Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by elmer john panther jr. on August 16, 2009 at 2:07am

my name is elmer i have been on the fire dept. for one year and eight months.i joined because there is a shortage of volunteers in our area.i'm 39 , i got a late start i know but i still enjoy the rush you get when that pager goes off.i drop whatever i'm doing and drive to the fire station .i try to hurry and be the first one there so i don't get left.75% of our calls are medical so i'm leaning more to the ems side now.i finished my first reponder and going for my emt basic now.but i still love fighting the house fires.stay safe to all my new brother fire fighters.

Permalink Reply by Renee Palmer on August 17, 2009 at 8:48pm

Hi, I'm Renee. Not a true Probie yet, still looking to join a department locally but would like to make myself more 'marketable' before I try. I just completed my EMT-B coursework, and will be starting the Fire Academy in October, projected to graduate in December. I'm planning on completing a dual associates program for Fire Technology and Paramedic Technology, and should be done with both degree programs by the summer of 2011. I've always wanted to be a firefighter, and can recall going with my Mom to vote at the local firehouse for every election and wanting to do what they do. I was afraid to get into the profession being a woman, but it's like an addiction. I had planned on joining the military but was unable to and thought I had lost my dream forever. Then an old friend got in contact with me, told me how he got into the field and the rest is history!

Permalink Reply by Ron McRae on August 21, 2009 at 6:10am

Hi all! I'm Ron and I have been a firefighter since August 3rd, 2009. I work for the Anoka Champlin Fire Department in Anoka, MN as a paid on call firefighter and I have my EMT-Basic, FFI and FFII as well as HazMat Ops. I am very excited to join the firefighter family and I can't wait to get my black helmet. Stay Safe.

Permalink Reply by Manuel Ortega on August 26, 2009 at 5:57am

Hello, my name is Manuel Ortega. I have been in EMS for a year and FIRE since June 09. I live in Avon, CO (ski town/next to Vail) and I volunteer at Greater Eagle Fire Protection District. I am 38 yrs. old, if anything I wish I would have started sooner but better late than never. Looking forward to sharing with all the rest of the probies out there on our never ending questions and comments on this awesome line of work. I already see a lot of interesting topics that we face day to day on your blog space (like the claustrophobia of the SCBA mask, had to work on that pretty good) I did time in the military but this brings a whole other set of challenges to the table. Goes to show how everyone is got different mountains to climb! Good luck!

Permalink Reply by ronald nepomuceno on August 28, 2009 at 1:30am

hi im Ron, from the Sta Mesa Filipino-Chinese Volunteer Fire Brigade here in manila,philippines.

2 years as a volunteer fire fighter.

Permalink Reply by Patrick J Cronen on August 29, 2009 at 7:56pm

Hi I am PJ..i am new to firefighting..I started in July of this year..I have loved every minute of it so far..Got some great training..can't wait to get to start running calls.. I have about another month before they are going to ok that..I still have to do my truck awareness training. I think I can do it so in another month I should be ok..

looking forward to speaking to all of you here..i am also a bagpiper with the Local Emerald Society. I am the first bagpiper for our Dept..

pj

Permalink Reply by jared m snyder on September 3, 2009 at 7:31pm

Hi... I'm Jared... or if you know me, you know I like J Rod.... even though I have no Os in my name, but I'm a baseball fan, and there is already an A Rod and an I Rod... Well, considering I play ball, I needed there to be a J Rod... kinda dumb I know, but I like it... Anyways, I'm 33 (almost 34) divorced with two wonderful children, Hunter 6 and Ryleigh 5 who are the center of my life, even though I don't see them much. Although I joined the fire service back in California in 1996, I am the probie always, as I move around and switch to department after department, usually in between other endeavours... Currently I am a probationary firefighter with the Moab Valley Fire Department here in beautiful Moab, Utah, where I have resided now for two and a half years.... I have eleven weeks left on my probationary period before I am voted in as a permanent member of the department....

