Racing heart syndrome

I have been doing the volunteer fire thing for about 4 years now and I still seem to get a big dose of "racing heart syndrome" every time the tone goes off even for the little things. We get about 300 to 350 runs a year so I would have thought by now I would have started kind of getting over that. I dont mind it at all I just wandered if there was alot of people in the same boat or not. I really would like to know if theres anybody out there with 10 or 15 plus years in this boat.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on February 23, 2009 at 5:51pm
If the "rush" doesn't hit you then I would say its time to hang up the bunkers....I had an old-timer tell me when I joined...."Son, the day you aren'e scared to go in ...thats the day to quit because you will do something stupid and either get yourself or your partner hurt." Stay safe and remember to Keep the Faith....Paul
Permalink Reply by anne potter on February 23, 2009 at 6:30pm
Yep still get the feeling no matter what.... Love the sound of a pager going off.. just alot slower getting there due to getting older .. Body does not move like I 'm 18,but my heart beats like I am 18............ Go in cold come out hot........ Gotta Love it
Permalink Reply by turk182 on February 23, 2009 at 9:41pm
I still get it after 21 years.
Permalink Reply by Sam on February 23, 2009 at 9:50pm
Its great to hear from all of you and its even better knowing the boat is full. Thank You All.
Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on February 23, 2009 at 10:38pm
The Rules of the House of God, Rule #3

"At a cardiac arrest, the first procedure is to check your own pulse."

The Rules of the House of God, Rule #4

"The patient is the one with the disease."

Samuel Shem, The House of God
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_House_of_God

While these are medical-based, they apply to fires as well.

To put it another way: "Sanitation workers don't get excited about seeing a pile of trash on the sidewalk, so why should we get excited about seeing fire rolling out of a window?" Original author unknown
Permalink Reply by Jenny Holderby on February 23, 2009 at 11:32pm
Having been a volunteer fire fighter for going on 25 yrs, I can not tell you when the adrinaline will stop pumping when you hear your tones.

Have you ever noticed that when you hear another department go out on call, it gets your attention, particularly if it is a call you might be requested to assist on, but your whole body doesn't go into "firefighter" mode unless it is YOUR department being called? My pager sits on the head of my bed. Often, I will realize that another department is going out and sometimes register where they are going and go back to sleep. When our tones drop, I am often wide awake and getting dressed before 911 finishes the announcement.

Have you noticed that when you are in your "alert mode" that everything around you becomes clearer? A firefighter operates by rote, getting dressed, getting to the station, getting on the truck. . . In your mind you are thinking about what you will find and the first actions you will take. You remember your training. Or most of us do.

Have you felt that time slows down? A few times I have been first to arrive on scene (when the call was close to my home or I was enroute in the area) it seemed that it took ages for the trucks and the crews to arrive yet in reality it had only been 5 minutes or less.

You become physically stronger, dragging hoses that are difficult to haul out when you aren't "in mode". You can move objects that are in your path with little effort. Yet when you go back in overhaul to move them, it requires someone to help you move it.

Afterward, depending on the severity of the situation, the entire scene will play out in your head in technicolor, in slow motion. You remember everything. Often little minute details you didn't notice at the time. Sometimes you remember things you would rather not remember as clearly.

There is a difference in an adrenaline rush and tunnel vision. With time, most of us learn to control or channel the adrenaline to help us be good firefighters. Tunnel vision is when you let the situation blind you to everything around you which can often be the worse thing that can happen.
Permalink Reply by Sam on February 24, 2009 at 10:41pm
Checked out your profile I have a cousin who is in the Navy and is a hospital cormen he is eligable for retirement now I believe. He is in North Caroline now and I think he is a Chief or Master Chief his name is James Day. Thanks for the response and thank you to the rest who responded. Be safe take care.
Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on February 25, 2009 at 10:47am
"To put it another way: "Sanitation workers don't get excited about seeing a pile of trash on the sidewalk, so why should we get excited about seeing fire rolling out of a window?" Original author unknown"

Did the original author actually go out and interview sanitation workers? How did he or she know this to be a fact? :o)
Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on February 25, 2009 at 9:25pm
I think the comment was based on anecdotal research, but it's consistent with my own observations.

In fact, I'll hypothesize that "Sanitation worker excitement varies inversely with the size of the pile of trash on the sidewalk." :-)

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