DR1 or ERDI?

[Gary D.]

One major issue that I was able to discuss is the lack of interagency cooperation. It seems that Sheriffs and fire departments don't like to work together in many areas. Nobody was able to offer a solution to this one.

I wish I had something to offer you in that area. We work so well together it is almost like we are the same department.

The first thing that needs to be done is knock off the turf wars. We are all here to do the same job and that is to protect the public.

Check your state law and see who is responsible for rescues. Here in Idaho the Sheriff is.

Our working relationship is so good that when the County Fire Department was designing their new rescue truck the came to us and wanted to know what we needed and where we would like it on the truck.

When we are on an operation they have separate medical stations for victims and us. I never noticed that until an operation we had a couple of years ago. They are real subtle about it.

The fire crews bend over backwards to assist us in any way they can. It is a relationship that I hope never gets messed with.

On the operation we have going on right now the first two boats on scene were Fireboats. We were right behind them with three more boats but fire did a great job of securing and preserving what scene we had.

Just remember that DR1 is just the begining of your training.

Gary D.

 

[renpirate]

Wow! that sounds great. I would love to set that up with our local sheriffs.

My chief had it out with their chief one time and it appears that we both have jurisdiction for rescues. I see our team as being a rescue team, because the sheriffs just don't have a fast enough response time to do that. It's not their fault, there is just a lot of county.

I would have no problem with handing over operations to them once they arrive. They can have the body recovery part. I have done enough of that.

You're right it shouldn't be about ego, it's about the mission (protecting the public).
My ultimate goal would be to do some joint training, but that may take some doing.

 

[Gary D.]

Go forward with it. Someone needs to break the ice and get things back on the right tract. Get the powers to sit down, talk it out and put the public first.

When you work together everyone comes out smelling like a rose. It's when you don't work together that the public knows something is wrong and feels betrayed.

Gary D.

 

[renpirate]

I'll keep you posted. I still have a lot more training to do, of course training never stops

 

[leam]

Like Suthnbelle said, our team is all volunteer. So anyone who goes pays their own way. Given personal financial constraints it may be the next year or tow before I can go.

However, the flip side is that our team trains a lot and we're never shy about doing more training. Some of the stuff we don't do enough of and should add, like witness interview. If nothing else we'll get the basics practiced fairly well and be ready to hone our skills when we hit the formal classes.

ciao!

leam

 

[renpirate]

Leam,

I'm really lucky in that I have a very supportive chief. He has paid for a lot of training for me.

One thing about formal training that you should remember. Basically, you are paying for some standard training and a cert card. If you are already training with people who know what they are doing and you are doing it often, then the formal training is more or less just punching a card. It's the repetitive training in the conditions that you dive that is the most useful. That said, you can learn some very useful stuff through formal training.

 

[divingchuck]

That certification card looks great on a resume!! However, what would you rather have, a person with a great looking resume that shows they have all this certification or a person who has the certifications and the experience to boot?? How would you test these qualifications??

I just sat down with my paid staff today and explained to them that it doesn't take a rocket scienctist to drive an ambulance or a firetruck. It takes compassion and patiance with the people they deal with. It doesn't matter to me if you are a paramedic for 18 years or a new driver...you both have the same qualities as the other until that certification is needed. And then, why would I want to pay a paramedic of 18 years the low pay as a new paramedic of six months?? Thats a kick in the *$&s. So, experience over certificate. Hands down. If I see someone doing a job and they don't have that piece of paper...that doesn't bother me.

Lets remember, that as Leam says from time to time: "You train as you dive and dive as you train" Its a good quote. I do have to say so myself. Its true too. It just shows that you have the knowledge to do the work at hand. That card doesn't show that you have experience with that knowledge. I know two people who are in a DIVEMASTER class and these two people are not in the best of shape and I wouldn't trust them as DIVEMASTERs if I needed too. Only because I have dove with them on two seperate occassions and the both of them needed assistance at depth and that isn't a good thing!

A training class is only as good as the experience you have going into the class. If you don't practice the same skills from the class when you dive, you will forget something you had learned. I assure you of this....if you don't use it, you will lose it!!! How many of you can tie a bow-line knot on a bit?? Test it and see...if you hadn't done it in a few weeks, you will struggle. Take my word.

Safe diving and may God keep you and your families safe at all times.

-Chuck

 

[renpirate]

Very True!!

 

[suthnbelle]

............How many of you can tie a bow-line knot on a bit?? Test it and see...if you hadn't done it in a few weeks, you will struggle. Take my word.

I can NEVER get away from this knot!!! You know I learn and then practice that knot and can do it for like two days and then I'll completely forget how to tie a bowline. At the dive club's Christmas dinner party at my house we're all sitting around tying various knots. LOL Use to you'd see cave line laying all around our house from me practicing. Not lately obviously. I just need to get a book and start practicing some knots. Like when we're in the boat on the lake Saturday and Kennedy started gunning the boat and I'm trying to wrap the extra line attached to the bouy and tie some kind of knot (slip knot maybe) that i just learned five minutes ago in a hurry. That is when I wanted to slap him. You guys are used to doing these knots from Boy Scouts so it is second nature to you all.

 

[divingchuck]

One thing Im not is a BOY SCOUT!!! Never will even attempt to pretend Im a BOY SCOUT. That is classy!!! And trust me, when I can't tie a knot, I just tie alot!!!! Im just kidding!!!!