Rookie Firefighter

A Volunteer’s Schedule

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Whether you’re paid-on-call, paid per call, or 100% volunteer, attempting to schedule a group of volunteers to assure full coverage throughout the week can be a bit tricky.

With a smaller volunteer fire department like ours there tends to be a day crew and a night crew. Some people work regular 9-5 jobs Monday – Friday which automatically puts them on the night and weekend crew. We have several who work a constantly changing schedule so they may work mornings one week, afternoons the next, and nights the third week.

To explain this, let’s say we have 25 people on our department. Fifteen of these people work daytime jobs, so they’re available most nights and weekends. Five of these people work 12 hour shift work, so they’re available during days and nights about 3 days out of the week. The other five work part-time jobs at odd hours, work from home, or are retired, which puts them available most days and nights out of the week.

How in the world does a volunteer department juggle these schedules and make sure the community is covered with enough people 24/7, 365 days out of the year? Communication. Seriously, it’s that easy!

We’re all volunteers, so we run calls when we’re available. Our area is always covered no matter what, and that is what helps to keep everyone in our community safe.

The Weight of the White Helmet

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A white fire helmet weighs more than all the others.
No, I don’t mean literally… I’m talking about the heavy burden of responsibility that comes with the title of being Chief.

Did you know the fire chief is responsible for each and every firefighter regardless if he is on scene or not? It’s the chief’s job to make sure every firefighter has the proper training, and every citizen is given the best outcome possible no matter what the emergency is.

“The fire chief is responsible for carrying out the day-to-day tasks of running a firefighting organization. Such tasks include supervising other officers and firefighters at an emergency scene and recruiting, training, and equipping them for their respective duties.”

Wikipedia

In addition to the above, many chiefs are also responsible for:

community education
disaster preparations
personnel issues
maintaining a good working relationship with other emergency agencies
making sure every truck and piece of equipment is working
staying up to date on safety regulations/requirements
numerous e-mails and phone calls

With all of these responsibilities, guess who is most likely to get sued if something goes wrong? The fire department itself and…. the Chief!

So the next time you see someone with a white helmet… shake the man or woman’s hand. Tell them a genuine thank you for all they do. Because that white helmet is a very heavy weight indeed.

Fire Cam MINI Helmet Camera


To all who are called Chief…
May your sleep be untroubled and your heart be a little lighter. While we cannot walk in your shoes (and do not wish to), there are many in your corner and we’ll support you however we can. May God bless you and keep you safe on every call.

-Rookie ?

Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that when you click links and purchase items, in many (not all) cases I will receive a referral commission. Your support in purchasing through these links is much appreciated. -Rookie

The Heart of a Volunteer Firefighter

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I’m asked regularly by friends and family why I don’t join one of the paid fire departments. They say things like, “but you could get PAID to do the same job” or “why would anyone work so hard for free?” While I try to explain why I choose to volunteer, you can see the confusion on their face. They just don’t understand.

So, here’s the best explanation I have for why I choose to be a volunteer firefighter.

Being a firefighter is the greatest job on earth. When you love what you’re doing, money doesn’t matter. I’m dead serious! Sure, everyone needs money to make a living, but most volunteer firefighters have a regular job and volunteer in their off hours.

Small towns all across America can’t afford to pay firefighters. If there were no volunteer firefighters and your neighbor’s house caught on fire, who would end up putting it out? You and the other neighbors in your community right? So you’d all be volunteering your time to put out the neighbor’s fire not just because it’s the “neighborly thing to do” but also because it would help protect your own home and property from potentially catching on fire.

This is essentially what we’re doing. We’re helping our neighbors and friends. Bonus, we have the correct equipment and training to get the job done safely and quickly.

If you’re still thinking, “but you don’t get PAID a dime?” Here’s how I get paid…

-Family members who give us a tear-filled “thank you” after we’ve helped their loved one.
-Children smiling and waving when they see us drive by in the fire engine.
-Knowing we did our absolute best to save a life, even if we never learn of the outcome.
-The simple joy of seeing another sunrise with my fire family.
-The warmth of a handshake or a simple “good job” after working a long call.
-Thank you cards and letters from the community.
-Much laughter at things no one else understands but my fellow first responders.
-There’s always someone willing to listen when I really need them, no matter the hour.
-A large family of boisterous people who love me and trust me.
-A fire family who will literally risk their life to save mine.

This job isn’t for everyone. It’s difficult mentally and physically. But you won’t find a more dedicated group of people than your local volunteer firefighters.

Stay safe out there.
-Rookie ?

Typical Residential Fire

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First of all, there is no typical residential fire. Each and every house fire is different depending on contents in the home, building materials, weather conditions, etc. But, the job itself is pretty consistent and it would be helpful if the general public understood more about what our job entails.

Timeline
~example only~

Dispatched to residential fire at 01:00
First unit on scene at 01:08
Fire suppression taking place
Notified dispatch fire out at 01:42
*Overhaul taking place
Overhaul completed at 02:21
Drain hoses, clean up & store equipment
Back in service at 03:00
Average time on scene is 2 hrs

Back at the station 03:10

  • Decontaminate SCBA packs and tools used
  • Refill air bottles
  • Replace all wet or dirty hoses
  • Wash all dirty hoses and place on drying rack
  • Restock truck
  • Decontaminate turnout gear (aka bunker gear)
  • Shower
  • Finish paperwork

The above isn’t in any particular order, many hands make some of these tasks go faster.

Able to finally return home 04:30
Average time from start to finish is 3.5 hrs

This time is assuming no one was injured and the fire was in 1 or 2 rooms of a single story home. The larger the fire, the more water it takes, the more hours fire fighters will be on scene.

-Rookie ?

*overhaul = pulling off siding/ceiling, etc. checking for hidden hot spots. Home is typically ventilated of smoke at this time as well.

The Fire House

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The fire house is where everything happens.

It’s where we train and have meetings.
It’s where we eat and where we have fun.

It’s where we repair equipment and scrub our gear.
It’s where we wash dishes and mop the floors.

It’s where we crash in exhaustion after a long call.
It’s where we laugh and sometimes even cry.

It’s where we hug our brother or sister.
And where we pray for each other.

Like any other house, it’s not the building that matters. It’s the hearts and souls of the hard working people within that make us all a family.

-Rookie ?