Hey, I'm a newbie, but planning to move to the Dr very soon, any retired Canadian F.F. down there or American F.F. I 'd like to here from you.
- Thread starter captsparky
- Start date
Retired Firefighters
Hi Capt. Sparky,captsparky said:
I'm a fire equipment supplier from the Maritimers and my business partner is a retired career and then volunteer firefighter.
Which Dept. did you retire from?
Have you visited any fire halls in the DR yet to see the equipment that the DR bomberos use?
You ain't seen nothing yet!
Gregg
Gregg, this is interesting.
What are the goods/bads etc with the Dominican fire equipment?
Do you know anything about the training the firefighters get here?
I mean not only in terms of fighting a fire, but resque etc etc etc
I Puerto Plata they do have a dalmatian!
What are the goods/bads etc with the Dominican fire equipment?
Do you know anything about the training the firefighters get here?
I mean not only in terms of fighting a fire, but resque etc etc etc
I Puerto Plata they do have a dalmatian!
For the most part in the DR it's like me stepping into a time warp and remembering what I used to sell 20 years ago (although the Dalmatian would be the same -LOL). Many of the resorts fight fires by design, not with equipment. They design their higher risk buildings (like restaurants) to be in separate buildings so that if they catch fire it will not spread to another building. Once it burns down they simply re-build. In the past five or so years I know of at least four resort restaurant buildings which have followed exactly this design plan.carina said:
The one notable exception are the airports which at least have fairly new CFR (Crash Fire Rescue) trucks, especially in Punta Cana where they are really quite progressive (and privately funded). A lot of this has to do with maintaining their FAA and IATA ratings so that they can receive the planeloads of pale bodies with money bulging from every pocket.
As with many things DR related the money only gets spent where it can generate more money, not necessarily for the betterment of the people.
Gregg
Thanks.
I have noticed the absolute abcense of prevention and information work.
For instance at schools, fire alarms in official as well as private buildings.
Of course the reason is both within the culture, and money related.
In Puerto Plata, the director of the firestation, Rafael, is a very difficult man.
He has a park in front of the firestation, that is the natural place for children to play here in the city, of all ages.. The smaller play around, the older kids just hang there or play basketball etc. But he has made himself an enemy to the kids, instead of taking the opportunity to do something with it.
Enemy in the sense of being the selfdeclared owner of the park, sending the kids home, arguing with them, telling them to be quiet etc.
It?s not easy, eh?
I have noticed the absolute abcense of prevention and information work.
For instance at schools, fire alarms in official as well as private buildings.
Of course the reason is both within the culture, and money related.
In Puerto Plata, the director of the firestation, Rafael, is a very difficult man.
He has a park in front of the firestation, that is the natural place for children to play here in the city, of all ages.. The smaller play around, the older kids just hang there or play basketball etc. But he has made himself an enemy to the kids, instead of taking the opportunity to do something with it.
Enemy in the sense of being the selfdeclared owner of the park, sending the kids home, arguing with them, telling them to be quiet etc.
It?s not easy, eh?
FireGuy said:
Hi Gregg,
Small town in the interior of B.C. called Nelson, I've been to the DR. a couple of times and the apparatus is older than I am. Where are you living? We are thinking Samana.
CaptSparky
Actually in Puerto Plata, equipment in service is modern, just lack of availability. They have 1 engine, 1 tanker, and 1 heavy rescue in service. No ladder truck. All are modern and fairly well maintained. But they cover area from Playa Dorada to Cofresi. Can be a 30 minute response time. Crew was happy to give a tour of the station when I said I was volunteer firefighter from the US.
Last edited:
Hello capt sparky, my name is Calvin and I have visited DR a couple of times. There is a small fire dept in Los Charamicos on Dr Morris No. 35. I am a firefighter in Nashville, Tn and visited while there. The equipment is ancient and they are in need of training. I will be back in DR in April, it would be nice to see a fellow pipeman while in DR.
Im a Cape bretoner, Dartmouth (Pronounced DarMOTH ) is nice , I have an uncle living there. I live in the DR Now and lovin it. David Hall . Sells meters .....
I can snap a few Pics of the Gasper Hernandez Bombero Dept if you would like. And Post them .
I was involved in the design of the fume exhaust systems that remove the CO from the buildings as the trucks start up......that were sold all over the Continent. I saw one on Ladder 49 a few weeks ago when we rented the movie . So cool . My Ideas on the hollywood screen , Lil ole me next to John Travolta ..............
I can snap a few Pics of the Gasper Hernandez Bombero Dept if you would like. And Post them .
I was involved in the design of the fume exhaust systems that remove the CO from the buildings as the trucks start up......that were sold all over the Continent. I saw one on Ladder 49 a few weeks ago when we rented the movie . So cool . My Ideas on the hollywood screen , Lil ole me next to John Travolta ..............
Fire girl....
Hello Capt. Sparky...
I moved here 7.5 years ago. I was a paid & volunteer firefighter & EMT for 6 years in Riverside County, CA. I loved it and truly miss it!
