Open Days

kwalshe

My 3 yr absolutely looses his mind when he spots any emergency services vehicles. Particularly when any fire tenders pass.
I would love to get him a closer look at one and was wondering do any stations hold Open days or anything like that?
I know some festivals etc have tenders during summer months and I guess I'll have to look out for them when the weather improves.
He is exactly the same as me when I was his age. How his daddy never grew up to be a member of some type of emergency services I'll never know.
Thanks all..

Hooch

kwalshe wrote: »

My 3 yr absolutely looses his mind when he spots any emergency services vehicles. Particularly when any fire tenders pass.
I would love to get him a closer look at one and was wondering do any stations hold Open days or anything like that?
I know some festivals etc have tenders during summer months and I guess I'll have to look out for them when the weather improves.
He is exactly the same as me when I was his age. How his daddy never grew up to be a member of some type of emergency services I'll never know.
Thanks all..

Call to your local Fire/Garda/Ambulance station and ask for a tour for your kids. Im sure they will oblige

ivabiggon

in the case of dublin if you get refused on a H&S grounds or if the officer in charge is a bit of a stickler and tells you to organize it through the training center just go back on a day when that watch isn't working.
the lads are more than happy to do it, and she'll get a chance to see both fire and ambulance vehicles.
good luck

Saxobank

Emergency services are regulary doing open days, in particular garda stations! im sure if you popped in and asked if the yung'ns could see the vehicles there should be no problems!

Short version of this post: Try the Fire & Rescue station first, don't expect too much from An Garda Sìochàna or Ambulance station.


Long Version: In my own experience, in Drogheda, the Garda station rule of thumb seems to be to treat everyone like a potential threat (not that I blame them).

I don't think you'd get very far just popping into a Garda station at all. I know I haven't.

Ambulance station seems to be hit and miss, depending heavily on the person at the time. One guy spent a half an hour talking to me about their fleet, the job in general, his past as a paramedic, etc. whereas another guy had no time for me whatsoever (he was sitting in the sun at the time, so not like he had anything better to do).


The Fire Station will break their back to please me it seems. They've been nothing but an amazing bunch to me. (I should probably point out I was approaching these services in an attempt to take photographs). The Fire station pulled out all of their trucks, vans and jeeps to let me photograph them, they got kitted up and let me photograph them doing a short training session and most recently they spent about fifteen minutes with their station half plunged into darkness with all their tender's lightbars flashing, so I could take a photo of the station (which is posted in the vehicle gallery).


I also contacted the Dundalk, Dublin and Airport Fire services, the Dublin Castle, Phoenix Park and Airport Garda/Police services and the Navan ambulance centre.

Of the above, Navan Ambulance Centre said I could pop out any time to take photos, The Airport Fire Service also said I could, Dundalk Fire & Rescue said it'd be fine, too.
Dublin Castle Garda said I couldn't, but said they'd contact me if there was going to be any open day or exercises in my area (a few weeks later I found out about a Garda open day in the Drogheda paper, so they never actually informed me of it; I haven't heard from them since). Phoenix Park Gardaì replied saying I couldn't; and when the airport got back in touch to tell me I could photograph the Fire stuff, they never mentioned the Police, so I assume I was turned down by them.



So, with my own experiences behind me, I think you'll have a lot more success with the Fire & Rescue lads than you will with the Gardaì or Ambulance stations, unless you get a Garda Open Day in your area.


If you have any other groups near you, they might help out. Drogheda Have the Boyne Fishermen Rescue & Recovery, Drogheda River Rescue, Coast Guard, St. John Ambulance and Order of Malta.

The Boyne Fishermen were happy to let me photograph their jeeps, Drogheda River Rescue didn't have an issue at all, I've been unlucky and managed to miss the Coast Guard everytime I go looking for them, and I have photographed Order of Malta's ambulance without them really knowing. I have contacted St. John Ambulance but the guy seemed fairly indifferent to me photographing their ambulance, so i decided it best not to bug them and just left it.


I do find that when you're talking to a smaller or voluntary group though, that they are generally happy to see people taking an interest in what they do, so I reckon they'd be more than happy to let you look at their gear and such. But again, I'm not sure what groups operate in Carlow.

(I should point out that this post is obviously just my own experience. You may get a Garda that will bend over backwards to get you into the cars, uniforms and show you everything the station has to offer. It will obviously vary per person. The above is just my experience).


Writing this post also reminds me that I haven't visited feck all of the stations I planned to! Must get cracking with that!

Bang Bang

Deleted User wrote: »

Short version of this post: Try the Fire & Rescue station first, don't expect too much from An Garda Sìochàna or Ambulance station.

