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Asperger's and Firefighting
Coming this July 2015, I'll be a firefighter for nine years. I have Asperger's Syndrome. I love being a firefighter. It was my dream to become a firefighter and it still is my dream. As much as I don't like change, I It's become second nature to me to adapt to change. I do want I'm told and there's a lot of times I do things without being told. I joined the fire department because I wanted to help people and I wanted to inspire people that has Asperger's Syndrome to become a firefighter if they choose to. My question is this. What would you say to someone that has Asperger's Syndrome that wants to be a firefighter?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Don Catenacci on
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Honestly what difference does it make what anyone else thinks? If you have been a firefighter for 9 years obviously your FD has no problem with you having Asperger's Syndrome. What makes you wonder at this point?
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Permalink Reply by Robert "Red" Barger on
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While it may not matter or what anyone thinks, is ok by me. I'm just trying to get some input. Everybody can express their opinions to me if they want to.
Don Catenacci said:Honestly what difference does it make what anyone else thinks? If you have been a firefighter for 9 years obviously your FD has no problem with you having Asperger's Syndrome. What makes you wonder at this point?
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Permalink Reply by Bobby Halton on
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Robert,
Several years ago a young woman who also had Aspergers and I became friends. She was going through firefighter 1 and was having tremendous difficulties with classmates and instructors. She went all the way to the final tests twice and was eliminated on various reasons which she expressed as being created because they disliked her and her condition. She decided the fire service was never going to accept her and she stopped trying to get in. We lost a beautiful, sensitive and passionate firefighter.
I hope you can form a support group so we can learn more about Aspergers and how we can support those who have it and be what we ought to be, kind, understanding and loving. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
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It sounds like she wanted to be a firefighter so bad. I stuck with it. It doesn't matter if anyone in the fire service likes me or not. All I ever wanted to be is a firefighter. There should be some sort of support groups in general in the fire department. As a person that has Asperger's, the customs of the fire department were a little confusing to me. Later I grew out of my shell and adapted to it and accepted it. Even to this day, I'm surprised I made it this far while having Asperger's Syndrome. I'm high functioning person that has a mild form of Autism. It's not severe enough to the point that I can't be a firefighter.
Bobby Halton said:Robert,
Several years ago a young woman who also had Aspergers and I became friends. She was going through firefighter 1 and was having tremendous difficulties with classmates and instructors. She went all the way to the final tests twice and was eliminated on various reasons which she expressed as being created because they disliked her and her condition. She decided the fire service was never going to accept her and she stopped trying to get in. We lost a beautiful, sensitive and passionate firefighter.
I hope you can form a support group so we can learn more about Aspergers and how we can support those who have it and be what we ought to be, kind, understanding and loving. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
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