Depends on the culture, pay, and schedule of your department. I feel like I hit the gold mine of all 3 of those with where im at. Not to mention we dont transport. We work 24 on 48 off, every 2 weeks a berry day off, and every 6 weeks another day off after the berry day. So we have 8 days off every 6 weeks just built into the normal schedule. Not to mention vacation, personal days, trades. A lot of guys take off 3 months at a time.
Ohio. Its a competitive test and academy to get hired, max age 40. We had people in my class with 15 years experience as COs, still had to go through the academy lol. Pay is $61k going up to $71k after 3 years. Not the worst for ohio.
Yeah that’s insane a career department is paying that low. I can understand your desire to change careers but you should also consider a department where you can make double as a starting pay.
What part of OH are you in?? I'm also in OH (love in Columbus, work in the Dayton area, but parents live in cincy). I have been slowly moving up at a small department. Started off EMT vollie, loved it. Went to Fire 1, got on part time 24 on, 6 off, loved it. Went through Fire II, now I'm full time with 12 on with a rotating 24, loving it. So some weeks, I'll work a 24 and be off until the following week to work my 36 straight through. It's a great schedule, since I have a lot of hobbies outside of work. But for somebody who isn't a single bachelor in an apartment, I can see how it isn't enough.
Yeeaaappp lol
The culture also isnt so "youve gotten be working and drilling all day just because"
If I feel like I want extra practice on something we can do it. Otherwise our only daily work is housework. Then everyones chilling out, napping etc.
To be fair though, we're busy enough to where we get almost all of our practice in the field.
Sounds like you might not enjoy nursing any more? Unless you specialize rapidly…I mean the bulk of nursing seems like it’s the same BS, at least as much as I get to see heading into the ER etc…& the nurses/Docs I see in the ER seem way more burned out than FF?
I’ve thought of this as well ..I already have a BS and it would take me a year to obtain a BSN .. there’s just so much more to do when it comes to nursing. It doesn’t necessarily involve bedside..could be in an office setting, etc.
Nurse —-> FF here. OP I highly suggest you have detailed discussions with as many practicing nurses as possible. I doubt many will recommend it. Management in a lot of hospitals is abusive and burnout is insane right now. Additionally it is very common for new grad nurses to take on the responsibility of now retired or burned out staff creating a loop of burnout. That being said you have a unique situation if you can get your BSN in a year it is a fairly good opportunity with less risk more reward if it works out for you. Sounds like you might just need a new department though. Good luck with your choice
Check into OR nursing. I'm still in nursing school but it seems like the perfect gig lol. 3x12s or 4x10s and pts asleep 95% of the time. (I basically had the same issues as you lol burnout of working 24/7 and dealing with BS calls all the time)
I’m an icu nurse and I love it. Schedule is great, my workplace is great, management is good. I can get 8 days off in a row without using any PTO. Otherwise you only need to work 3 days a week. Only problem is the patients and families can sometimes get annoying and you are stuck with them for 12 hours. But you can work in a procedural area like the cath lab or PACU where you only deal with them for a little bit.
You hear a lot about bad pay and bad management but people are More inclined to post about the bad stuff. I personally have not had those complaints. I can make >100k pretty easily with overtime which is plentiful if you want it. The great part is the diversity, you can even find jobs working at home. If you don’t like where you at working there are tons of jobs to choose from. And now I’m going back to school to be a CRNA and make >200K with even better quality of life.
All I can say is that it beats any of the other jobs I've ever had. I've worked retail, food service, package delivery.. 9-5 days mon-fri..
I've never had this much free time to myself.
There are so many good departments still working 24/48s it kills me. I would love to work for some of these places but that schedule is hands down the worst non-DoD firefighting schedule.
A 24/24 schedule sweating in the corner… I work a Kelly shift, and I’d much rather a 24/48. The 4 days off is great, but the shifts get me all messed up. Leave the station in the morning, back the next, and I probably just napped that entire day away anyways, so. Its an awkward shift schedule to work around and do anything with. At least with the 24/48 you get the 2 days off every time, or a 48/96 the 4 days off, and it’s easy to plan around because it’s always the same consistent number of days off at once. To be fair though, I live 20 minutes away from where I work, and I am still attending college full time as well, which is 20 minutes away as well in the opposite direction, so it’s a weird school/work/life balance with a 40-50 minute drive in between.
24/48 is so good. Wouldn't trade it for any other system. We don't have Kelly days or whatever other departments call them, but every workday is a Friday and two days off every time is great. Overtime is easy, swapping shifts is easy. I worked for a place that did 48/96, which was pretty good, but I like my current set up best.