I think you're being a bit stereotypical there with your 'short version' of your post.
My station has always been very welcoming to both groups and individuals alike, of all ages. Many parents call by with their children asking if it were possible for their child to get a closer look at the vehicles and to meet the lads/lass's for a chat. The kids and adults always get the guided tour with photo opportunities.
This has also been the case in other stations I've been posted.

Tango Alpha 51

KKV,
Your short version doesn't paint an accurate picture of either service. Obviously AGS have security considerations when dealing with such requests. As for my own service, did you just happen to walk in off the street with a view to taking photo's. I know you stated that "he was sitting in the sun,it wasn't as if he had better things to do" but maybe they had been busy all day & that was the only down time he was getting.

I can assure you that I've dealt with many enquiries from members of the public in relation to station visits/vehicle photo's etc & in general we try to be as accomodating as we can.

The reason our colleagues in the F&R (outside of DFB) can be so accomodating is because as a general rule, they aren't as busy as ourselves or AGS.

Try not to blanket bomb both services just because you had some bad expieriences

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

In my own experience

Deleted User wrote: »

So, with my own experiences behind me

Deleted User wrote: »

(I should point out that this post is obviously just my own experience. You may get a Garda that will bend over backwards to get you into the cars, uniforms and show you everything the station has to offer. It will obviously vary per person. The above is just my experience).

I thought I made it quite clear that I was talking from my own personal experience and wrote that a few times to ensure that nobody thought I was making blanket statements about every Garda, Ambulance and Fire station in the country.


I contacted all by letter. Either by posting it or by dropping it in by hand.

On two occassions with the Ambulance station I was pretty much just told to go away and leave them alone. One of those times they had four ambulances at the station and two paramedics were sitting in the sun (during the summer, obviously) with cups of tea.

One time, I got a guy that was welcoming and happy to help me out and talk about everything Paramedic (and no, i wasn't just popping in every few days with my cameras and hanging around the place).


The Garda station had me waiting six months before they got back to me about taking photos. I would never have gotten Garda photos if they didn't have that open day.


Fire & Rescue service have been an absolute joy to deal with.


Out of curiousity, Bang Bang, which service are you involved with?


Also, I am aware that the services are generally busy and don't really have time for people who want to take photos. I realise they work hard and if it were me, personally, I'd probably want to stab someone for pestering me in my down time about taking photos. I always tried my best to ensure that I was not intrusive or time consuming to deal with.


I just felt that my experiences would be worthwhile getting shared in a thread where someone else is considering doing a fairly similar thing as I did. I've nothing against any of the services; I'm just giving an honest recall of what happened.


The "short version" of my post is quite accurate, I feel (and is obviously written with the intention that the whole post be read at some stage, and anyone with any interest most likely will read the whole thing).

Tango Alpha 51

That's fair enough KKV. Take your point. If your ever down this direction let me know & I'll arrange a visit for you

buzzman

buzzman wrote: »

That's fair enough KKV. Take your point. If your ever down this direction let me know & I'll arrange a visit for you

I'd love to. Though to be honest, whilst I'm not entirely sure, from reading your post, I am guessing you're a Paramedic and, unless you're working around fairly unique scenarios, I reckon that the Navan Ambulance Centre will have more than enough to keep me occupied.


I must visit them sometime soon. Being unemployed in recessionary Ireland doesn't give you much travelling money, unfortunately (especially with Christmas on our doorstep), so I've been putting it off for a while.


I appreciate the gesture, though, Buzzman.

angelfire9

I would say to the OP to find out who their local community Garda is and talk to them I sincerely doubt they would see any security threat in showing a 3 year old their cars

KKV to be fair to the Gardai they didn't know you from Adam and you rang up or wrote letters saying I want to photograph your vehicles you could have been a subversive or criminal and therefore a security threat so I amn't particularly surprised by the reaction you got

My hubby is a community Garda and he does trips to schools showing off the latest cars and gizmos (within reason) the idea is to get kids to realise that not all cops are bad guys

I know nothing about paramedics / Ambulance service so I can't comment on them but Gardai in my experience are fairly accomodating if they aren't too busy of course :rolleyes:

Hooch

Op what part of the country are you in??

thorpe

Im photographing emergency services vehicles and appliances for the last 5 years here in Cork and neighbouring counties and have only had one issue and that not of my own making. Any Fire Station Ive gone to they have gone out of their way to help me. Any ambulance station no problems just got a few strange looks off the duty crew at the time but no issues other than that (when to Limerick City ambulance station recently, all I can say is thank you, great shots and I will be calling back, I missed 2 or 3 vehicles on the day I called).
Airport FRS no issues. Coast Guard and RNLI not one issue. I dont bother the Gardai too much any picture I do take, I blank out the reg after if it goes on flickr or the website.

