What is a firefighter?

What is a firefighter?  Most people think of the romanticized version we see on television dragging someone to safety with no regard for his or her own safety.  Other's may think of a fat or lazy person  doing no work and collecting a pay check.  The answer is not as simple as those 2 stereotypes.  Firefighters perform a variety of tasks that enhance their community and provide for the public's safety.  The fire service in general does not do a great job of letting the public know what the day to day job of a firefighter entails.  This begs the question, what is the job really like?

Who are firefighters?

Firefighters are men and women who want to make a difference.  It sounds cliché, but many of us really enjoy helping people.  We generally end up dealing with people on the worst day of their lives
and hopefully we can do something to make that day a little better by handling difficult situations in a professional and caring manner.

 

The Job

Firefighters work 24 hour shifts and usually receive a salary and benefits.  The work days rotate amongst 3 different shifts of firefighters and usually results in working around 10 days a month.  Each day is unique and can change at any second.  Some days are very slow and others can be fast paced and full of excitement.  Most firefighters are assigned to a station and work with the same group or crew for a long period of time.  Much of the day is spent training or inspecting buildings to prevent future fires from occurring.  The skills gained from being a firefighter can also lead to other career opportunities such as fire investigator or fire inspector.   There are also promotional positions such as fire chief and assistant chief where individuals take on more of a management role.

 

Responding To Emergencies

As you may have guessed firefighters respond to fire emergencies.  What many people do not know is that fire departments also respond to medical emergencies, vehicle crashes, hazardous material releases, and many types of technical rescues. 

Firefighters are generally required to be certified as EMTs and some departments also have responders who are trained at the paramedic level.  Since fire stations are strategically located around cities, firefighters can usually respond to medical emergencies quicker than ambulances.  Some large departments even run their own ambulance services and transport individuals to the hospital.  Responding to medical emergencies has made fire departments more valuable and visible in the community.

Operating in fire emergencies can be challenging, many times firefighters must crawl on the ground and use flashlights to see through the heavy smoke.  They also wear self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) that provides air to breath, but can weigh up to 30 pounds.  Fighting these hazardous conditions to save lives and property is one of the many reasons that firefighters are valuable to the community.

Other emergencies such as car accidents, hazardous materials releases, and technical rescues (trench rescue, confined space rescue, water/ice rescue) provide additional challenges and firefighters must remain well trained and prepared for these special types of emergencies.  Some fire departments have specific groups such as a hazmat team or technical rescue team that are specially trained for these specialized types of incidents.  Being prepared for unique challenges provides safety for the community and piece of mind for citizens.

Other Calls

Not every 911 call is an emergency, in fact many are false alarms.  Firefighters must treat every call as a potential emergency until a false alarm is identified.  Many times things such as burnt food, or a child pulling the fire alarm can cause these false alarms.  Remaining professional in these types of situations and educating the public about proper procedures is vital to maintaining a good relationship with the public.  Other times there are people that need help like elderly individuals who have fallen or a citizen who's pet is trapped.  These are the types of calls that are not typical emergencies, but still give the fire department a chance to be helpful to the community.

 

Firehouse Life

When you continually spend 24 hours a day with the same group of people they become like family.  Like any family, a firehouse can have some interesting dynamics.   The station is set up like a home with a living room, kitchen, bedrooms, and a garage.  Much time is spent discussing current events, cooking, and watching TV.  The firehouse is a home away from home and everyone participates in the cleaning a maintenance of the station.

Many different personalities and temperaments living under the same roof can be difficult, but also beneficial.  Learning to mesh with diverse groups can teach a person patience, compassion, and humility.  The firehouse becomes a unique combination of work and home that is very different from most careers.  Firefighters learn to trust each other and know what others are good at and what they struggle with.  Most emergency situations require teamwork, and having good relationships at the fire station will help improve communication during emergency operations.