As written in the paper, Wytheville FD had a fire on Grayson Turnpike last night.  Listening to the Chief Ronnie King and other members it was like a 3-ring circus.  First of all the fire department didnt find the fire the rescue squad did.  Then when they got there it sounded like it was the first time they had ever been to a fire!  In order to get the fire under control they had to radio dispatch to get help from Speedwell Fire Dept.  As I understand it Speedwell was the one who got the fire under control, not Wytheville.

First of all, Wytheville is suppose to be the county’s finest, thats a joke in itself, they are not prepared to handle a fire at all, members must drive their own vehicles and wait for a paid member to arrive with a truck so they can suit up.  Then they just got a truck with adequate seats for personnel to ride in but only paid members ride in the town’s equipment.  The people of Wytheville need to stand up to the town council and strategies should be put in place for members to ride trucks just like any other VOLUNTEER department in the county so members can be ready to fight fire not be a ring leader!

I think everyone should be grateful for the work volunteers do but by all means fire fighting is more than just a certificate on the wall.  USE LOGIC and be ready the next time!

First off “Get your facts straight” before you make a stupid comment about the Volunteers of Wytheville.
I don’t know what you was listening too but it was not what was on the scanner. Wytheville’s fire department got the fire under control. Yes Speedwell was called in for support to help supply water to the fire fighters. Wytheville’s department was the ones in the house and fighting the fire!  Further more the new truck that was desperately needed by Wytheville’s department since they had to deal with old out dated trucks while the county departments got trucks they did not need, had not arrived at the time of this fire! So, don’t comment on what you have no clue about!!!!

To add just a few more corrections to your comments.
The Volunteers do not have to wait on a truck to get suited up. This department does not have the luxury of a crew truck to carry their turn out gearm, they haul it in their own vechicles. Yes the trucks carry the air packs but what department does not have them packed on the fire trucks. What surprise me is that the squad actually came out after dark, or even responded to a call. I guess it was because of the one guy that when he is on duty actually responds!
What do you know about being prepared. Have you ever done anything like this? Do you get up off your couch and try to save a life or help someone, or do you spend time critizing things you have no clue about?
The men and women on the mentioned department have lots of training, many years doing this, and some have come from county departments to serve on Wytheville’s. Yes, it’s not about a certificate on a wall it is about getting up and doing something to help someone and risking your life while doing it!
The people who risk it all are not a joke, people who speak out before thinking and getting facts straight are the joke!!!!!

One and done….I wouldn’t get too worked up over NV’s thread. 

Lot’s of people don’t know the work “volunteers” put into their job, it’s not really as easy as jumping in your car blowing thru a few redlights and showing up at the scene. These people go through hours and hours of training and retraining. Be thankful there’s people out there willing to do volunteer work with the FD because I’m sure not willing to.

Well I dont usually comment on such things but I feel I must. Alot of people are being hard on the volunteers in all the organizations here recently. And you know Ronnie King’s name so you must be a regular listener? You think it was a circus? Have you ever gotten out of your bed..your mind racing knowing that someones lively hood or life depends on you? Would this not make your mind race, maybe make you sound a little breathless on a radio ,when so many people are depending on you. Is it not dedication that these people get in their own car, drive with their gas, to come to your residence to save you? or that they drive to a building that maybe far away to save something that is not theirs? Maybe the firemen are compensated some but as expensive as it is and working 8 hours or more during the day does 10 dollars mean all that much? The squad volunteers are paid nothing to come out. Times the way they are right now I would love to know that someone care enough to even show up at my house. Do you think I care that they look like they have worked all day and maybe even dirty if I need them. In this careless age you would criticize them for sounding different on the radio or ask for help. So they needed a truck, thank god someone cared enough to give it to them. They have to go by state regulations and state standards to get certifications that you probably do not have or do not understand taking time from family and maybe loosing money at work to go to a class. I dont mean to sound callous, but I am grateful for fire and rescue. For someone who cares enough for a stranger to show up when needed of their own accord spending their time and money so you can complain about scanner land traffic. Im sorry so who is the joke here? Thank you for what you do fire and rescue.

TO THE FIREFIGHTERS AND RESCUE MEMBERS IN THE COUNTY AND TOWN, THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE , IT TAKES REAL DEDICATED PEOPLE TO DO WHAT YOU DO, THE HOURS IN TRAINING AND TO EDUCATE THE CHILDREN IN FIRE PREVENTION MUST TAKE A LOT OF TIME . THANKS AND GOD BLESS.

