r/Firefighting • u/AngronOfTheTwelfth • 1d ago

General Discussion Border Patrol agents arrested firefighters fighting Washington wildfire after they asked the fire crew to line up to check their IDs.

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What do we all think of this? Seems pretty nuts to me. They are actively getting in the way of wildlands guys as they do their job out there. I dont think this should be allowed or encouraged. Firefighting is a lot more important than .... risking 20 guys dressed exactly like firefighters crossing the Canadian border?

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u/Serious_Cobbler9693 Retired FireFighter/Driver 1d ago

I'm not sure about wildland guys, but when I was a firefighter we didn't carry any ID on us or you take a chance of losing it in a burning building or when you are hanging upside down in a car that has flipped on the highway.

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u/lemonlimesodas 1d ago

Exactly I rarely carry my wallet while on the line, so what then. I can't prove I'm a citizen right then and there and get shipped off to Uganda?

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u/WinterAd8309 1d ago

Or CECOT if they really don't like you that day.

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u/TheBrianiac 1d ago

I feel like this has been dramaticized by the media. I watched an ICE documentary (albeit over 5 years ago) and they had mobile fingerprint readers that could identify you if you didn't have ID. They are mainly going after visa overstays, so they have the fingerprints of the people they are looking for.

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u/WorldlinessFar609 1d ago

Biometrics isn't that reliable, especially and obviously if you're trying to ID a fingerprint of someone likely to have calluses. (sp?) Which one would expect of people swinging axes and shovels for a living ffs.

In any case, pulling someone from active duty firefighting is an abhorrent disrespect and danger to the colleagues and protectees of said firefighters.

Honestly, I can't imagine why anyone would defend these methods, man.

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u/immaREPORTthat 16h ago

They are going after everyone but the violent cartel members. Any soft target that poses zero threat to Americans.

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u/SrRoundedbyFools 12h ago

Crazy because fingerprint identification has been made off the area roughly the size of a #2 pencil eraser.

I’ve fingerprinted hundreds of people and the system was able to identify people in less than a minute. The mobile readers are only slow in low data areas. They’re very effective.

If anyone really cares about why Border Patrol was there is was at the request of BLM due to a CRIMINAL investigation for time card fraud that was widespread to the point two companies trying to steal from the public coffers and both were fired because of overt theft.

Do firefighters back fraud and theft acts committed by their fellow firefighters?

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u/snrub742 1d ago

I think any disruption to a fire response by ICE is incorrect. But hey that's just me

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u/TheBrianiac 1d ago

That's not what I was replying to

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u/snrub742 1d ago

That's what the thread is about.

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u/anoncop4041 1d ago

More than that. A simple Ncis/your state equivalent(every state has one) can pull up your info. It’s not hard to do and takes under a minute or two at most. If a person is providing false information, there will be no record of them. No different than if a person gets pulled over without their license on them.

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u/Superb-Brilliant-911 10h ago

Domt try and use logic with anti ice people. Even if the person has been deported 3x and is a wife beating drunk driver they are against ice deporting them without another trial even tho they have the orders signed by a judge.

0

u/Kitty_gaalore1904 1d ago

How nice it must be to ignore thigs that don't effect you as being "over dramatized".

What privilege....

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u/nimrod_BJJ 1d ago

I never had my wallet on me on a call for that very reason.

Or heaven forbid you get contaminated with Ethel-Methyl Death and take the public shower. Then the whole wallet is gone for good.

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u/whopperlover17 1d ago

Do firefighters driving the vehicle have their licenses on them?

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u/Handlebarheroin 1d ago

As a city FF, yes.

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u/Cast1736 Michigan FF 1d ago

The city city depts I've been on you dont need to keep it on your person at all. Never understood how guys walk around with their tri fold wallet on their pockets all shift. That shit would be annoying as hell

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u/Handlebarheroin 1d ago

That’s something the cops are cool with? We have had our chauffeurs ticketed for not having their license on them. No different than any other driver out there.

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u/jeepinbanditrider 1d ago

Yall must have a complete shit relationship with your local law enforcement if you've had multiple uniformed drivers get tickets for not having a license on them.

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u/Handlebarheroin 1d ago

For a period of time when I first got on 20 ish years ago, we didn’t. I also think our drivers in these specific instances pushed things with the cops, which escalated the situation . The same 2 drivers were breathalyzer tested on that same incident. It’s much better now!

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u/TheBrianiac 1d ago

Some states don't require you to carry a physical license, since the cops can look you up in the DMV database by SSN or name+DOB.

