Is anyone a volunteer fireman ??

[foxracingboy]

If you are what all do you have to do to become one ???

[mxdave28]

i am, have been for a long time now actually......as a response to you question thats all gunna depend on your area and the station you want to join. here is my best piece of advise, go to your local fire dept. that your thinking about joining and ask them what its gunna take, what type of training do they require you to have to be able to respond on calls. most fire depts are very willing to help you out with your questions. hope that helps and good luck!

[BlazingYamahaYz]

good question...all my friends are on the volunteer fire dept out here, and i will be next year(when i turn 16)...some stations out here let you join at 15, but my station is 16...all you basically need is a good record, be physically fit and willing...you can take classes, like firefighter 2, EMT-B(basic), etc...talk to the dept and ask what they require....i help out at the station any chance i get, so i know i can join easily, since people see me as a good canidate...i plan on becoming a full time firefighter and part time mechanic after high school...once u join at 16 here, u get a pager and full turnout gear...ur also considered a "cadet"...if you join over the age of 18, ur considered a "probationary fire fighter", until a few years later or something...if ur on at 16, and u stay on until after 18, ur considered a "firefighter"....

[foxracingboy]

thanks yall i'm going to talk to them on monday

[Quad18star]

Im probably going this year to get me Forest Fire Fighting certificate and training . Going to cost me 700$ but when I get called out i'll be getting paid $18.50 an hour with everything else paid plus I'll be able to travel all over Canada and probably down in the southern states to help the crews battle fires . This year is gunna be a killer for fires . Theyve already started around here and the snow melted maybe 3 weeks ago

[wilson10]

Best advice I can give anyone (ESPECIALLY if you would like to pursue it full time as a career) is STUDY STUDY STUDY!! There isn't a SINGLE cert out there that will NOT help you!! Or be like me...go to Air Force get the best training in the world (FREE) and then get out and land a Full time Job!

Goodluck Dude! You are inquiring about a very respectful job and career! Volunteers are often looked down upon but we (I am a volley as well) the backbone of the fire service!

[CHAUNCY]

Can you resign as a volunteer if you get sick of it or something ? Or are you a volunteer for so long then they let you go ?

[mxdave28]

Originally posted by CHAUNCY
Can you resign as a volunteer if you get sick of it or something ? Or are you a volunteer for so long then they let you go ?

Oh heavens yes you can resign if you so choose....its just like a job just no pay, when i turned 16 i joined my local FD and was there for 7 yrs. within the tail end of that time i had joined another Vol FD cause i wanted MORE!! heheh well that started a war cause i was bringing some of the ideas back (cause they were better). well, then my eyes opened, and i realized that i didnt want to be with my first FD anymore cause something was going to happen and i didnt want to be around when it did, so i quit....i told each and every person there what i felt about them, turned in my stuff and left. i was with the other (2nd) FD for several years after that and was an officer for 3-4 years then decided to run for chief....well, another person was running for chief as well that year and he and i had our differences and i didnt like him all that well...of course he won but, i had already told the other guys that if he won i was going to quit because i refuse to work under a total 2 faced lying back stabber. At this point i really REALLY needed a break from all this Vol. FD stuff well, that worked for a month...i had moved and joined another Dept. and currently am happy with it....i just dont take the chit anymore and tell the person how it is...so since i was 16 to my current 31 years of age i have been a proud Vol. FF and will continue doing so for many more yrs to come.

[Leo]

Originally posted by Quad18star
Im probably going this year to get me Forest Fire Fighting certificate and training . Going to cost me 700$ but when I get called out i'll be getting paid $18.50 an hour with everything else paid plus I'll be able to travel all over Canada and probably down in the southern states to help the crews battle fires . This year is gunna be a killer for fires . Theyve already started around here and the snow melted maybe 3 weeks ago

God bless man.. That's some seriously hard, dangerous work.. Worth about $40 / hr if you ask me.

Most of the 'forest fires' I've been involved with have been nothings really (under 15 acre's) and it's still some serious, back breaking, thankless work.. I can't even imagine what it's like trying to battle a real one.

Leo

[BlazingYamahaYz]

true about the studying thing and everyhting helps...next year im going to take Firefighter II, and then Jr and Sr year im taking a "side-school" class in Fire Science and going to get my EMT-B Sr year through this class...the class takes up the first few morning hours of my school day, and then i go to school like normal in the afternoon...

[Quad18star]

Ya i know how it is Leo . I know a bunch of people that fight forest fires and they are gone for weeks at a time and run on about 4 hours of sleep per night. I have always wanted to do it , but i had needed to be 18 . Well I was 18 two years ago and now I think I'm ready to do it . After I'm done my Civil Engineering program in college in another year , I will probably get my rotary license to be able to fly a helicopter , or my fixed wing to fly the water bombers . I can't wait!!!!!!!