At our dept. you are allowed to go on calls if your 18 years old or older and have your basic classes. Has anyboby ever made fun of you for being a volunteer. Because when i was in senior year of high school last year i had a few people come to me and say firemen want be, and ask why. and i tell them its not for the fame or glory its to help others in need.
You will sometimes run into this! It is just a fact. We know what we do and why....and we should be proud and happy with that decision. They will not be the ones making jokes/poking fun/ect. after you show up when their house is on fire!
Ive been a paid and vol. firefighter. Personally I would rather be a vol. it keeps the job from being just a job. I had a guy at my day job call me a "weekend warrior and that I might as well hang it up" I kindly informed him that 1 my dept. is all vol. and if not for people like me there would be no fire dept. 2 I fight fires and other rescue calls at all hours of the night weekdays, weekends and holidays. Just ignore them they will call 911 one day and realize their stupidity.
I'm not a volunteer, but I figured I'd chime in on this. The general public often does not realize that volunteer firefighters most often have the same certifications and training as the full time (paid) firefighters do. Once you educate the public to this fact, I believe that your problems will stop. Also, once the public sees the volunteer F.D. in action, their perception of you will change for the better. Good luck and stay safe!
There will always be those who join for the glory that is the preception that a lot of people have of the fire service that were all here to be a hero. The hero wanabees dont last long after the first all nighter or the major mva dont worry about what other people think just be yourself all the people that really matter understand that your here because you are called to do it there are lots of firefighters that will never have there name in the paper but that one kid they made a differance for one time is worth ever bit of it.
Our department is the same way. I have been teased about volunteering but it was for different reasons. I am the only female in the department and happen to be rather small and very feminine... So I get teased alot, but I know i make a difference and that is all that matters to me.
Thanks for volunteering. Volunteers make this world a better place, one person at a time ;)
We also have the jokers in our department. I must laugh at these people when they get a taste of what it is like. And when a loudmouth is overshadowed by a junior firefighter ,makes it even more funny to see them walk away pouting like a child. Stay safe all !
In today's world there are quite a few people who have idea that volunteer fire fighters still exist. In the area I leave in people believe we are all "paid." (no offense to the career fire fighters out there) Sometimes I tell them that a majority of us are volunteers. Of course they look at me as if I were talking a foreign language.
I never joined for the "glory" or the fame. I became a volunteer fire fighter because it is a vocation.
I have a question was it people from your high school makin fun of you or people in the fire dept wether paid or not? I was like you in the fact that I joined my senior year of high school, people from school made fun of me till they actualy saw me on a scene. After they saw what we did then they let up, granted they still joked but they didnt do it as much. plus when you have some of the girls chasin you cuz they saw you in the turnout gear standin on the side of the road, that'll change their tune. But like you said its not the fame or glory or even the girls its the thrill of helpin people in their darkest hour. For instance tonight was my local high schools homecomin game, some of my old HS friends laughed when they saw the radio, but after they watched me & they others work a two car MVA in front of the school they shut up. well good luck and be safe out there.
I wouldnt say made fun of but we all go through verbal critisim. My dept has been called foundation savers wich seems to be the old standby for volunteer depts. or called the meat wagon tender. I have also had people come up to me and ask me how much i get paid. When I tell then nothing...the just go off about how thats a crock of crap and they would never do what I do for free.