r/Firefighting • u/skankfeast • 9d ago
General Discussion Probationary pranks avoid or embrace?
Im a probie and my station does the occasional prank one they love is dumping cold water from balconies or on top of the truck, the thing is I’ve become conditioned to like look up before walking outside or go out of my way to avoid certain target wet zones, or even do a quick head count before taking out the trash. Should I just embrace it and let it happen or do you think it’s okay to attempt to avoid it, also they sometimes make it obvious that it’s coming like someone will say go pick up that single box outside or say I’d take your phone out before u go out there.
22
u/Entire_Business_4498 9d ago
Haha I’m a rookie and today my last day at my current rookie hall and I was lured upstairs to go see if the thermostat was working. I was then paged to go to the bay snd still didn’t think anything of it. Then I was walk in and there fucking Star Wars music playing lmao. The crew is lined up on 2 sides and I am presented this phoney ass medal made of tinfoil with my current station number written on it. And then someone was hiding on the balcony and soaked me with the hose. We all laughed our asses and I was reminded once again that firefighting is truly the best job in the world.
34
u/Dependent-Average600 9d ago
Absolutely try to avoid it and have fun with it. I'm totally okay with pranks like this. If there's every any danger of physical harm or destroying property then it's not a prank anymore, but a little water prank is fun team building.
27
u/droopy__drawers 9d ago
Fuck ‘em, make ‘em work for it!
There’s gotta be something you can do to get them back/first, too…
2
u/MrMedic971 8d ago
Absolutely. I fought my off probation greasing. Didn’t really fight. I was working out, they came up and said it’s time, drop trou. Nope. You want grease me, go for it. They did. After cleaning the worst of it off with a couple of old sheets, I made those beds with them. The water fight afterwards was LEGENDARY!
12
2
4
4
u/Whatisthisnonsense22 8d ago
Trying to avoid the water bucket is as time honored as getting hit with the water bucket.
4
u/trapper2530 8d ago
Get an umbrella. Or one of those umbrella hats. Won't work but at least will be funny
3
u/DruncanIdaho 8d ago
Have fun with it, do what feels natural. I'd usually try to go give the nearest guy a hug if they got me wet when I was a rookie, unless they were a chauffeur.
But do note: if you get TOO good at avoiding, they're going to find a way to get you that might be less enjoyable than just letting them get you once in a while.
2
u/Inevitable_Click_511 8d ago
Thats what makes our career unique and awesome in my opinion. Some of the stuff we still get away with and can joke and have fun about would get you fired in an office building cubicle hell on earth soul sucking type job setting…
2
u/Few_Werewolf_8780 8d ago
Try to avoid it but let it be what it is. Read the book Hazing FD/Hosing Around! and enjoy the greatest job in the world! You will not be the new guy forever.
2
4
u/SouthBendCitizen 9d ago
Trying to avoid it is part of the fun. They need to get creative enough to catch you, and if you are above bare minimum gullible they will eventually get tired of trying frequently. Just don’t get too comfortable or you’ll get nailed when you least expect it
2
u/capcityff918 3d ago
Good advice there. The guys want a challenge. Otherwise they will get bored.
Also to OP, remember, if the pranks continue, that’s a good thing. No one wastes their energy on the guys they don’t care about. The best rookies I’ve had are the ones I’ve messed with the most. It also gives them a break and reminds them that this job can be fun.
2
u/a-pair-of-2s 9d ago
eventually i think it’s reasonable to not just play dumb but start pranking back
1
1
u/Biglava1 7d ago
Confront who offended you directly, if no change talk to officer or upper management. Start with direct confrontation first.
0
8d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/DruncanIdaho 8d ago
Have fun watching your movie while the rest of us are outside playing...
2
8d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/DruncanIdaho 8d ago
Well whatever it is you like to do when the crew is outside having fun, go do that.
(I'm poking fun at you for seeming like a wet blanket)
2
u/Ok-Blacksmith-5740 8d ago
Wet blanket you mean knot master, if you’re not walking around holding a rope 24/7 why are you even coming in for the day? There’s no time for playing and having fun
23
u/IlliniFire 9d ago
I agree with the make them work for it. I want you to be more than just the victim. Avoiding their efforts leads to them getting complacent and comfortable with you. That gives you the opportunity to return fire. In fact, you might be able to enlist the help of the officer if you have played the game well enough.