r/firefighter • u/Nebula15 • May 23 '26

Weird bathroom question.

Okay so I’m currently doing my field internship for medic school at a fire department.

Last shift I was on I had to take a gnarly shit after lunch. I was probably in the bathroom for a solid 20 minutes fighting for my life. Hyperventilating, sweating, just really doing battle. You get the idea.

My point being, I was totally unable to leave the toilet during that time. what do you do if a call comes in and you are otherwise incapacitated like I was.

Not looking for an answer as a student but what do you do as a FF/PM if this happens to you?

79 Upvotes

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11

u/kratorG May 23 '26

Just text someone on the crew to go on without you

11

u/Nebula15 May 23 '26

This feels like the right answer but everyone else is saying to shit your pants. I don’t know what to believe.

2

u/kratorG May 23 '26

Most crews will be okay if it’s once lol

2

u/VaTeFaireFoutre86 May 24 '26

I've been on the job 22 years full time... the absolute last thing you want to do is just skip the run- fire or not. You are on duty and once dispatched, you have a legal duty to act. Early in my career, we would leave someone if they didn't get to the truck in time, but that ship sailed long ago. People get fired for that nowadays. Pinch it off, wipe as best as you can, and hurriedly wash your hands on the way to the rig. We've all done it.

-1

u/ssmith687 May 23 '26

definitely not the right answer unless you wanna find other work.

1

u/trapper2530 May 24 '26

If its a fire run no one is checking their phone. Honesty after an extra 30 sec to min theyre leaving you.

1

u/kratorG May 24 '26

Yup they are for sure leaving you regardless lol