honesty is the best policy
the British fire service uses a system change excellent and unique gear to provide emergency cover British public 24 hours a day. Each of the four watches, always called code red, blue, green and white, working two days of nine hours followed by two nights of 15 hours. The day shift starts at 9am and ends at 18 o'clock, and the night shift begins at 18 pm and ends at 9am. It is evident that firefighters can not have the same days off everyone for national holidays, etc., so if your shift falls on a holiday, you are due a day off instead, as you can take when you want, provided there is enough remaining firefighters on duty to provide the minimum coverage. If you want to take a day off instead, but there are not enough firefighters to ensure a minimum coverage without you, you can ask a firefighter from another show of "stand in" for you, it means or she works your shift for you, provided he or she has equal or better qualifications. Then you pay the day later, by standing for him in return. You'll notice I always say "firefighter" and "he or she". When I'm in the fire department called me a "fireman" because there was no "firewomen" but today there are many women in the work and they are just as capable only men. You catch me with my pants down PC.
In the winter of 1987 I was Blue Watch and I had a day off, so I asked 'Blagger' Bewley Rick White shows he was standing in for me (his Blagger nickname was because he could not talk his way into or out of anything). He was happy to agree because he needed a day off in a few months so that he could attend a wedding. We agreed the deal and got it approved by our station commander; Blagger would be for me the next day and paid later. Everyone was happy.
Saturday morning two months later, I woke up at about 9:30 by the phone ringing. I did not take notice because I'm staying in London with a friend after a very serious evening the night before. I put the pillow over my head and tried to ignore the noise, but shortly after the ringing stopped the door open room explodes and my friend standing almost naked in the doorway, panting heavily in the race stairs. "You better take this call," he said. "It's urgent." I groaned out of bed and made my way down the stairs. The voice at the end was familiar, but I could not quite place it.
"Morning, Eamonn. How are you?" He said in reply to my growl.
"I'm hungover to f *** in fact," I said impatiently. "Who is it?" There was a calendar hanging on the wall next to the phone and when I saw the date, a bell began to ring in my head. He quickly got louder then I fell for alarm. Oh sh * t!
"This is Officer Eamonn Taylor Station White Watch. Are not you supposed to be somewhere this morning?"
This was the worst possible offense. I had forgotten to pay Blagger back to the day he stood for me. I was in big trouble. Thirty seconds later, I was in my battered old Ford Capri race down the M40 towards Oxford, desperately trying to find a plausible excuse. Fortunately, the traffic was light as it was Saturday morning when I was on the station by 10.30. To my relief, Station Officer 'Tinker Taylor (obviously) had arranged for Dave' Randy 'Radcliffe (do not ask) the crew of the night to stay back and cover for me, so the crew did not short. When I arrived, he called me directly to his office. He was sitting upright behind his desk with his uniform cap. Not a good sign. I stood at attention before him.
"What happened, Fireman Sadler? Why have you been AWOL for the last (he looked at his watch) 92 minutes?" I took a deep breath and began to lie on unfortunate misunderstanding about the dates, but before I finished the first sentence, he took off his cap, leaned forward on his elbows and spoke softly. "you know I do not believe this shit, do you, Eamonn ? I know that you forgot standing today. Be honest with me as I cap and I'll help you. "
I abandoned the pretense, in the hope of a lighter sentence." Yes Station. I'm sorry I forgot. We made the case a few months ago and it slipped my mind. I am sorry. "
He nodded and put his cap." OK, I am pleased to approve your request Fireman Radcliffe to cover you until 11am today so you can visit your sick grandmother . Make sure you submit yesterday. "I did and Randy Radcliffe also signed Now I had him one day as well -. And I had to work my station agent