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Yes, it's a fire; I can't do f*ckall about it!
We have construction happening where I work security.
Apparently, the workers dumped something hot in the big open top dumpster behind the building.
I've on the other side of the property when I see flames rising up. I rush over to make sure it's actually a fire on our property. Yup, the dumpster is on fire. I see employees nearby and ask if I should call 911 (sometimes maintenance chooses to deal with smaller fires themselves). They say yes. I call 911, then my boss, then the maintenance boss. Both those bosses had already called 911, and my boss in turn calls our main contact. I keep in contact with my boss on the cell phone and he goes to the gate to our yard to let the fire department in. Besides keeping people from coming into the danger zone, all I can do is watch and report. There was a whole parking lot between the dumpster and building, the flames were already getting lower and wind was blowing away from the building, so there was not much to worry about at this point.
But THIS isn't good enough for these 2-guys that work in maintenance; I remembered later that they're both volunteer fire fighters in another town, so it must have looked like I was just twiddling my thumbs. They ask if the gate is open. I tell them my boss is manning the gate. They scream (bellow, really) at me to go open the gate. I go to the curve of the road so I can see the gate. There is my boss with the gate open. I decide to stay at the curb to direct the fire trucks to the correct building. I hear them coming. One of the 2 guys comes up and bellows again "I WANT THAT GATE OPEN!" I tell him it is and my boss will direct the trucks through, then I'll direct them from there.
Trucks arrive, I keep non essential people away, fire is put out, everyone leaves, I go back to the office to do my report. Then I hear the 2-maintenance guys in the HR office and Safety office, complaining to both managers how worthless I am (doors open) and that I didn't know what the hell I was doing, I didn't listen, I just stood there, bitch bitch bitch. They also complained about something I did last week (by the book, locker check, had a supervisor with me - they were bitching that I was 'rummaging through lockers without a supervisor.' Ummm,,,, right) I was really upset and let my boss know that they were complaining about me.
He told me after that the safety boss met with him and said he only believed about 10% of what the guys were saying. I know neither one of them respects the security department, but WHAT THE HECK did they want me to do? Start a bucket brigade, beat the fire with my hands??? I think they were more angry that I didn't 'listen' to them when they were trying to tell me what do do. But I was crying after because I know they'll complain to everyone they work with about how terrible a security officer I am. My boss says I did everything right, they just wanted someone to blame for something.
I always seem to be in the middle of the sh*t that happens when it happens, because I work during the busiest part of the day, so If I find something or something happens, it's me who gets involved; and if it's some sort of violation I found, then an employee gets in trouble, and they probably blame me.
I wish I could just ignore what I'm supposed to do at my job so I can stop being yelled at for doing my job.
Apparently, the workers dumped something hot in the big open top dumpster behind the building.
I've on the other side of the property when I see flames rising up. I rush over to make sure it's actually a fire on our property. Yup, the dumpster is on fire. I see employees nearby and ask if I should call 911 (sometimes maintenance chooses to deal with smaller fires themselves). They say yes. I call 911, then my boss, then the maintenance boss. Both those bosses had already called 911, and my boss in turn calls our main contact. I keep in contact with my boss on the cell phone and he goes to the gate to our yard to let the fire department in. Besides keeping people from coming into the danger zone, all I can do is watch and report. There was a whole parking lot between the dumpster and building, the flames were already getting lower and wind was blowing away from the building, so there was not much to worry about at this point.
But THIS isn't good enough for these 2-guys that work in maintenance; I remembered later that they're both volunteer fire fighters in another town, so it must have looked like I was just twiddling my thumbs. They ask if the gate is open. I tell them my boss is manning the gate. They scream (bellow, really) at me to go open the gate. I go to the curve of the road so I can see the gate. There is my boss with the gate open. I decide to stay at the curb to direct the fire trucks to the correct building. I hear them coming. One of the 2 guys comes up and bellows again "I WANT THAT GATE OPEN!" I tell him it is and my boss will direct the trucks through, then I'll direct them from there.
Trucks arrive, I keep non essential people away, fire is put out, everyone leaves, I go back to the office to do my report. Then I hear the 2-maintenance guys in the HR office and Safety office, complaining to both managers how worthless I am (doors open) and that I didn't know what the hell I was doing, I didn't listen, I just stood there, bitch bitch bitch. They also complained about something I did last week (by the book, locker check, had a supervisor with me - they were bitching that I was 'rummaging through lockers without a supervisor.' Ummm,,,, right) I was really upset and let my boss know that they were complaining about me.
He told me after that the safety boss met with him and said he only believed about 10% of what the guys were saying. I know neither one of them respects the security department, but WHAT THE HECK did they want me to do? Start a bucket brigade, beat the fire with my hands??? I think they were more angry that I didn't 'listen' to them when they were trying to tell me what do do. But I was crying after because I know they'll complain to everyone they work with about how terrible a security officer I am. My boss says I did everything right, they just wanted someone to blame for something.
I always seem to be in the middle of the sh*t that happens when it happens, because I work during the busiest part of the day, so If I find something or something happens, it's me who gets involved; and if it's some sort of violation I found, then an employee gets in trouble, and they probably blame me.
I wish I could just ignore what I'm supposed to do at my job so I can stop being yelled at for doing my job.
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