But I still don't understand what this means?

Sounded a bit retorical to me!! How about you?

I don't think so.
The discussion was about giving RFF's blue lights to assist them to get to their station quicker. My understanding is they have to live within a certain distance from their station to enable them to respond quickly, I used to work at a police station which was a Retained firestation and this is what I was lead to believe and they only lived a maximum of minutes away.
Again my understanding of retained firestations is they are placed in a strategic location to enable a better coverage of appliances should they be needed. I agree that seconds could be saved in the event of a fire and giving RFF's blue lights may assist but I believe it wouldn't shave much off the response time.
If you wanted to shave time off responding then perhaps instead of sleeping on nights the full time crews should be ready and waiting in their kit instead of catching some zeds.

You are correct in thinking there is a maximum distance for retained staff to live....this is five minutes. My example was of someone like myself who normally gets to the station within 1 minute BUT could due to traffic be heavily delayed.

Because of the fact that we do not have anything to show we are on an emergency call I would therefore have no choice other than to sit in the traffic!

As I said earlier I am not 'Pro' blue lights on private vehicles but I do think that something needs to be sorted out for all RFF's responding to incidents. To simply say that they should make all stations full time.......or that maybe some one will be sued over a delay........sorry but didnt think much of that comment and it did in my humble opinion be-little RFF's work!

Regarding the wholetime sleeping on night shifts.......well thats an entirely different kettle of fish which I have no influence over, but I know it is being looked into!

I wasn't saying close all retained fire stations as the RFF's are wasters, far from it. I know a lot of RFF's from where I used to work and they are very professional in their attitude and approach. I was just giving food for thought as this is an open board and good for discussion.

Regarding the sleeping on nights again I appreciate there are only so many times you can play volleyball and polish the appliances and nights is perhaps not a good time to do it. But I was being cynical and trying to balance the urgency for shaving a few seconds off of responding to a shout regardless whether you are full time or not.

I think sometimes we all get carried away on here with our comments, but they are that, just comments, not everyone is going to agree on things and this is what makes forums so interesting. You quite clearly respect what I do for a living and the feeling is mutual.

I think you have hit the nail on the head there OBP, sometimes we all get carried away a little.

And there need be no doubt in your head that I respect the job you do! As I do with everyone on here!!

My apologies for reading into your posts totally the wrong way!!(on this occasion!!lol)

HATO's (according to the manual) are allowed to use lights "on approach to an incident" (front and rears).


I must admit, most vehicles did get out of the way, but then again our light bars are bloody good.


I believe generally the whole lighting and use regs need to be sorted out and pretty damm quickly too.

I think a 3 tier system along the lines of

Blue - Emergency....fire, ambulance police doctors,CG MR etc
Green - Emergency / support - (HATO's even!! - or leave us with ambers)
Ambers - Breakdown/recovery services/ support contractors etc

(It's a stab in the dark so don't shoot me)

At least as soon as you see the light you can guage the severity of the responding unit

Not at all, I think that is a good suggestion!! What are your views on these new purple lightbars we are seeing introduced more and more?

Would purple and blue be too similar (especially in rain and fog!!!)


But if we all bowled up together we could have a disco.

Are these the ones advertised for 'Funeral Parties'??

I was a bit gobsmacked when I saw who they were aimed at, I think a funeral is a solem place and the idea of a purple strobe flashing its head off is ridiculous!! You can get the full monty in this range; Visor lights, beacons dash mounts ....the lot!

As anyone else seen these? Ill try and find a link!!

I think its a cracking idea mate

And I havent heard of the purple ones been introduced beforre it was mentioned on here

Iv found the link for the purple strobes etc..........is it ok to post a link BOSS??

Go on post it up mate

Cheers its:


www.strobesnmore.com

You will se them on the homepage, click on them and it will take to a place I never thought I would see!!! Strobes for Funeral Cars!!!!

Please tell me its not just me!!

FPMSL

Sorry but that has brought tears to my eyes, what the hell will they thinkg of next?