Being a firefighter reddit. You'll have time to really think about this.

Being a firefighter reddit I hated being at college so I was looking for careers to get into that didn’t require a degree. Upon completion of this academy, you will go on shift and being a 15 month paramedic program. I started my EMS career 5 years ago when I got my EMT-Basic and started doing volunteer EMS. As a kid, I fell in love with the idea and prestige of being a firefighter rather than the actuality of being a firefighter. Worth pointing out that currently in the UK, the fire service and ambulance service are separate entities, so being a paramedic isn't really much assistance here as it's a separate job. 7(b), but it does not supersede any state law, agreement, etc. Get your EMT and go to the academy first. It sounds like you like the idea of being a firefighter, but that really only gets you so far. We are doing all our own in-house training because we are hiring so many folks. I pursued that goal and went through Military Fire in the Marines and eventually got hired on at 25 on a full time dept in a town of 400,000. Male or female. Being a hero is not fun when you got live with life long injuries for the rest of your With this being said it’s very rare that I actually get to sleep through an entire night at work. fucked around on Reddit while refresher is running in the background stalked some of my friend's calls on the MDT to see if they did anything cool. So I've been a firefighter since 2003. I had a guy graduate my Fire 1 Class at age 50 and now I work with him at my department. Like the title says, why did y’all choose to be in just ems and not join a fire department. After college I took all the steps to become one. ), that's 100% on you. I work for a mid-size full-time Dept. Even when my department had low morale due to management and staffing issues, I still loved this job. Granted I am very salty and sick of the petty politics and Neanderthal social games you have to play. I believe that this history will in no way affect my performance as a firefighter but I am a little nervous given that I have heard of people being rejected because of prior drug use. But anyways, I just feel like a lot of time and commitment would be wasted to step down to a role like a firefighter. au but was wondering what the pay is really like (and super), what the culture is like and the lifestyle in Victoria. Firefighters have a 14% higher rate of death from cancer than the general population. Because almost every situation they get into is life threatening. Being a probie is all about learning and growing as a firefighter. My buddy talked me into it and I only needed to take English so why not. It’s fun for a little while. Im 18 years old and I know I want to be a firefighter after college. I have 3 kids and think it could be good for me as a career path. From the looks of it you’re not prepared mentally for such a taxing job. Or how about being a husband. I may be biased because I’ve known firefighters growing up and some of the things they told me were quite crazy. If I could offer anything more than an upvote, you'd have it. Being a proper (paid) firefighter is a possible fallback if things at college don't work out. If you become a firefighter you're going to make substandard pay for working extreme hours compared to whatever less satisfying job you're headed towards. . Some were great and supportive and others had some "senior firefighters" that just couldn't wait to fuck on the new guy. Lots of tests, interviews and rejections. I’m new to the game so maybe I just don’t know how to play but holy shit is this career full of divas. I apologize for being rude, kinda been getting attacked about my stance on vaccines so I’m on edge. Pretty much all you need is to be 18 and have a drivers license or a way to get to work. I recommend getting into fire ASAP. They have a yearly application acceptance period which lasts about a week. Being part of CES you can be forward deployed to FOBs, you’re always doing CDCs. (100 firefighters, split into 4 shifts). once in there are many ways to guide your career. The minimum really here is having your EMT done and fire science classes in order to get on with most departments. I work with guys who are traveling between 40-50 miles each way and it's taking them 2. I have been on the job for 26 years and know many friends in Professional Union Fire Jobs through out California. That will be increasing with our new contract, roughly July 1. But when you say people are more willing to pay for training are you talking about the actual people who are becoming Officers/Firefighters? Sorry just a little confused ESGR Ombudsman Director/ESGR national Trainer here. So I speaking for Oregon firefighters and not California - but I know for a fact California deals with staffing shortages and those types of issues. Once I started in EMS and doing actual patient care I fell in love with medicine and perfecting my patient care. I found a better paying lower cost of living area to relocate and was hired on as a lateral firefighter. Top pay at year 19 is $90,252 for a Firefighter, $94,765 for a driver, and $99,503 for a paramedic. Lol stable job. At first glance the varying schedules seem doable. And read your book in class. I bounced around to a couple of different stations in my first year. I talked to the paramedic instructor today and 80% of fire calls in my county are EMS calls, and he says that the paramedic takes lead on those calls and that’s what really sounds appealing to me. Cons: Cancer, PTSD, sometimes short staffed where you are and mandated OT, trauma, not being able to save lives, it’s rough on your body. I went from being an engineering major and struggling, to a business major and feeling unfulfilled. