St. Johns Fire Department Looking For Answers?

FirefighterHourly.com learned that a local fire department is apparently trying to find out who has been posting comments on FirefighterHourly.com.

The department, St. Johns, has largely been left alone by Hourly due to our belief that there were no significant problems. If the report is true, and an internal investigation is underway, it begs the question of what's wrong and did we overlook it? Should we have delved deeper into issues on the "Island?"

Comments

[rjennings]

One thing to consider before calling out St Johns command staff. Has the person posting exhausted his or her efforts to confront the issue with the command staff? Or is this the tailboard talk of the fire department moving to the net just because it can? Just another perspective.

[Goober]

I don't think its true J.

[concerned ff stjfd]

to everybody on here yes it is all true. they would rather figure out who i am instead of fixing all the problems. nothing is or will change here.

[midwestfirefighter]

Concerned what would you like to see done? All your crying on here is not helping. Did you ask to be transferred from the captain thats not giving you your proper training? Did you follow your chain of command yet? Did you take it upon yourself and ask your captain to go out and drill? Im going to take a stab in the dark and say "no". Concerned you just need to grow a pair and stand up and say something. Doing it on here is getting you no respect at all. You said nothing is or will change here...THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE? I would be happy to help you with your resume. Im sure I will see you at shift change in the morning.
Jim A-shift station1

[greenhornet]

St.Johns firefighter , why not drop the captains you have a problem with an e*mail with the details of your problems. YOU should know how 1st int . last name @ stjfd.org . You can either STAND*UP ! FOR SOMETHING ARE KEEP HIDING AND REMAIN A NOTHING !

[Patches]

Looks like concerned ff hit a nerve. I have a crazy idea instead of people being told to leave how about the lazy officers get off there complacent asses and fix the problems. If concerned leaves the problems are still there. The first step to fixing the problem is admiting you have one. He should not have to go to his officer.The officer should already be training his men.

[rjennings]

Patches, as an offiver I agree. I/we/them/us should be training the firefighters we are charged with leading every oportunity we have. We are only hearing one side of this story though. Has this person gone to his officer with this problem? That is my question. He may have. He may not. That is my problem with this thread as a whole. Is St Johns being bashed by by a FF who has not followed the chain of command? If that is the case, as his officer or chief, I would want to know who it was also. The street goes both ways.

[Patches]

rjennings, first off this site does not follow chain of command. I feel certian most people on here have tried all other avenues. As a good officer you should see the problems before they ever arise. Correct? Also if you are doing the things you are suppose to then you would not have the problems you are having. Why argue it? Train train and train some more. It is your life. It is your saftey and as an officer it is your job to make sure evryone on you truck is safe. That does not mean on the fire ground you walk around and hold his hand. It means when the "probie" walks in the door you find out every thing he knows. Then you teach him everything you know. To many officers are slack asses who think they know everything and dont want to teach another new guy. It is time for all to change.

[rjennings]

Patches, everything you say is coorect except for one thing in my opinion. That everyone on this site have tried all avenues. Im sure you have worked with an individual that there is no pleasing. Someone who would rahter complain to his brother and sister tailboard firefighters rather than go to his officer about an issue. All I am saying is before St Johns is called out, lets make sure that is not the case. As a side not I was not speking of this sites chain of command but the FF's chain of command in his/her department. And if that isnt followed but the FF is here complaining and bashing his captain and or department then yes I think they have a right to know who he is and confront the issue since he wont.

[concerned ff#2]

I totally agree with the problems with St Johns FD. The training may happen at some stations and with some captains and bat chiefs, but not all. I've seen it first hand. As far as using the "chain of command", sometimes it's not possible. If your capt and bat chief don't care, then if you go to the chief, now your a whistle blower. My suggestion would be if the upper brass would like to find the problems, check the dispatch records. See who's actually going out and training. Check fuel logs. If trucks aren't moving, they aren't using fuel and they aren't training nor learning their district. I also feel that the brass needs to move people around to diff stations more frequently. When you leave people at the outer stations to rot, they get lazy and fat. The problems with StJFD need to be solved before there is an accident and then we'll have problems like the city is dealing with.

[Concern Tax Payer]

I would like to understand why $10,000.00 of tax payers money if sending ff to a ff compition in Las Vegas all exspense paid,shouldnt the money be used for things our dept. needs.Than of takeing all that tax payers money (10,000.00 worth) and spending it on a trip that dont benefit our depts.Theres another thing too,how many drivers are going? Are we not short now of drivers? An dont that mean when they go it would push others to pull over time,and dont that cost us tax payers more money to pay over time? I would like to understand this......

[Concern Tax Payer]

The questions i ask is for St.Johns Fire Department. Thats the dept. the $10,000.00 is coming from to send the ff to the ff compition...