Introduction and questions

[Bailer]

Hi,

I just wanted to introduce myself and ask a couple of questions that I was hoping to get some responses (I know this forum isn’t very busy, but any responses would be appreciated!).

For the past two years I have been thinking about changing careers and becoming a firefighter. Currently I work in finance and am not all that happy with my career and am looking for a change. I have tried exploring different career paths, but I keep coming back to firefighting as the path I want to take (which doesn’t make my girlfriend too happy). I was hoping to get some input from the firefighters on this board on a couple of points: What are the things you like best about the job? Worst? Is it boring waiting for waiting for emergency calls to come in? What is done in between calls? How many calls does a typical company answer in one shift (I know this will vary greatly between departments)? If there is anybody out there that dislikes the job, why? And if possible, could I get a description of a typical day (if there is such a thing) as a firefighter?

I know this is a lot to ask, but these questions are important to me, as a career change will require a big change in lifestyle (but one I believe to be worth it). Any input from you all on this forum would be very welcome.

Thank you.

[Smoke20286]

Bailer, most of the questions you ask would vary wildly from Dept to Dept and even from Station to Station. To discuss the boredom question it would mostly depend on how your Dept handled training and downtime and the type of shift they worked, and most importantly, the type of people you were working with.

[FireEMTGuy]

Set up a ride along with a local department. There you can get first hand information and a true experience.