r/Firefighting • u/AngronOfTheTwelfth • 2d 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 2d 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/nimrod_BJJ 2d 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 2d ago

Do firefighters driving the vehicle have their licenses on them?

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u/Handlebarheroin 2d ago

As a city FF, yes.

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u/Cast1736 Michigan FF 2d 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 2d 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/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.