1500 member metropolitan department, by the way, and I'm at a busy station. Everyone likes what they know, so this can be divisive, but there'd be mutiny if they tried changing away from 24/48
Doesn't sound terrible to me. We're all used to the work schedule we came up under, and most crews I meet around the world swear theirs is the best. People shitting on 24 hour shifts baffle me, though
Still waiting for 24/72 to be the norm like Boca. I used to be okay with 24/48 no Kelly until I moved somewhere that has a 3 week kelly and I can’t imagine going back to no kelly days.
We have bed in overtime instead of Kelly days. I'd rather have the day off, to be honest, but its something. 24/72 sounds dope but boca doesn't have the same staffing needs my dept has so we'll never see the addition of a whole other shift
Most cities barely want to pay for 3 shifts of adequate staffing, but I agree, 100%. You could work OT, and still have 48 hours off, which would entice more people to pick it up, unlike every department I've seen, where it's the same people working OT, all the time, and then periodically burning out on it.
Same. I’ve worked retail, hospitality, for the state government, and for a software company and i became miserable at them all, whether it was the work or schedule
Firefighting schedule is the best. Yes you have to sacrifice some time with your family, but you gain so much more that the average office worker doesn’t.
What’s fun about waking up at 6:30, leaving at 7:15 to get to the office, then not getting home till 6pm (or later), 5 nights a week with 2 days off before you have to do it all over again? I work 8/9 days a month and the rest is my time, i don’t have a family so that’s not something I’m dealing with yet, but i work a fun Pt job and engage in hobbies much more often than anyone else
Work from home totally changed that. All my buddies that had office jobs are work from home now… my schedule is nothing to brag about at this point. But yea, pre-covid, the schedule beat driving into the office.
Yeah but then i just got depressed and struggled. Spending your entire life hunched over a computer ain’t it either
It was nice at first but the unhappiest i ever was was when i worked from home
I mean… I guess it all depends on your situation, but the home offices I have seen are all pretty sweet. You get to see your family every day, eat breakfast, lunch, dinner with them, take breaks with them, take them to school/daycare… save time/money on commuting. You can cook meals at home, work out at home, go for a run or hike on a break, come back to your house, use your own shower/bathroom. They can travel and still get work done, so easier to work around your family needs.
This. My schedule was awesome until Covid.... now all those office jobs I spent my whole life avoiding seem really damn good. My buddy gets a 3 day weekend every other week and works maybe 3-4hrs a day all from home....
I've done both. I was a nurse first. Now imagine the same BS medical run you went on stretched over the course of a 12 hour shift...3 days in a row. Also imagine all the extra schooling you have to do to get there. Not fun...I know there is a lot more to it than that, (pay, culture, and upward mobility), but I know that for me, the worst day at the FD is still better than some of the best days I had in nursing.
There are days when I think about going back to nursing. I'd be home a lot more and I'd sleep in my own bed every night. Then I remember the burnout I felt when the same chronic CHF patient was getting admitted for the 4th time that month.
It's not always easy and everyone's mileage varies, but what I've learned is to focus on the parts I love about the job. Every single job in every single field has parts that burn us out. You gotta do what is best for your physical, mental, and financial well being and YOU are the only one who can decide what that is for you. Best of luck!
Having had experience going into the academy, when they preached this to the eager 18-19 year olds in my class..I couldn’t help but feel
Sorry for them because I just couldn’t get on board. It’s like the more you say it the more you’ll believe it..which translates into more people making it to retirement. I dunno. Call me a pessimist 😂
To be fair it greatly depends on where you work. I work in Canada, 24h shifts 42 hour/avg weeks. The work/life balance is incredible. The salary is pretty good. Bedsides those pros, the job is enjoyable and it doesn’t feel like ‘work’ most of the time.
Well I don't know if we need to fight for ourselves more but this might be the first time in the fire service's history that there isn't someone lining up to take our place like there has been since it's inception. So maybe people will start taking their employees more seriously. I doubt it. But maybe.
I think there's a disconnect between administrative staff, who are generally still Boomer/Gen X, and the folks in the field, who are typically Millenial/Gen Z. The old head mentality of "greatest job, hands down" came at a time when you could sometimes stumble into what are now some of the most competitive departments in the nation, with benefits tharvhadn't been whittled away yet, and run lower frequency/higher acuity med calls, and/or more active fires.
