Well, since all the other newbies and probies posted something, I guess, so should I.
I am a late vocation to the Fire field. I recently tried out for a dept. and had NO CLUE what was expected and ended up failing the dummy drag. Never felt like a loser before until that moment.
Well, I descided to go back to school and get a Fire Fighter Tech. degree and I have never been this excited about school in my life. Finishing up the first semester.
I actually wanted to become a priest, but now I am thinking its gonna be something in the fire field.
Thats my story, anything more, just hit me up and ask.
First of all I have to thank everyone for the kind words I have gotten from everyone. Please be assured of my prayers and best wishes for everyone and to your families.
Yes, I thought I wanted to become a priest. But my boss became a police chaplain, and when asked if I would become an aux. police officer, I told everyone flat out "no", but I would consider fire.
Well it was at that moment the wheels started turning. So I callled the local Fire Chief and asked about a reserve program, he told me that there wasn't any around the Detroit area and that "paid on calls" you mainly have to live in that jurisdiction.
Well, I found out that the Township I live in back in Ann Arbor area had a paid on call so I applied.
I had no clue as to what would be expected when and if I got called in. And with the way the job market is, I was told no one is leaving police or fire jobs. After seven months I got a letter about the CPAT testing and the description of each test, and only 2 weeks to train. And believe me there is no physical work in working at a parish.
But I went in to this CPAT test believeing I could make it, well..........I failed and spent the rest of that Saturday crying like a baby. Worst day in my life.
But I was more motivated than ever and descided to go back to school and finally get my degree. So I guess God in his weird sense of humor was pushing me to go back to school.
All I can is I am enjoying school like I never had before in my life. If you would have asked me a few years ago that I would be going back to school and getting a degree in Fire Fighter Technology I would have laughed in your face.
For Fall, I took Intro to Fire and Fire Administration; and in the Winter I am taking Aircraft FF and Rescue, Fundamentals of Fire, Building Construction for the Fire Service and Arson Investigation. We'll see how all this goes and in the Fall of 08 I will look into the part time academy and for classes I will take Basic EMS I.
Well thats the boring and dull story about me and my late vocation to the Fire field. I am sure Lifetime would have made it sound more exciting though.