Why are Volunteer firefighters hated so much???

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Permalink Reply by Karl Grath on January 11, 2017 at 6:32pm

I wouldn't say that volunteer firefighters are "hated" per se, but they do not receive the same level of respect. It's like comparing a soup kitchen volunteer, to a full-time charity worker. Yes we appreciate your intent but at the end of the day this isn't your profession so you aren't making it your priority to stay on top of procedures, training, equipment upgrades, etc. If every volunteer routinely checked fire service news sources (they have fire service news apps now, for heaven's sake) then they'd be more informed and earn more respect.

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Permalink Reply by Karl Grath on February 7, 2017 at 4:38pm

Not hated, just not respected - as much. Volunteers don't train constantly, or are aware of current events/techniques/policies/strategies/etc... At the very least, anyone participating in fire service or emergency medical services, should keep themselves updated onfire service news so they're actually helpful and not just getting in the way of professionals.

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Permalink Reply by Tom on January 24, 2019 at 10:22pm

To be honest it's just most career fire fighters have never been a volunteer. If you want a career as a fire fighter I always tell people try a volunteer department first that way you can know for sure. I have respect for volunteers and careers I've seen career departments call in volunteer departments to help with calls. In my opinion if you signed up to put your life in harm's way to save a life and it's not if it happens it when it happens then God dammit you deserve just as much respect then the guy who gets paid to do it. Here's an example when I was in the Army on active duty we never respected the national guard but we had a national guard unit deploy with us and they were extremely squared away. I joined the national guard after 4 years of active duty and the company I went to every sergeant and higher were ranger qualified. I've seen volunteer departments out do career departments. I've seen volunteer firefighters at their stations every single day training working out checking their engines and equipment and no it's not just the chief it's the crew. The difference between a volunteer and a career is one gets paid and the other one doesn't. I've seen this to volunteer fire fighter spending time with his family kids birthday party taking his wife or gf on a date he gets a tone he is out the door and gone. Career fire fighter he's at the department ready for a call he's expecting a call for the next 24 to 48 hours after that he goes home for 48 to 96 hours if his department gets a tone during those 96 hours oh well. Volunteer in most cases aren't getting paid you can get 8 tones in one day and I've seen it but he ain't getting paid. I've seen career departments get one call in a day. He's still getting paid. The fire fighter community is suppose to be non biased doesn't matter if your paid or not and I respect both. We showed up second to a call one time a volunteer department was already attacking the fire so we had to run supply one of our guys didn't agree and said well they're just volunteers they don't know s***. I pulled him aside after we got back and I told him I better not ever hear him talk down on another department again career or volunteer and those volunteers did an outstanding job. It doesn't matter if your paid or volunteer you deserve the same reapect.

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