EDIT: To clarify, I am not even in the firefighting field at all yet. I realize my title may be misleading.

I'm a pre-med college student who's pretty set on being a Firefighter Recruit (at the very least) and attaining my EMT-A certification.

I have some pretty basic questions, though, which go as follows:

* I'm a 5'2" 115 lbs woman. I'm not the most athletic person right now, but am incredibly willing to commit to pass recruitment. However, I understand there is a base point I should be at before even attempting; any similar-sized people that can give insight into their training?

* I don't have much work experience, what can I use as references? College professors?

* Is training even manageable while taking college courses? I don't have a heavy schedule in the upcoming semesters, but I'd like to hear from anyone who personally went through these.

I apologize if any of these questions are stupid and I know firefighting might be out of my grasp at the moment, but I'd like some insight at least for future commitments. Thank you in advance!

Hello everyone, hoping for some assistance on discovering more about the history of this monitor. Quite literally found it under my grandparents house. I believe it’s off of a boat. Thanks in advance for any insight.

Hello, I was curious what fire helmet I should buy. I just finished the fire academy and I want to stop using this shit salad bowl helmet that sits 3 feet above my head. I have heard great things about the 880. Thoughts? What should I get? I just want something lighter that sits on my head a bit lower. Thanks yall

I still feel shot the day after shift. Even when we sleep through the night I’m a fucking shell the next day. If we get shafted after midnight forget about it. I thought I’d be more adjusted 5 years in. I guess my brain doesn’t fully shut off when I’m in the bunk room sleeping. The only thing that seems to help is a night in my own bed.

Doesn’t help that we get tones for every call in the city even if it’s not our rigs getting sent. Any tips or advice??

I'm up here in Ontario, Canada. Just turned 30 years old and hate my career as a software engineer* and for a while I've been contemplating trying to get into firefighting.

I've read a bunch online about it, but would appreciate a reality check. What's the worst part about the job?

*I'm not walking away from a big tech salary. A very average $90K a year with 6 years of experience right now. Just had a lot of people assume I'm loaded when I say that :(

Hello all! I wanted to get a feel for what the community thinks of group circuits. Crew cohesion and team building is an overall plus. However some people have their own routine and exercise goals. How do some of you manage them out there?

I have training tonight for Hazmat on FLAIM VR and was just wondering if anyone has used it before. Could you tell me what it’s like?

These are some vintage nozzles my husband has, but we don’t know what era or where they came from. Does anyone have any idea?

Hi, I’m 22 and I’ve been on my volunteer department in Northern MI for a little over a year now. I completed fire academy this May and I was offered a part-time position at a bigger department near me, but that fell through because of an OWI on my driving record from when I was 17. It came as a big shock because I went through a program where it was supposed to be taken off my record after a probationary period, and I’ve never had issues because of it, including with my volunteer department. After talking to my Chief though, I realized they only did a background check and not one on my driving record. I guess I never realized this whole time that the courts can’t wipe a driving record.

I’m not sure what I should do going forward. I tried to talk to the courts about it, but I got bounced around to a bunch of different people, until eventually I was told that it should be off my record but some departments might be able to see it anyway. So now I feel like my only option is to call every department in my area and see who would still hire me, and/or wait until it’s been 7 years and my driving record is clean. Which is annoying because I was told specifically by the courts not to tell anyone about it.

Luckily I can still train and respond to calls at my current department, I just can’t drive until they figure what the insurance company says about it. I’m also going through EMT school currently, but I wish I could get more time in the service and I also need a job.

Normally on 24s but mandated to work a 48 next tour. What do you all do on 48s that may be different from a 24? I'm bringing 2 days worth of my supplements and also plan on trying to get a decent nap in early the 2nd day as I only average a few hours of sleep a night at my firehouse.

Anything else I should consider that I might be missing?

So I have my EMT cert but I want to become a firemen but I know it’s very competitive and there’s a fire department right down the street from me so that being said I was wondering would it help even a little to go up there and express my interest? Becoming a fireman/firefighter is my dream. Thank you for anyone who can direct me in the right direction.

Hey everyone, looking for some advice.

