Jan 01 Chief go bye-bye!

[Jan 01 Chief go bye-bye!]

On January 01, 2007 a lot of Departments will move up new Chiefs and the old 30's will be put out to pasture. While I understand that it is hard to please everyone while trying to run a Fire Department with less and less resources, some of the Chiefs - such as mine will not be missed at all!

In fact, a few guys in my Company are already planning a nice little party for the day after he's out. The telling point here is that each of his Asst. Chiefs will be attending the party. I'm not going to say who or what Department because this situation is likely to fit 20 or more Departments - so I will leave it up to you to add your deposed Chief to the ever growing list that arrives here after I post this. Somewhere in there I will add my illustrious Chief to that ever growing list.

Can somebody, (Firematic, the State, anybody), give a class on how to be an administrator in the Fire Service and remain a decent guy even after bng voted into the top spot?

I hope so.

[its a tough job]

Gotta leave your friends at the door and make decisions. Some right, some totally wrong, but have to make them anyway. It truly is lonely at the top.
As to courses there are a ton including, (in Suffolk anyway), an orientation course for new Chiefs on laws and whatnot. Work up to the rank, live it and then decide if your post was "illadvised". Have not met a Chief yet that didn't have thr stomach come into thr throat when faced with putting the gang in harms way.

[jockstrap]

Maybe, instead of you looking for outside help in teaching, try this for an idea. When you are elected to a position of authority, you must learn to be
able to seperate friends and the responsibilities your title has, and has given you. In my department, our head chief, caters to his friends, buddies, and plays possum to the people who actually respond, and perform thr duties, they voluteered for. You were given a set of BALLS when you were born, stop letting the useless assholes step on them.

[Unregistered2345]

And with the kind of loyalty demonstrated here, they must be nuts to be doing the job in the first place. Our chiefs do thr damndest, are human to be sure, but donate more time than I'll ever give. 30 is also legally and criminally responsible for what goes on in his/her dept. What a great job for backstabbing , I could do it better if I had the balls to run members. If you can do it better, run.

[Doing the job]

With the bunch of little spoiled punks, like yourself, that are joining today I guess it would be a tough job.

[Unregistered2345]

who the hell are you referring to, and based on what, moron? Now that's what makes bng a chief difficult; shit stirrers who bash just because. A mirror-get a mirror.

[MMT]

We will be having a party in Oceanside when our current COD is out for sure. Totally useless.

[kc tractor]

When you get you fifth trumpet. You know what to do with it. Stick it your ass. Remember you always toot your own horn. A piece of advise from a close friend. JM thanks MM.....

[Former Chief 2]

I was 30 for two years I enjoyed the job, worked my arse off and got exactly what I expected for my troubles - no pay, no respect, and very little at all except that when I left I had exactly the same number of friends I had when I came in. I understand what the original poster said, his point is well taken because I have seen a ton of Chiefs come and go in our Department who were complete morons and treated the members like sub - human machines. Bng Chief doesn't make you a better person or a better Fireman. It means that on ONE night in the previous year a majority of the Fire Department members gathered in a room and liked you better than someone else - THAT'S IT ! So the few guys above with the holier than thou crap can just stow it, I've been there and done that and the guy might have a valid point. We'll never know because this is an anonymous site and the Chief in question wasn't named. If it was my Chief - Smithtown, then the guy would have been right on the money!

[Unregist]

There is only one way for someone to be a Chief on Long Island, THEY ARE ELECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT. The department made its bed, and now must sleep in it.
If you really want to change things, get rid of the elections and go to a system where the position must be applied for, and a full evaluation is made of the candidates. Include a full interview process, minimum training & educations requirements, and you should wind up with a qualified Chief who wants the position for the right reasons, and with no yearly election, he won't have to pander to everyone just to make sure he gets reelected.
That is how the rest of the country does it and it seems to be a better system.

[Unregistered100]

We will be having a party in Oceanside when our current COD is out for sure. Totally useless.

Cash On Delivery too.

