Firefighter for 4 years, AMA

[Anerdyblackguy]

1. Firefighters live shorter on average, have a higher risk for cancer and other cardiac &respiratory illnesses from all the toxins we’re exposed to. That being said, I know many retired guys who are living healthy, active lives in their 50s/60s/70s. I also know guys who have various cancers, back/knee/ hip surgeries

2. Your brother will see things that no human should have to see. Scenes that will stick with him for years. Always remember to support him, make sure he is resting on his off days, be an ear if he needs to talk.

3. Not coming out the academy, you don’t have a choice. Later on as he gets seniority he should be able to move around.

Don’t know how they do things in the FDNY but for us they place you based on academy performance. If you did amazing you go to the busiest firehouse that gets the most fires. If you need a bit more work they’ll send you to a slower place where you can develop your skills at a better pace for you

Thank you so much for the answers and thanks for your service

 

[Noriega]

It always surprises me when other firefighters. Removes their SCBA while doing overhaul.

I never do this, some old school guys do. I’d get headaches for days when I did this as a rookie. Id blow my nose and black soot would come out

Why Breathe in all that nasty carcinogens & toxins if you don’t have to.

 

[Jaguar93]

I never do this, some old school guys do. I’d get headaches for days when I did this as a rookie. Id blow my nose and black soot would come out

Why Breathe in all that nasty carcinogens & toxins if you don’t have to.

Yeah man stay safe and keep your scba on. An extra 80 pounds on your back is better than cancer.

 

[Hollywood Co]

You probably already said but where city are you working in?

How many calls is your station running on avg?

Are you in a battalion house? If so how do you like dealing with a Chief in the house in every shift? If not how often is the Chief on y’all ass?

What is y’all stance on fires? Do y’all go defensive mostly or are y’all more aggressive?

 

[Noriega]

How many calls is your station running on avg?

Are you in a battalion house? If so how do you like dealing with a Chief in the house in every shift? If not how often is the Chief on y’all ass?

What is y’all stance on fires? Do y’all go defensive mostly or are y’all more aggressive?

My station is inner city, we took 4300 calls last year. Average about 15 a day. It varies though, one shift we can take 26 calls the next shift we take 9

Nah it’s just an engine & paramedic rig at my station. Never been assigned to a battalion house but I work at one often on overtime and trades. No issues, I have a good relationship with my chiefs. Do your job well & be professional and you’ll have no issues is my experience in the fire service


We are extremely aggressive …we don’t do any “hard from the yard” mess. Lot of aggressive engine & truck crews that will go in and handle business.

 

[ChatGPT-5]

Average about 15 a day.

that's like one an hour, I always thought it was something like 5 a day and you guys spend the rest of the time cleaning the trucks, resupplying, training, and fukking around lol.

 

[Noriega]

that's like one an hour, I always thought it was something like 5 a day and you guys spend the rest of the time cleaning the trucks, resupplying, training, and fukking around lol.

Yeah definitely not Breh, it’s nights where I don’t even make my bed or get a chance to shower because we’re running every 30 minutes. Now imagine trying to cook for the crew, cut grass, training, administrative work etc in between all of the calls. Makes for a full, busy day

Maybe in the suburbs and some rural areas but definitely not in a major city Even our “slow stations” take between 8-12 calls a day

Something always going on, medical or fire

 

[Noriega]

@Hollywood Co
@Jaguar93
@tyfireman15

How is the SCBA policy for yall? Ours was lax when I first came on but admin has gotten very strict with it. It could be a small bedroom fire and they want us masked up thru the whole incident duration.

Don’t blame them, I want to live a healthy life after I retire

 

[GreenGhxst]

How often you get hit on with your firefighter uniform in public?

How much vacation time you get per year?

 

[Jaguar93]

@Hollywood Co
@Jaguar93
@tyfireman15

How is the SCBA policy for yall? Ours was lax when I first came on but admin has gotten very strict with it. It could be a small bedroom fire and they want us masked up thru the whole incident duration.

Don’t blame them, I want to live a healthy life after I retire

Yeah they’ve been extra strict with the SCBA policy. Wearing it in even the smallest of fires lol. Especially during overhaul where a lot of dudes. Be too lazy to wear it which is crazy. Decon, diet, exercise, and a yearly physical also been a big focus in our department.

 

[Noriega]

How often you get hit on with your firefighter uniform in public?

How much vacation time you get per year?

we don’t really have a uniform on shift. Literally a dept t shirt and dikkies/carhartt work pants. We only bust out the badge, cap, polished shoes for ceremonial occasions

Often..at grocery stores, on calls, doing community outreach etc. I never entertained it, when I was single I wouldn’t even tell women what I do. I just said “I work for the city”, not like I was lying

Officially, only 12 vacation days but you can trade days with other firefighters. I was off most of the month of March & August because of trades. I take 2 or 3international trips a year, usually for 2/3 weeks at a time. I’m willing to work holidays(Christmas, thanksgiving, Easter) cuz I don’t have kids and most of my family is outta state


Example. You need 10/11,10/14, 10/17 off

I need 12/1,12/4,12/7 off. We work each others days..

You can *almost* make your own schedule if you move your days around in a certain way

 

[GreenGhxst]

1. I had an older cousin who was a firefighter for 32 years. Use to visit his station often cuz it was a few blocks away. Also I couldn’t afford college and this is a decent paying career & stable field if you get on a good department

2. More education about what firefighters actually do.

People think we run into burning buildings all day.. everyday, which just isn’t true. 85% of our calls are medical related. Fires are getting less and less due to better building construction. But, fires are deadlier and burn hotter due to the synthetic materials in our furniture and building materials

But the job isn’t for everybody. Majority of people cannot see what we see on a daily basis

Does this go home with you?

How do you deal with stress?

How many dead people do you see a month in average?

Kids?

 

[King_Kamala61]

I tried to get on...loss beacoup weight too for it to the point I was passing out and fainting if I got up too fast. Good times. Was incredibly hard doing it on a bad leg and bum back but I did it. Unfortunately Fairfax County Fire and Rescue was hating on the fatman

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

I never do this, some old school guys do. I’d get headaches for days when I did this as a rookie. Id blow my nose and black soot would come out

Why Breathe in all that nasty carcinogens & toxins if you don’t have to.

Last fire i was in, I had soot coming out of my nose for days.

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

Yeah definitely not Breh, it’s nights where I don’t even make my bed or get a chance to shower because we’re running every 30 minutes. Now imagine trying to cook for the crew, cut grass, training, administrative work etc in between all of the calls. Makes for a full, busy day

Maybe in the suburbs and some rural areas but definitely not in a major city Even our “slow stations” take between 8-12 calls a day

Something always going on, medical or fire

How often do people die with that many fires a day?

And is the job your passion? I trained so that I could be a volunteer firefighter, but I would never want it to be my day job.