Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Richard Martinez on October 4, 2007 at 1:54pm

I think its ridiculos I am currently a Volunteer in Pasco county and they are really good with hiring volunteers and since the station im at now has turned to a career station I am learning from paid firefighters hands-on. I think that if I wasn't doing this, that If and When I get into a career position that I wouldn't be ready for some of the things that would be thrown my way.

Permalink Reply by phinzup911 on October 26, 2007 at 11:32am

Lots of "career" FF's started as volly's. My husband was a volunteer for 20 years before he started as a "paid" FF. He had a career as a mechanic, and when the opprotunity finally arose to become a career FF in our county, he took it. Now he's a FF, and as an EVT, the sole mechanic for our service.
If these guys in Canada are getting their training from a volunteer dept. then leaving them after they have their certs., that's just wrong. I see too many people do that. I know some depts. don't want you to be a volly anywhere else if you're a career FF with them, and that's wrong too.
Learn all you can from everyone you can. But, you can learn alot from a volunteer too. They, as you know, take the same training, or should.

Permalink Reply by kevin scott on November 28, 2007 at 3:35am

I think it's great! I have been a volunteer for 2 years now and love it, I received all my training from them and would like to go career soon but even if I did I would keep my volunteer job. There is a special dedication in volunteer depts that you don't often seen with some career crews. I know plenty career firefighter that started out as volunteers, and the majority of them never forgot where they came from. Most of the people that I have talked to who bash volunteers are career guys who never volunteered, so they just don't understand.

Permalink Reply by Craig Prusansky on January 23, 2010 at 4:58pm

Many career firefighters started out as volunteers first (me included). I wonder why that guy from Canada is telling them that. It is often difficult to get hired right away, so volunteering is a great option to learn while doing as you are biding your time.

As for people who do both, career and volunteer at the same time, personally I have no problem with it. I know many people that would argue with me, but if you are a career firefighter and live in an area protected by an all-volunteer department, especially if you have roots there, I do not see a problem with doing both as you are serving your own community as well.

Capt. Craig
PBCFR