Pagers/Responding from school?

[Timmy]

Just interested to know if high school students (first responders/FF) are allowed to respond during class?

I’m a vol firefighter, the deal with my school is – Pager has to be on low tone, I can’t respond or have my pager on during exams or assessment tasks. Other than that it’s just a short run to the fire station lol.

[MeekoBB]

It really depends on the local officials and school...In my city, if the mayor signed off on you being released from school for an emergency run in the city, you had to be 18yo. We had 1 firefighter in high school 18 and the mayor stated that when the tones go off, if he is in town and not in an exam, he is an employee of the city and allowed to be released.

I don't recommend leaving school for a call. You're there to learn, especially high school. If you're in college, its your decision, but I would clear it with your professor first so they know you aren't just skipping out of class.

[emt12resq]

I just graduated from high school in June 07. The rule in my school was that we weren't even allowed to have our pagers in school. It was to be made clear to us when we received them from our fire/rescue company. However, everyone took them in class anyway. I usually kept mine on vibrate, some teacher didn't mind if you had them on because they liked to hear what was going on, as long as they didn't become a big distraction. Forget leaving if you had a call though. Education is really important and they didn't want anything to get in the way even if was an emergency.

[BushyFromOz]

Sorry timmy, but my answer is no. The reason being is that i dont believe that anyobody below legal age should be working in the fronltine of emergency services. Its got very little to do with age v competancy, its just i dont believe that i can be forcibly made to except the responsibility for the welfare of a minor

[Redcell19512]

When I was in high school I volunteered with the local BLS squad and yes, we were allowed to leave school to go on call. You had to be an EMT, 18 years old, have a certain grade in all classes (I don't remember the particulars but we used the same standards that the athletic dept used), and....you could only leave if the squad was about to fail to respond (a driver only situation).

So call is dispatched, driver shows up, second dispatch, nobody shows up. Driver gets out of ambulance, calls the school office, office calls your class, you leave, wait for ambulance to pick you up, 25 minutes later the elderly lady who lives 2 blocks from the ambulance station gets her ambulance.

One of my HS Vice Principle's was a long time volly member of the ambulance and a Grand PooBahBah of the Lion's Club (who happened to own the ambulance). I'm sure he was instrumental in getting this policy in place.

I disagree with this type of thing 100%. You are in school to learn. Run fire and EMS calls during your time off. If the system relies on a senior in high school to leave class to attend an emergency then the system is broken and needs to be fixed.

[WestSideBorderPatrol]

We could have them on our person, but not have them on during class. However there are some people who believe that just because the pager says, "property of H*****d County Government" on it, they think they're immune to the "no portable communications device" rule that we have in our schools.

[dahlio]

Not at all. Should never be allowed. I had a duty night on Thursday night, and Friday morning, I had a 9am class. Considering I get a 7.30 train, which is the latest I can get, to get in on time, I had to change my night from Thursday to Monday, just because if there was a late call at 5:58, I was obligated to respond, and calls in my neighborhood take about an hour and a half. (I'm talking about college here) (With an obvious Wawa stop, if it's that early in the morning). My squad also has a policy that you can't go on calls after 10.30, unless your parent lets you (In HS). While I was in HS, I'd ride to midnight (with my parents permission), and whenever we had off, I'd ride all night. I wasn't allowed to respond during school hours, and look at me, I have a diploma (which won't get you anywhere, by the way, except to college, or a burger flipping job).

This also didn't bother me all that much, because I care more about getting crews out then me being on them. At the time in HS, I was 17, and I wouldn't be fulfilling a crucial role on a crew. I do understand firefighting is different, but once again, if you're not 18, you're not putting on that Scotts Pack. As much of a learning experience firefighting might be (as I am not a firefighter), I'd first like to be able to read and write properly. Anyway, I wish all the best to you.

By the way, if you are 18 and can fulfill a role on a crew, then you're free to do as you like, as you are now part of the majority, however, I would never suggest doing so, for your educational benefit. (Also if I were to do such a thing, I wouldn't be living in a house anymore, as my parents would surely kick me out)

[AnthonyM83]

Sorry timmy, but my answer is no. The reason being is that i dont believe that anyobody below legal age should be working in the fronltine of emergency services. Its got very little to do with age v competancy, its just i dont believe that i can be forcibly made to except the responsibility for the welfare of a minor

Your answer to what is no? Timmy's original question?

[EMT857]

No, you are a volunteer and you are under the age of 18. There is no reason you should be leaving school.

Why do you feel it is necessary to be missing class to answer calls?

[JakeEMTP]

I would have to say no, you shouldn't be aloud to leave class to respond. I'm don't know about Australia, but here there will be more than enough people respond that your absence would hardly be noticed.

I know from reading here you're too smart to be a whacker. I really don't see why you would need a pager on when in school. Stay in class, learn something and when you're finished for the day, you can respond to all the calls you want.