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Video: Worst Fire Department in the United States?

This article is also found at Daily Fire Fix

Probably Not.

 

Daily Fire Fix ran across this video with the interesting title and had to see what was going on.  It’s actually a compilation of videos of the Grant’s Pass Rural Fire Department in Josephine County Oregon which is in southwest OR along I-5 and the California border. 

Grant’s Pass Rural Fire Department is one of three private fire departments competing for fire protection “contracts” for properties in the county. See if you share the myriad of emotions that others have when you see these “firefighters” in action at a residential structure fire.

One you are past the “Oh my God’s” and the “What the &%^#’s”, I’d like to challenge you to watch it a second time.  Only this time, I want you to ask yourself, “if I’m watching this fire department floundering on video, how many other fire departments in the United States operate in similar ways, with no command structure, old equipment, no PPE, no money, and no clue?” 

My guess is that there are quite a few.

Now, let’s take this a step further.

I’d like to pose a challenge to you, the firefighter:  Put yourself into each of the following roles and think about what actions you would take based solely upon the information in the videos and what I have provided you in this article.

  1. You have just been appointed as fire chief of the GPVF and you have just seen this video.
  2. You are the fire chief of the Rural/Metro Fire Department, a neighboring combination department and you have just seen this video..
  3. You are a resident considering with which department to contract your fire protection services: GPVFD at a very, very low cost (45 cents per thousand) , GPFR at a cost five times that of GPVFD, or elect to opt out entirely from any fire contract and you have just seen this video.

If you’d like to, leave a brief comment to this article, or call in and leave a voicemail with your input.  I’ll report back later here on Daily Fire Fix with your ideas.

It's easy to identify the problems.  Got any solutions?  888-887-8718

Stay stoked!

-J

 

 

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Posted in Command & Leadership, Firefighting Operations, Fires, NetCast, News, Training, Training & Development, Videos

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Posted by on January 19, 2012 • 27 comments
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  • Phil Miller

    Ughh, has OSHA seen this video. They would be shut down and fined to where they would not be part of the “competition”. competition should not even exist in any dept. vocabulary when ti comes to being on the scene to a fire. OSHA does NOT investigate a scene of a fire. They WILL investigate the training logs, FIT programs , equipment certifications and a departments’ Operating procedures. They will levy big fines if a department is not compliant and is really out of touch. This Department is a risk to the few who are trying to serve it it should be put out of business and the “family” owners should be tarred and feathered in the center of town. I have worked for a “family” EMS service. Any EMS/Fire service that would endanger it’s employees and customers for a buck, deserves a special place in hell.
     

  • Steve Vest

    I personally liked the video. This is a prime example of great cost cutting measures in our country today. Just to point out a few of the highlights in this video, 1. The young fellow looking at the camera all the time (‘ I wonder if someone will make a movie out of this”?) 2. The girl (sister?) telling the two younger guys “Get your ass over there and help your daddy”. 3. The white helmet showing up ” Dammit Bobby”! They have better firefighters in Mexico than these are. I guess the guy who’s house this is wishes he had took the $39.95 per month plan instead of the $19.95 plan. The higher plan included extra water. I think that this might be part of the “Obama Plan” for these United States. If so, I recommend to all to put your head between your knees and kiss your ass goodbye. If this is what these people are getting from a private service, that charges them for this service, I believe that I would ask for my money back. Why? Cause nothing from nothing leaves NOTHING! Please send more of these videos. I had rather watch this than Lizard Lick Towing.

  • http://www.facebook.com/bryan.waagner Bryan W. Waagner

    I did a web search and found a link to an article by a local tv station KDRV that stated Grants Pass Rural FD went out of business in October of 2012. It also spoke about forming a public fire district to better serve and protect ALL of the residents in this rural area.

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