FirNaTine

it is sad that there has to be a thread about proper etiquette at Firefighter Funerals, members who have been in for 20 years or 2 years you think they would be able to keep it professional for a few hours. We recently buried one of our own senior members and I was surprised at the amount of guys who showed up without ties, wrong insignia, no gloves or no mourning bands. If you cant wear the proper uniform then wear a suit instead. Think to yourself would the guy your honoring show up to your funeral with his uniform all jacked up.

I saw plenty of Boston guys walking around with beer, and plenty of our senior men with 20+ years telling stories of LODD funerals that seemed to pan out exactly like this one. Now I understand the problem with the selfie craze and the "look at me" mentality that plagues social media, and i agree, its a disgrace. And anyone taking pictures of a procession while they should be standing at hand salute should be shot. But don't sit there and say drinking is a new issue or problem in the fire service, and that drinking hasn't been a HUGE part of LODD funerals for years. Just today I heard a story of our last LODD funeral 20 years ago and the mountain of kegs the union provided in a parking lot behind one of our houses, and how a group of FDNY guys who were there but had to work that night liberated one of the kegs....to take to work with them. Sounds to me like a lot of vollies sounding off here with delusions of grandeur. But this is reality. And to be honest, if I were to die in the line of duty I'd want my brothers and a whole shitload of guys I never met before to get together, drink, party and send me off the right way, laughing, smiling and celebrating my life and sacrifice. I'm sure my family would understand, at least I hope they would. Now I'll probably catch flak on here for my opinion and statements but that's ok, just chalk it up to youthful arrogance and case in point of what's wrong with the fire service these days. But I know my job, I love my job, I respect my job, and honor those who've fallen and come before me, but I also understand the culture, we're not Boy Scouts. If the public cant understand that, they can go screw. Not many people have what it takes to run into a burning building not knowing if they'll make it out alive. Don't kid yourselves.

Whatever happened to being discreet? OK, have your cooler of beers for after, although I would much rather go to whatever event is being held where you can be with everyone else and not be isolationist and then complain about the lack of brotherhood. However carrying a case of beer past the church is downright obscene. Here is a radical idea, how about remembering that you are attending a funeral and actually attend it. Even if the church if full they usually have speakers set up. If you went to a non fire service funeral, would it be acceptable to stand there while the family entered, then pop off to the pub or the parking lot, then be there when the family leaves?
I can remember attending the national memorial service in Maryland and getting there to find one member did not bring a tie, because they didn't like to wear them normally so thought it would be OK to not wear one when serving as part of a color guard. Needless to say a quick trip to the store across the street and that member had a tie. I used to think that we had lost an understanding of traditions in the fire service, but i don't think that is it. New kids may not realize that pike poles were once a fishing tool, but I fail to see how you can not realize that a funeral, especially a LODD funeral is a place for reverence.
Oh and as for the kid sitting on the memorial, after his injuries healed, I would personally like to see him thrown out of the department. I am not sure there is much we can do to fix that kind of stupidity, treating any monument like that is something that has to be learned at a young age.

Fights or games?

Fights or games?

It seems we don't police our own anymore. This yrs ago was done by the Senior men but unfortunately the "so called" Senior guys of today don't feel that it's their Job anymore to reprimand the younger guys and new recruits or even show them the ropes. The Senior guys of today are no way in hell like those of yester year. Many are just as clueless whether it's dealing with an issue like this or even their knowledge of the Job! Many today can't teach the younger and newer recruits anything cause they're just as f****** ignorant and dumb!

It seems we don't police our own anymore. This yrs ago was done by the Senior men but unfortunately the "so called" Senior guys of today don't feel that it's their Job anymore to reprimand the younger guys and new recruits or even show them the ropes. The Senior guys of today are no way in hell like those of yester year. Many are just as clueless whether it's dealing with an issue like this or even their knowledge of the Job! Many today can't teach the younger and newer recruits anything cause they're just as f****** ignorant and dumb!

Fights or games?

Fights or games?

Fights or games?