If you ask nicely and be polite its amazing how people will help you. If they ask you can call another time or they are just back from a long shout and need a break and ask you call another time. Take it on the chin move on. Matters open further doors you.

All in all they have all gone out of their way to help, especially for the website, so thanks to everyone who helped.

kwalshe

nice guy always wrote: »

Op what part of the country are you in??

I'm in Ballon in Carlow.
Thanks to everyone for all their advice , opinion and .. ahem debate...
I did think of just calling in to my local station as I have 3 in close proximity , Tullow , Bunclody and Carlow, but I did'nt want to put anybody out . From what you are saying that would be far from the case.

Maybe I'll give that a go and let the little man wear his fire helmet .
Thanks again lads.

colsar

Deleted User wrote: »

Short version of this post: Try the Fire & Rescue station first, don't expect too much from An Garda Sìochàna or Ambulance station.

If you have any other groups near you, they might help out. Drogheda Have the Boyne Fishermen Rescue & Recovery, Drogheda River Rescue, Coast Guard, St. John Ambulance and Order of Malta.

The Boyne Fishermen were happy to let me photograph their jeeps, Drogheda River Rescue didn't have an issue at all, I've been unlucky and managed to miss the Coast Guard everytime I go looking for them, and I have photographed Order of Malta's ambulance without them really knowing. I have contacted St. John Ambulance but the guy seemed fairly indifferent to me photographing their ambulance, so i decided it best not to bug them and just left it.


Hi KKV,

I am Member in Charge of St John drogheda, which i persume is the one you could be refering too, I am not quite sure what u mean, or who the guy is. If u visited Drogheda Fire Station u would of seen our Ambulance there, and could take pics of it. I have had no requests regarding taking pictures of it, apart from over 2mths ago were i directed the Man to the fire station. If u want pics its there, no problem from our end.

regards
colin

Hi Colin,

It's quite likely it could've been yourself I was talking to? Not entirely sure, though. Just didn't want to be pestering ye guys, so I left it.

I've seen the ambulance at the Drogheda Station a few times alright, but it's usually parked, reversed against a wall in a not-very-picturesque location, also usually in the evening times when it's quite dark, and I don't want to be pestering the Fire Station too much either (I've been up to them a few times this past year, and although I'm always greeted with a smile, I know it's a thin line between being a novelty to them and being a nuisance to them).

colsar

Deleted User wrote: »

Hi Colin,

It's quite likely it could've been yourself I was talking to? Not entirely sure, though. Just didn't want to be pestering ye guys, so I left it.

I've seen the ambulance at the Drogheda Station a few times alright, but it's usually parked, reversed against a wall in a not-very-picturesque location, also usually in the evening times when it's quite dark, and I don't want to be pestering the Fire Station too much either (I've been up to them a few times this past year, and although I'm always greeted with a smile, I know it's a thin line between being a novelty to them and being a nuisance to them).

Our Ambulance would be a fairly active one, as we cover a large area, i have no problem if u wanna pm me to discuss getting pics, we can organise a time and date that suits us both. We do a lot of work with the river rescue, so if your taking pictures of theres, ours will be probly be close by.

Cheers Colin.

I actually seen ye guys down at the Coast Guard building a few weeks ago. Not entirely sure what ye were doing, but decided not to head down as I didn't want to interrrupt anything.



Also just want to throw out, in relation to my earlier posts in this thread about the Drogheda services, particularly the Ambulance and Garda stations; I didn't have a necessarily bad experience with them (i think that's how it might have sounded).


I am aware that both jobs are tough and, as I said myself in my original post in this thread, if it were me, I'd probably go mad at someone pestering me in my down time about photographs. I'm not trying to paint a bad image of either service, I was just relaying my honest stories of what happened with me.

The reason I mentioned the Paramedics sitting in the shade barely acknowledging me, and the Gardaì taking six months to write a letter, is because I felt it'd be worthwhile info for the OP.

As someone who is fond of the Emergency Services, I'd like to think i have a relative appreciation for what the poor men and women have to endure daily, and I am aware that neither Paramedic or Garda are handy jobs.

I honestly believe that Joe Soap is not as likely to put much thought into it, and if someone wants to go and look at emergency vehicles, and they get a fairly lukewarm response, they may hold an unnecesary grudge against said service (especially these days when blindly hating Gardaì and such is fairly common).

The reason I outlined them so much is because someone may at some stage, maybe days, weeks, or years down the line, come across this thread and from reading it, they may have a more realistic mentality as to what to expect should they approach the services for photography or other such purposes.


There was no malice in my post/s at all.