OMAC Issues

EaSwe

I have a bit of niggle with my local OMAC unit.

I'm 17 and joined last October and did my CFRcourse within a week of having expressed an interest. Since then relatively little has happened. I did policies and structures in February and only got the Garda Vetting form in the past few weeks. I have subtly expressed my impatience to the OC she was nice about and everything but didn't really give any solid answer. The training person in the unit is busy over the next while and given most people my age are ex cadets I don't appear to be a priority to get done. Given how long vetting seeming takes is there any chance that ill actually be doing duties or anything during the summer. There's pressure from the unit members for fundraising etc which I'm don't find particularly fair given that I can't actually do anything. It has been over 6 months. Am I better off waiting and joining CD when I'm 18?
Thanks

timmywex

EaSwe wrote: »

I have a bit of niggle with my local OMAC unit.

I'm 17 and joined last October and did my CFRcourse within a week of having expressed an interest. Since then relatively little has happened. I did policies and structures in February and only got the Garda Vetting form in the past few weeks. I have subtly expressed my impatience to the OC she was nice about and everything but didn't really give any solid answer. The training person in the unit is busy over the next while and given most people my age are ex cadets I don't appear to be a priority to get done. Given how long vetting seeming takes is there any chance that ill actually be doing duties or anything during the summer. There's pressure from the unit members for fundraising etc which I'm don't find particularly fair given that I can't actually do anything. It has been over 6 months. Am I better off waiting and joining CD when I'm 18?
Thanks

Vetting is out of OMAC's hands completely, similarly it is out of CD's hands.

Under 18's can be sometimes limited in the duties they can cover aswell, depending on your area.

Depending on the size of your unit and availability for duties there's a good chance you'll be let out now, again all depends on unit really. You could ask to go out and observe until your forms are back maybe?

Have you gotten a uniform? There seems to be a problem nationwide at the moment with units getting their hands on uniforms (anyone know about this?)

EaSwe

timmywex wrote: »

Vetting is out of OMAC's hands completely, similarly it is out of CD's hands.

Under 18's can be sometimes limited in the duties they can cover aswell, depending on your area.

Depending on the size of your unit and availability for duties there's a good chance you'll be let out now, again all depends on unit really. You could ask to go out and observe until your forms are back maybe?

Have you gotten a uniform? There seems to be a problem nationwide at the moment with units getting their hands on uniforms (anyone know about this?)

I realise Garda vetting is outside OMACs hands but still surely they could have given me the form in October, why wait until now? I haven't gotten a uniform yet and did mention it but seemingly current members were prioritised in a recent purchase and they can't afford uniforms for new members at this stage.

timmywex

EaSwe wrote: »

I realise Garda vetting is outside OMACs hands but still surely they could have given me the form in October, why wait until now? I haven't gotten a uniform yet and did mention it but seemingly current members were prioritised in a recent purchase and they can't afford uniforms for new members at this stage.

Thats fair enough i suppose for uniforms

Dunno why you didn't get the other form at the time at all, some units are just useless with the paper work stuff :P Maybe you just caught the unit at a bad time, some units only accept new people at certain times so they can train etc, other units take people all the time but obviously might be a delay in training and stuff as a result

All voluntaries have their problems, im sure CD in your area have plenty of problems aswell, as do Red cross/saint johns. If you are thinking of joining CD just be aware that if your outside Dublin there is less focus on medical stuff cause they cover alot of rescue aswell and training time gets a bit split, they do train right up to EMT aswell though

EaSwe

timmywex wrote: »

Thats fair enough i suppose for uniforms

Dunno why you didn't get the other form at the time at all, some units are just useless with the paper work stuff :P Maybe you just caught the unit at a bad time, some units only accept new people at certain times so they can train etc, other units take people all the time but obviously might be a delay in training and stuff as a result

All voluntaries have their problems, im sure CD in your area have plenty of problems aswell, as do Red cross/saint johns. If you are thinking of joining CD just be aware that if your outside Dublin there is less focus on medical stuff cause they cover alot of rescue aswell and training time gets a bit split, they do train right up to EMT aswell though

I joined during an advertised recruitment period along with5-6 others but as far as I know only two them are still attending meetings etc. so there's no reason why i only got a vetting form recently. Will I be actually joined up fully to do duties etc. in summer (in whatever limited capacity that may be)

timmywex

EaSwe wrote: »

I joined during an advertised recruitment period along with5-6 others but as far as I know only two them are still attending meetings etc. so there's no reason why i only got a vetting form recently. Will I be actually joined up fully to do duties etc. in summer (in whatever limited capacity that may be)

I would say so but impossible to know really, just depends on your unit and the amount of duties they'll be doing etc.