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a firefighter. Given the demands of caregiving and concerns about the risks of firefighting, I decided to change career paths and focus on cybersecurity. Nov 15, 2024 · I became a firefighter to work more 911 rescue calls. But they still advertise as volunteer. I want to major in something that will help me climb up the chain of command easier later in life, or simply be back-up knowledge for a different job if something Hi all, applications open tomorrow to become a firefighter in Victoria. Ended up realizing that it was what I wanted to do for a living. NEW USERS: To prevent being mistaken as spam, actively contribute towards a discussion and reasonably space out submissions from the same source. I entered the the fire service after being a paramedic in a private 911 agency for over a decade. Then when you are applying to jobs and while you are on the job, then work on your degree. It all depends on your lifestyle and what you want. We always have riders come to my fire station (in a big U. I've always admired firefighters, and I have several personal reasons for considering it. Being delivered via helicopter was the greatest experience. Couldn’t do any other job now after being a firefighter. In my 6 years doing it neither me nor the DoD guys had a fire bigger than a car engine smoking. Reddit Getting ready to play War Thunder as soon as a friend gets back to quarters from a call I'm a paramedic firefighter on a specialized rescue/ambulance unit working 24/48s. I have no plans for a post-firefighter life. Currently I am in college and studying to be a dentist. Repeated promotion of a site/channel/blog, yours or otherwise, is regarded as spam and will result in a permanent ban. Usually, 100 through 400 pop up sporadically throughout the year, but with COVID I'm not sure how this year will play out. As for the rest of what you said, thanks a lot. Obviously there’s some negatives, but the fire service is about group effort and using everyone’s benefits as a team. Starting my career recruit class in 3 weeks at a large department in southern Ontario. You have to want to be a firefighter. It’s good for character. We die of either cancer or heart attack (standard joke). Whatever skeletons you got will come out unless you tell them first. You wanna smoke? There are jobs that don't give a fuck. When you go through EMT and learn the anatomical and physiologic stuff about the body, and understand what’s happening, it takes a lot of the panic and scare out of what’s I agree that being an Officer is a harder job in the long term. Yes I am one of the younger people but there are a few other kids around my age. Fitness standards and entry tests are difficult to say the least. This last year they switched the application to online. I'm 38. If you dislike ems all together you’re going to really dislike being a firefighter. Note: I am a sophomore in undergrad. It will at least give you a first hand look at what being a firefighter is like. My experience has been that as long as you can do the job, most of the guys, especially the newer firefighters, don't think twice about it. I saw it in the news, and that got me wondering what it’s like being a firefighter this time of year in Las Vegas. " bullshit when you smoked 2 packs a day your entire life. I believe that its good because it is giving back to the community, somewhat medical, and also has a structured rank system. I have a lot of friends who are either already firefighters or are about to finish the academy and highly recommend that I Pursue firefighting. Everything about being a firefighter is appealing to me. How is it manageable when you got family Being on a volunteer Department is good and it'll help you get some experience and also a lot of training. Also, if there is a reddit group that is about firefighting spouses or any of that sort of group I would love to join! i’m looking to hear others people’s experiences and advice. Is it hard to spend time with your kids being a Firefighter. I’ve been in the fire service/EMS for 14 years a paramedic for 10 of those 14. Not sure where you live, but go do some ridealongs. Asking the pros/cons of paid vs volunteering and asking the pros/cons of not being a firefighter vs being a volunteer