suggestions

[Diesel298]

with my new job. i have a fair amount of free time..
what are some of the steps, and qualifications to get into this area of diving

 

[Diesel298]

so NO ONE has a clue..
so basically everyone in here is a blow hard..
thats what this forums for right......

 

[PaulChristenson]

If you want to become a public safety diver...then you'll need to find out if that service is being provided by the Rescue Squads, Fire Departments or the Police...

If its the police...forget it...

If its the Fire Department or Rescue Squad...then you need to findout if they are Paid, Combination or Volunteer...

If they're paid forget it...

If they are a Combination or Volunteer, then apply for membership and go from there...



Paul in VT
FF/EMT Hazmat/Rescue Tech

 

[Gary D.]

so NO ONE has a clue..
so basically everyone in here is a blow hard..
thats what this forums for right......

Sorry if we have upset or offended you but this is the first post I have seen. Normally a new post will alert the computer but I guess it didn’t in this case until now.

There can be a lot of hoops to jump through depending on your area and the source of management for the team. It can be Fire/Med or Law Enforcement.

You need to find that out first.

I don’t know why PaulChristenson is being negative about LEO teams. Fire/Med are not always what is best for an area. The two need to work together and not fight each other.

The first step is find out which department and what their needs are.

Gary D.

 

[gecko3s]

I think Paul was saying that if the dive team is a police dive team, then forget about joining it because you have to be a police officer/ have your own car/ etc.

 

[Gary D.]

I think Paul was saying that if the dive team is a police dive team, then forget about joining it because you have to be a police officer/ have your own car/ etc.

Not necessarily true. We require those things only because we are a Rescue/Recovery team. ALL the surrounding teams are LEO teams but are volunteer Recovery teams made up of both LEO’s and Civilians.

Very few of the plethora of fire personnel we have up here want to do anything but assist us.

So don’t rule out LEO teams.

Gary D.

 

[PaulChristenson]

<Not necessarily true. We require those things only because we are a Rescue/Recovery team. ALL the surrounding teams are LEO teams but are volunteer Recovery teams made up of both LEO’s and Civilians.

Very few of the plethora of fire personnel we have up here want to do anything but assist us.>

In most eastern states...The professional organizations such as the police
and fire service do not have volunteers and don't solicit volunteers...its a union thing...


Paul in VT

 

[wreckedinri]

. . . .

In most eastern states...The professional organizations such as the police
and fire service do not have volunteers and don't solicit volunteers...its a union thing...


Paul in VT

You hit the nail right on the head. As a former member of a volunteer S & R Dive Team in the northern RI/southern MA area for many years until the team disbanded a couple of years ago, I can say you are correct. In our area, in water S & R was/is typicaly conducted by the local FD, which was typicaly all volunteer with the exception of the EMT personell - they manned the station full time. In somecases they took the unit home - remember - small towns! As towns grew, or in some cases, departments merged, the trend changed from volunteer to full time Firefighters. With full-timers came the union. We where the only game in town - no pun intended - so the union put up with us as there was no money in town coffers to fund a dive team. That changed after 911. There was a bunch of HD money to be had so towns grabbed what they could and before ya know it; the station has a bunch of shiny new gear and is sending the FF to get their certs. Almost overnight there became no need for the volunteer dive team so it was disbanded after nearly thirty years. Just as well, the usual call was for some kid that fell through the ice in early winter. You get the call at night, just after dinner cuz that's when mom realizes that junior is missing cuz he didn't come to eat. Not fun. The pros can have it. Be safe guys.

 

[bridgediver]

so NO ONE has a clue..
so basically everyone in here is a blow hard..
thats what this forums for right......

Another useful feature of a forum is the "search" if you would have used that you'd probably find that your same sort of question gets asked in here almost monthly and it has been answered numerous times. It could be that the guys are getting tried of answering the same question over and over.
Now if you have a more specific question I'm sure you'll illict more response from the guys in here

 

[bridgediver]

<
In most eastern states...The professional organizations such as the police
and fire service do not have volunteers and don't solicit volunteers...its a union thing...


Paul in VT

Yep, We've got only 1 team in our entire province that is volunteer. The rest are full-time with the unions in the equation. Sometimes I wish it wasn't that way but I think each type (vol or FT) has their own set of problems to overcome.
The grass is always greener....