FireLink

4 me it was a simple as me getting up every morning. Ive been around Fire service for over 25yrs my HERO (Step  DAD) was in fire and was cheif for many years. He has taughtme just about every thing I know. So it was only right for me to do smonething with my life. So in 1999 I joined a local Rescue Squad. It was hard but it calmed my calling or so I thought? I was with them for about 5 years. Then I meet this girl and I moved away. I was working so much I was able to do anything I realy wanted to. a year later we got married then another year one month and two days she left me with nothing. I lost my job that morning and her that night!!! I was DEVISATED!! no sleep for at least a week. Then after being down & outMY FRIENDS helped me get back on my feet. about 4 months later I meet this woman who was pregant and we became best friends. On DEC 13 2006 she gave birth to my ANGEL!! Noelle, the reason I call my ANGEL is because she is the one who saved me!!! She tought me my heart hadnt DIED. She showed me I could care and love again. Sence me and her mother no longer talk she will always be that sweet little baby. all I can ever hope is that I can make an impact on someone and save their life. like mine was saved. So now im in Fire Dept localy and if on day I am to lose my life so someone else to live then so be it!!!

I grew up in the fire service. My dad was in the fire dept. and the dispacther used to look after me wene they went out on call's.

As soon as I was able to join that's what i did and I have been doing it ever sence going on 24 years now.

Well, for me it is pretty much the ''family business.''  I am a 3rd generation firefighter in my town, and if i become chief later on, it will be the 4th chief in my family. My grandpa joined the fd, he just turned 70, and is still filling shifts as an EMT-B, my uncle is the full time chief in our town, my other uncle was on for a while, and my dad is the Deputy Chief in our town. I am 16, and joined back in December as a cadet.

I have been down there for 16 years though with my family. So I already knew everyone, and they knew me.

In fact, I remember riding with my dad back in the old chief buggy when he was the chief. I remember being babysat by Capt. when my dad went on a call.

Fun stuff, best job in the world. I can't wait till I'm 18 and able to work shifts.

 I was at my Dads fire department every weekend and every chance I could. I would help clean the department, hoses, trucks whatever I could.  I could see how happy all the firefighters we're. I loved there stories and I found that helping others was my calling. From age 6 to 15 I ate, lived , dreamed, breathed firefighting . I had to put the dream on hold for a while. I never lost that love and now I,m back.

i grew up around the firehouse... literally.  my dad was in the fire service and i, like may of us ,  would go outside and watch the trucks racing to the scene, or i would go to the firehouse and pester everyone.  i never joined though until i was 17.  my parents seperated and i just finally came back around.  it's been one of the best decisions i have ever made in my life.  both sides of my family were in the fire depts.  whenever i was around my uncle,  my cousins and i would race to the scene and try and beat the trucks there just so we could watch.  got to see a lot growing up.  i just kinda felt i had to join up.  i knew it was something i wanted to do.

Grew up around the house. My dad got 30 yrs in now and I got in at 17. I think that people with fam on the job have a little more pride. I am not knocking anyone, the pride i think is different. It was wierd calling people mr so and so the whole time i grew up and then them wanting me to call them by their first name when I got on the job.

When I was little I was very accident prone and my mom panicked at the site of blood or bone sticking out and called 911 everytime I got hurt.  The southside ala,  fire dept and gadsden etowah ems were always coming out and I would be more concerned about asking questions about the trucks that what was going on with me.  Since then I have always wanted to be a firefighter and an EMT.

I grew up in the fire service.  It's my second home.  My grandfather, father, mother, aunts, and uncles were firefighters at some point and my dad is Deputy Chief now.  So i guess that makes me a third generation firefighter.  I also like helping others and giving back to the community and this is my way of doing that.  Also, it's in my blood.  Ever since I was little I wanted to be a firefighter.  Also, we needed more volunteers at the station and women.  We have so many now, that some calls we get a whole female truck out,  It's nice seeing more females in the service, than when I joined 3 years ago.  I just love it.

FieryRedHead says ...

I did it because I had to. When I was a little kid my best friend and I would lay on the side of the street pretending we were in a really bad bike accident (lol) to try and get paramedics who were driving by to stop. When the firefighters came to school was the best day of the year for me. I was that kid who would stop by the station and ask too many questions. My mom always talks about how weird it was that my brothers both weren't at all interested in firefighting, and I was. It literally was just this obsession since I was younger, and when I grew up I didn't think I could do it because I'm a pretty small girl, so I went to 'real college'. I hated it, and all I wanted to do was go into burning buildings and pull people out, so I finally decided to sign up for EMT Basic and Firefighter 1 and 2 at a nearby career center. I have an uncle who is a firefighter, and he finally stepped in and encouraged me to just go for it in spite of what the rest of my family thinks. My mom saw Ladder 49 one too many times (probably my fault) and can't stand the thought of something happening to me, but you'll have that. I love firefighting. I love absolutely everything about it. I don't even like washing my turnout gear after its been in a fire because I love the smell. I love wearing navy clothes all the time. I love big red trucks, and yellow ones, and all of the other colors they are these days. I love telling people what I do, and them going "No way, you're so little." I'm not too little, never was. Inside I'm as strong as ever, and I'm physically capable of doing the job. I hope I get to be the one to save the next person who tells me I'm too little someday. Basically, I got into it because I loved it. How and why, I don't know. Little girls get over the allure of the big red trucks, usually. I didn't, so I learned to drive one. :-)