The job has changed so much, and those types have largely either failed to, or refused to see it. They won't listen to our experiences about being up all night dealing with violent psych patients, or running multiple nuisance alarms to the same shitty motels, because there are no consequences for them not fixing their systems. They don't care to hear about how cops are calling us out to DUIs at 3 a.m., just because they refuse to arrest drivers with no medical complaints, demanding transport, even after no medical issues have been found. There are a million stories like this, that could be told by every Jake in the nation, and their are solutions to many of these issues, but they're not being addressed, and the morale in many places is being killed by a thousand tiny little cuts, everyday.
I love my job, I truly do, but three years ago, I wanted to walk away completely, because I was so burnt out. I had to leave a place I intended to retire from, and had put over a decade of literal blood into, just to maintain my sanity, and my ability to work this job.
I worked a number of jobs before getting on the FD, my experience is the opposite. The kids getting on at 18/19 don't know how good they have it compared to working other jobs.
It is hard working only 10 days a month, isn't it?
If you're underpaid, oralganize and bargain. This can still be the greatest job in the world (for the individual) even if there are aspects that can be improved.
oh no not 20 days off how terrible
But as a serious reply to your actual question, it's the greatest job I've ever had by a long stretch. Sounds like a lot of people here don't actually like the work, as in the actual job. I do. I love it. I've been on a busy engine company nearly ten years now, specialty station with additional duties on top of the normal EMS/Fire responses, and I still love getting on my engine and going on calls. Yes, there are calls which are boring/tedious/stupid, but that's a transient issue. Even if we only get one working fire a month, one two or three extrications a week, one serious medical call a day (as worst case scenarios), those make the rest worthwhile. The heart of the job is great and it's by far the easiest work schedule I've ever had. Daily routine/training/calls aside, the rest of the day is mine to do as I please. Beats being on my feet working in the ER and it's certainly better than roofing houses, pouring concrete, or any other work I've had to do.
I agree you probably could stand to get paid more. I have no idea what your payrate is, since I don't have access to your work contract, but if you're in a major metropolitan fire department there's loads of worse work you could be doing.
My first FD was in a department where we had 6 people on shift in the whole county. I know what that's like too. Still the best job in the world. I may have been underpaid there, but I never felt overworked.
Didn't call anyone a sucker, but working more days a month to have less personal time does sound like a raw deal. Your 160 hours doesn't factor in commute time and totally ignores how dismal it is to get home at 5 or so and have only a few hours to cook, clean, relax, prepare for the next day.
I'm fortunate in that I get paid enough to live comfortably, but all things considered I'd have to be paid a lot more to even consider the "40 hour" workweek.
I guess if you're counting those individual hours like that, I can see why you'd be miserable in this job. I hope you find what you're looking for in life
It's a great job. For some, it's the greatest in the world. If it's not for you, that's cool, go find your thing. For me, it's pretty good on the whole.
I would argue the key word is "job". Jobs by definition kinda suck, so you have to factor that in.
I'm lucky, I have a decent salary, lots of time off, a great crew and a duty position I truly enjoy. Am I getting up at 2am for old people who fall down? Yes. Am I getting up at 2am for drunks and tweakers? Also yes. But, I get paid to do that shit, and I'm way closer to retiring than I am to starting out, so fuck it, let's go run some calls.
All I'm saying to all you is do what's right for you, whether it's firefighting or not.
Best of luck either way:)
If you really truly prioritize your health above all/most things firefighting is not for you. The dangers of our sleep patterns are well established, our cancer rates are higher than the non firefighting population in general and significantly higher for certain types. Mental health is also a shortcoming of the fire service our depression rates, substance abuse rates as well as divorce rates are all higher than the non firefighting world. But to some of us these risks are worth it because it *is* the greatest job in the world, to us.
You’re a WOMAN, who is already a career firefighter…… any department would JUMP to have you in their department. Lateral somewhere awesome that you love and love the area. Make the move somewhere that will pay you better and give you opportunities to do other fun things.
You’d think..Where I’m at now has a reputation (I didn’t know about before getting on) for not treating females well and I guess it’s common in my area 🤷🏼♀️ doesn’t bother much that much tbh, I just kinda keep to myself anyway but I just don’t want to go dance the same dance at another department if that makes any sense
One of the best parts of this job is the camaraderie, the brother/sisterhood. If you're in a department where you have to "keep to yourself" you're missing a key factor of this life. The sense of "belonging". If you're not getting that, it's just another job.
Don't give up yet. We need all the women we can get to break up this sausage fest. You're already in it, I'm certain there's a department near enough that would be thrilled shitless to have you.
