View Full Version : Volunteer Fire Fighting
Sully2490
04-20-2015, 07:23
My buddy is going to become a volunteer fireman while he goes to school, he's a year older and I was thinking about doing the same when I graduate and start community college. I wanna serve my community and country even while in school, but also use this time to mature before I enlist. What are your thoughts? Thank you ahead for any feed back, it is appreciated.
Surgicalcric
04-20-2015, 19:38
Thoughts on what? Volunteering? College? Etc... Is our opinions going to change your life plan? You doing it for you or others?
There is something admirable about volunteering for your community. I did it for years while also working as a firefighter, all before enlisting in the Army.
Sully2490
04-21-2015, 11:56
Thoughts on what? Volunteering? College? Etc... Is our opinions going to change your life plan? You doing it for you or others?
There is something admirable about volunteering for your community. I did it for years while also working as a firefighter, all before enlisting in the Army.
Your opinions won't change my life plan but they will certainly help me achieve what I want to achieve in life. What I wanted to know is volunteer firefighting a good stepping stone to get an idea of what service is like, and good "real world" experience to mature and learn.
The desire to serve is a mindset. You don't have to volunteer with the Fire Department in order to do that. A person who desires to serve others doesn't usually need to decide what is a good course of action...they already know it and take action to employ it.
However, if you would like some ideas try some of these:
1. Find some elderly people within your neighborhood and offer to cut their grass, wash their car, change their oil, clean their windows, etc.
2. Volunteer with the Red Cross, United Way...etc.
3. Get with a local church or outreach that helps Vets and volunteer to work with them.
Those are just a couple of ideas. Give them a shot and see if you like it. You never know where that will lead you.
What I wanted to know is volunteer firefighting a good stepping stone to get an idea of what service is like, and good "real world" experience to mature and learn.
When you say "service" do you mean serving your community as a volunteer or do you mean as in Military service?
I can only speak for my small town Volunteer FD, it is nothing like military service. It is a community event. We work together when needed, it maybe providing firefighting service or hanging the Christmas decorations for the town. We try to take care of all our communities needs.
Military service on the other hand is more demanding. It is a 24/7 lifestyle that you dont have many choices to make yourself.
I would make the analogy of Volunteer FF is like your extended family, cousins and such, that you you see on special occasions but you are there for each other when needed. Military service is more like your immediate family that you have to live with and see everyday. Whether you want to or not.
I was closer to my military friends than I was to my own brothers.
You wont go wrong with either one.
Surgicalcric
04-21-2015, 20:14
Having been a firefighter for 34 years and an SF soldier for 12 of them I can assure you that being in one gives you no insight into the other.
Good on you for wanting to serve. Aside from being an SF soldier there is nothing I can imagine doing more than "putting the wet stuff on the red stuff." That said, that brotherhood holds no candle to this one. I have missed the fire service since I left but my medically retirement will leave me missing the Regiment more...
As for experience, any amount can be helpful in the right situation. Volunteering for the local FD, Red Cross, VFW, etc. will allow you to fulfill your desire to serve while helping others.
You can't go wrong giving of your time to others who need your help.
Crip
Sully2490
04-23-2015, 06:20
Having been a firefighter for 34 years and an SF soldier for 12 of them I can assure you that being in one gives you no insight into the other.
Good on you for wanting to serve. Aside from being an SF soldier there is nothing I can imagine doing more than "putting the wet stuff on the red stuff." That said, that brotherhood holds no candle to this one. I have missed the fire service since I left but my medically retirement will leave me missing the Regiment more...
As for experience, any amount can be helpful in the right situation. Volunteering for the local FD, Red Cross, VFW, etc. will allow you to fulfill your desire to serve while helping others.
You can't go wrong giving of your time to others who need your help.
Crip Thank you sir for your insight, I plan on volunteering with the FD when I turn 18 and throughout my two years at community college, and more than likely when I can in the future
Be sure to stay away from the steroids and those that use them!
Bleed Green
05-01-2015, 17:45
My youngest daughter earned her EMT-B her first semester this year and is a senior Sully. She couldn't use it working for our local FD since she was only 17, but she was able to volunteer with the county FD. The last six months I have seen her grow more confident in her skills and abilities all the while learning the meaning of service. As a Dad I still worry my ass off since she can stand up in the ambulance and can take cover behind a dime on the ground, but seeing how it has helped shape her has been priceless due to some of the saves that she has helped to on.
IMHO if you are interested in being a volunteer FF by all means go for it. I agree with what the others here have said as I have known guys that were full time FFs before working for us and they thought that burning building crazy was the same as rounds down range at you crazy. For some it was and for others the two were not even remotely alike. Having spent a week with the FDNY Fire Academy going through all their simulators it further reinforced that I still would rather have bullets shot at me than have to fight a fire.