Firefighter Madness, there is no cure...

well most of u guys have family or someone on the service grew up around the corner from the firehouse or were amazed by the firetrucks that wasnt my case for sure

14 years old or around that i was a drum mayor for my marching learning my final on music so i could become an ''music intern '' at  my high school district and start teaching that was my dream to be a drummer and teach that was all i wanted to do

somewhere around that time one of the teachers told me he had some cool music he wanted to share with me (as always i was ready to take the challenge ) he tells he has it at the fire station where he volunteers at  and if i wanted i could go with him and pick it up

so there we arrived at a firehouse that was like 3 blocks away from my house yet never gone to find out what firefighting was all about . 5 minutes after we arrived this guy comes down the pole ( that was behind me he scared the shit out of me ) and start screamig'' it looks like we are going , get the ladder out '' 2 seconds later the tones go off for the ladder and engine ppl started coming fom the kitchen an second floor gear was all over the place trucks got full off ppl and on their way they were i was amazed out of nowhere i joined the dept as an auxiliary within a week ,  i went trough firefighter within two months and as soon as i turned 16 i started running calls amazing !!!! before i turned 17 i took my ''evoc'' and started driving the trucks all this before i turned 18  in my native peru

when i was 17 i moved to broward county here in south florida and i didnt want to be a musician no more i wnted to be a firefighter so looking for options i joined the closest explorer post stayed there till i was 21 did my fire by the time i turned 19 did my EMT/paramedic by the time i was 21 and waited till  i was called to work at a local fire rescue dept and im still with the explorers as an advisor and now i go every 6 months to my dept in peru to train them on whatever i learn here and is easier since they just got brand new pierce contenders and new rescue

well thats the story and im telling u rite now when i joined the explorers everyone loved me cause of my funny accent and cause i can cook really good !

My mom was in EMT school and Paramedic school when I was a toddler. We used to "practice" her newly learned skills on me. It wasn't uncommon to see me walking around with Band-Aids and a full head dressing. When Peds practicals came around I was the "patient". I LOVED it. I would lay there patiently and be immobilized, wrapped, lifted, etc. Then one day my mom was studying for her EKG test, and well, I wanted to study too.  So I took my brand new box of Crayolas and my freshly painted white wall, and as my mom said, colored V-fib EVERYWHERE. She got on the Chicago Fire Department when I was 5, and I have always been around the firehouses.  Since then I have known that this is IT. This is what I want to do with myself. I can honestly say that I never wanted to do anything else. Some of my best memories are from Paramedic school. I met my best friend (IVshelly), I did my internship with CFD and it was just awesome. Now I am getting my ducks in a row as I am #183 on the list for CFD. I can't wait. :O)

For me all it took was a ride w/my dad when he was chief @ my home company in Thorndale , Pa. One summer day he took me for a ride in our Jeep that we use for brush & woods fires. Once we got back , i was hooked , so when i was old enough i submitted my applicatiion & 1 month later it was approved. Only now , my step dad was chief (ironic ain't it ? )  & he pulled no punches & took no bull. Many years later that Jeep that i took my first ride in , is still in service today (now that's durable) . Back home i learned quick & took classes as much as i could.  Didn't take long till i went from probie to an interior fire fighter. Even joined a neighboring company so that i could experience w/a truck company & ems. Have learned alot over the years & wouldn't change a thing except for the meals that got interupted & the sleep that i lost. We had a great crew back home & yes it was just like being in another family besides your own. 20 years later , i am now a life member & still have many of the same friends as before. Can't wait to go back there again & see the new engine they replaced since my last visit. Am hoping i'll bve able to witness my boyhood dream come true of working for a paid dept. & keep the family tradition going strong.

That's wicked MidniteMedic.....Fate

 I just fell into to it. One of the biggest things was the oklahoma city bombing. Seeing those guys pull people out of that rumble and seeing them with the kids. Seeing those guys work hard to save those in need. Here i was siting on my butt doing nothing for anyone. Then the jack in the box in my home town(River Oaks, Texas)  burned down. Watching the Firemen fight the fire when the ground was iced over did it for me. They needed help cause you could see them slip and fall but get up and keep fighting that dragon. Couple of months later March 3rd, 1997 1910 hrs my life changed for EVER. Ran my first call the next day at 0710 in the morning for a gas leak and was canceled at the station. Seen a three of my friends go in LODD. My biggest supporter my mom passed a month later after the LODD from a stroke in front of me. People thought I was going to quit but I kept going. I moved in 2002 to White Settlement, Texas Where I LOVE it! My kids are the brats at the fire station. My boy knows the tools and some other things about Firefighting. Both of them love it. There is never a tighter group of people that will help each other. They won't even know each other but they are ready to give their shirt off of their back. But enough of me I love this trade and will live this life until it doesn't let me anymore!

For love of the game