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Chief, sounds like I hit a sore spot on the firematics issue with you.  I am starting an argument???  

I knew that was the reason you came here.Just to stir the pot.
Yes it is a free country and you can come here and post what you want.It is so nice of you to come here and bash something right away.
The next topic you should start should be about how out of shape alot of our firefighters are becoming.
While training and competing these firefighters are getting exercise,and a cardio workout.
You know that teamwork,agility,and precision are all great assets to have in the fire service.These are all needed to compete in firematics.

Well, I am not going to drag this out any more.  It was good to hear everyone.  Thanks for the information.

Why must you lie to us?

Hmmm... Pretty sad cr@ckhe@d and chief that you have to resort to calling someone a troll.  I saw no valid points in your replies to this thread.   Which leads me to come back and add one more log to the fire...

One last point...  how many deaths have occurred with this racing?  I know of at least one. 

Valid points:

1)  As chief has said many times (and you have never rebutted) firematics is a good way to keep firefighters in shape and working as a team.  Is it the most efficient method of achieving those two goals?  Undoubtedly not, but I don't see you or anyone else proposing any other serious means of promoting firefighter fitness.

2)  As Tree said, The funding is almost always done separately from regular FD fund raising.  Even with departments where department funds foot part of the bill, the public is usually well aware that that particular FD has an active drill team.  The bottom line is it's money people have privately donated to either the department or the team.  If you know of TAX dollars being abused in a jurisdiction you pay taxes in, by all means you should raise a fuss about that; but I highly doubt you know where the funding comes from...........

3)  You clearly came on here with an agenda, your handle is "nofirematics" and your first post was three ambiguous statements intended to get others to start bad-mouthing the drill teams.   For those reasons, you are a troll.

TROLL = Someone who visits web boards like this one or others only to incite people to anger. Then they get a list of responses of hatred and whatnot which is their one and only goal. This is their whole reason for being here. Please do not feed the animals, at the zoo or in web boards. Just a good Internet Policy.

Im all for firematics, If it keeps a dept in good physical shape and they dont shut there doors when they go to the out of district events let it be..The teams up here in NNY dont even come close to having budgets like the down state teams have. I was down on Long Island last yr and was talking to members of a vol FD who had a firematics team and there race team budget was god damn close to a million dollars which the tax payers help fund. So I dont mind the teams up here...race hard and stay safe....

I have watched these races and seen these people smoking cigarettes and drinking after the events.  The whole exercise thing goes out the window there.  I am sure there are probably some teams that hopefully do something about this to make sure the members are in top physical shape.

Riding on the back of a car does not promote good exercise.  There are only a couple of foot races and even then there is no distance run.  There is barely enough time to get the heart rate up to a level for an extended period of time.  There is a problem in the fire service with members not being in shape.  The statistics are out there i.e. the number of heart attacks is a good starting point.  The money spent for firematics could be put to use for exercise equipment to benefit the whole department.

Yes, I came with an agenda... to get some opinions of this "sport".  It is sad to see that not much has changed here and that someone gets accused of being a "troll".  I am not the one getting angry here, why would you get so angry at such a discussion. 

The money spent for firematics could be put to use for exercise equipment to benefit the whole department. 

1.  Since much of the money is donated to/raised by the teams specifically to support racing, there would be a question of how much of that donated money would make it to the fire department - ie, would the donor still donate.

2.  There's plenty of exercise equipment available from the fire departments that have purchased it and never use it.

Why scrutinize a tradition of Firefighters whether paid or volly. Do we outcast people based on religion, sex, politics, ect... For the men and women who take part in firematics, it is nice to have something to look forward too. no different then firefighter having a softball league, a social gethering, or even a bbq..... 

Their maybe some valid points in some depts use of firematics but that should rest solely on said dept, not a generality of all fire service.

I personally wouldn't care if monies were used for a bowling league, who would want to join a department if the information or opinion of someone was ah firematics, what a waste, maybe some people are into the sport or event and is a door for them to come into the fire service. I dont see recruitment and retention of members, all I see is negatives on this and negatives on that.

