Not Appreciated On The Fire Department

[firegal]

We're supposed to sign up for our on call hours for the fire department, which are 10 shifts before the 10th and then 10 more after the 10th. Hubby and I always cover the weekends since no one else does so we filled in our 20 shifts right away. Got my ass jacked today, since I'm a Captain, as people were complaining that we signed up for all our shifts before we were supposed to. Mind you, there are people who never sign up for weekends and we have always been covering them since we started our on-call schedule over five years ago. The big thing is that they increased the on-call pay from $1 an hour to $2 an hour so now people are wanting to sign up....for the money of course, the hell with helping the community! So after half my ass was chewed off from that, the other half was chewed off for my QA/QI's (Quality Assurance/Quality Approvement's) on our ambulance run reports. This is where I do corrective criticism to our members on their reports, stating what they could improve on and what they did good on. Other members are getting upset because I'm being so critical and "mean" to them. I explained to our Assistant Chief (it's her job to do these anyway...$350 a month while I get $85 a month!!) that I'm just trying to protect them and our department should we get sued. Of course this wasn't good enough for her and she went on to tell me that some of the members are even going to the Police & Fire Committee complaining about me! By the time my entire ass was chewed off, my hubby was back from the fire call I wasn't able to go on. I told him what happened and to take care of the on-call problem he erased our numbers from the on-call schedule and said "if they want to bitch about us signing up for the weekend shifts then *&$% them, they can cover the hours then!". I then sent an email to the Assistant Chief telling her that since I can't please anyone with anything I do there with the QA/QI's, I no longer wish to do them and I will use that time to do my Captain duties (which I haven't been doing anyway because of the QA's) and grants.

The funny thing about all the bitching and backstabbing that is going on at our department is it's the WOMEN that are causing it all!!!!!! All the men are sick of it!! My closest friend and myself are more of the tomboy type and get along better with the guys and would rather spend time with them. We're sick of it too. It's so frustrating!!!

Thanks for letting me vent! Too bad I don't drink because I could really use one!

Firegal

[froggystyle1977]

That is such a Bummer its seems that anyone who tries to make tihngs easier on others usually gets the

short end of the stick. hopefully someone will remember what you have done and apprieciate it. I may

not live where you do but I apprieciate the sacrificies you make everyday!! yours is a hard Job don't let

a bunch of jealous idiots get you down!!!

[pappyld04]

This really shows what money does to some people. They didn't want the extra dollar until it was raised to 2. Then they want to act like they were at this all along. I don't see where these types will ever change. With that being said it is people like yourself and your SO who will be seen for what you really are doing for the community. Fuck the whinetits!!!! I always keep cheese and crackers in my lunchbox for just those people. (A little something to go with that whine)! I would never try to tell you how to handle your job but I would say that for you to let them decide for you is never a good thing. Digging the knives out of your back is hard enough without letting them dictate the rest of your world. If they didn't work the weekends before they have no excuse for crying about it now! I hope things work out for you!!!!

[pappyld04]

Tell me about it. No good deed goes unpunished. Esp in our line of work. Several years ago I was assigned to a special unit and the commander constantly whinned about not having enough money in the budget for equipment. I approached him with an idea for a private grant and was told to "run with it". I went to a few people with the idea and raised 250k in about 6 months. The admin were a little embarrased and drug the approval out for almost 2 years. I finally got pissed about it and went to a high up in local government to see if everybody had signed off on it. I ended up getting in trouble over it, people who had pledged money to the project had gotten pissed about the delay pulled out which left only 60k and the unit commander spent apprx 40k on high dollar office funiture for himself and his boss. I eventually got booted from the unit B/C I became a whistle blower. Stupid thing is that wasn't the first time I took on a project like that and got screwed (not in a good way). Some of the folks (male and female) I work with do nothing BUT whine and complain. When it comes to OT the same people bitch and moan (not in a good way) about not ever getting OT but they never sign up for it. These same folks are the ones who always start rumors or make sure they get passed on. Civil service does have it's bad points YOU CAN'T GET RID OF THESE PEOPLE AND THEY NEVER SEEM TO GET PUNISHED FOR WHAT THEY DO". I've just learned after all these years to forget about the dept. and just stick to what the job is all about "helping people". Do the time you have to, take more time off than you think you need and laugh your ass off. Q: Why did god make cops ? A: Cause firefighters need heros too...........Good luck Firegal, don't take it toooo seriously.

Looks like you have both proven and disproven everything I have thought of cops in this one statement. The office furniture proved my point but you doing something about it has disproven it also. The bar has just been raised. I shall have to review my stance on ALL civil servants!!!

[Jo Savage]

I hate to hear that happened to either of you. It must be so infuriorating! I hear a lot of the same problems you talk about from my father. People spreading rumors, slacking off, ot not willing to do anything without benefits for it. Its like... they're all adults situated in a job that needs them to do their work and they feel the need to start $#l7. They need to grow up and do what they are there for. I admire you for your dedication to your jobs. I hope your good attitudes are rewarded properly someday.