[Unregistered2345]

Wow. You mean LET THE COMMISSIONER"S CHOOSE?? Ha ha ha ha hahahahahahahaha. That will make things better. Not.
Bad chiefs need to be addressed by thr members putting complaints in writing to the BOFC. There are legal liabilities for them if you do that. Point is, members like to bitch. Few, if any, have the balls to write a complaint when it is appropriate. It often is-but it's our fault for using this forum, rather than a legitimate one, to settle our differences.

[unreg000]

Like someone else posted, all the Chiefs are elected BY THE MEMBERS. All to often the person you elected HAS TO enforce the rules, (like he's supposed to), sent a Company instead of yours, to a mutual aid (because they were better prepared), or made a fireground command that had to be done within a split second without the benefit of monday morning BS "Tactics meetings" held by clowns who were home sleeping when it it the fan.

Funny thing is when you have a Chief who does his job like he's supposed to and that includes enforcng rules or making the tough choice... all of a sudden "nobody" ever voted for the guy Hmmmm

Sorry you don't like your Chief, Jr. why don't you run and see how good you really think you are?

[no jockstrap needed]

I think his wife has the balls, cause he has non. grow a set shorty

[Just a comment]

If the Chief has put lives in danger by a reckless act (s) then fine he should be removed or suspended. If the Chief in the course of running a Department has to enforce rules and be the boss, in other words, doing his job, and you are offended TOUGH!

I know of many members who were a embarrassment to my Department and actually got pissed because the "GUY THEY VOTED FOR SCREWED THEM" as they said. In other words they F'ed up and the Chief had to do what he HAD to do. In the end whos the bad guy??? The douch bags who screwed up? No, the Chief for doing his job... enjoy your parties kids.

[VFF Antique]

I am what most of you around the Firehouse - an "old timer", a "lifer" or behind my back - an "antique" FF. I went through the ranks and visited the 30 spot twice for a total of four years as Chief Engineer. I read this thread with interest because it seems to pop up every year around this time. A majority of Volunteer Fire Departments in Suffolk end Chief terms of office with the end of each new year. Out with the old and in with the new. I don't think anyone is on here speaking to us about a Chief that "was just doing his job". We're all adults here, and I have to say that the caliber of person who can become a Chief these days is different from what it was years ago. In these times the Chief is given a little too much absolute authority. In our day the Chief was one of the boys, he did his job, he played cards on Friday night with the rest of us, and he was HELD, (I said held), to a higher standard of conduct and responsibility than the other FF. This is no longer the case. Currently the Chief is allowed a ton of authority - but somewhere along the line the system of checks and balances, along with the idea that the Chief should always remain professional and responsible to the men was lost. Today it is all about the car, the Chief's account, money, trips, conventions, etc. I had my fill of this type of behavior at an installation dinner recently when I was invited as a guest to a nghboring departments installation dinner. I couldn't belve my eyes - the Chief of Department while giving his "let's have a good time tonight" speech was holding a beer and the speech was peppered with a few curses. I just found his conduct, his demeanor and his lack of respect for everyone surprising. That Chief isdue to leave on December 31 of this year and most of the "old timers" from his department cant wait. So while you young stalions are riding atop your high horses and telling others to run for Chief, etc. I have, I did, and I still think a lot of Departments will be happy to see thr 30 go.

For the record, my 30 is a sweetheart of a guy and a damn good FF and administrator - so there are a few who manage to do thr job with a touch of class. We will be sorry to see him go!

