Not a good Day

[Greg D.]

Well it has just not been a good day, Our team Leader up and Quit today. Said he has had enough and his resignation is effective immediately. He was such a huge part of the team that its hard to imagine us without him. He took care of damn near EVERYTHING, the rigs are(were) parked at his house, all the files and this and thats are there in his office. He wants it all gone tomorrow. Another member and myself stepped up and will be filling his role until the sheriff decides what they are going to do.

He is burned out and I don't blame him, he was doing way more than he should have had to, our SAR coordinator had Marv doing allot of paper work and what not that He should have been doing himself. That coupled with the fact that we have no funding and are forced to beg on the street corners for money, drive junk vehicles that are a hazard to the people driving them... not to mention possibly costing lives by inability to get there quickly or AT ALL! Its pretty bad when you are running code to a call and people are passing you on the freeway cause you cant pull a hill faster than 50-MPH! (insert favorite string of colorful metaphors here)

What a day, I'm a little po'd if you couldn't tell thanks for letting me rant.

 

[Gary D.]

Trust me Greg. It doesn't make a difference if you have the best or the worst vehicles and are rich or almost in the poor house. People still burn out and burn out bad. They just burn out for different reasons.

Look at our turn over and we are, compaired to most teams, well funded, well trained and well equiped.

This is a taxing job. It can be rough on everyone including the family. Hang in there and I know you guys will survive and survive well. Who knows, this just might be a wake-up call to the people with the purse strings. You guys have had a rough start to the year so take advantage of it.

Look at how many of these have we had over the past year and we have ended up stronger because of it.

We need a WhiteHouse debriefing.

Gary D.

 

[PWCPD Diver]

Sorry to hear about that Greg.

Brian

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Sorry to hear it, Greg. I went through the same thing, when I was in the Army. After six years as a flight medic, dealing with the worst of the worst, I'd had enough. There came a day when I just felt like I couldn't stand to do it anymore. I was good at what I did, but finally got to a point where I knew I was finished. I finished out my term of enlistment and received my honorable discharge. Once out, I went to work as a machinist. I don't care if I ever see another sick person ever again, and especially not in the capacity of care provider.

 

[Greg D.]

Thanks for the support all! I know he has gotta be burned out, he's been with SAR for 21 years and running the show for 15 or that. He was putting in at least triple the amount of man hours as the rest of us, and he had had enough.

I don't blame him, or the whole vehicle thing or even the SO, but the combination of all of that piled on top of family work and life was just to much. I also think that a past recovery plays a role too. He has mentioned it (now that I think about it) quite a few times in the past couple years, a multiple drowning involving 5 children two of them just babies. He mentioned it again last night when I was talking with him.

I think its both good and bad for the unit, bad that we have to lose such a great asset, especially like this. Good for the fact that we will have some fresh leadership and it will force some issues out in the open as fas as what the Sheriffs office needs to take responsibility for.

Gary, Whitehouse it is, as to when, I'll let you know!

We will get past this I know but this is one hell of a bump in our road.

 

[Gary D.]

There is nothing worse than a kid to burn someone out let alone 5. We just went through that with one of ours. He just can't let the little guy go.

Hang in there and talk, talk, talk it out.

Gary D.

 

[Peter_C]

Sounds like a counsler is needed to help him get past what he had to deal with years ago. I know you guys do a job few would ever want to do. A job where you see things that bring nightmares back for a long time to come, but remember there are people who will help you deal with your job.

As Gary said at the least talk to him about it. Realizing it is effecting him, is the first step to recovery.

 

[Greg D.]

3 more people following suit.... Just f'n great! I think they are trying to send the SO a message which is all fine and dandy, but I just dont know if this is the right way to do it.

 

[skinerd]

Just hang in there. Time and talking heals all.

 

[JustinW]

I know there is a dive team in the area, a relatively new team. Their first call out they had a similar case. Its a tough job.