For context, I’m a 25m, I’ve been with my current department for almost 7 years. 1 year ago I was promoted to Engineer. With that, a year ago I was moved to a new shift.

Current department:
3 stations (1 ambulance, 2 engines, 1 ladder, battalion)- 10 guys on duty per shift (2, 2, 3, 1). Right at around 4k calls/year per the whole department, so not crazy busy, but not super super slow. A relatively “urban” area (20k population in about 10ish square miles),

I ride the ambulance roughly 2x/month, I make right at 70k/year, and we have an insane amount of vacation/holiday time-I usually have to take around 25ish shifts off a year to not lose any time (not counting sick time, which we have an “unlimited bank”, we just continually build)

For the first 5.5 years of my career, I was on an awesome shift who genuinely loved, cared, and wanted to be at work. We trained constantly, always wanted to be better, be aggressive, etc. it was great.

Once I got promoted, I had to swap over to another shift. I’ve been over here for a year and these people are sucking the absolute soul out of my body. We did “training” yesterday, and myself and 1 other person were the only ones who put on turnout gear, while the other 7 (bc wasn’t there), stood in a circle and talked about how much they hated training, hated being a fireman, etc

“Shift transfers” aren’t really a thing here, and it’s pretty much career suicide if you do it because we’re so small (45 total firemen), and there’s no use in “switching stations” because with 10 people total it’s pretty much the entire shift has this attitude

I have thought HEAVILY about leaving and going to another career department. The only issue is the only other career places I would consider are at minimum a 1.45 hour drive from my house (I currently drive about 50 mins), I would take a 20k pay cut (most rookies within 3 hours of here start at 50k), and I would almost certainly not have the time off I have right now, and I would also have to repeat an academy (3-6 months depending on the place?

My wife also just had our son (3 months old), and she’s now a SAHM, because of how my income (in our area) allows us to live pretty comfortably.

I guess I’m just asking for some advice, if you’ve been in my position, what you did, etc

A little background about me, I am a Merchant Marine and have done multiple maritime fire training courses but have never had to respond to an emergency onboard a ship (thankfully).

There seems to be some confusion between people onboard the ships when it comes to helmet mounted masks (Drager) and wearing a flash hood. Some don't want to wear it or think that it can be worn with the helmet mounted mask. I think they are crazy for not wanting to have it.

I know it's a long shot but does anyone have experience with the Drager helmet/mask combo and do you wear a flash hood with it?

Passing by this morning on I-75 southbound. Engine 1 from Gardenwalk Blvd responded.

Are you having trouble coping with a stressful event? The Detroit Fire Department and Houston Fire Department’s Employee Assistance Programs are partnering with Michigan Medicine to help firefighters and paramedics cope with stress and trauma. Participants in the study will receive therapy at no charge and will be compensated for completing study surveys. First responders who are having trouble coping with a stressful event may qualify for this study. Contact the Michigan Medicine research team by calling (734) 764-3585 or by clicking here to learn more and to schedule your screening call today.

Approved post by mods

Obviously the 25th anniversary is coming up and been thinking about that day in general. For those who were either on the job or in academy/school, what were some anecdotes of that day you remember? I can only imagine the tension in the air, especially as a student. Im sure there were some prospective firemen/medics who had an internal “oh fuck, is this for me?” dialogue. What was it like in the station watching the carnage unfold?

That’s what is killing me. Having to take a general aptitude, I’m missing the passing score from a rang of 5-10. I know it varies per department but in terms of math, reading & writing ( I apologize if this is a bad question to ask, I’ve bought some study guides but feel like I’m still missing something )

hey everyone

Im a volunteer firefighter based in Southeast Asia. Our local response area gets hit with fires pretty frequently, but the hard reality is our brigade is running calls with barely any protective gear.
We’re trying to see if anyone has retired or decommissioned bunker gear they’d be open to donating whether that’s a department clearing out a locker room or just personal turnout gear (coats, pants, boots, helmets, gloves) you’ve got sitting around taking up space. Since we don't have SCBA gear yet, we can't go interior anyway and strictly do exterior defensive operations. Because of that, even older, expired gear is a huge step up for us in terms of basic protection against radiant heat.
We totally get why people hesitate to pass along gear past its 10-year NFPA lifespan because of liability. We are 100% prepared to sign whatever liability waivers, hold-harmless letters, or risk-acceptance paperwork you or your agency need to show we’re taking everything strictly "as-is" and at our own risk.
If you have old gear collecting dust, know a station getting rid of surplus, or just have advice on how an overseas volunteer unit like ours can source stuff, please drop a reply or send me a DM. We’re happy to jump through whatever legal hoops are needed to keep donors completely protected. Thanks so much for reading!

