Advantages & Disadvantages of the Big Department

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Permalink Reply by Barry Harpur on April 6, 2010 at 2:24pm

One big advantage is the fact that when we "call for mutual aid" (meaning more FDNY co.s to the scene), our SOP's are all the same no matter what Co. shows up. When other smaller towns call for mutual aid, the town next door thats coming might have different SOP's. Could make for a disaster!

Permalink Reply by Frozenhosehead on April 6, 2010 at 2:54pm

My opinion is you seem like a drop of water in the ocean rather than some place of being a tablespoon in a tea cup! It seems that Chief Salka has a system down to where he knows a majority of his work force not to mention all the people he meets out on the road. I would think I would much rather be in a larger department where you see a variety and more action instead of one with 100 or so where you feel you are under the microscope a majority of the time and people have nothing to do other than gossip and belittle others they feel are unworthy. Then again it comes down to having great supervisors and co-workers who are there for the bigger picture and not the pay!

I also agree with Barry on the training aspect with a large FD such as the FDNY. It seems like a good majority of our instructors we hear of nationally come from FDNY but not all of them. The likes of Chiefs Brannigan, Brennan, Ray Dowey, Dunn, Patty Brown and Andy Fredericks are just a few of the past ones and now we have Chiefs Salka, Mittendorf and Norman, with other officers like Mike Dugan , Mike Wilbur, Mike Ciampo, Ray McCormack.

I am not saying it's always the bigger the pool the better the people, just that we get better quality instructors and firefighters from places that usually have the best instructors and resources afforded to them but that's not always the case either.

So I think that for some people a bigger dept is better and for others a smaller is better. The big picture is about doing something we all love and live for while doing it for people we don't know and getting along with those we work with.

Attitude and aptitude are a majority of the skiils you need! If you train and discipline yourself and those around you at being better, then there is no reason why any of us can't be the next Chief Lasky or Salka or Brunacini!

Stay safe!

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