When I first moved here to La Romana I was working with the Capt here as he was helping me to get our fire extinguishers up to date on the property. I was telling him my back ground and he was so excited that I had so much training, he said "Lynn, please come over and work with us". Well, I knew that my training was far superior than what they had probably received, plus being a female....well, not a good idea, might I add. hehe! Anyway, at that time the equipment here was so old and delapidated it was amazing to me that they even functioned. They have since received a new tender and rescue, but still the engine in town is ancient. The medics on the units don't seem to know much either and it's pretty scary.
I remember the Capt. telling me that I needed to leave the house when Hurricane Georges was coming, you see we have 650' of ocean front property. I told him no I was staying, and I did and got some amazing video of the ocean coming up onto the house. Guess that's the "old firefighter" in me, the adrenalin and excitement always is there.
Over the years I have stopped on numerous occassions on the highway on bad car/bus accidents as it's just in my nature to do so, to help. It is very sad that people don't understand "don't move the person" they throw them in the back of a truck and go. I suppose a lot of them don't make it because of that.
Good luck and welcome to DR1....and the DR when you get here...
Lynn
Hello Capt. Sparky...
I moved here 7.5 years ago. I was a paid & volunteer firefighter & EMT for 6 years in Riverside County, CA. I loved it and truly miss it!
When I first moved here to La Romana I was working with the Capt here as he was helping me to get our fire extinguishers up to date on the property. I was telling him my back ground and he was so excited that I had so much training, he said "Lynn, please come over and work with us". Well, I knew that my training was far superior than what they had probably received, plus being a female....well, not a good idea, might I add. hehe! Anyway, at that time the equipment here was so old and delapidated it was amazing to me that they even functioned. They have since received a new tender and rescue, but still the engine in town is ancient. The medics on the units don't seem to know much either and it's pretty scary. I remember the Capt. telling me that I needed to leave the house when Hurricane Georges was coming, you see we have 650' of ocean front property. I told him no I was staying, and I did and got some amazing video of the ocean coming up onto the house. Guess that's the "old firefighter" in me, the adrenalin and excitement always is there.
Over the years I have stopped on numerous occassions on the highway on bad car/bus accidents as it's just in my nature to do so, to help. It is very sad that people don't understand "don't move the person" they throw them in the back of a truck and go. I suppose a lot of them don't make it because of that.
Good luck and welcome to DR1....and the DR when you get here...
Lynn
An "old firefighter" from the Atlantic coast would have known better. Maybe 6 years experience in suburbia qualifies as a "teenage firefighter".LynnCox said:I remember the Capt. telling me that I needed to leave the house when Hurricane Georges was coming, you see we have 650' of ocean front property. I told him no I was staying, and I did and got some amazing video of the ocean coming up onto the house. Guess that's the "old firefighter" in me, the adrenalin and excitement always is there.
Lynn
no teenager here...
Well you see I do have common sense too HOWMAR that I was taught in my training as well...when it DID become dangerous and water was coming at us from 3 sides, I did instruct all people that had stayed at the house that we had to leave immediately. There were 4 of us there, my sister and our 2 security guards. Thank god we were all safe and nothing happened. We had a lot of damage...but that's not what this topic is about.
I had excellent training and gained LOTS of experience in my "short 6.5 years", if I was still in the states, I'd still be doing it. Gee that would give me 14 years, am I still a teenager? LOL...just jokin. I truly respect the job and the people that work in the field and hope that someday when I move back (probably this summer) maybe I can re-train and start again.
Lynn
HOWMAR said:
Well you see I do have common sense too HOWMAR that I was taught in my training as well...when it DID become dangerous and water was coming at us from 3 sides, I did instruct all people that had stayed at the house that we had to leave immediately. There were 4 of us there, my sister and our 2 security guards. Thank god we were all safe and nothing happened. We had a lot of damage...but that's not what this topic is about.
I had excellent training and gained LOTS of experience in my "short 6.5 years", if I was still in the states, I'd still be doing it. Gee that would give me 14 years, am I still a teenager? LOL...just jokin. I truly respect the job and the people that work in the field and hope that someday when I move back (probably this summer) maybe I can re-train and start again.
Lynn
Only made the comment as you were so proud that you didn't follow the advice of the "old captain", in spite of never experiencing a hurricane. What you did was a very typical reaction for a civilian, as demonstrated by those of New Orleans who waited for the water to enter the house bedore they decided to evacuate. I'm glad you did make it out OK, and nobody had to risk their life to rescue you.LynnCox said:
guess it did sound..
I guess it did sound a bit neglectful the way I wrote it, but I was in no way disrespecting the capt. by staying, he only suggested it and since my sister refused to leave her home, I felt I needed to stay to try and protect her in anyway that I could and I knew that I could help her and ateast be able to convince her when it was time to go. Which I did. Yes, thank god everything was ok and we didn't have to be rescued.
Thanks for your comments HOWMAR..I truly respect them.
Lynn
I guess it did sound a bit neglectful the way I wrote it, but I was in no way disrespecting the capt. by staying, he only suggested it and since my sister refused to leave her home, I felt I needed to stay to try and protect her in anyway that I could and I knew that I could help her and ateast be able to convince her when it was time to go. Which I did. Yes, thank god everything was ok and we didn't have to be rescued.
Thanks for your comments HOWMAR..I truly respect them.
Lynn