| I am a firefighter with a municipal fire department | | | | camaraderie. Very few people get to experience this |
| and my name is Tom. I love my job. I have had a lot | | | | in their lives. |
| of different jobs before I became a firefighter, and | | | | I could go on all day about why I like being a |
| none of them even come close to being as cool as a | | | | firefighter. It is a truly great job. |
| fire job. | | | | With every good thing, there is also a downside. I |
| Here are some of the things that I love about the | | | | believe many firefighters cannot comfortably talk |
| fire service, and I am sure if you become a | | | | about what has bothered them during their career, |
| firefighter, you will also appreciate them. | | | | but here are a few things I could do without. |
| I get to help people. There is a certain satisfaction I | | | | Getting up in the middle of the night to go on calls |
| get from knowing that my entire job is to help other | | | | after reaching a deep sleep. Firefighters have to go |
| people during the times when they need the most | | | | from a deep sleep to thinking clearly and making life |
| help. It gives me a sense of importance. I love | | | | saving decisions in about 30 seconds. This can be |
| knowing this. | | | | hard and stressful on the body, and burdensome to |
| I get a lot of time off. Since I work for 24 hours at | | | | the mind. |
| a time, I get to have two entire days off after | | | | Getting puked, peed on. 90% of the calls most |
| every shift. This is often in the middle of the week | | | | firefighters go on are medical. Sometimes during |
| when everybody else is at work. This affords me | | | | medical calls, it just isn't pretty. Patient's can smell |
| time to do many things that other people cannot do | | | | really bad and be discharging anything you can |
| because they are tied up working 9 to 5 everyday. | | | | imagine, and you still have to help them, you can't |
| Women like firefighters. No explanation needed. | | | | say, "no thanks, I think I will sit this one out." |
| Every shift is a new adventure. Having each work | | | | Seeing dead people. Inevitably you are going to see |
| day different from the last keeps things fresh, and | | | | many people who didn't survive the events you get |
| makes you look forward to the unknown challenges | | | | called to. |
| that lie ahead. | | | | Seeing children hurt or abused. |
| I work and share 1/3 of my life with great | | | | Telling people their loved one has not survived. |
| co-workers. There is a reason that firefighters refer | | | | A friend of mine who is a fire lieutenant and has |
| to people they work with as brothers and sisters. It | | | | been for many years said this about the fire service, |
| is because after spending such a large amount of | | | | "this is the best, worst, part time, full time job you |
| time with the other person, they become like | | | | will ever have" I couldn't agree more. |
| another family member to you. I love this type of | | | | |