I saw this 13yrs ago at Ground Zero. Guys taking pics of each other I/f/o/ utter devastation. Are you friggin kidding me? Yeah that's it, let's take one of the worst days in American History and turn it into a photo op! Morons!

It seems we don't police our own anymore. This yrs ago was done by the Senior men but unfortunately the "so called" Senior guys of today don't feel that it's their Job anymore to reprimand the younger guys and new recruits or even show them the ropes. The Senior guys of today are no way in hell like those of yester year. Many are just as clueless whether it's dealing with an issue like this or even their knowledge of the Job! Many today can't teach the younger and newer recruits anything cause they're just as f****** ignorant and dumb!

Fights or games?

Fights or games?

It seems we don't police our own anymore. This yrs ago was done by the Senior men but unfortunately the "so called" Senior guys of today don't feel that it's their Job anymore to reprimand the younger guys and new recruits or even show them the ropes. The Senior guys of today are no way in hell like those of yester year. Many are just as clueless whether it's dealing with an issue like this or even their knowledge of the Job! Many today can't teach the younger and newer recruits anything cause they're just as f****** ignorant and dumb!

It seems we don't police our own anymore. This yrs ago was done by the Senior men but unfortunately the "so called" Senior guys of today don't feel that it's their Job anymore to reprimand the younger guys and new recruits or even show them the ropes. The Senior guys of today are no way in hell like those of yester year. Many are just as clueless whether it's dealing with an issue like this or even their knowledge of the Job! Many today can't teach the younger and newer recruits anything cause they're just as f****** ignorant and dumb!

It seems we don't police our own anymore. This yrs ago was done by the Senior men but unfortunately the "so called" Senior guys of today don't feel that it's their Job anymore to reprimand the younger guys and new recruits or even show them the ropes. The Senior guys of today are no way in hell like those of yester year. Many are just as clueless whether it's dealing with an issue like this or even their knowledge of the Job! Many today can't teach the younger and newer recruits anything cause they're just as f****** ignorant and dumb!

It seems we don't police our own anymore. This yrs ago was done by the Senior men but unfortunately the "so called" Senior guys of today don't feel that it's their Job anymore to reprimand the younger guys and new recruits or even show them the ropes. The Senior guys of today are no way in hell like those of yester year. Many are just as clueless whether it's dealing with an issue like this or even their knowledge of the Job! Many today can't teach the younger and newer recruits anything cause they're just as f****** ignorant and dumb!

While I agree, it doesn't have to be that difficult if you have policies regarding personal conduct while in uniform. This type of behavior, like most conduct issues would be best handled by the membership as a whole, ensuring the vision their personnel project is one everyone respects. This is something we seem to be losing a day at a time as new people come in and are given a watered down version of the rules of conduct (official and unofficial). Nothing like having a few clowns destroy what otherwise would be a decent rep in the eyes of the public and other FD's.

Management in the fire service today is apprehensive when it come to dealing with problems that happen on duty for fear of a lawsuit. There is no way for the most part a department is going to touch something that happens off duty 2 states away. This is just from my perspective. Law departments in city hall run most fire departments.

I saw this 13yrs ago at Ground Zero. Guys taking pics of each other I/f/o/ utter devastation. Are you friggin kidding me? Yeah that's it, let's take one of the worst days in American History and turn it into a photo op! Morons!

Gotta be kidding me! Friggin disgrace to the Uniform! ST Paddys Day was last month!

That just shows that neither one of them have a effen clue as to whats going on in Mt.Vernon. Its just I will get you some money then its "HEY EVERYBODY LOOK WHAT I DID" and dont forget to vote.

How about etiquette in general? How many parades have you been to where you see guys in uniform with their shirt untucked, tie falling off, hat all crooked, drinking beer? And some ff's wonder why the publics perseption isn't always favorable. Ever see military personnel look like that? Nope, because there is respect for the uniform and what it stands for.

If you don't say something to them, you are not helping anything. I say something to the tool bags wearing sunglasses, and the party ribbons on their lapel. I don't give a $h1T if someone gets offended.