The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Jr's & Explorers: Why do you want to become a firefighter?
I'm not sure how many juniors/explorers we have on FFN. It seems that we only notice the obnoxious ones and they tend to portray all Jr's in a bad light.
So, this is a chance for you to step up and be noticed. Tell us a little about yourself and why you want to become a firefighter. There is no right or wrong answer and while I assume that everyone will give the standard "I want to help my community" answer, I urge you to go deeper than that.
Try to analyze why you REALLY want to become a firefighter, let us know your thoughts, emotions, reasonings, agenda's and whatnot. Tell us what being an Explorer means to you, what you do as an explorer, what you hope to learn, and where you see yourself in 5yrs and 10 yrs.
What is the most rewarding part of being a jr/explorer? What has been the most stressful or the hardest to deal with or overcome? Is it what you expected when you first started?
And lastly, what do you expect, want, need or desire from us (the senior members of FFN)? There is a heckuva lot of knowledge and experience represented here and most of us are willing and eager to help teach and mentor others. But, and here is the big BUT, in order for us to be willing and able to help there needs to be a certain commitment on the part of the junior/explorer.
* you must show respect
* you must thank those that help you
* you must THINK about your question first (your department should be your first source of information)
* you must write in PROPER ENGLISH. Your post and writing style will reflect your education, intelligence and professionalism and will help garner more help and support.
* you must NOT ARGUE. stating a disagreement is ok, but if you disagree you must provide your reasonings behind the disagreement and/or offer alternatives or suggestions
* you must be willing to PARTICIPATE - if all we see are posts about asking for pagers or what color is such and such than you will either be ignored, ridiculed or snapped at.
So, how many of you Explorers and Juniors are willing to take up the challenge and participate?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Meagen Lee on
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hey thank you for understanding that not all of the Jrs on this site are immature. I would love to hear some of the veteran FF's stories. so if ya'll want to message me with stories or advice i'd love that thanks.
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Permalink Reply by Keegan Allen on
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Hello I'm Keegan Allen, I'm on a small volunteer department in Iowa. The reason i wanted to be on the explorer post here was because not only am I helping people, i think that everyone should help out in a community in some way or another. My mom and step dad at the time was on the volunteer ambulance service here so i felt that for me to be reconized in the community getting my foot in the door and being on the fire department to help people was a good choice.Another reason i wanted to become a explorer is because i think it's a good idea to train them when their young, so when you get on the regular department at 18, you know how everything works.
Im not really sure wether im going to persue a career in firefighting, but i do know that I'm going to stay on the volunteer service I'm on now.
As a explorer i have learned many things pertained to firefighting, and fires in general. As being on the post i can take what things i have learned at the station, and when im at school and we are talking about things i can let the class know what we do in incidents like that.
The most rewarding part of being a explorer is being reconized in the community for doing something good. The second most rewarding thing is being able to go to the fire station and learn, and hangout with the guys and here stories about things that have happened in the past.
I think the explorers/Juniors on FFN could use the Senior members on FFN learn and discuss some issues the explorers might be having. I would like the seniors members FFN to get on the explorer page and help us get some great topics started, and help us think of new training ideas.
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Permalink Reply by S.Ruble on
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Hi my name is Sam I am 18 1/2 and i have been with the explorer post with a fire department for 5 years now I am currently in school to be an EMT-B I joined because I thought it was fun and I love helping people. since I was little I wanted to be a firefighter I guess after my older brother got 3rd degree burns on his arms and legs also I wanted to prove people wrong that a female could be a firefighter. Also and I do not want anyone to endure what my family went through. I believe if he had proper fire safety he would have not played with flammable material; receiving this scholarship would allow me to help other people to avoid this tragedy. My motto is, “No matter your shape, your size, or your strength you can do anything you put your mind to in order to achieve what you want in life.” I at first i thought it would be easy but after a couple of calls and getting someone i knew as a victim I realized that this is not what I originally thought it would be. But as of 5 to 10 years i see myself as a volunteer firefighter or on a fire department helping people in need and saving lives everyday I don’t care what time of night it is I am a helping person who has been helping people for over 6 years now. I think the hardest thing for me was when I got a call to someone I knew and I learned from that which has helped me grow into the person I am today. Also being an explorer has helped me have guys who understand and like things that I like to do even though it is all guys i feel like I belong their.I have also learned a lot since I joined.I am willing to take the challenge and participate in anything you guys ask me to do. Also willing to do what ever it takes to be the best explorer I can be. As explorers, our post gets to drill with firefighters, help with social functions and at calls we get to change tanks and help with tools.
Sam
18 1/2 years old
EMT-B Student
QFD Explorer Post #104
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Permalink Reply by David Francis on
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I just want to say that as a ff and a parent of a teen, it is really good to see that there is a lot of kids with a goal in life and good head on there shoulders. You are the future of firefighting, and you/we never stop learning about this job. Knowledge is key in this business, education is very important in the field we are. Train, train, train, practice, practice, practice. Ive read every Jr's entry in this forum, and I wish there were more like you in this world, who have a dream, an ambition in life to make a difference, to carry on tradition. A tradition that was set forth for us by fathers, brothers, mothers and sisters. Remember... be visable at all time during mva's, always watch your 6, wear your scba always... during structure fires even during over haul, you are the future!
