Sent one to a neighboring department to borrow some "Siren oil"...they played along very well too....Also told one that as our newest member that he had to give a speech at our annual banquet....Pretty tame with the probies....don't want to scare them off right away....Paul
We took Finishing Nails and drove them into the side of the door frame only sticking out about a half inch and then got a strong fishing line that was fairly thin and strung it up tying it to the nails we drove in so when the bell went off in the middle of the night he didnt see the line and ran into it (hopefully getting wound up in it) lol
we normally have a couple probies help us out during fire prevention at the school. Us seasoned veterans will usually do the talking and have the probies come in and demonstrate putting on the gear and crawling around. After they are done and standing up at the front of the class we will say how good the class has been and that as a special treat the probie will do the fireman's dance.
the kids start wooping & hollaring while the probie normally tries to find a way out of there, but after some shaming and begging from the kids they will usually do some type of silly dance.
Then the next year, the probies can pull that on the next new group.
some are told to look for the "skyhook" on our squad, going through each compt naming everything to an experienced guy to make sure they dont passs it, we have a light tower and thats all they come up with... IT DOESNT exit.. joke and training in one
ask a rookie how many trucks you have at the station. They never get this right. One of the guys at the staion i used to be at asked this to every rookie for 32 years, and only 1 rookie, (who was an ex marine) got it right.
The ball on the top of the American Flag pole is called a truck.
Even if your a single engine company house. ask the rookie, "hey, how many trucks do we have at this station, i forgot." they will awnser based on apparatus....its always a good one for the new guy, and have everyone ask him through out the day. When ur all together just be like "soo probie, you found the number of trucks yet?" when/if he says "no" just have everyone be like "WTH, how can you not find a truck in a firestation." then tell him what it is. This shall give you and your crew a good little laugh.
On there first night for dinner tell them that every night a game of some sort is played to see who does dishes...tell him that tonight is his lucky night because it is 'Dancing for Dishes' night, then make him start dancing to a song of your choice. Funnest night you will ever have!