Permalink Reply by THOMAS A. STOFFER on September 4, 2009 at 1:05am

Hi, Im Thomas im from Damascus, Ohio, I joined b/c i wanted to serve my community and the first day at the Station i new that i would be doing this for the rest of my life. I have been on the department for 1 1/2 years now and there is nothing like it. One big reason why i have gone all out is the passion my close friend and i share for it she is a 240hr FF and so am i. We always drill, and come up with new drags, lifts, carries etc for our departments. You would be amazed what you can do with a 15' ft section of webbing!

Permalink Reply by Derek R. on September 10, 2009 at 9:16pm

Hello from Nova Scotia,Can. Got about 5 yrs in. And why I joined is exactly as mentioned on my profile page. Although,... the adrenaline rush is awesome too. I can't wait to go through the posts here. I crave information and knowledge. I figured that what better place to find it.....in a probies forum.....a place where new questions arise about everything from the most basic to most complicated aspect of firefighting and with knowledgable veteran FF to answer those questions. And maybe I can have the opportunity of helping someone in here some day. take care and stay safe. In the words of a wise, Canadian icon....Red Green..."keep your stick on the ice".

Permalink Reply by David Weakley on September 12, 2009 at 11:44pm

Im from a little town called cleveland ga and ive been in voulenteer service for about 7-8 months and fixing to go into module 2 and hopefully pass first responder course. I want to help people and i think that ive always wanted to be apart of the department but never had time or made time now im in it for the long hall

Permalink Reply by Rick Jenkins on December 11, 2009 at 1:24pm

I am from Millbrook, NY and joined our department back in March. I am a bit late getting into this life at 38 but I am really looking forward to starting my FF1 classes in January. We have a good group of guys who have made me feel welcome and I hope to be able to contribute more soon. I joined because I really wanted to be able to give back to the community that I have lived in my whole life, it's a cool little town actually. There's not alot going on but it's a nice place to raise a family.

Permalink Reply by Michael Brittain on January 7, 2010 at 10:42am

Hello All! Michael Brittain here. I live in Jersey Village, TX (a small town in the middle of Houston) and I serve as a volunteer with the Jersey Village Fire Department www.jvfire.com and mutual aid for Cy-Fair VFD. I joined in Sept of 2008 but went into EMT school and certified on January 2009. I've been running on the ambulance since... BUT, everyone kept telling me about the Fire side and it Seemed really fun, so I broke down and went through Academy in the fall and JUST graduated. On Christmas night my team was the first on scene and the first in on an Apt Fire and let me tell ya, I'm Hooked! hahaha.

I see alot of similarity with what a bunch of folks have wrote. I'm 36 yrs old, so I'm a late bloomer in this arena, and I am Confident that I will ALWAYS feel like a Probie, I have two Beautiful children from my previous marriage but I have them 50% of the time and a Fantastic Wife of 1 yr now. I Love this Field and wished I'd have joined when I was 19 instead of 35 but with God by my side I will give it EVERYTHING I have to those I serve beside and those I am serving for!

People ask why I am doing this... I'll tell you. Because I sit behind a computer 8 hrs a day Mon-Fri for work. I served 8 yrs of TX Army Nat. Guard and have been discharged for many yrs now and I MISS the camaraderie, the since of knowing you are doing something with a REAL purpose. With being an EMT/ firefighter arriving on scene you supersede ALL impressions by people - They are HAPPY to see you (sure, you get the occasional bad call but I can only think of one in my 1 year on the Box). Because as a Firefighter/EMS you are strictly there for one purpose, to help those in need. Volunteering here gives back in my heart a 1000 times more than the 200% I try to give while I'm there. I can best sum it up by saying that doing this I feel as though I am Serving For the Lord and With a Happy Heart!

Be Blessed and Be Safe this 2010 Year!

In Faith,

Michael

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