need help

[grandvalleyfire]

i am an engineer for a very small and poor dept alot of our equipment has come from out of our own pockets.we are a volunteer dept and have the people who want to do anything they can to learn firefighting however due to money being low and the firefighters going broke we cant afford anything else. we are in desperate need of anything like nomex hoods scba bottles ventilation fans anything and everything we are in desperate need of.we were being funded by a small community but they cut our budget almost completely out and used our money for a new golf course please help

[wcfpd2601]

Where are you located at.  I think if anyone has any ideas to help, it would be helpful to know where you are from (State, etc).

The reason I say this is one example would be through the IL state fire marshal equipment exchange program, maybe equipment from MABAS depts, etc.  Which all is going to be pretty specific to IL depts I would think.

[Fire2006]

Hopefully some one here will be able to help you out some, That is why I started this site and I am working as hard as I can to spread the word about it.

[grandvalleyfire]

we are located in west Tn. we just recently got a new chief and he is very enthusiatic and really wants to make big improvements to our dept. but that takes some money. we are trying to train alot of new firefighters too. usually when you change chiefs some of the firefighters go with him. we have alot of probies but they are trying hard and most of them are going through there firefighter 1 and first responder. id just like to have all the tools neccesary when they get done with it. also if you have any training regiments that work well with your dept or anything that bulid comradery through the training exercises than that would be great. we are pretty much a brand new dept in an old station and with all of the new members id like to find ways to bring them closer together.

[wcfpd2601]

I think as you guys make improvements it will help build the relationships.

As far as equipment, I would check if your State Fire Marshals Office does any type of free equipment exchange.  I don't know if they do, ours does in IL.  Also, try contacting "big" city depts.  A lot of the depts around here (including mine) has gotten a lot of equipment for free from the City depts up in the northern part of the State (they have a lot more money) and give a lot of their "older" stuff away (even trucks).

My personal opinion on training (especially with the probies), train like hell on the basics.  Specialized training is great, but sometimes I think we get away from the basics too much.  Try to find ways to keep it interesting with different scenarios etc. not to get burn out.  Utilize great website such as:
firehouse.com
firefighterclosecalls.com
respondersafety.com

I am a huge "fan" of the camaraderie as well.  I encourage my FF's to look into the history and traditions of the fire service.  I think it speaks volumes.  Even the history and traditions of big depts such as FDNY, Chicago, etc. 

These of course are just my opinions/ideas, hope it helps.

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!
 

[Fire2006]

it is damn sad that they would take your funding away for a golf course, I don't totally know your situation but it sounds like you run first responder too, does the public know how your funding has been cut at that public saftey is at risk? if not one of the first things I would do would be contact local media and make it known. things like this happen all too often and it is totally unacceptable. The media loves to get ahold of things like this, it sounds like you would have nothing to lose trying an approach like this. Let the public know you are broke, all too often people do not think about the fire department until they need them.

do you have any types of fund raisers at all? in the past we have made some decent money doing a yard sale belive it or not.


I am currently working hard behind the scenes to try and get help for departments like yours, keep us updated and I will keep working on every thing I can

[rescuepvrd]

I'm from Ky (your loud neighbor). I'll check with my dept, and see if we can spare anything. Although I don't think we have any old gear left now. The city don't found you guys at all? (that's if your place is a city?)

If city don't found you guys stop making runs. Enough house in that city burn to the ground waiting on another dept will cause the citizens to go after the city. I would do nothing be for using improper gear or even bad equipment.

Stay safe.

Edit: Also do a house to house call in your coverage area, and explain to the citizens that your dept is not founded, and your lacking the proper gear to do your duties. You might get some donations that way, and put pressure on your city council (if you have one) to enact a fire dept founding. As citizens will start calling council complaining about not founding the dept that might save there lives one day. Elderly more so.

Also in acting a yearly fee to all citizens in your coverage area of $25 per house/property to cover them all year. If they do not pay the $25 (or what ever amount you guys do) then charge them $500 per run. If you do not charge for runs then there's your problem.

