Why did you join ?

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Permalink Reply by Aaron Smith on January 19, 2009 at 12:11am

In my town, the firemen seem to be celeberties and thats what I thought they were until a few years ago. Being in a small town, several people seem to enjoy makeing fun of us sayin we dont know what we're doin, or we never run calls. But getting to the point, I've always idolized my local firefighters and took full advantage when the opportounity cAme to me to join and here I am today....

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Permalink Reply by Asst. 29 on January 19, 2009 at 8:15am

I joined the fire company because I grew up there it was the natural thing for me to do. I am a third generation firefighter and along with that my great great grandfather was a founding father of the Bernville Chemical Company in the mid 1850's. So tradition and a love for the job and the comradery with fellow firefighters even those from other companies would have to be my answer.

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Permalink Reply by Donnie Mathias on January 21, 2009 at 2:17am

Funny that's the same feeling my mom has about me . I to want to be a paid police officer and a volunteer firefighter which i am a FF . After i finish the fire academy i want to go ahead and enroll into the police academy.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff on March 28, 2009 at 7:18pm

For me I grew up with my dad, grandpa, and great grandpa all being on the fire department in town. When I was little I loved going to the station with dad. Back then it was all about the big trucks with lights and sirens. I got a job at a small business in town and my boss was the fire chief. The day I turned 18 he asked if I wanted to be on and I took him up on the offer without hesitation. Now here I am 3 years later going to college for firefighting...

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Permalink Reply by Tim Wood on March 31, 2009 at 5:25pm

My dad has been on department 40years had 2 uncles and a cousin on at one time. Then i joined and my little brother shortly after. So i think it might be in my blood.

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Permalink Reply by Deanna on April 1, 2009 at 12:37am

My husband got me into it. Truthfully, I never thought I would be doing this, but now I realize it was somewhat of a calling. The need to help people is what drives me.

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Permalink Reply by EYFD5917 on April 3, 2009 at 3:55pm

My "deal"...lol....was an overturned vehicle in front of my land when two drag racers decided to "play the fool",with one vehicle rolling over. I ran out to help,being a former police officer,I helped a victim extricate the vehicle.Shortly after,the FD arrived on scene and did the normal assessment.After all was said and done,and I had given the State Patrol My info,the Asst.Chief asked if I would be interested in the department.Having just moved into the township,I jumped at the opportunity.A year later,I was a Firefighter/EMT serving and giving back to the community I had hardly known.I firmly believe one has to have the "heart and soul" of a public servant to give of oneself without the necessity of any recognition. A true hero gives of themselves without fanfare,and my hats off to all who sacrifice in the service of others.By the way....Us "Donnie's" have to stick together...LOL.And a big brother on a department in the Florida panhandle helped push things along........God's speed and please,stay safe out there!

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Lundquist on November 12, 2009 at 8:40pm

Nicely said fellow Firefighter. I am from a very small town and work at the districts fire departments (3). Its kind of funny, I was influenced by Johnny & Roy, (you know SQUAD 51) and the fact that I just always wanted to help people, I can't help it. I am hooked on the feeling of saving lives. Before I joined I knew zilch real firefighters on this planet, but the exiting part comes in the way of other firefighters I work with, you here these horror stories about Fire Departments treating probies like shit, well I then got lucky because these guys are the hero's of all hero's and I don't just mean to the community but also the kindness that these guys show toward all the other firefighters, Probies and all. We really are one big happy family. "heart and soul" is right, way to go Oregon. God's speed and please,stay safe out there!? again nicely said....

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Permalink Reply by Mark A. Duell on April 28, 2009 at 6:56pm

Well, one, my dad was in it since i was little. Two, I've always had a thing for lights and sirens. Three, I use to watch Emergency all the time when I was a kid. Four, I always wanted to be a superhero or a rock star or something. But once I became an adult, my dad told me to try it out. After I got out of the service and worked a few years down in Virginia at a sawmill, my wife and I moved back up here to Pa. and I decided to give it a try. I've been a sucker ever since. There has been times when I've been mad and said I'm done, but that doesn't work when its in your blood as you well know. When the tones go off or the siren blows, I've gotta go. I know I became a EMT because we were lacking them, and it drove me nuts to wait forever for a EMT to show up. Today is different though with the ambulance. We have one of the best response times in Potter County. Not due to me of course, but because of the dedication from everyone. I really wish I knew that I loved this back when I was younger. I would have made it my profession, but oh well. I would like to do a career change now in my life and have it be somewhere in the field of firefighting or ems. Any ideas or suggestions?

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Permalink Reply by John Menchen on May 8, 2009 at 7:59pm

I've answered this question before, so it might be a rehash for anyone who's read it.
I wanted to be a firefighter since I was four. I'm not kidding: the local department sent a truck up to my preschool, let everyone see it, and I came running home telling my mother, "I wanna be a fireman!"
Later in life, my 8th grade math teacher would sometimes grumble about being tired from after a midnight call and coming home to a screeching parrot (that's why I have cats, they go to sleep eventually). In my hometown, Election Day used be held in the local firehouse--the trucks would be moved out of the bays so everyone could vote. One year, the siren wailed forth while I was inside it as my folks voted. I could feel the whole garage buzzing.
Much later, my wife and I (before we were married) were in a community band that marched under one department's flag. During one parade, she saw a decal of a frog on the department's tanker (frog, water, yeah), and asked the one member who was in the band if we could join. She likes frogs, so she figured any department with a frog on its apparatus is OK in her book. The member replied that we didn't live in the district, so we couldn't join that department, but he suggested we ask our local department. So we did, and it all sort of went from there.
There are no frogs on our present department's tanker, but that's OK. They're taking us seriously, letting us take whatever training we like. It feels like family.

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Permalink Reply by doug on May 12, 2009 at 4:53pm

i grew up at the station my mom dispatched and she had a crib in the office . we lived next door to the fire hall so when there was a call off id go day or night. three generation's before me and i'm working on 28yrs. all paid per call but id still do it for free. i started at $3.00 per call now $15.00 its in the blood and and i'm loving it. i wasn't allowed to join the military for medical reasons so this is the next best way to help out my country and neighbors was a firefighter for me.

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Lundquist on November 12, 2009 at 8:54pm

Thats awesome!!!

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