Hawthorne Snow Standby Tonight @ 9PM

[cfman 1]

Supposedly Hawthorne has a "snow standby" tonight starting @ 9PM. Can anyone explain what this means?

[jack10562 414]

Supposedly Hawthorne has a "snow standby" tonight starting @ 9PM. Can anyone explain what this means?

It's for any available manpower to standby in the fire station, so they can respond apparatus immediately and with full crews, without having to wait for people to clean off the snow on their cars and travel from their homes for any alarms that they may get during the snowstorm.

[billfitz 109]

It's for any available manpower to standby in the fire station, so they can respond apparatus immediately and with full crews, without having to wait for people to clean off the snow on their cars and travel from their homes for any alarms that they may get during the snowstorm.

That sounds like what a professional career dept. does all the time!

[ladder55 26]

That sounds like what a professional career dept. does all the time!

No it doesn't. These guys are doing it for free on their own time

[KRF178 49]

And the second thread tonight that's turning into a Career vs. Volunteer debate.

[jack10562 414]

No, paid guys have to clean off their cars, too.

[Goose 188]

I think the point billfitz was making was the fact that career departments are staffed 24/7...it doesn't take a disaster or impending weather condition for them staff apparatus

...and from where i stand, you can't really argue a whole lot with that

[helicopper 1,050]

There have been several comments made to staff about the "bashing" that is going on in this thread and others. The staff is monitoring the posts, and offensive threads are being removed, but asking difficult or sensitive questions does not constitute bashing and we all need to be able to discuss such things intelligently and without emotion. If you're too emotional to see someone else's point, please don't respond. Walk away and respond later when you can do so without attacking someone for having a different point of view than your own.

This is not a "career vs. volunteer" issue. It is a SERVICE issue and if you can't handle questions about response times, staffing, equipment, etc. in a forum such as this how are you going to handle it when it is coming from the town board or your constitiuents at budget time? If there's nothing wrong with the service, refute the questions with facts. Don't attack the person asking the question(s)! That only makes you look unprofessional.

If you have any other questions or comments, don't hesitate to contact someone on the staff.

Thank you.