Mike SE IL - 5/14/2023 22:18

I don't ask for a discount, but if offered I will accept it.  It makes the giver feel good about themselves.

AP4 I agree with the being humble idea.  But if asked to stand and be recognized I will do it.  Not to get recognition, but to encourage other emergency responders.  My standing when someone else does is a way of saying I'm with you, I have your back..

tommyw-5088 lights are an interesting topic.  There is actually some research showing better response times when lights are not used!  I told my guys (I know, I'm retired as Chief.  They are still my people) to take the money they'd put in lights and spend it on a trauma kit (a real first aid kit) and training on how to use it.  We are a rural department and in worst case situations may be a half hour from an ambulance arriving.  Your training and kit may save a life.  You rarely say that about blue lights.

We talk a lot in our department about how to respond safely. Not only formally at training but informally ... I'll call it coffee talk where the really important things get discussed.   About 10 years ago our current Chief, responding to an ambulance call as a young EMT hit loose gravel on a blacktop at high speed.  He is only here because God had a purpose for him.  There's no other explanation for him walking away from it.

We also had a volunteer who had too much to drink respond to a page, lose control and was killed in route to the station.  He was found by a neighbor that is now one of our trustees.  We spend a lot of time formally and informally to burn into our responder's minds the fact if we have to stop and pick their butts off the ground we aren't doing the public any good.

We can safely and comfortably transport 6 people on department rigs.  That is also our normal number of "first out" responders.  Those not first out will respond to the scene in their POV's.  We do not encourage firefighters to have blue lights, but we don't prohibit it.  A blue bubble on the dash gives a bit of legitimacy.  You can be fairly certain it's not just a gawker.

The Chief has blue interior light bar front and rear.  (if you travel to Chicago, East St Louis, or some states it is best your lights not be readily visible)  I have a 48" light bar on my pickup as does one of our department "core" people.  Often when responding to an incident where visibility may be an issue (more of a problem with highway accidents than fires) we will respond to the scene in our pickups with lights if here are enough first out.  The reason is to provide additional warning and traffic control. This is especially important around curves or on hills where traffic, especially semi trucks, may not see what's going on until it's too close.