firefighter are two very different questions; I'm guess you're just asking the difference between not being a firefighter vs volunteering. Same entry standards as a regular firefighter. Like it or not those 2 things are a conflict of interest. People get extra points for being a veteran, the child of a NYC cop or firefighter killed in the line of duty, the sibling of a NYC cop or firefighter killed on 9/11, or a NYC resident. No one is a firefighter on a whim. If it's being a firefighter but you're just worried it won't work out you have to push through. g. I want to make a decent ammount of money and have a job that will be fun. 97K subscribers in the Firefighting community. I am curious if this is good volunteering that medical school admissions would love to see. However, most departments (should) have training all year long to refresh everyone. Benefits of being smoll in the fire service include Confined space rescue, MVAs with entrapment, small hands, and lower/ smaller profile. There is a wide grey area with volunteer organizations, and there are more than a few which flirt with being paid while not actually being considered employees. I did a high school program as well and honestly had no interest at all in being a firefighter. I don’t get burned out but there’s definitely times where I get sick of dealing with the same old morbidly obese regular who somehow hasn’t died yet, or picking up the 120294928th old person. vic. Still love shift work. No one gets rich being a firefighter, but if you can live within your means you make enough. Retained Duty Firefighter, it’s not actually a volunteer role it’s a part-time/on-call role. If I ever want to have my "adrenaline itch" scratched, I could always do flight nurse. Firefighting has always been my goal since being a teenager. What made you wake up this morning and decide that being a firefighter was something you wanted to do? Do you have experience in the field? By all means, apply for Howard County. I got my career job by being lucky, just like everyone. Applying and interviewing is just fucking awful. Assuming that I do follow through and start on the path to becoming a Firefighter, how would I be able to pay my bills and still do all this other stuff? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. S. Most communities don't speak up enough about these issues and the men and women that risk their lives and spend time away from their families to help you and others are the one's paying for it. Like others have mentioned, our daily tasks outside of fighting fires and responding to EMS calls is pretty mundane. Are you dead set on being a firefighter? If you are, don't get your degree. 24/72 schedule with pension at 20 years or age 50, whichever comes first. The department is diverse enough that you can get into a really busy hall or a slow hall with varying types of calls. Most departments in my area are 4 groups (Sorry 3 group guys) we work 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 5 days off, people are generally envious of that type of work schedule. It also (at least for me) makes me feel like I’m doing something of worth with my life. So, I came to realize that I was against petite people in general that suck at being a firefighter. Pick a degree other than fire science. 7(c). Being a firefighter with the aspects of helping people on their worst day appeals to me. Being a firefighter in NY would be awesome! Just the thought of being away from her for an entire day, sometimes 2-3 days in a row for OT shifts, was killing me inside. I know a few ex cops and paramedics who did exactly this; ie first be a cop or paramedic and keep going through to be a firefighter. I can tell you, you ain’t gonna get rich being a fire fighter but if you want a fulfilling job and like helping and being around people it’s great. Pros: get to save lives, fight raging fires, bond with your brothers and earn their trust, hard work, learning new skills, being a medically proficient responder that can follow you if shit hits the fan. I became a firefighter 8 years into my Reserve career. Im 17 years old and I dont know what I want to do when I graduate. Do it man. I genuinely am excited and enthusiastic to respond to ANY type of call at ANY time of day (48/96 dept, 15 calls is a slow 24) but I refuse to engage when a cheese grater being in the wrong cupboard is for some reason the talk of the station. I work for a decent sized department with approx 1200 career firefighters. I started in 2012 and I should be finished this coming spring. Left my career job that I loved because the area had become too expensive to live on firefighter pay while also maintaining a strictly enforced living radius to the station and they were unwilling to budge on it. I'll never stop being a firefighter unless I can no longer properly serve and may risk someone's life if I were not retired. Get a lot of the knucklehead stuff out of the way, like ICS. A community for those serving their community. You’re never going to get rich being a firefighter