If you have a real concern with any of the fire or rescue in the area, why not have the guts to use your real name “joe blow”. If there is a legitimate problem and not just nosy judgemental people with scanners then it can be addressed properly with the agency. If there is a problem with a truck, member, way someone uses the radio, etc. the members of that agency need to know so they can try to resolve it.

Most of the agencies in this county rely on donations so most are willing to do anything to keep those donations coming in, so let it be properly addressed and then when you have extra money send a donation. Don’t just get on your computer when you have something negative to say because it can hurt the agency that just wants to help out.

sometimes the F.D. will screw up just like anyone else but the only way not to is to do nothing.
I am glad for the ones who come out and put there butts on the line.

nvrsurprised - 24 February 2009 07:02 PM

As written in the paper, Wytheville FD had a fire on Grayson Turnpike last night.  Listening to the Chief Ronnie King and other members it was like a 3-ring circus.  First of all the fire department didnt find the fire the rescue squad did.  Then when they got there it sounded like it was the first time they had ever been to a fire!  In order to get the fire under control they had to radio dispatch to get help from Speedwell Fire Dept.  As I understand it Speedwell was the one who got the fire under control, not Wytheville.

First of all, Wytheville is suppose to be the county’s finest, thats a joke in itself, they are not prepared to handle a fire at all, members must drive their own vehicles and wait for a paid member to arrive with a truck so they can suit up.  Then they just got a truck with adequate seats for personnel to ride in but only paid members ride in the town’s equipment.  The people of Wytheville need to stand up to the town council and strategies should be put in place for members to ride trucks just like any other VOLUNTEER department in the county so members can be ready to fight fire not be a ring leader!

I think everyone should be grateful for the work volunteers do but by all means fire fighting is more than just a certificate on the wall.  USE LOGIC and be ready the next time!

>>>>

You Sir are sadly mistaken and you’ve done the fire department volunteers a terrible dis-service. 

SHAME ON YOU.  A member of our family had the house burn down and believe me the fire departments from Wytheville, RR, Speedwell did all they possibly could to save that house. 

Pray that you don’t need those volunteers someday because losing one’s home to a fire is classified as catestrophic as a death in the family.  Your attitude sucks and perhaps you have a tad too much time on your hands for your own good.  TRY VOLUNTEERING FOR SOMETHING instead of running down the volunteers.

I agree, with all the others, any effort put into it helps, even if they came and only poured a bottle of water into a fire they would be doing more than you are just sitting there listining to your scanner,  This makes me really mad, because i lost my house to a fire, and it was horrible, we ha dot start all over, and to this day we still dont have a place to call “home”... For us the fire and rescue did more by making sure we were out of the house and giving us support, and emotionally helping us, then anything, no matter what our house wasnt going to be a total loss, it was good to have someone out there at 4:00 am on thanksgiving morning that cared about us, when they could have just as easily stayed in bed so they would be at home to wake up with there own families… So please dont judge these men and women, i have several friends from the glx fire department, and they enjoy being able to help people out, its not for fun, its not for attention, its because they want to help!

tcooper - 26 May 2009 12:24 AM

I agree, with all the others, any effort put into it helps, even if they came and only poured a bottle of water into a fire they would be doing more than you are just sitting there listining to your scanner,  This makes me really mad, because i lost my house to a fire, and it was horrible, we ha dot start all over, and to this day we still dont have a place to call “home”... For us the fire and rescue did more by making sure we were out of the house and giving us support, and emotionally helping us, then anything, no matter what our house wasnt going to be a total loss, it was good to have someone out there at 4:00 am on thanksgiving morning that cared about us, when they could have just as easily stayed in bed so they would be at home to wake up with there own families… So please dont judge these men and women, i have several friends from the glx fire department, and they enjoy being able to help people out, its not for fun, its not for attention, its because they want to help!

>>>>>

I’m sorry for your loss and as I said regarding my daughter, as you said, it takes a very long time to recover from the trauma of a home fire as well as a great financial burden no matter how much insurance one has.  My daughter and her husband had beloved pets that were saved by an alert neighbor who rushed a half mile to let out the pets, call the fire department and even saved Christmas gifts that were crapped and under the tree. 

The outpouring of help, the concern showed by those volunteers from all of the fire departments was something to see.  In fact the pulling together of people to help others is what convinced us to move to this area.  There are many good and wonderful people in Southwest Virginia so I get a tad testy when someone attacks what I now consider my home area’s wonderful volunteers.  We can all learn a lesson from the freely giving of time and effort these men and women put into an unpaid job.

Good post. I appriciate it

pret personnel