It's time for the fire service to explore avenues for recruitment and retention, did you know about 20-30 years ago we had over 150,000 volunteers in ny state, now were roughly at 90,000  thats down right sad...... the issue is what draws people in, if you have something else to offer besides helping your community then maybe it might just spark some interest in garnering membership/volunteers.


What got me interested was the auxillary, after a few structure fires where I saw what was going on did it intrigue me to become a firefighter. I may not know everything but it was a door, just like firematics might be the answer to getting someone else to join, not solely because of firematics but because it's an  opportunity to see what it's all about.

The guys and gals enjoy the competition and the chance to get together and see people you haven't seen in a while. The activity they do is a small reward for being active in their departments and showing up and training for it.

With the changes in lifestyles and the lack of volunteers in this day and age, why would we limit the activities that are available to keep people interested in this?

Should the departments eliminate all other activities as well? Ie. their clambakes and picnics that are held once a year to get everyone together and provide a day of fun as a thank you for what they do?

I can see arguments om both sides of the "ball" on this, but I think the need to keep people interested in getting out of bed at 2 A.M far outways the other concerns.

If we keep pushing the activities away, and removing the few things that make the headaches enjoyable, we can kiss the volunteer fire service goodbye. And then you can have some real complaints when the tax bill cometh in the mail.



Fire away cause I'm sure there are other opinions.

I have watched these races and seen these people smoking cigarettes and drinking after the events.  The whole exercise thing goes out the window there.  I am sure there are probably some teams that hopefully do something about this to make sure the members are in top physical shape.

I went to Lake Placid to watch the races and to march in the parade.... I drank most of the day and well into the night... Im 6'2" and 175lbs... does this mean Im out of shape too???  Look at the members in ANY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT... you are going to have guys NOT IN THE BEST PHYSICAL SHAPE... get over it... STFU and move on...

Do I agree with the race teams - yes and no...  as long as the guys and gals do whats asked of them on the fire department end... who cares... let them have fun... if they dont make the minimal quotas that are set in place by their host department - then they shouldnt be out there... you joined the fire department to help people - well at least I did... so you should be there for the citizens...

There are enough people on this thread that are just going to prove your points invalid... find something else to complain about...

Being in charge of a department that has a firematics team i will say that the guys on the team fullfill there training as a department and are alway there when we get a call and also the tax payer pay nothing to them. Our district doesn't fund them at all. So before running your jaws about these guys you should understand there are just having fun.And if your that pissed about it you must be jelious

I remember working a refreshment stand during a state convention held in Watertown. While chatting with some members of a Long Island volunteer department, they all stated that the application forms had boxes to check when applying for membership. They were "firefighter, drill, parade, or EMT". The gentleman said that he checked firefighter, drill, and EMT, and he was told by the membership committee that he could only check one box. Go figure...

Cuz its fun...its something to do...besides sitting our waiting for a call...meet people you have never met.  Yea...its mostly social...and you get bragging rights.  They pay their own way most of the time. 


Have you ever tried it?  Is that why you are so against it?

Say it Ain't so Crack, not another deadhorse.....................  Copenhagen anyone this weekend? looks like fun.. (SMITE) =)

Clayton fire department and the Calumets drill team are hosting the N.Y.S. Drill and Parade Championship on August 21 and 22 . Saturday the racing will start at 8am and should last 10 to12 hours for there is 51 teams competing that day from all over the state. Sunday there is a fd parade downtown starting at 1pm with around 55 departments and over 15 fd bands . Come down and support the departments that are visiting our county and are keeping over 200 years of tradition going.

Clayton fire department and the Calumets drill team are hosting the N.Y.S. Drill and Parade Championship on August 21 and 22 . Saturday the racing will start at 8am and should last 10 to12 hours for there is 51 teams competing that day from all over the state. Sunday there is a fd parade downtown starting at 1pm with around 55 departments and over 15 fd bands . Come down and support the departments that are visiting our county and are keeping over 200 years of tradition going.

Hope you guys have a GREAT turn-out

If there is any firemen or women who want to help for free admission and a shirt and meal pm on here

The Clayton fire department would like to thank the other departments who helped with the state drill and parade from the fire police to the town of watertown for standing by for the day and covering our calls. Big thank you to TEIRS for the ems support for the event maybe we can do this again in four years.