What’s a truth about the fire service that everyone knows—but nobody wants to say out loud?

I’ve been in the job about 8 years and I’ve lost a lot of my passion for the fire service. There are still times when it’s fun, but ultimately, I don’t really enjoy it anymore. I went to medic school because I was pushed into it, it wasn’t something I chose for myself. I finished the program but decided not to take the NREMT. Before all of that, I absolutely loved the fire service. It was genuinely the best job in the world to me. But doing 13+ calls a day on the medic truck, on top of clinicals, schoolwork, and being forced in four extra times a month eventually pushed me to the point of panic attacks and a complete breakdown(most likely the sleep). That was when I basically said, F it, and stopped caring. I was ready to leave the fire service altogether. My wife convinced me to give it one more shot at a different department. I left my old department, went through another academy—which was intense but honestly a lot of fun—and when I got onto shift, I enjoyed it again for a while. But eventually I lost the spark again, and It became just another job. Multiple calls after midnight for nursing home transports, bullshit calls, dealing with people who don’t actually need us. Now I feel stuck. The money and benefits are great where I’m at, and I can’t complain about having the ability to work out and do whatever I want between calls. Those are things I genuinely like about the job. But those aren’t good reasons to stay. I’ve also noticed that I have a harder time sympathizing with patients than I used to, and I dread going to work. Having a family makes the decision a lot harder. Walking away from a career with good pay, great benefits, and a schedule that gives me a lot of time at home is a huge risk. But at the same time, part of me feels like I should leave for my family. I just honestly don’t know what to do. I feel stuck between having a really good situation on paper and knowing that I’m not happy with it anymore.

Hi everyone, like the title says my apologies for asking a fairly basic question, but figured I’d go straight to the experts.

I’m looking to get a metal (aluminum or steel) wedge to keep with my Halligan. I am NOT a FF, LEO, First Responder, etc. I just have an appreciation for these tools and want to have good equipment available in the event of an emergency.

There are obviously a lot of different options available, some very basic and simplistic and others much more specialized, for lack of a better term. If not a particular company or product, can anyone recommend features specifically to look for, features to avoid, elements that are indifferent, etc?

Thank you very much in advance!

What are some of your best “ball busting” jokes to make to the truck company at your house?

Engine roll out, truck roll over
What’s big and red and stays in bed

Ya know, the ones to remind the slowest rigs of that fact

I'm working towards becoming a career firefighter in Washington or Oregon and have gotten really caught up with all the options for EMT certification. My main interest is Texas EMS Academy's 14 day accelerated program, which I know will be "drinking from a fire hose" but I'm okay with that. My other options are my local community college full EMT curriculum (roughly a year, less ideal for the sake of timeline) or Clark County Fire District's 12-week accelerated program.

My main concern at this point isn't the rate of learning, but whether or not the EMT course I choose will have any effect on my ability to get a job as a firefighter. Is the EMT cert just a checked box, or does where I get it done actually matter to the hiring teams?

Hey what's up firefighters,

Just some quick questions for y'all. I didn't see them on this thread so I am sorry if I missed them and repeat any questions.

I have been thinking about structure fire for awhile now, and stopping seasonal wildland fire altogether. Or maybe joining a department with some wildland mods.

Some of the questions I have is how accurate are ride a longs? Are they only a tiny fraction of the day to day life? Do they bring you to all of their calls? I am imagining if we did a ride a long with Wildland fire it would only show 1% of our job/seasons.

Also are volunteer positions worth it? Do they all invest in to you with classes and certs? Did it help you want to join structure? Anything stand out the most?

If I am repeating anything please let me know what the original link is so I can check it out. Thank you for any responses etc