Thread: Fire Strikes once more - No Op Fiasco this time!

Originally Posted by Recce19

Originally Posted by jarrod248

Originally Posted by auxie

Originally Posted by auxie

I was allowed to sleep on duty when I was in the army. TBH, I would rather have the fire brigade not being busy. It kinda bugs me that almost all jobs are now run by office worker types that think that it is appropriate that everyone should be busy throughout a shift.

Exactly, most of the twats whining about people sleeping on a nightshift have never worked anything but a 9-5 dayshift, put those wankers on a 12 hr rotating day /night shift and see how they get on

I worked 12 hour nights for many months without a night off and I wasn't allowed to sleep and was busy throughout the night, very busy. I'd have loved to have been able to sleep - I could not have done so.

My bold. Jarrod, serious question. was that continual night shift or a combination of earlies, lates and nights? Reason I ask, is that they are completely different beasts (I've worked both).

Also, as a nurse, you will be aware of the health risks involved in shift work; especially nights. This is not a dig, as I am looking at both sides of the coin here.

It was continual night shifts without a night off for many months - exactly what i'd posted.

OK, thanks for your responce Jarrod. I personally found continous night shift the easier to deal with. Continually changing my sleep pattern was/is a killer. IIRC, most work place accidents/incidents happen between 01:00 and 03:00.

Right, back on thread... :D

I'm starting to wonder if some of the folks on here, who are moaning about Firefighters are just trying to wind us up and get a response. This is due to some people sounding like absolute idiots with no idea what they're on about.

I'm a Firefighter, but have also been in the Paras, worked as a Copper and done some night-shifts on a City Centre Ambulance. I've also worked night shifts in a warehouse and as a security guard, so I KNOW a little about ALOT of the jobs being mentioned.

The biggest difference between Firefighters, and any other type of night shift (apart from fire-fights with armed forces) is the level of energy the body uses in heat. It MASSIVELY wears your body down. So I'm so sorry if we have a 40 minute rest inbetween calls if we're VERY lucky in the night shifts.

How many Coppers, Security Guards, Paramedics or Warehouse workers have you seen collapse due to energy loss? NONE, I'm sure. I've worked all of those jobs, and I've never seen it. I HAVE however, seen quite a few Firefighters come out of fires, after their 2nd or 3rd entry into the building, looking for people to save, just collapse.

We need the rest of a night time, as that's when we get most of our calls. If you don't see why, I'll rapidly explain...... Fires in the day, usually get seen early, and delt with by those already in the building. While workers go home, or house users go to bed, the fire grows as much as it wants, until we're called out to deal with in it's HUGE state.

As for not striking...... I agree. I also think we shouldn't strike, and that's why I vote to not strike on these issues and I tryy my best to get others to follow my thinking.

As for the wages being alot...... Oh please...... It's a shit wage when you look at what we have to learn, train for, re-learn, re-train for and risk our lives for.

As for fitting bloody smoke detectors, I also agree that it should be conducted by lower paid individuals, so us guys can just train, prepare our kit and respond to 'calls'.

If you can't quite see my points, I'm at a loss as to how to show you the common sense involved here.

You've never collapsed in a heap due to exhaustion/energy loss as a copper? You must be hard as fcuk as I've seen people so tired from fighting with people they've vomitted and passed out and during Mutual aid (public order work) people are always dropping like flies... Everywhere! I can oly assume you had your eyes shut whilst on duty. I myself have rolled away from fighting on the floor when colleagues have arrived and just stayed their for a minute or two to compose myself as I'm not a mixed martial artist and fighting is one of the most strenuous, tiring things I have ever done.

Do you remember my hint about going from informed poster to crying arrse... You're not far off it mate. Water Wasters are not the only people who have it hard and fire is not the only life threatening thing civvies face. I imagine The coastguard will tell you that Cold Water can just as easily kill/exhaust people.

Water fairies do a good job. Don't make them come across as Barrel Chested Self Worshipping knights of the realm though.

Thermal_Warrior,
For the reasons of exhaustion you mention it seems sensible to reduce the night shift from 15 hours to 12 doesn't it?

Originally Posted by jarrod248

Thermal_Warrior,
For the reasons of exhaustion you mention it seems sensible to reduce the night shift from 15 hours to 12 doesn't it?

As somebody who works in the NHS have you ever seen a nurse/paramedic/doctor pass out after doing CPR?

Dont worry TW there plenty on here can see where your coming from, and dont view 28k a year as footballers wages, its crap for what you have to do imho

Originally Posted by Closet_Jibber

Originally Posted by jarrod248

Thermal_Warrior,
For the reasons of exhaustion you mention it seems sensible to reduce the night shift from 15 hours to 12 doesn't it?

As somebody who works in the NHS have you ever seen a nurse/paramedic/doctor pass out after doing CPR?

No I haven't but i've seen some patients look like they've had better days. I haven't worked in areas where people are liable to often need resuscitating though. I've no idea what happens in busy A&E depts these days or on busy wards.

Originally Posted by jarrod248

Originally Posted by Closet_Jibber

Originally Posted by jarrod248

Thermal_Warrior,
For the reasons of exhaustion you mention it seems sensible to reduce the night shift from 15 hours to 12 doesn't it?

As somebody who works in the NHS have you ever seen a nurse/paramedic/doctor pass out after doing CPR?

No I haven't but i've seen some patients look like they've had better days. I haven't worked in areas where people are liable to often need resuscitating though. I've no idea what happens in busy A&E depts these days or on busy wards.

Fair play. I'm just keen to find other professions where people work nights and get tired.

