Firefighting & Rescue Social / Professional Network
Call me crazy!
For anyone that reads this blog post, I have one question. Am I crazy for what I'm about to describe?
I have a great job. I dispatch for my Village's Police Department. I sit in a cozy chair, answer the department phones, the 911 phone and the radio. I get the information and relay it to the officers that I'm working with. I do my portion of the incident reports, file a little paperwork, everyone knows the drill. I get paid pretty decent for it too.
What sometimes makes me wonder if I'm crazy is this. When I'm doing what I get paid to do, not really in harms way, not being physically strained and my pager goes off, I want to go on the call. Obviously I can't go , because then phones and radios wouldn't get answered and my portion of the reports and paperwork wouldn't get done. So, I sit in my chair, with my pager and the radio turned up so I can listen to what's going on, all while still doing my job.
Now, to summarize:
I would rather volunteer whatever amount of time is required, to put myself in a physically and mentally demanding/potentially dangerous situation (depending on the type of call), than be at the desk, getting paid to do a job that I love doing and that doesn't have the number of demands and amount of danger.
I ask again, does this make me crazy?
I know that a large majority of members are in the same type of shoes as me on this one. This is just a thought that crosses my mind from time to time. Though it doesn't describe why, I guess this post could lend a common feeling to some of the forums asking why firefighters love what firefighters do.
Thanks for your time.
Take care and stay safe always,
-Eric
P.S.,
I just want to clarify because I didn't think to earlier. I am simply posting this as more of a rhetorical question. My mother thinks I'm crazy for feeling like that, but mothers will be mothers and I expect that sort of response from her. I'm really just wondering how many have the same sort of situation and thought process as I do.
I have a great job. I dispatch for my Village's Police Department. I sit in a cozy chair, answer the department phones, the 911 phone and the radio. I get the information and relay it to the officers that I'm working with. I do my portion of the incident reports, file a little paperwork, everyone knows the drill. I get paid pretty decent for it too.
What sometimes makes me wonder if I'm crazy is this. When I'm doing what I get paid to do, not really in harms way, not being physically strained and my pager goes off, I want to go on the call. Obviously I can't go , because then phones and radios wouldn't get answered and my portion of the reports and paperwork wouldn't get done. So, I sit in my chair, with my pager and the radio turned up so I can listen to what's going on, all while still doing my job.
Now, to summarize:
I would rather volunteer whatever amount of time is required, to put myself in a physically and mentally demanding/potentially dangerous situation (depending on the type of call), than be at the desk, getting paid to do a job that I love doing and that doesn't have the number of demands and amount of danger.
I ask again, does this make me crazy?
I know that a large majority of members are in the same type of shoes as me on this one. This is just a thought that crosses my mind from time to time. Though it doesn't describe why, I guess this post could lend a common feeling to some of the forums asking why firefighters love what firefighters do.
Thanks for your time.
Take care and stay safe always,
-Eric
P.S.,
I just want to clarify because I didn't think to earlier. I am simply posting this as more of a rhetorical question. My mother thinks I'm crazy for feeling like that, but mothers will be mothers and I expect that sort of response from her. I'm really just wondering how many have the same sort of situation and thought process as I do.
7 Comments
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Comment by Jeff Gaudio on July 4, 2009 at 1:19pm - Dude, I dispatched for a steel industry emergency service one day a week and was on the road the other days and dispatching was the most stressful job I ever did. As far as volunteering on the job in the field vs sitting at a desk, well thats easy, it's fun to be out there playing in the field.
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Comment by Ashley Hampton on July 4, 2009 at 1:07am -
Eric,
the statement you made "What I was saying is that when I sit behind the desk and a call goes out for my department, that I would rather be out there with them." this is because you are part of the brotherhood & sisterhood you care about the guys/girls on your department & want 2 be there with them 2 help someone in there greatest time of need...I recently applied to my local 911 center & me & my mom where talking about this same thing....the desire to go that would come up when you maybe dispatching your own department...because you want to be there to help and do whatever you are needed to do....
