FIREFIGHTING

Well at the age of 27  I finally found my career.  I mean what can I say if you've read my bio page and looked at the rest of my pages you can see why this career fits me so well.  First off I really do enjoy the work, but just as importantly if not more is the time it gives me to spend with family, and pursue my hobbies.

I've been a firefighter now since Sept of 97, it's a different kind of job from what most of you are used to.   I don't go to work from 9 to 5, or 8 to 5, or even ten hour day schedules like 6 to 4.  For us it's 0700 to 0700, yup that's right 24 hours straight.  That is followed by 48 hours off, so it's basically a work one day have two off schedule.

So what does that mean to a firefighter?  Many things.  One you have a whole new family, when you think about it we spend literally a third of our life with a whole other group of people during our careers.  You spend this time in your other "home".  This means a couple things.  You better be able to get along with others, you don't choose your crew you're placed there for various reasons. A third of your life can be very hard if you can't get along.  Two, you are in your other home so you maintain it.  We do almost all of the maintenance at our station except for specialized fields, ie. electrical, hvac, etc.  Otherwise we are shoveling the walks, mowing the grass, replacing light bulbs, vacuuming, cleaning, etc.. etc...

One other thing I'll mention about the schedule is this.  This profession is becoming more and more diversified all the time.  We are doing more and more, from firefighting, to medical, to hazmat, to rescue, and many more.  There for, while you may work a 24 hours shift, and are allowed to sleep at night.  It seldom happens anymore.  You may spend most of or even all of the night up running calls, which tends to spoil that first day off.  But this is the nature of the beast.

You know what they say, if you take a break and let it burn long enough eventually it will go out.  Live fire training.

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