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Read Hillsdale, NJ councilmember resigns after bringing up issue of firehouse bar
“It’s totally uncalled for,” Fire Chief Darren Yuhas said.
But Mayor Marc Schrieks says the borough, which owns the firehouses, needs to have control over what happens in its buildings. Council members were also concerned about the possibility of underage firefighters getting their hands on alcohol, Schrieks said.
“We all thought it was in the best interests to curtail the potential access to alcohol,” Schrieks said.
“They [the borough’s firefighters] are totally upset,” said Yuhas, who attended the meeting with about 30 uniformed firefighters.
AP:
Firefighters are upset that a northern New Jersey town is seeking to place limits on alcohol in firehouses.
The Lodi Borough Council has introduced an ordinance that would require approval for any function in which alcohol is consumed in the town’s three firehouses.
The borough manager would submit the information to the town’s liability insurance carrier, which would determine whether the function would be covered. If not, the fire department would have to obtain its own coverage.
Mayor Marc Shrieks tells The Record newspaper council members are concerned about underage firefighters drinking.
Fire Chief Darren Yuhas says alcohol is stored in a locked area so there’s little risk of underage drinking. A hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for Sept. 18.
The fire chief said sometimes members will have a beer after battling a blaze, but said the restriction could affect the functions hosted at firehouses.
The mayor said twelve events would be allowed per year with approval required 45 days in advance.
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Also on STATter911 …
- Lodi, NJ moving forward with fire department alcohol ban. Now working with fire officials to modify ordinance covering firehouse bar & related issues. – September 20, 2012
- New Jersey chief orders bars closed at two firehouses. Comes after member’s DUI crash in parking lot. – October 25, 2012
- Hillsdale, NJ councilmember resigns after saying firefighters ‘do a lot of drinking’. News coverage doesn’t say anything about firehouse alcohol policy. – May 9, 2012
- Now the rest of the story: Articles make clear Hillsdale, NJ firehouse bar policy. Councilman who quit claims he observed drinking at fire department meetings. – May 10, 2012
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Unbelievable. I can’t fathom why anyone thinks that alcohol in a firehouse is a good idea. If firefighters are going to “have a beer after a fire”, what do they do if another call comes in? I hope they’re not going to hop on the apparatus. If you want to drink after a call, go to a bar.
while a fire fighter is on duty there is no call for alcohol of any sort..Under the influence of alcohol can make the person have poor judgement calls. Would you run into a burning buliding with someone who has been drinking? They are suppose to have your back at all times. Does the police have a beer after an arrest or a shoot out? Nope so why would a fire house need beer stocked in the fridge so they can come back and tie one on..And then the fire alarm goes off again and yet another call..Not a good situation for the dept or firefighters to be in
Honestly it blows my mind that alcohol is still allowed in any firehouse. Whether it be consumed after the call or before it shouldn’t be done on station grounds. We have enough going on in an IDLH enviorment and being intoxicated is a uneccessary risk !
No more drinking in the firehouses?!? What’s next? Are “they” going to take away all our porn…. and I suppose the sexual harrasment during time honored hazing rituals will be suspect too? Ridiculus! Are midnight “booty on duty” runs now to be “limited” also?
Seriously… something to ponder as you you ride the tailboard to your next call.
This is a volunteer firehouse. I was at one point a member of a home response station with a bar. There were very strict rules about drinking and riding. If you sat at the bar you couldn’t respond, period, and not only was the member but the bartender was held responsible. The bars in the station made membership more attractive. While on the surface I can see the PR problem, there really is no difference from that to responding to the station on a call from a bar, also not allowed. These places are home response departments, if your home drinking your not allowed to respond, and if your caught your in trouble. Drinking and firefighting is against the rules, now whether its oops and oops light coming out of a career depts soda machine, or responding on rigs after sitting at the station bar, its wrong. But if a station bar attracts membership, gives the guys a place to go on fri nights (when there not gonna be responding anyway) and makes a little money for the department whats wrong? I know many of the departments that have them have very large memberships, and the rigs get on the road fully staffed, quickly. NOT because the guys are in the bar sitting waiting for a call, but because their department goes out of its way to attract membership. The softball teams, a nice gym, the FDIC trips, the nice lounges, company rooms and the parties may all look like excess fluff but when it comes down to it, it gets the rigs on the street. Its all still cheaper then a paid dept.