and if you’re not into being a firefighter 100%, you’ll be eaten alive. I tell people I became a firefighter because I work at a fire dept. But don’t go and sign up just for that. No one liked being there and in turn, didn’t wanna hang out off duty. , that provides for more benefits than USERRA. Being a probationary firefighter can really wear you down to fucking nothing, depending on the culture of a department or station assignment. Plain and simple. Because of these extra points you can potentially get well over 100, and I think the #1 candidate on the current test got like a 118 or something. USFS and NPS have a long tradition of expert woodsman, rangers and technicians that have been stewards of public land since the inception of the forest that evolved into the FT position. This means that the death rate for firefighters from cancer is about 170 deaths per 100,000 firefighters. First thing that goes when towns or cities get into a financial crisis (like now) is teacher and firefighters. I wonder if it’s too late to change I’m lucky enough to still be able to volunteer while being a career firefighter. Knowing how to properly apply the correct extinguishing agents in the correct manner are important these days. I am doing it online while working full time EMS. Not particularly. People get so cought up in the Firefighter term, that they forget how unique and awesome being a Forestry Tech is. My entire life I was never truly sure about what I exactly wanted to do. Back in the day my father did all three he said fire was the easiest and had the best food, police was second best because you could usually stop by the fire hall for dinner although the paper work and politics were horrible, and ems was the worst because both the patients and your brass were out to get you. I’ve seen guys come in at all ages and they all have turned out to be great firefighters. As a child I always like the prospect of being a firefighter but never really had any follow through. It was a bit of a challenge because my agency had us working 3 24's a week for the first three years I was in the program, plus I was working in county dispatch as a side job. You can do both. Only cons I can think of is potential long hours, being on call, and the potential for overnight Please dont become a firefighter or anyone serving the public, sorry but your past matters. Firefighter here. I (24F) have been with my firefighter boyfriend (30M) for about 4 years now but I have only been to the firehouse one time in our 4 year relationship. They don’t just put out fires. , that "reduces, limits, or eliminates" any USERRA guaranteed benefits, 20 CFR 1002. I wouldn’t throw that all away. If you can get your chiefs blessing I say take it. Most firefighters are burnt out from COvID and staffing issues all all that jazz. In ems the majority of your calls are hospital transfers. Making great friendships with people with similar goals was invaluable to me on a personal level to become a career firefighter. Being 50 miles+ from the firehouse means a lot more commuiting costs and time, and the property taxes in the suburbs are insane. Straight up. honor guard, stair climbs, etc. If you are looking at joining the Army as an Active Duty firefighting you need to look at either another branch or Reserves/National Guard. The actual job is rewarding. There is a reason why cops, firefighters and public service jobs used to be majority Irish, and it's because many jobs wouldn't hire Irish because they were the second class citizens of their time. 4 days off at a time sometimes and all that. Most cities want emt cert, so go out and get that. If you want it bad enough you’ll find a way to handle it. Pay for my medical bills. We have a 24 on 48 off shift which I think is pretty common. I am also a firefighter paramedic in the Pacific northwest north of Seattle. The bottom line this that male or female being a true firefighter is HARD WORK and extremely dangerous at times. If you're intending on being a San Antonio Firefighter when and where is predetermined. Taking some basic firefighting classes at a community college is a good idea, and you’ll meet many future firemen as well as guys already on shift. It's a long and arduous process that you have to be dedicated to. 40 or so applications over 2. What's it like dealing with severe depression and being a Firefighter/EMT? How to support myself during volunteer work/training/all that jazz. Im not sure if I have what it takes, but I have heard that being a firefighter is a better job overall. At first, I was going to major in fire science but I realized that fire science will only help me in firefighting. No more worrying about market projections, or marketing strategy, or sales pitches. You'll have time to really think about this. Now I have been a firefighter/paramedic since 2005. Firefighters work roughly 240 hours a month, in 24 hour chunks. You want to be a firefighter and have proper health coverage? I have recently just started as a volunteer firefighter. I’d think firefighters. All