, ect .... as the members answering alarms, in time you'll have a dept full of committee members that don't answer alarms, because it's just easier! That is just human nature, do the least amount of work for the most amount of gain. Reality, Sad but True.
I agree with 9101 there are people among us that try to do the least amount of work for the most amount of gain. You're only catering to their needs by having a "non member" or "honorary" status. Adding a polciy of this kind is tricky. Its a risk vs rewards thing. Are we really going to gain anything by accepting people to help the dept out adminstratively or are we going to lose potential firefighters or existing members to the policy?
I think you have to look at the situation, some people may have a mental or physical problem, and others just would like the the satisfaction of being apart of something bigger than themselves.. And of course members given the "honorary" titles aren't entitled to the same benefits we are as firefighters or medics.. At least in my department
Policy shouldn't be designed to fit the needs of a specific person, justifying them fitting into your department. Policy such as this, should take the departments needs into count, looking at the big picture, fulfilling the department's needs and not a members. I believe "admin./committee" stuff should be given to members that "did their time" and riding the rig isn't their top priority anymore. They have the experience to effectively handle a committee, they understand the committees history and its needs and in most cases they have earn that privelage.
Depending on how active your department operates, a guy who contributes a lot on Committees and to fundraising efforts might, in real, actual and literal terms, be doing more for the fire department as a whole than an "active" Class A member.
Sure, the Class C and/or honorary members don't/cannot do drills and won't be showing up to calls to do nothing at 3 a.m., but if they're good at something and can contribute, I'd support letting them in.
And remember, they won't be able to "freeload" any more than a regular Class A or B guy. If someone isn't doing anything, whether Class A, B, C, etc., they should get the boot from the department.
I don't know, I just think that a younger person who brings certain things to the table should be allowed to donate his/her time to benefit the fire service, even if they are limited physically.
I guess the requirements for events like installation dinners, etc., could be that you put in as many hours doing administrative work as a Class A or B does to drilling. I can tell you right now, I'D RATHER BE DRILLING, haha. I'm sure they'd rather be drilling too.
As is the case with being an active Class A firefighter in general, it would be crazy to join as an administrative person solely to get some drinks and go to semi-annual events. Working a 2nd job, like being a waiter or bartender a few nights a week, will probably take less time and will DEFINITELY leave you with a ton of extra, leftover money, if all you are paying for is a few decent dinners a year and drinks from time to time.
Non-firefighting members
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