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Comment by rfdjumper on July 3, 2009 at 10:57pm - Crazy
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Comment by Eric on July 3, 2009 at 5:35pm -
Good to hear. Thinking about how this post could come off has me reading it and re-reading it. If you've ever seen anything that I post in forums you'll probably gather that I don't try to stir things up, or come off as a cocky guy that thinks that since I've been in a couple of years that I know it all now. I know better than that. I have a full understanding from reading through many posts in the forums, that typed word can very easily be taken in a completely different context than the original poster meant. This is why I'm wondering where I went wrong in this post I started, that would make you feel as though I am trying to be self-serving.
If you happen to get the time to do so and if you care to do so, please explain exactly which parts of the post are negative and please tell me exactly why you feel that way. I am definately not the brightest bulb in the house and simply want to understand. That way, if I do keep the post, I can explain those points and hopefully show that I don't mean them in a negative way. Coming off as arrogant and/or someone that wants to be told that what I'm doing is great, etc. is honestly the opposite of what I want out of this. I respect and honor your opinion because you have been around this lifestyle since I was 7 and you are someone who has had a hand in many more of the discussions here than I have.
Thanks again for your time,
-Eric
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Comment by Eric on July 3, 2009 at 3:25pm
- WestPhilly, I just noticed something in your last post that I missed when I read it before. I truly hope that you don't think that I'm trying to make this a career/paid argument or point. I am not pointing out my willingness to volunteer to put myself in harms way. What I was saying is that when I sit behind the desk and a call goes out for my department, that I would rather be out there with them. I couldn't care less if someone is paid or vollie. I would love to be a firefighter for a living. I love the service and would love if I could pay my bills doing it. Again, I sincerely hope I didn't make it seem as though I was trying to make some volunteer vs. career firefighter statement. Again, if I make it seem this way, let me know.
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Comment by Eric on July 3, 2009 at 3:18pm
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WestPhilly,
I do appreciate the honest opinion and point of view. As I said, I do not want to come off as an adrenaline junkie or someone who is in this service "for the rush". When I came home from the Army I joined. It is a service that needs to be done (obviously). There was a gap and a diffuculty in coming home and not being a part of a "brotherhood" or a service, anymore. Before I joined and was talking to the forementioned friends, I had a high regard for the fire service and saw it as a noble cause that would definately be worth me trying. As with many, once I got in, I was hooked. Of course there is a little bit of an adrenaline rush, but that isn't why I joined.
As I said, I did ask the question rhetorically. I guess the way I worded everything would've made the rhetorical question disingenuous. That certainly wasn't how I meant it. I definately don't take myself too seriously (anyone that truly knows me, knows that I'll laugh at myself as hard as anyone else).
I do not want anyone thinking that I mean that anyone here is literally crazy, or that I'm asking if I'm literally crazy. I don't know who does what for a living. Given the number of members here on the nation, I can guess that there are members from every walk of life. That said, again, I was really just looking to see how others relate to it.
I guess I'll see if others take it the same. If so, I will be deleting it. I certainly don't want people thinking that I'm trying to boost my ego or anything along those lines. I also want to assure you that I'm not becoming defensive or backing down on where I was originally trying to go with the blog. I am actually glad that you opened my eyes to how what I was saying can be taken.
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Comment by Eric on July 3, 2009 at 12:58pm
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WestPhilly,
I have to be honest, I'm not much of a blogger. I amended my original post to explain that I'm really looking to see how many people feel the same way I do and/or are in the same situation with the same thought process.
I just want to point out that if by self-serving you mean that I would be trying to put my self out there or make myself look better, I can assure you that this is not the case. I am definately not that kind of person.
I am unsure if that's what you mean by self-serving, but please let me know. If You do think that this post comes off that way, I will be removing it as I do not want that sort of image and opinion of me and I will try to word it a little better and re-post later.
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