of them say that being a firefighter is much easier, less stressful and they have a lot more free time. I’m 45 and in extraordinary shape for my age (work out 6 days a week). Current cancer death rate in the US is 150 deaths per 100,000 people. Lots of jobs pay better. I never volunteered anywhere, I just took the civil service exam and got offered a job. I was in the air guard as a firefighter. It's like being the fire chief and the mayor or some shit. Actually, state law does matter. We all work side jobs. I’ve been in a management role for a healthcare company which pays well but it I can’t stand going to work and sitting all day. My personal opinion, pick a job you’ll love in the AF reserves, do that, and then go be a civilian firefighter in your town or relocate or whatever. Same question. No fire union, heavy focus on volunteerism still. Just focus on your education and learn every single thing you can about firefighting. Within your first three years, you'll be a full fledged firefighter paramedic. The city he works in is about 45 minutes away, so it wouldn't exactly be easy to swing by. They loved their job, a big pro in my opinion is being able to serve the public and have an honorable job and not getting scrutinized like police do. No more fucking answering emails from home, and being on call for clients or customers. That said, in my department, you decide what kind of firefighter/paramedic you want to be. Im going to say this. Fires today that involve a majority of synthetic materials are complex chemical chain reactions. I live in a medium-sized town of about 65,000 - 75,000 people and things are relatively tame here. In California you can get hired 2 ways Paramedic or Hotshot experience which will lead to County or City Fire Jobs. Have better hours, have less stress, less danger. 29 votes, 27 comments. It all just seems very monotonous. I eventually accomplished my life long goal of becoming a FF. Get the Reddit app Scan this QR code to download the app now If you can't enjoy being a firefighter you're just a miserable person. If you come in and be yourself, be professional, and work hard to be a firefighter you'll be a firefighter. There’s a scuzzy downtown casino that I sometimes enjoy visiting in Las Vegas whose adjacent “Cabana suites” just had a major fire. But honestly I'm looking forward to retiring in the next 3 years and maybe getting out of the fire service and getting a 9-5 job so I can be home every night with my kids and make it to every ball game and practice. If it's money that's giving you pause, don't become a firefighter. The Army is now reclassing all Active Duty Army Firefighters E1-E4 to other MOS’s. Being a firefighter, like being any other first responder, is a dangerous job that is filled with whiplash levels of mental and physical traumas. On the ambulance, I’m probably making 3 runs per night, each taking around an hour if we’re lucky and 99% of the time, the EMS Gods make sure they come in right after you get cozy in your bed and fall asleep. The job seems very rewarding I just wanted to know more about working and living as a firefighter. We get shit pay. If you want to workout, be caught up on CEs and SOPs and participate in outside fire-related events (e. Assuming you have no certifications, upon being hired you will be sent to a 6 month Fire/EMT-B academy. We have a year of being on probation where you are supposed to train and then take the state/county required course which is Firefighter 1. Only started being medicated in the last 3. You do get to save lives if your work somewhere busy. We have a dozen female firefighters. Across the country firefighters are risking their lives every day despite benefits being cut and being underpaid. I use to be a 911 call taker/dispatcher and worked closely with a lot of firefighters. I was a AF reservist (cargo specialist) for 12 years. There is a reason they say it's a calling and not a job. Is there a military installation near you? You could apply to be a DoD firefighter on a base (most military bases these days are staffed with civilian contractors). It is the greatest job After 9 years as a full time firefighter, I have decided it is time to hang it up. Takes a while to become a firefighter but that’s the dream easy job. Yeah, I've experienced the abuse firefighters, but knowing that you are doing the right thing, and helping others is the path I'd enjoy most. I’ve been with a career department the last 5 years. I’m from Kansas. thanks guys Locked post. Don't get me wrong, fire fighters do seem like real life hero's, I get that, but being a hero is not all glamorous. I have smoked marijuana frequently during my time in university, as well as experimented with magic mushrooms and LSD on a few occasions. The younger you start, the earlier you can retire. In my area 85% of our calls for service are medical. Will my history of being in a psych ward, in addition to having multiple diagnoses throughout my life, such as anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, adhd, and