[wcfpd2601]

I would definitely look at what you guys can do about charging.  A lot of it depends on how your set up etc.  For example, we do not charge "our taxpayers" because that IS where we already get our funds from.  However, if we go on an accident, extrication, vehicle fire, etc and they do not reside in our County, then their insurance company gets billed (because they do not already pay the taxes).

On a previous dept there were problems billing due to the founding fathers and the village writing the contract that specified payment to the dept by the village, which in turn said the dept could not bill anyone in the town.

Moral to the post...do some digging and see.  Remember, 99% of the time it is going to be an insurance company paying, which most policies have that cost already wrote in them.

[grandvalleyfire]

thanks yea that is our situation now is it is the community that funds us and they are the ones that are going to cut our budget to have this golf course...maybe one day it will catch fire...lol and there are by laws stating that we cant solicite. we sent out letters saying fire dues were needing to be paid which is 50 a year very affordable and maybe got 20 checks out of that. we also serve the rural outskirts of that community and we do get paid by insurance from that but most of our call are run wihin the community.

[bigdawgpeat]

I am in  southern Mo.  get in touch with me by email  and i might have some ppe that you can use ..  I am the chief of a very simular dept.  i have 11 on the roster. we run 70 + calls a year. 
caneymtnvfd@yahoo.com

[DESPERADO]

I am in East Tennessee and have the same problems. But the state and county governments can sure find a way for raises in taxes but could care less about a fire dept. I have a lot of equipment I paid for. An engine, hose, MSA's etc. but the county will not back me as a VFD due to "lacking funds and no county fire services", I am over 10 miles away from the nearest VFD somy house and many others will be toast by the time they get here.
I do need supply line if anyone has a connection. I have put several thousand dollars of my own money into this already with NO cooperation from the county.
SAD.
Thanks,
Steve Glassburn
FF/PM, retired Professional FF
Local 3140

[oldfireman]

i mat be able to help you

make me a list of what you need

[DESPERADO]

i mat be able to help you

make me a list of what you need

I need 2  1/2" supply. As much as I can get due to the lack of hydrants in parts of the county. I could use turnout gear, boots, and tools. Air packs, I have 4 outdated  ones, but I do have about 10 steel bottles with most of them are good with hydro. We just need what we can get.
Thanks. Steve

[oldfireman]

what is your price wrang or do you got any trucks you could trade if so we got a jaws of life

what kind of trucks you got makes ,year,and model

[DESPERADO]

I think as you guys make improvements it will help build the relationships.

As far as equipment, I would check if your State Fire Marshals Office does any type of free equipment exchange.  I don't know if they do, ours does in IL.  Also, try contacting "big" city depts.  A lot of the depts around here (including mine) has gotten a lot of equipment for free from the City depts up in the northern part of the State (they have a lot more money) and give a lot of their "older" stuff away (even trucks).

My personal opinion on training (especially with the probies), train like hell on the basics.  Specialized training is great, but sometimes I think we get away from the basics too much.  Try to find ways to keep it interesting with different scenarios etc. not to get burn out.  Utilize great website such as:
firehouse.com
firefighterclosecalls.com
respondersafety.com

I am a huge "fan" of the camaraderie as well.  I encourage my FF's to look into the history and traditions of the fire service.  I think it speaks volumes.  Even the history and traditions of big depts such as FDNY, Chicago, etc. 

These of course are just my opinions/ideas, hope it helps.

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

These all sound like great ideas, but all of the small departments that get grants here in East Tennessee sell all of there old eouipment on Gov. deals.com. Which I think is bad due to a smaller dept., like mine having to do without.
I have personally out of my pocket bought an engine, some hose, ladders, air paks and tanks, some turnout gear, nozzles which cost a bit even tho' they are used.
I can't travel to far away places to get a couple of this and a couple of thats. I feel that all of these deparments that get grants should give their old stuff away free, not sell it.
Steve