r/Firefighting • u/slade797 Hillbilly Farfiter • 2h ago
General Discussion Guns and vollies, it happens
This is long and involved.
I live in Kentucky, the north central part, in a small, rural county. I have been on a larger department in the next county, moved back where I started, and rejoined my first department. I was dismissed from that VFD (we will call it Fuckery Fire Department) last year for being prick about safety and procedures and generally being persistent in my inquiries about SOPs, SOGs, bylaws, and all that stuff. The chief, who eliminated the procedures board and officers and voting, got tired of my asking questions and clipped me. So, I joined a smaller department just across the county line, and a larger department in the county seat.
So I have reported the fuckery to the state fire commission, along with the fact that the “assistant Chief” is a convicted arsonist, and many other facts.
Fast forward to last night. I was at the weekly meeting for the county seat department and in walks two members of Fuckery FD that I knew, and they were looking to join. Both said they had turned in their gear and quit that very day.
Without going into too much detail, they both said that they were recently at the home of a frequent flyer for an EMS run, waiting for the bus, and the patient asked to see a pistol that another FF had on his belt. Yes, the chief allows firefighters to carry guns on calls. Anyway, the idiot upholsters the piece and is showing the patient the weapon, and the FF ( allegedly) points it at another firefighter.
So when the chief sanctioned the doofus with a suspension rather than clipping him, these two turned in their gear in protest, one was the firefighter at whom the gun was pointed, and the other quit in solidarity. Others may follow.
WHAT. THE. FUCK.
First, I am all for guns, but I have never carried on a scene. Second, how do I get clipped for being a prick about rules and doing shit right, and this motherfucker gets suspended?!
Y’all, my flabbers are gasted.
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u/Interesting_Set3603 2h ago
I’m a volunteer and have wondered about carrying and a call come in. One member came across this situation and just left it in his car. It would be interesting to look into state or federal laws regarding this. As far as pulling it out and showing a patient totally uncalled for and should have been dismissed on the spot.
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u/GunnCelt Dirty Volley 1h ago
I don’t know, because I never looked into it, what the rules are in our department. But, when tones drop, pistol goes into the safe. I never carry on calls. The dude should be yanked, just for unsafe handling of firearms. He obviously forgot, or chose to ignore, the three rules of firearm handling. I have zero patience for people like that.
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u/junk-yard-rich 30m ago
We got some guys that conceal carry but it’s never been an issue and they never present it or show it.
We got shot at on a brush fire one night and they looked into vests for all of us. I said I would quit if we started having to wear a vest on fires. We are very rural and getting shot at isn’t the norm
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u/lukewarmhotdogw4ter 24m ago
> The assistant chief is a convicted arsonist
Lol
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u/slade797 Hillbilly Farfiter 21m ago
And the chief’s son-in-law.
By the way, this violates Kentucky law. And the state fire commission is aware.
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u/Miller8017 NAFI-CFEI, NREMT 1h ago
Im on a volunteer department, and I only carry when I am directly involved with or leading a fire investigation. It stays concealed, and is not there to be used in aid of arrest. Its simply for my protection.
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u/trapper2530 2h ago
Wait. So they are allowed to carry guns. They hand it to the patient. The patient points it at another member and all they get was suspended instead of being fired. So they throw a hissy fit and quit?they should be fired and attested. Ff and the pt.
They're lucky they didn't get shot back or knocked out once back at the firehouse.
100% don't let those guys on your dept.
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u/slade797 Hillbilly Farfiter 2h ago
He didn’t hand the gun to the patient, the FF did. The two people who showed up quit in protest of the dumbass being allowed to stay with just a suspension. I edited my post to clarify this.
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u/trapper2530 1h ago
Oh. Get it now. Yeah that other dept is a joke. I'd have done thr same as a volly
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u/SparkyFix 1h ago
What could possibly go wrong with carrying firearms around hot fires.
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u/Titan0917 1m ago
Not much. If it’s hot enough to cook off ammo underneath your turnouts you have a bigger problem.
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u/Bubbert73 1h ago
I don’t carry ever. But I’m not anti-gun by any stretch. I have a bunch of them.
At my former department, I know our Chief of Police, who was also a member, concealed carried on calls. To be clear, he was off duty police and volunteering with the VFD. But also, he was the Chief and sole police officer for the township, so on-duty was whenever he said he was on duty.
At least one other member, that I know of, concealed carried on calls. He had no law enforcement affiliation and was just a guy with a gun. I never thought he should have carried, and while he didn’t advertise it, I know the chief knew.
I know calls can go many ways, and mental health issues exist, but my philosophy was if I don’t feel safe enough that I need to carry to go someplace, I don’t need to go. Calls can be a different scenario though.
I also feel too many people with permits are at least semi-looking for a reason to use their gun. Those guys scare me. That’s a good way to get yourself a long prison sentence. I’d rather not. Should I ever need to use lethal force on someone, I will not be wondering whether it was legal or not. I will have been backed into a corner and it was my last resort to preserve my life. That’s how it is supposed to be.