Volunteer squads- minimum participation rules?

[135boom]

Does your volunteer squad/ambulance company have rules or expectations on the number of calls each reponder must respond to per quarter,half or year and if so what are they? What about a minimum number of meetings or drills you must attend in a year? What are the consequences and how is it handled if a volunteer does not meet the minimum requirments?

Thanks in advance,
135boom

 

[EMTCop86]

Not sure about an ambulance but when I was with the FD we had a minimum standard. I believe it was 6 hours of training a month plus the 3 hours for our business meetings. We met once a week for 3 hours and the first of every month was our business meetings. If you did not meet the minimum number of hours it went to a verbal warning, written warning, suspension, and then termination. Yes even though you were a volunteer you could be fired!

 

[Aidey]

Where I volunteered you had to attend a minimum of 2 of the 4 drills a month, and do at least 24 hours in shifts. So 2 drills and 2 shifts. However, they didn't often enforce the rules. You could also make up the 24 hours other ways rather then pulling a set shift. For example I almost never pulled shift, but I very often responded to the station for coverage if our first ambulance was out, and I easily made up my hours that way.

 

[medicdan]

The volunteer corps I am a member of (college EMS) requires 1 shift/semester (24 hour shift over 3 months), attendance at monthly general meeting (or request to be excused and sign the minutes within 3 days), monthly CE (or request to be excused). Despite these fairly lax requirements, we now have a whole bunch of inactive members.

 

[seanm028]

At our collegiate volunteer squad, we hold members accountable to whatever they tell us they can give us at the beginning of the month. For example, one member might say they can work 8 hours that month, and another might say they can work 40 hours. As long as the first person works at least 8 hours and the second person works at least 40 hours, we consider them to be "in good standing" as far as volunteer hours go.

We also have a one hour inservice every Friday, during which we cover business and training/con-ed topics. We're looking at starting drills that are outside of those regular hours.

 

[135boom]

Thanks for the replies folks, keep 'em coming!
135boom

 

[BossyCow]

You must attend a minimum of 50% of drills and respond on 10% of calls. If you do not meet this during a 6 month period of time, you will be asked to do remedial training and to make up the time. If at the end of a year, you have not increased participation, you will most likely be asked to turn in your gear.

Most of the time, you are not going on calls or attending drills, an officer will have a talk with you regarding either your availability or your dedication. Some volunteers go through times where their schedule gets a bit hectic. They are encouraged to take a leave of absence until they have the time to devote to the agency.

 

[2630]

we don't stress the training hours. everyone gets the hours wherever they want. ultimately as long as they are current on thier certs and make a few meetings a year they are good to go in that sence.
we stress montly coverage. to the tune of 48 hours per month. anytime inside that month is good. if you are short one month, you have to make up the missed hours the next month or you will be removed from the department unless you have a valid reason. simple and straight forward!

2630

 

[BossyCow]

we don't stress the training hours. everyone gets the hours wherever they want. ultimately as long as they are current on thier certs and make a few meetings a year they are good to go in that sence.
we stress montly coverage. to the tune of 48 hours per month. anytime inside that month is good. if you are short one month, you have to make up the missed hours the next month or you will be removed from the department unless you have a valid reason. simple and straight forward!

2630

Drill time is extremely important. We consider the CME to be only part of the benefit of drill. Drill is where we get to know each other, work as a team, familiarize ourselves with the rigs, the equipment and each other.

 

[PapaBear434]

We have to do four 12 hour shifts a month minimum. No requirements for amount of calls, though. Not that it would matter, because we get plenty. If we get less than 8, it's a slow day.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

None. Period. And this is why I hate volunteering.

 

[2630]

Drill time is extremely important. We consider the CME to be only part of the benefit of drill. Drill is where we get to know each other, work as a team, familiarize ourselves with the rigs, the equipment and each other.

i agree that drill time is important. out largest issue is that we are a 100% volly department that has less then 20 emt's who all work various hours. we are trying out some daytime training to give our members the option of what fits their individual scehdule.

2630

 

[NEMed2]

One department required 75% of all calls & drills (4 per month). I never managed to make that, being a full-time student & working at the same time. No specific CEs unless your certification required it.
The department I'm with now requires a lot less than the 75%. Its nice to be someplace where they understand that work & family have to come first sometimes. Mandatory drills for both the fire & EMS side of things. No specific CEs unless your certification required it. The requirements are the same for the probies, unless your under 18 & therefore cannot come to night calls. If you fall behind without a good reason, ie, job changes, family sitiations, etc. you're put back on probation.

 

[cbjfan]

We require one 12-hour shift a week and two 12-hour weekend shifts a month. However, if this isn't possible our director works with the person to figure something out. All certifieds must get the state (or national) mandated training hours a year, and if possible be at all squad meetings. If we can't make a meeting, then we need to go get the minutes and info from the boss.

 

[medic417]

You all know I think there should be no volunteers, but if you are going to ask people to do it for free do something for them. Why the heck are you demanding more time and money than they are already giving you? Why not video the meetings and allow them to watch at their convenience? Your wanting me to give you my time you take what I can give you, how dare you tell me how many hours/shifts I have to give you. If I have 12 hours available that I decide means nothing to me I will give it. If you tell me its not enough I will tell you how ungrateful you are and if you want more to start paying, if not take what you get and quit griping.

Basically other than requiring that a person be able to do patient care properly you have no right if you are not paying to demand anything.

 

[cbjfan]

You all know I think there should be no volunteers, but if you are going to ask people to do it for free do something for them. Why the heck are you demanding more time and money than they are already giving you? Why not video the meetings and allow them to watch at their convenience? Your wanting me to give you my time you take what I can give you, how dare you tell me how many hours/shifts I have to give you. If I have 12 hours available that I decide means nothing to me I will give it. If you tell me its not enough I will tell you how ungrateful you are and if you want more to start paying, if not take what you get and quit griping.

Basically other than requiring that a person be able to do patient care properly you have no right if you are not paying to demand anything.

This may be true, but you still need to make sure you are staffed 24/7.

 

[medic417]

This may be true, but you still need to make sure you are staffed 24/7.

Then you accept whatever hours they offer. If any shifts are not filled pay someone to cover. W/o payment you have no right to demand anything of your volunteers except proper patient care.

 

[cbjfan]

Then you accept whatever hours they offer. If any shifts are not filled pay someone to cover. W/o payment you have no right to demand anything of your volunteers except proper patient care.

Our department has paid paramedics, which they started hiring last year when the city took over the department, so we do have that. However we run 3 people to a truck with at least the paramedic, and a combination of volunteer emt-p/i/b and possibly a non-certified driver. So while we do occasionally run a crew of two it is usually the 3. We only have 29 members including the paid paramedics so we are sometimes stressed on manpower.

A side note, as of June 1, 2009 (why that date I don't know) the city is switching us to a paid-per-call department, $10 for a driver, $15 a basic, $25 intermediate, $25 medic, then keeping our other medics that start at $12 an hour.

 

[eynonqrs]

Any new member for my squads is on a one year probation peroid. Members are required to take CPR/First Aid or EMT within one year. Every year the captain makes up a call night list. We have monday to thursday night crews. Each night crew does one full weekend nights. All members pick a night. It works very well. For the daytime there is a few of us arround that take day calls. We never believed on forcing that you have take a certain percenatge of calls. But, just like everywhere else, you have the people that show up to do calls, and then people that only want to be arround for the good calls. It's just the nature of the beast,

 

[firecoins]

Mine requires 4 - 6 hour shifts which i usually do.