It's quite simple really. Before you start whining about Firefighters I suggest you find out exactly what the dispute is all about. There are Chief Fire Officers around the country reducing numbers of posts all over -all in the name of "modernisation."
It's not modernisation, it's the erosion of the only emergency service that still will come to your aid in a realistic time; to EVERY call for help. (How many Police or Ambulance services can say that?)

Immature rants do you no favours.

Find out the true facts - then judge.

Originally Posted by Closet_Jibber

Originally Posted by jarrod248

Originally Posted by Closet_Jibber

Originally Posted by jarrod248

Thermal_Warrior,
For the reasons of exhaustion you mention it seems sensible to reduce the night shift from 15 hours to 12 doesn't it?

As somebody who works in the NHS have you ever seen a nurse/paramedic/doctor pass out after doing CPR?

No I haven't but i've seen some patients look like they've had better days. I haven't worked in areas where people are liable to often need resuscitating though. I've no idea what happens in busy A&E depts these days or on busy wards.

Fair play. I'm just keen to find other professions where people work nights and get tired.

Of course i've been knackered after running about all night - especially in the prisons.

I'd say if I had to say anyone got their first and in decent time to multi agency jobs that it was the paramedics. The calendar boys were normally 5 mile away fitting a smoke detector in a firework factory and the Old Bill... Well there is only three of them on duty and two of them can't drive!

However I think anyone who works in one of the emergency services knows the ones you need most always arrive last. Sods Law I think its still called!

I don't think there are many who disagree with the sentiment of what is happening to the fire service is wrong (Even if a couple of die hard posters on here would argue otherwise). However making The Fire Brigade out to be mans last stand against the final ill of humanity is just a bit daft. They're not the only ones who are having it hard and as I said earlier on.

An Army forum is the wrong forum to talk to people about being overworked and underpaid.

Originally Posted by Closet_Jibber

I'd say if I had to say anyone got their first and in decent time to multi agency jobs that it was the paramedics. The calendar boys were normally 5 mile away fitting a smoke detector in a firework factory and the Old Bill... Well there is only three of them on duty and two of them can't drive!

However I think anyone who works in one of the emergency services knows the ones you need most always arrive last. Sods Law I think its still called!

I don't think there are many who disagree with the sentiment of what is happening to the fire service is wrong (Even if a couple of die hard posters on here would argue otherwise). However making The Fire Brigade out to be mans last stand against the final ill of humanity is just a bit daft. They're not the only ones who are having it hard and as I said earlier on.

An Army forum is the wrong forum to talk to people about being overworked and underpaid.

No one has mentioned underpay or over work.
No one mentioned anything about a last stand.
As I said find out the truth before you post.

I was a squaddie in the 70`s and a fireman in the 80`s and 90`s. I don`t know about problems with manning, lengths of shifts etc happening at the moment and don`t really care. However, I would like to make a few points:

Firefighting has changed a great deal in the last 30 years. The guys used to work a 56 hour week. Now it`s 42 hours and with a 4 shift system you can`t reduce it further.

Firegear was heavy and offered poor protection( plastic trousers anyone)? It`s very protective now.

Breathing apparatus was optional, weighed 40lb plus and was seen as cissy to wear. Modern kit is light and comfortable and worn at all fires.

Hose was made of canvas and was a complete ba***rd to work with. It`s much lighter now.

Fire engines were just converted red lorries without automatic gearboxes or power steering. Now they are purpose built with and all the mod cons and storage to make life easier.

Most ladders were made of wood, hookladders were used(eeek) and firemen practised doing carrydowns with their colleagues over their shoulders. Not any more.

Portable pumps used to be a car engine in a frame, now they are lightweight quiet units.

Fires used to be a common occurrence, less so nowadays, thankfully. Guys often go a shift without "turning a wheel".

What I`m pointing out is that the manual work side of the job is far less than it has been. For me it was far easier than being in the Army.Yes, sometimes after a fire you are knackered but so what? Eat some grub and have a brew. Going to fires is great fun. No one likes working nights but if it gets to you transfer to the training department for a rest.

I suspect the H&S and record keeping is far more onerous than it was in the past which would spoil it for me. Risk assessing a fire? Feck off, get in there and put it out.

I think the pay is about right. What is wrong is that the pay of so many people is far too high. No one in the public sector should get more than 3x anyone else, it causes jealousy and ill-feeling.

BTW in the fire brigade promotion is done by measuring the candidates and promoting the tallest one, almost invariably. If you are a short-arse forget it.

Fire authorities will always try to cut jobs, that is their nature. Same as postal managers. They couldn`t give a toss for us lot. Nor could union bosses.

Hi there Horribleharry.

You sem to have been a member of the elite old firefighters. A group that my Father was a proud member of. Some of the points that you raise are accurate, others are off the mark slightly or securely.

Our basic hours are longer, our chances of promotion are now nothing to do with looks or background, and most of all, you won't be aware of how the new fire-kit saves us, but also goes against us.

The old fire-kit was useless at keeping the heat away from you, and you knew when to come out when you could feel your ears burning nicely (true, not a joke) but the new kit allows us to spend ALOT longer in there without getting burned, but unfortunately, this allows the fire to cook our internals nicely and cause our internal body systems to shut down due to the elongated heat.

As for the comments regarding others not working hard, or not being worn out, I know other do so. The difference is the way in which our bodies get cooked..... Yes, cooked!!!! I'm also not complaining about that, I'm just explaining why we need a rest now and again, while we allow our bodies to adjust back to the normal body temperature. That's all.

The only folks I'm complaining about, are other Firefighters who think it's ok to strike. I have no idea why some folks are getting anti towards me, as I'm just trying to explain a few things.