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Permalink Reply by Samantha Charen on
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The hoesnt reason as to why I want to be a fire fighter started off as a we for me to get my dads attention. He's been a volunteer fire fighter since I was like 5 and so I always grew up in and around the service. But after my parents got divorced that all kinda went away. So once I became old enough I joined because a) it gave my dad and I some common ground and b) i missed having that safe-haven extra family that I had when I was little. I find "fire families" to be really close, an entertaining and amazing mix of people, and for me just a really good fit. I suppose the fact that we help the community, that fire fighting is a good back-up career, and that fire fighting teaches me more about myself, my area, and sooooo many skills, all factor in now too but it truly was my dad that sparked my want to be a part.
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Permalink Reply by Marty Hrinko on
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My name is Marty Hrinko, I am 17 years old and became a junior FF in the dept that my dad has been a member in for 30+ years. I have always loved be around the firehoouse, ever since I was a kid. I think that juniors play important role in the fire service. In my perspective, just as much as senior FF's. I believe that having a junior on a call can be very helpful, if they have the correct training and experience. For instance, a structure fire, having a junior on the truck to be able to hit the hydrant, freeing up a FF to in for the interior attack or a rescue.
In 5 yrs. I see myself as a volunteer FF with a job not involved in the fire service. The only pay involved would be the crew reimbursement from ambulance calls.
The biggest reward in being a junior FF is being able to help the other FF's on calls. Another is getting a jump start on the training that will come in handy when i becoe a senior FF. Also being able to help the other juniors who are new to the fire service.
From the senior FF's of FFN, I expect the same respect that i show each and every person on this site. I am always open to helpful tips and pointers.
Marty Hrinko
Eagle Hose Comapny No 1
Dickson City, PA
JRFF/EMT-B, along with many other certifictions-look at my page for a full listing
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Permalink Reply by 2npakixhogez3 on
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I'm Andrew, I've been an explorer for three years now, but I've been in and around the fire station my whole life. I didn't want to be a fire fighter until 6 months into being an explorer. The day that changed my mind involved 2 rollover mva's and a small grass fire. Now that I have been an explorer I realize exactly why I want to be a fire fighter. I remember all those days growing up I would go see my dad at the fire station. Especially when I was older 10+ I would always see the guys talking story around the table. Every story they told was about how fun and exciting their job was. These guys always told their stories with a big smile on their face. I realized that I don't want to be like most people I know who take as much sick time as they can cause they are just complacent in their job. I want to love my job. I want to have a fun job. When some day I'm sitting around with my fire buddies and someone asks,"What do you do for a living?" I want to be able to look at the guys and with a grin say, "I'm a Fire Fighter." I also want to start a tradition of fire fighters in my family. My dad and I are best friends and we both are firm supporters of tradition. In 5 years I hope to be getting paid to fight fires and wearing my dad's Traditional helmet while doing it. Its always been a fantasy of mine to fight a fire in my dad's traditional, just something about the knowledge that this was my dad's helmet now its mine.
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Permalink Reply by Brandon Brichetto on
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My name is Brandon Brichetto, I am 16 years old and have been in my local junior program for less then a year. I have no family who have been in any public safety jobs. About two years ago, I was at a summer camp and we did a 3 day hike Up 2 Mountains. Well, on the last night we had a talked about what we wanted to do in life. I said two things, I wanted to make a difference in someones life and I don't want to follow in my families foot steps, I want to make my own life.
We are aloud to help get tools, change bottles, help with clean up after a MVA. Theres a list of thing we can do and things we can't do. I hope to learn anything and everything I can from anybody who is willing to teach me. I see myself in 5 to 10 year working hopefully full time as a firefighter or Paramedic.
The most rewarding part of being a Jr is when you going to a call with those siren blaring and light flashing and you can see all of the people in the cars waving. I have never been good with school and have never liked it, and I have to keep at least a 78 GPA, so thats the hardest thing to deal with. When I joined the fire dept I thought it would be call after call, but its actually pretty relaxed.
I would like from the senior members advice when asked and not just pushed off whenever we ask questions. We only ask these "Stupid Question" because we don't know them and/or don't fully understand.
Brandon Brichetto
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Permalink Reply by Joey H on
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My name is Joey, I just turned 20 in feb. I'm not a cadet bc the city department cut the program due to budget issues. I went to EMT school right out if highschool, and in august I'll start my FF1 and FF2 classes. I am currently working towards a degree in fire science. Since my dad took me for a ride in the engine when I was 4 or 5 I have been fascinated by the fire service. I guess you could say my career started early. When I was a baby my grandma used to light candles just so I could blow them out. I would do this for hours on end, so I guess you could say I've been fighting fire my whole life. Haha. I've always been fascinated by fire, and now the medical side also. I hope to have my medic in a little over a year. I plan to finish all my schooling and hopefully have a career with Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department where both my dad and uncle are officers. I will most likely volunteer in the small town I live in after I get my certs, while I'm waiting to get hired. Great posts. Good luck to everyone and stays safe
Joey Howell
EMT-B
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Permalink Reply by Alexander Korsunsky on
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To simply protect and serve for the people. I have no lineage towards firefighting and never had just seeing people being able to walk away from death and be able to see the sunshine once again is a great thing. That is one of the most driving reasons that I have for wanting to be an firefighter.
What I ask from the community is a more understanding that most of us don't understand the work ethic and misuse of language from us explorers.
Please provide more info
-regarding how to react to a stressful situation
-Where to place the limits(kindly) on the emergency situation.
-Please point us towards books,mags, and other literary or media sources of knowledge that might regard to our questions.
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