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Should I Send a Letter to the Chief?

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AngliaGT

AngliaGT

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I got a letter from our local volunteer fire department,notifying us of their
annual Open House,to show the public their equipment,etc.It was today,& the letter
just showed up yesterday,with the date & times.There was also a website listed on
the flyer with that info.Last night I tried to look up info about the open house,but
there was none listed.
I decided to go by,& check it out,as I was a volunteer firefighter for 35 years.
While I was there,the firefighters were all visiting with each other,with their backs to
me.I walked around & checked out the apparatus,& still no response -no acknowledgement
whatsoever.After a few minutes,I walked away,got in my truck,& left.
This deeply bothered me.Should I write a letter to the Chief,letting him know about this?
When we did an Open House in my old Fire Department,we made a point of
interacting with anyone walked by,as they were the taxpayers who financially support
our department.



After that,I went to a local cruise-in that the do every Saturday,4 PM to dark.
I took the GT,& when I got there,there were only 15-20 cars,almost all American,with the
older owners all sitting in their chairs behind their cars.I was there for a while,& no more
cars showed up,so I left.

Kind of a depressing day for me.
 
Yep - many folks these days are obsessed with "their buddies" and sadly forget about why the show or event is actually held.

We turned the air museum attendance completely around, from a few bored people who were ignored, to four times the number of visitors who were never ignored! We did this by adding volunteer docents whose main job is to greet the arriving visitors, welcome them, and offer to show them our aircraft. We even kept attendance numbers up during COVID, by opening hangar doors, and having docents at the doors telling visitors about the a/c they could see.

Before we changed this, we had hangars full of a/c, with signs next to each a/c. Now, near the signs, we have human beings, who care about the a/c, and about those who pay the bills - the visitors.
 
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I might send a letter. I doubt it will achieve anything, but I think people need to know the impression they make.
 
I showed up for a SCCA autocross. Several times during the event people came by and looked over the car - my Spitfire. I found a number of the others talked about the car, but not to me, as if I were invisible. There were some other times during the day the "regular members" did much the same. I wrote to the club president because I thought the officers / leadership would want to know about my experience; the SCCA announcer kept reminding people they could join the club. Why would I pay to be ignored?
 
I think I would send something. Interaction with the "customers' is also part of what will draw in the next generation at those guys age. Talking, showing guests around and such has to help put it in some minds as how young folks may want to spend some or all of their adult lives.
 
As our SCCA group wonder why their group has dropped from 700 members to just over 500. Too many self centered and cliques.
 
I would write the letter. Mention your past 35 year service and how that department ran their Open Houses. Then mention your experience at the local Open House. Basically rearrange your initial post on this forum.
 
Our firehouse has an Easter BBQ the Safurday before Easter. Granted I worked a few yrs at the Volunteer Dept., but I did help build the firehouse. I went up to get two carryout plates for dinner. As I was standing in line, one of the newer crew pushed me aside to go thru the line, no excuse me or nothing, well, I never liked being pushed, even when I was on the Police dept. Yep, I made a loud to do out of it, about a rude a-hole that plays in the firehouse I helped build for him to play. Even though I was a lot older than him, I was restrained, brought my food, appoligized to and not charged for the food. Have not been back since.
 
Too many these days don't know the phrase, "catch more flies with honey", meaning nice can get you much more and people are more likely to reciprocate. As an example, got snowed in years ago in Chicago, my flight just got in and the continuation got cancelled. After standing in a line of upset yelling people first thing I said to the poor hassled desk attendant was that snow wasn't her fault and I had no intention of yelling at or blaming her for my flight being cancelled. Smiled, then said "what options do I have". Short ending, I got on one in the morning and got home when many more were still sleeping in chairs. Had I been rude, might very well have not gotten that little bit of extra help.
 
I went ahead and wrote & sent it,explaining how I was treated,& how
my last department treated others,& how,in the same envelope was a card
requesting donations.I wrote that I would not be sending any,due to the was
I was treated.
I my old department,us volunteers hosted a dinner every three months,
inviting the on duty crews,paid Firefighters,& retirees.I always tried to let the
on duty crews go ahead of me,as they could receive a call at any time & need
to leave in the middle of their meal.
 
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