now bipolar disorder, will they deem me as unsuitable for the job? But I will not take the vaccine. In Oregon, we’re doing great. If it wasn’t for the vaccine I would already be well on my way to becoming a firefighter. If you are thinking of going to college, then go to college. You’re not too old to become a firefighter. Military is something you have to want regardless of being a firefighter. It's a useless degree. The station looked like a ghost town. Don’t forget the other benefits too like good schedules. Since becoming a firefighter, I have seldom had to feign interest in shit I just cannot give a fuck about for the sake of a job. Anyways - military service gets credits as well. There’s no secrets in the station. Reply reply Man it sounds cliche but you gotta figure out what your heart is really set on. During winter I was on a saw crew cutting and burning. Decided to go back to school and become an RN. 20 CFR 1002. The value in that was being around passionate people, some of which were trying to go career. USERRA does supersede any contrary state law, contract, etc. In fact, most of our engines in the department we work at are staffed at 5… An EMT certification, even w/o experience, is probably the best "sure bet" for getting a job as a wildland firefighter, but landscaping/manual labor experience, military time, some education, even just being in really good shape and/or having a lot of sports team experience are all good enough - FAQs Hello, So im currently trying to decide on becoming a police officer or a firefighter, growing up I have always wanted to become a police officer but with how things have been recently with the police im starting to second guess it. My stepdad, a disabled Vietnam Vet with PTSD, underwent a major surgery just over a year ago, adding more difficulty to me being a full-time student and caretaker. The process is fairly long, so you're not going to get hired next week. I would not discourage you from joining the fire service. It’s difficult and extremely competitive yet most of the dept has done it that way. 5 years. Home to all things fire and… They are very good at their jobs. Not only do I like being able to keep serving the community I grew up in, with my experience in a busy system I’ve been able to bring back a lot of training and knowledge to the guys on the volly station. And if it is worth it to really go after it? I’m a 19 year old guy who’s in his 2nd year of college at Fresno state and not really enjoying it. Firefighting is chemistry. gov. I read through all the stuff at https://firefighter. Please tell me your thoughts. You better believe that we have tiny men who suck just as equally. Apply for Calfire. Have 3 young kids at home. city) and I always wonder why they plan to go to only do ems and not just join a fire department. EMT, Paramedic, and the Academy. I can only comment on big-city departments, not vollys or single-station small towns. You hit on a critical point though with fitness and strength. I do appreciate everyone here and have the utmost respect for firefighters. But you will fight a fire two along the way. 5-3 hours to get to work because of the amount of congestion in Long Island. If you feel the desire to be a firefighter then be a firefighter. Being a firefighter is a good gig if you get in. I have been a Firefighter/Paramedic for 3 years now. Being a fire fighter is a lot more gruesome than people realize. Point being, what I thought would be a weakness ended up being my favorite part of the job and my strong suit. We all just wanted a break from the bullshit. I’m an fdny firefighter for 10 yrs so I’m kinda aware of what I’m talking about. Majority of the fire service is running ems calls, so it’s best to get used to it. Yeah I think that’s what started the firefighter spin-off. We shared the station with the DoD guys. It's hard to get a fire gig (especially on yall's side of the country) but it's so worth it when you do. So you don't always get a clear answer on that. Ive been thinking about being a police officer but im not sure if its something im cut out to do. May 2, 2023 · I sometimes wonder if most people are going in it for the wrong reasons and only want to become a firefighter to get the "title" of being one. The guys/gals would hide out in their bunks when we were left alone. Once you’ve secured a firefighter job and passed probation you can consider being a reservist too. Now that I’m older and an officer, I try my best to always keep the atmosphere as the places I loved being at. Whereas not every single traffic stop turns into a chase and/or shootout. I know two AF reserve firefighters that have never fought a structure fire in 10 years. Being a Firefighter and your family General Discussion I've always wanted to try a career in firefighting, but I never thought about my "future "family until I started dating a girl with two kids. The cancer death rated have fallen significantly over that last couple of decades. xdlimn artovkh psikpgwk mfsjyr yvqzejbm zcwn axjypw jast vuibn lfvdj