[tlwcs]

Also vin the shift pattern is there to cover  24 hr s seven days a week to cover not only fires but car crashes , lorry crashes, rope rescue , water rescue , people stuck in lifts , suicides , people locked in or out of there house , kids locked in cars by accident etc etc the list goes on.

We even have bullet proof vests now to go to terrorist incidents /roaming shooters to get casualties out.

The majority of fatal/serious injury shouts I have been to have been at night , if we were not at the station asleep you could be waiting an extra 8-10 mins for the first appliance , a long time when someone you lo e is trapped .

The point for me is if you are that busy in such a demanding job, is it fair then to spend your days off/rest days as my fireman mate calls them, only to push a mower, clean windows or do any other work?
God forbid when I need you I would like to think you fit and ready and not turning up after 70 odd hours worked in two or three jobs.

I sold my lawn mowing round to a fireman who needed the extra money to live 10 years ago, he still does the two jobs now but is now divorced as he "spent all his time working". You can't buy back time.

To the OP a small percentage may try to stop you through the winter but these are generally the same people who will put you off when it looks like rain or there is building work going on a few doors away. You should with your firemans salary not carry any customers who are crap or late payers or messers of any description.

Tony

[robert mitchell]

You seem to have a problem with firemen sleeping at night so your obviously not that worried about them being rested.

To put the salary into perspective a train driver at southwest trains is on 45000 a year for 35 hours and I know several that also work part time .

Its not a high salary for the work  involved  and if people think its so cushy why have they not joined themselves ?

[tlwcs]

You seem to have a problem with firemen sleeping at night so your obviously not that worried about them being rested.

To put the salary into perspective a train driver at southwest trains is on 45000 a year for 35 hours and I know several that also work part time .

Its not a high salary for the work  involved  and if people think its so cushy why have they not joined themselves ?

Do they sleep at night? I never mentioned that, is it a problem I should worry about?
I dont think I mentioned the salary either. I think your clutching at straws to justify your point.
Like Vin, I'm out.
Tony

[Jettaway]

Just a question, why would it take an extra 8-10 mins? Police work shift patterns and yet sleep in their own time, during a night shift they have to proactively occupy their time.

[Sean Kelly]

Vin, statistically you will be involved in 2 major fires in your life...............just saying

[roundbuilder]

Ok I missed that part of his post but it doesnt change the fact your posting your opinion as fact.

Clearly you dont know the facts .

He likes to do that a lot.

[formb]

What does "proactively occupying your time" involve?

I thought after the last bout of strikes it was agreed by the union that firemen were not to have second jobs? Perhaps I have made that up, or it may be a 'fact' from the Sun.

There have been many firemen near me who have cleaned windows, they tend to be fairweather shiners though. It's a bit different cleaning windows in -5 if you already have a steady income from elsewhere.

[robert mitchell]

Vin said our shift patterns dont reflect when fires occur and said we get paid to sleep all night.
If we were not there at night you would have to wait for a retained appliance , staffed with people who only train three hours a week .
They are mobilised from home via a pager causing the delay in attendance .

[robert mitchell]

Why would they stop firemen having second jobs when anybody can do a second job ?

There are also people that do firefighting as there second job .

Why do people only get wound up about firefighters doing second jobs and not other people ?

[C o z y]

There have been many firemen near me who have cleaned windows, they tend to be fairweather shiners though. It's a bit different cleaning windows in -5 if you already have a steady income from elsewhere.

only -5?? Luxury !!  

Good luck to anyone who's ready to go and do extra work to earn extra money. Better than the "where's my benefit handout" attitude from some in UK. (runs for cover)

[robert mitchell]

What pro active work do you suggest we do at night when not on a shout ?

[robert mitchell]

Well said cozy , me doing extra work means I no longer need to claim working family tax credit .

[Sean Kelly]

Don't worry about him rob,

[Jettaway]

I man that at night the police still go on patrol even if not on a shout.

I don't know what do fire crews do at night when not on a shout?

[formb]

What pro active work do you suggest we do at night when not on a shout ?

I know, get a van with say, 1000l tank in it, fill it with water then drive round your local area keeping the outsides of buildings wet. If there is a fire wet stuff is less likely to burn. Obviously you couldn't do whole buildings, you'd run out of water. Maybe just the windows...

[robert mitchell]

We train and do home fire safety visits in the evening.

We cant do any of that through the night for obvious reasons.

Wearing breathing apparatus in a hot fire takes more out of you tham most people appreciate so its important to be well rested when possible .

[formb]

Why do people only get wound up about firefighters doing second jobs and not other people ?

I think that is because it is public sector. I can't think of any other public sector jobs that would accommodate a second job as well as the fire service.

Don't get me wrong I don't give a flying monkeys what firemen do in their time off. Good luck to them I say.

[robert mitchell]

Window cleaning at night ........now theres an idea ! Lol

[C o z y]

Window cleaning at night ........now theres an idea ! Lol

Someone on here was talking about that before!!   

[robert mitchell]

I know police officers with second jobs , and a nurse with her own business .

An nhs physio that does private customers on her days off .

What difference does it make being public sector?

I do the job im paid for to the best of my ability the same as anyone else public or private sector .