Bring your concerns to your OIC, sometimes they just dont realise how slow it is for particular people

villains77

hopefully you get it sorted out. iam in st john a good few years and i joined as a senior member. It took them ages to send me on a first aid course due to having doctors available for exams and lectures but iam glad i stuck with them as i am out on duties every weekend if iam free.know how you feel at the mo but stick with it. maybe talk to your OIC and see if you can go out and observe while waiting for garda clearance forms to get back. i know it takes a long time for the forms to come back. other than that maybe change divisions if the oic isnt as helpfull with your request. Maybe it is cause you are a cadet at the moment and it might change when you are in the seniors. My mate is an emt with omac and is still waiting to do a manual handling course so at the moment he cant go on duty till he has the manual handling course passed.

touge_drift

Its difficult to comment on your situation as i dont know the niggly details, but speaking as an instructor and a ranked member of the order sometimes these things do take a while.

You said 5 or 6 joined with the recruitment drive, now there is only two others who have actually stayed, logistically its a nightmare trying to run a course without propper numbers, personally i wont run any course unless ive atleast 4 bums on seats. Maybe thats why the course isnt being run.
As said above different units deal with paperwork and uniforms differently, you have to remember the oic has a job/life outside of the unit and my not have enough time as they'd like to deal with omac issues.

while i cannot speak nationally i know within my own unit we have an unwritten rule on how long before we issue someone with a uniform and let them go on duty for a number of reasons, you a) get a uniform after a few weeks then do a legger(happens alot.) b) need to prove your trustworthy and indeed capable of fufilling the role of a *insert clinical level* and finially c) that you are interested in sticking around.

EaSwe

I'm quite fed up, I did my CFR and policies and structures with the expectation being that I would actually being doing something this summer. I've stuck around expressed my interest and the thought of not being able to do anything at all even in a limited capacity annoys me. I've attended lots of meetings and pushed to get the policies and structures done, is this indicative of OMAC in general? My time has been wasted I feel, I've gone out of my way to join, CD would geographically have been easier. I know I'm not achieving much my ranting on boards but I feel I can't go to the OC given how close the unit is together.
E.

touge_drift

Are you alone in feeling this or are there any other members feeling the same?

what region are you in?

miju

OP your being fed a line of bull tbh.

Vetting has nothing to do with it (current vetting time is 6 weeks btw) and it doesnt come back to anyone unless of a conviction

Uniform issues are a result of one of the many **** ups that was made of things by people who took over when the previous Director had to resign.

Your issues are nothing to compared to other big issues they are currently dealing with (or not)

Do yourself a favor a do what your gut is telling you and join CD

timmywex

miju wrote: »

Uniform issues are a result of one of the many **** ups that was made of things by people who took over when the previous Director had to resign.

Do you know what the craic is with that miju? Just seems to be no uniform supplies available anywhere with no one having a clue whats going on!

emmet the rover

timmywex wrote: »

Do you know what the craic is with that miju? Just seems to be no uniform supplies available anywhere with no one having a clue whats going on!

its a pain alright nothing worse than looking scruffy at dutys

Icarus152

miju wrote: »

OP your being fed a line of bull tbh.

Vetting has nothing to do with it (current vetting time is 6 weeks btw) and it doesnt come back to anyone unless of a conviction

Uniform issues are a result of one of the many **** ups that was made of things by people who took over when the previous Director had to resign.

Your issues are nothing to compared to other big issues they are currently dealing with (or not)

Do yourself a favor a do what your gut is telling you and join CD

Seems a bit harsh, no?

Are you referring to a particular unit of the OMAC or the organisation in general?

Mycroft H

miju wrote: »

Uniform issues are a result of one of the many **** ups that was made of things by people who took over when the previous Director had to resign.

To be fair, they're far better than the old administration. For a start, there's actually some transparency now.....

miju

Icarus152 wrote: »

Seems a bit harsh, no?

Are you referring to a particular unit of the OMAC or the organisation in general?

The org in general at all levels.

BX 19 wrote: »

To be fair, they're far better than the old administration. For a start, there's actually some transparency now.....

As timmywex demonstrated about his having to enquire about uniforms on a public forum they are only "appearing" transparent. But ultimately communication on something as simple as uniforms is lacking.

Though I am curious as to what way you think they are far better? Especially considering alot of them are the same people from the previous administration