RIGHT ON BROTHER…..Next they are gonna take away the hooker parties and then they are gonna take away the…..wait a minute, no beer, no booze, no hookers. Screw this crap, I’m joining the Knights of Columbus…those itralians still know how to throw a mens night smoker party.
Exactly! Gotta have something to entice the members besides getting their rocks off when their” neighbors” property burns up. Or the ability to scream down the road driving it like they stole it. Or having a building with all the bells and whistles to play games, watch cable, surf the net, play grab ass, etc. Yeah, definitely need a bar to make it ” worth my time”. After all, I’m a dedicated 100% volunteer !
It’s one think to have a bar in a fire station for fund-raising events such a weddings, etc. when the drinking is being done by non-firefighter guests. It’s quite another when the beer or other alcoholic beverages are for firefighters who are, supposedly, “on duty.” If a firefighter needs a drink, then leave the firehouse and either go home to go to your favorite bar (providing that the bar isn’t a fire station!). Anyone who joins the fire service for access to alcohol has joined for the wrong reasons and needs to promptly leave for another venue.
If the borough owns the building, then the Volunteers have to play by the borough’s rules or find money to fund their own facilities. Too many fire company’s want to have it both ways – they want the funding from the local government, but they don’t want to be “controlled” by that government.
Here’s a clue – when you are independent enough to own our own building, apparatus, etc – then you won’t have worry about the local gov…
It boils down to what type of culture you want your fire dept. to have.
I have been a member of fire departments that have been dry and some that were condoning alcohol in the station/hall.
IMHO, if you want to drink, go to the bar down the street. Keep the fire house/hall/staion dry.
Voilles…. LOL
Keep telling the public how your just as professional as us paid guys.
“Voilles”?
Guess they need to include spelling lessons during the academy…
Drink where you want, but don’t come near the truck after you do. Simple fact for both career and volunteer professionals.
So many volunteers take offense to being called less than professional firefighters. Well this is one reason that it makes volunteers look like complete idiots next to paid firefighters. I am a volunteer and it is absolutely nuts to have alcohol in the firehouse. Alcohol is allowed in my volunteer station for our Christmas party only. All members are out of service and coverage is provided by our neighbor department for that night. We also return the favor on their Christmas party. That is the ONLY event that alcohol is authorized for in our station. There may be career firefighters out there that drink on duty but that is not a valid argument as they are breaking the rules of their department and will eventually be caught and punished. Lets make ourselves be professionals and hold ourselves to the higher standards that come with that title and the trust the public places in us. We should never have to rely on someone else to make us live up to that standard. Make sure we act as if our mother is watching our every move.
Listening to all the bickering…..does it matter if its volunteer or career. Its a civil service occupation. How many Police Depts. have alcohol readly available? If you want to socialize and drink…do it at a bar or at your home. People say “its been like this for years or its Tradition”. Yeah it was tradition for a while not to use SCBA either.
-Be safe…and smart out there
It’s 2012 and the Lodi VFC needs to Come in to the 21st Century.
The idea of having alcohol in the station to drink after an incident may have been popular 100+ years ago, when the firehouse was also viewed as a “Social Club”.
Historically, the concept has been to have a group of Firefighters (Volunteer or Career) ready to serve their Community without any impediments especially those brought on by consuming alcohol.
The reality is, is that Litigation happens and a “Municipal Corporation” is wise to limit its Liabilities.
people hello this is volunteer they are not on duty did anyone not read the article!!!!!! IT SAYS AFTER A CALL!!!!!! what is wrong with a beer after a call. You people that are against this prolly made it a law in new york that you cant have any soda above 16 ounces. seriously people get real wow one beer after a call wont hurt.