I think that the statements about ham volunteers and volunteers is totally missing the point, OR is based in the same level of nonsense as to WHY served agencies don't want the assistance of ham's. They have a self importance mind set and can't see past it.
If a bunch of volunteer firefighters show up in a fire truck when you have a fire, you are going to let them put the fire out. WHY? Because volunteer or paid employee, they are trained firefighters. And that's what they do.
If you have a radio antenna on a commercial tower that's 300 feet high and you are talking about it on the local repeater while you are at the site to change it out and some ham operator shows up with his expired pole climbing belt and some wrenches, are you gonna let him climb the tower, mind you you have never met him before and have no idea if he's a professional tower climber or not, he's just there and going to VOLUNTEER his services. And remember, YOU are responsible for his actions at the site, and if he falls or knocks something off the air you will no doubt get tossed off the site almost as fast as he fell to the ground.
If you have one iota of sense, then of course your answer is NO.
So a bunch of guys show up to volunteer because they took a test that requires 3 hours of study to pass and they have radios. Lets put them in charge of ALL communications, because they have call sign badges. NO.
And this is the elitism that puts people off off volunteering.
Grouping every ham in the same category as the one hit wonders who pass a test after three hours of studying practice test answers is a gross injustice to those who have taken the time to learn properly by building their own gear from scratch.
Passing a test after you've studied fcc's regs mauals and the arrls antenna guides.
Setting up multiple stations!
No single antenna system is perfect, and no radio can transmit on more than one frequency at a time and still be legal.
You set up a powerful 2 meter but is a 10 meter going to interfere with it?
Its just a resource just as people are.
And any leader who cannot properly utilize a resource is not qualified to do so
And refering to a volunteer organization as not a " REAL SERVICE" smacks of elitism in the worst form.
We have to take the same training as the paid departments, we have to compete for the same grants that paid departments do.
Unlike a paid department we dont have shifts, we have our own jobs, but our free time is always all on call.
No matter what time of day or night, No matter if its 102 degrees or -40 I am out there ( and by the way In 62 years old)
And a military vet as well.
This whole discussion sounds suspiciously like insurance shills that keeps popping up on the firehouse forums trying to influence communities to do away with volunteer departments
We also face the same crap from other agencies over fire police( assigned traffic control)
Some of us for medical conditions cannot participate in interior so for our own safety we are external crew or fire police.
If not for us being there full active firefighters would be pulled from the teams to control traffic and that puts the rest of the crew and any investigator in danger.
Do you think its pleasant to have people dumping $#!t on you just because your a volunteer?
To the point we save lives and properties a lot more than we lose them, we do it with no pay, and no time limits.
We often have to make do with used equipment donated by other departments.
And have a hell of a lot harder time getting equipment than paid departments.
Our surrounding communities and departments rely on each other extensively because we are spread thin over a very large area and we face a lot more stress as well.
So whos a " real " firefighter?
Answer
ALL OF US ARE! paid or volunteer alike.
So dont crap on hams utilize them correctly,
Recording messages, or foot messanger between on scene commander and communications( providing they do not get in the way of the crews) or utilize them as observers.( the more eyes on a subject gains more information and paints a highly detailed picture)