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u/Serious_Cobbler9693 Retired FireFighter/Driver 1d ago

We were told to memorize our drivers license#, I never carried it a day when on duty, it stayed in my POV or locker. I was only asked for my license# one time when a car decided to do a Uturn in front of us while we were responding to another call code3 and we had to stop and render aid as we pretty much Tboned him with the engine. Officers just asked for my DL# for the crash report.

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u/WorldlinessFar609 1d ago

Not true at all. Firefighter drivers are treated VERY differently. Majority of apparatus used in the US should require a CDL, which no firefighter is required to have. 12s and 24s are super illegal shifts for heavy vehicle drivers in any other context too.

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u/jeepinbanditrider 1d ago

We have "exempt" licenses in my state. Our department requires a Class B exempt license which allows the same equipment operarion a class B CDL but you're exempt from the CDL specific requirements.

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u/Cast1736 Michigan FF 1d ago

Yeah both states had laws that first responders were not required to keep their drivers license on them when on duty and operating dept vehicles (I believe Michigan also has it for the volly/POC guys that if you're responding to the station in your POV you're still good)

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u/MisterSumone 23h ago

As a civilian, I rarely even carry my actual license. Any time I've been pulled over i just give them my name and DL number and I've never had an issue. And I've been pulled over a bunch.

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u/Ok_Buddy_9087 Edit to create your own flair 1d ago

Cargo pockets ftw

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u/Cast1736 Michigan FF 1d ago

Rock those as well but I usually have med shit in them

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u/Ok_Buddy_9087 Edit to create your own flair 23h ago

….WTH are you carrying on your person that takes up entire cargo pockets and can’t be carried in a bag?

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u/taxmanfire 1d ago

I don’t. I’ve had it with me before and it gets so sweaty under my turnouts that everything in the wallet was pretty nasty.

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u/qwerkywombat 1d ago

Sometimes

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u/DIQJJ 1d ago

I don’t ever carry it. If I were to get into an accident, I’ll give over my name but my address is department HQ.

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u/SmargelingArgarfsner Go Get Em Brothers! 22h ago

Not required in my department.

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u/illblooded 18m ago

We have our licenses on our phones in Aus. Motor Driver usually carries their phone with them. The rest of us, our phones and ID’s are back at the station next to our hook.

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u/TLunchFTW FF/EMT 1d ago

Never did wildland, but interior id have my wallet. But my pockets are pretty deep and protected.

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u/Bow9times 1d ago

My pockets were full of dirt and uncrustables.

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u/TLunchFTW FF/EMT 1d ago

Nah my pants under my bunker pants

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u/Travler525 1d ago

Exactly this. You don’t want to carry anything on you that you don’t want to risk losing, getting damaged or getting carcinogens on.

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u/JmBronson 1d ago

You have to bring it to a fire in wildland, at least for contractors.

Once you're checked in at camp, it stays in your IA bag or in the vehicle.

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u/BasedFireBased They still call us the ambulance people 1d ago

Wallet goes in my locker when I get to work. Don't need it, why carry it

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u/Creditcriminal 1d ago

Serious question, did y’all have like dog tags or bracelets or something? 

In the event that you didn’t make it out of a building.

Sorry, if that’s too morbid. 

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u/qwerkywombat 1d ago

Yes lost dept have personnel accountability tags that are plastic or metal. Usually one on apparatus you came on, one on you, and one left at the mailbox or door / with a safety officer if they’re there already when you go interior. They’ll usually have a number on them that correlates to who you are

1

u/Serious_Cobbler9693 Retired FireFighter/Driver 1d ago

We had our badge# on all our gear but we didn't carry tags in with us. Tag was on our helmet unless we went interior then it was left with safety/command or the pump operator of the line you were on if you were fast attack before anyone else got there.

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u/Outrageous_Let_1684 1d ago

Yeah my ID lives in my center console of my duty truck, or at the hall when I'm not on duty but on a call.

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u/Bow9times 1d ago

“Here’s my IRPG, Sir.”

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u/firemedic3411 23h ago

Every department I worked for required a photo copy of your license to be on file. Since the departments I worked for already had my license on file I never saw the need to carry it on me.

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u/h0l0type 13h ago

I’ve been wildland and structure. Never carried an ID on me on fire ground or on an active fire line.

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u/Adventurous_Boat_632 8h ago

When I was on a wildland crew I carried my wallet wherever I went in my pocket just like any other day. You never know where you might end up on a crew away from your bus and gear and need money to buy snacks or whatever. Never even thought about leaving it behind, could see all kinds of trouble from that.

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u/neglected_regime 1d ago

Yeah isn’t your “ID” printed on the lower rear of your jacket for visual reasoning?

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u/Serious_Cobbler9693 Retired FireFighter/Driver 1d ago

Usually just last name unless we had two with the same last name and then a first initial was added. Not really an official id that the feds would acknowledge though.