[Just another VFF]

I am what most of you around the Firehouse - an "old timer", a "lifer" or behind my back - an "antique" FF. I went through the ranks and visited the 30 spot twice for a total of four years as Chief Engineer. I read this thread with interest because it seems to pop up every year around this time. A majority of Volunteer Fire Departments in Suffolk end Chief terms of office with the end of each new year. Out with the old and in with the new. I don't think anyone is on here speaking to us about a Chief that "was just doing his job". We're all adults here, and I have to say that the caliber of person who can become a Chief these days is different from what it was years ago. In these times the Chief is given a little too much absolute authority. In our day the Chief was one of the boys, he did his job, he played cards on Friday night with the rest of us, and he was HELD, (I said held), to a higher standard of conduct and responsibility than the other FF. This is no longer the case. Currently the Chief is allowed a ton of authority - but somewhere along the line the system of checks and balances, along with the idea that the Chief should always remain professional and responsible to the men was lost. Today it is all about the car, the Chief's account, money, trips, conventions, etc. I had my fill of this type of behavior at an installation dinner recently when I was invited as a guest to a nghboring departments installation dinner. I couldn't belve my eyes - the Chief of Department while giving his "let's have a good time tonight" speech was holding a beer and the speech was peppered with a few curses. I just found his conduct, his demeanor and his lack of respect for everyone surprising. That Chief isdue to leave on December 31 of this year and most of the "old timers" from his department cant wait. So while you young stalions are riding atop your high horses and telling others to run for Chief, etc. I have, I did, and I still think a lot of Departments will be happy to see thr 30 go.

For the record, my 30 is a sweetheart of a guy and a damn good FF and administrator - so there are a few who manage to do thr job with a touch of class. We will be sorry to see him go!


Good post !

[Unregisteredex30]

I am what most of you around the Firehouse - an "old timer", a "lifer" or behind my back - an "antique" FF. I went through the ranks and visited the 30 spot twice for a total of four years as Chief Engineer. I read this thread with interest because it seems to pop up every year around this time. A majority of Volunteer Fire Departments in Suffolk end Chief terms of office with the end of each new year. Out with the old and in with the new. I don't think anyone is on here speaking to us about a Chief that "was just doing his job". We're all adults here, and I have to say that the caliber of person who can become a Chief these days is different from what it was years ago. In these times the Chief is given a little too much absolute authority. In our day the Chief was one of the boys, he did his job, he played cards on Friday night with the rest of us, and he was HELD, (I said held), to a higher standard of conduct and responsibility than the other FF. This is no longer the case. Currently the Chief is allowed a ton of authority - but somewhere along the line the system of checks and balances, along with the idea that the Chief should always remain professional and responsible to the men was lost. Today it is all about the car, the Chief's account, money, trips, conventions, etc. I had my fill of this type of behavior at an installation dinner recently when I was invited as a guest to a nghboring departments installation dinner. I couldn't belve my eyes - the Chief of Department while giving his "let's have a good time tonight" speech was holding a beer and the speech was peppered with a few curses. I just found his conduct, his demeanor and his lack of respect for everyone surprising. That Chief isdue to leave on December 31 of this year and most of the "old timers" from his department cant wait. So while you young stalions are riding atop your high horses and telling others to run for Chief, etc. I have, I did, and I still think a lot of Departments will be happy to see thr 30 go.

For the record, my 30 is a sweetheart of a guy and a damn good FF and administrator - so there are a few who manage to do thr job with a touch of class. We will be sorry to see him go!
I couldn't say it any better brother old-timer... Thank you!

[011100]

There is only one way for someone to be a Chief on Long Island, THEY ARE ELECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT. The department made its bed, and now must sleep in it.
If you really want to change things, get rid of the elections and go to a system where the position must be applied for, and a full evaluation is made of the candidates. Include a full interview process, minimum training & educations requirements, and you should wind up with a qualified Chief who wants the position for the right reasons, and with no yearly election, he won't have to pander to everyone just to make sure he gets reelected.
That is how the rest of the country does it and it seems to be a better system.
I agree with you and after all that they should pull a salary please don't think i am bng a smart ass i am not but they should have to be educated for the right reasons and the fire dept is the right reason

[just a post or 2]

Great but who does the interviews....Fire Commissioners ??? the biggest boobs on Long Island

[Unregistered4]

I wish voters would smarten up and start voting for fire commissioners - that would force commissioners to straighten out... eventually

[byebyechiefs]

byebye chiefs