What do you KNOW about GRFD

Please comment on what you KNOW about Grand Rapids Fire Fighters and thier job. Remember, this is more what you know than what you think. Although what you think is also of interest.

Just that it has some really nice people working there and that they are horribly understaffed in comparison with cities of similar size & run volume.

I know that they are starting a reality tv show this week or next!:)

MissThang wrote:

I know that they are starting a reality tv show this week or next!:)

Filming possible scenes for a possible reality show. Hopefully through this conversation we will clear up any slight misconceptions.

Thanks MissThang

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefighter
all you need to know.

Grand Rapids Fire Department Has some awsome hero men working for them theyare making a movie at one of the gr fire stations the grfd was as a time and do an awsome job working fire scenes and get fires out quickly and efficently

Branson wrote:

Just that it has some really nice people working there and that they are horribly understaffed in comparison with cities of similar size & run volume.

Without hard numbers in front of us, "understaffed" is an opinion. As a citizen of the great GR, it happens to be an opinion the I agree with!

Thanks Branson

matt wrote:

Grand Rapids Fire Department Has some awsome hero men working for them theyare making a movie at one of the gr fire stations the grfd was as a time and do an awsome job working fire scenes and get fires out quickly and efficently

Not so much a "movie", but rather clips from everyday life in a fire station.

Thanks Matt

ron mexico wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F irefighter
all you need to know.

This is far from what you need to know. Yes, this is an ideal firefighter in an ideal city. The qustion, however is more direct. What do you know about GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan Fire Fighters?

Thanks ron mexico

From what I understand, the GRFD is an organization of civil servants, hired by the city government, to respond to and extinguish fires.

Other responsibilities include being first responders to accident scenes. They drive around large red vehicles outfitted with emergency equipment and water dispensing pumps

Many of the GRFD are directly responsible for having saved lives of the citizens they serve.

It's a common myth that you can call the GRFD if your cat climbs a tree and won't come back down for it's 9-lives din din. However, this myth is complete BS. The men and women of the GRFD have better things to do with their time than retrieve cats from trees. That is a job for the Battle Creek PD, whose members are well trained in animal retrieval.

Do you know your City wrote:

<quoted text>
This is far from what you need to know. Yes, this is an ideal firefighter in an ideal city. The qustion, however is more direct. What do you know about GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan Fire Fighters?
Thanks ron mexico

Why don't you start the thread with some meaningful insight, instead of some thoughtless question.

internet troll wrote:

<quoted text>
Why don't you start the thread with some meaningful insight, instead of some thoughtless question.

As I had hoped, a thoughtless question beggets some meaningful insight. Without knowing the specific misconceptions, We cannot offer specific insight. I hope to start the thread you suggest after gathering some of the needed homework.

Thanks internet troll

internet troll wrote:

From what I understand, the GRFD is an organization of civil servants, hired by the city government, to respond to and extinguish fires.

As well, GRFD responds to all medicals, accidents, river rescues, hazmat situations, confined space rescues, high angle rescues, neighborhood parties, school presentations, building inspections, and training, training, training.

internet troll wrote:

Other responsibilities include being first responders to accident scenes. They drive around large red vehicles outfitted with emergency equipment and water dispensing pumps.

They also drive small white medical units, large red ladder trucks that reach 100', and some ladder trucks that also have water dispensing pumps.

Thanks internet troll

If you see a GR fire vehicle on the streets with 3 people on it, you know they're understaffed. The NFPA says in a number of their standards that the proper staffing of a fire vehicle should be 4.(5 in "High Risk" areas).

That alone would make GR not up to the NFPA's standard for a professional fire department.

I believe the entire area is lacking in fire protection. The City of Wyoming is still mainly dependant of volunteer firefighters. This is not a small bedroom community. My opinion is that is unacceptable.

Branson wrote:

If you see a GR fire vehicle on the streets with 3 people on it, you know they're understaffed. The NFPA says in a number of their standards that the proper staffing of a fire vehicle should be 4.(5 in "High Risk" areas).
That alone would make GR not up to the NFPA's standard for a professional fire department.
I believe the entire area is lacking in fire protection. The City of Wyoming is still mainly dependant of volunteer firefighters. This is not a small bedroom community. My opinion is that is unacceptable.

Branson is refering to:
NFPA 1710 for career FD's, 1720 for call/volunteers.

http://www.monroefirefighters.org/1710.pdf

http://www.nfpa.org/publicColumn.asp...

http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp...

Thank you for bringing this into play Branson

Branson wrote:

The NFPA says in a number of their standards that the proper staffing of a fire vehicle should be 4.(5 in "High Risk" areas).

Sorry - NFPA is the "National Fire Protection Association - the authority on fire, electrical, and building safety"
http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp...

This looked as though it was going to be an interesting thread. But I guess once again people just feel as though a fire or similar emergency won't happen to them or just assume the fire station down the street is manned somewhat properly.

In my opinion, if you live in Kentwood or GR, you have at least, somewhat reasonable, limited fire protection. But in the other urbanized/suburban areas,(Wyoming, GR Twp, Walker, Jenison, etc.), your neighbor's fire could become your problem fairly rapidly.

This is not to malign the fine people trying to do good in those communities. It's their system & their funding that is causing the problem.

Branson wrote:

This looked as though it was going to be an interesting thread. But I guess once again people just feel as though a fire or similar emergency won't happen to them or just assume the fire station down the street is manned somewhat properly.
This is not to malign the fine people trying to do good in those communities. It's their system & their funding that is causing the problem.

Thanks Branson. Maybe tonight I'll through one more thank you to the group to bring the topic to the surface after dinner. If We were able to bring to light one or two bits of fact to even one more person, I'm sure that we are heading the right direction. Be safe.

Last shot at a good thread. Thanks for all of you that asked the questions and shared what they knew or wanted to learn.

What about Mayor Heartwell and his poor treatment of the GRFD