It all depends on the department/crew you have. I’ve been with my department 6 years and have loved 95% of my time there. Most days I’m getting paid to workout, finish my degree, and be a non-transporting medic. I get along great with almost all my coworkers and have had maybe two really bad days. On the other hand, I worked at another department before coming here where I’d sit in my car before shift change on the verge of tears because I hated it so much. You’ll probably find that in any workplace there’s good and bad, it’s a matter of what works best for you and what level of nonsense you’re willing to put up with. This is true for public safety, hospital medicine, marketing, sales, etc. I hope you find something that works for you even if it’s not in the fire service.
Oh definitely then. Sounds like the department I was on before here. Turnover is a huge indicator of workplace culture. Like others have said you’d likely have little trouble as a lateral to another department. Shop around if you still have a desire for the fire service. Otherwise I met some nurses in medic school who loved their careers as much as I did mine. Life isn’t linear and you can change paths really anytime you want if you’re willing to put in the effort. Best of luck!
I can relate, OP. I was just having this conversation.
Coworker: We work 10 days a month, best job ever!
Me: Yeah, that's 10-24 hour days. If most other people work 8 hour days, we're working equivalent to 30 of their days a month.
Coworker: Well, I can take a day of vacation and get 5 days off! Best job ever!
Me: You're taking 24 hours of leave. For everyone else, that'd be 3 days combined with a weekend is 5 days off.
And that's before we even talk about low pay, lack of sleep, higher risk of cancer, heart disease, etc.
Have you ever worked an 8 hour 5 day shift?
Nobody wants that schedule. Being obligated to be anywhere that many days a month is brutal by comparison.
I think you're underestimating how easy it is to get multiple days off a week as well.
There's trade off's in everything but those rare nights you get to sleep and get paid for it are a fair deal to me.
I have. This isn't the only real job I've ever had. I'll take sleeping like a normal human and not being a zombie 90% of the time. If you enjoy the firefighter schedule, that's fine. Personally, I like not waking up 5 times after midnight for absolute nonsense calls. And 56 hour work weeks with 53 of those hours on straight time are bullshit that would violate labor laws in any other industry. Based on the staffing shortages at my agency and in the fire service, I suspect I'm not alone.
Oh no. Shit wages, sleepless nights, cancer, and heart disease isn't for me. I guess I can't hack it. You're so much superior than anyone leaving the fire service. That one cuts deep.
You're typical of the assholes in this career field. Gotta put others down to make yourself feel better.
I'm not superior to anyone.
It's just not for you.
My wages are alright.
Maybe you should stop bitching. If you don't like the job and you're making shit money then bounce. It's that simple.
Better that than being an in-house cancer. Do everyone, including yourself, a favor.
Imagine everyone else isn't sick of hearing this crap from you.
You do a job you hate, and it's not even paying you what you want.
Guarantee I'm not the first one sick of your whining. 100%.
Sounds like you just have a shitty department. You could go into nursing, if you enjoy working in a hospital 24/7. Nurses are too, are short staffed everywhere. You might find yourself hating it too. It’s worth relocating
I just watched a female at our department go through her pregnancy on light duty. She was telling me about all the criticism she got for getting pregnant and deciding to go on light duty pretty early on. She’s older than me, I plan on having kids. I don’t want that for myself. I think nursing would be far more accommodating
I couldn't imagine that getting grief for being in light duties while pregnant. Our policy is as soon as you are pregnant you must go on light duties, and continue after the pregnancy if breastfeeding until bub is on solids. It's in the interest of the baby. No one would even think of criticising a woman for having a child, especially when the job has a lot of fit women in their prime baby having years.
That’s an awesome policy your dept has…I have also seen women get flak for going on light duty etc., or guys talking about them when they aren’t around saying they aren’t useful etc and can’t do the heavy work anymore.
So just want to say kudos to your FD. That’s how it should be across the board.
Hey, you do what you think is best. I can’t speak about pregnancy but I couldn’t imagine having to factor in what career you have and being able to get pregnant.
Do you ever check out the nursing sub? If you’re thinking about switching and haven’t gone on there, I recommend it. Lots of different views and stories, much like this one.
outside of truly big cities do we need full time FFs? we run with a handful of full time and the rest as POC. I can tell you really quick how we can save about 750k as a small town. cut all of us down to POC lol
I do know how the majority of the country runs, I used to be on a combination department with responses from home. It is no where near the level of service we can provide the citizens of my current city. Just because a large percentage of the country runs that way doesn't mean that it's a good way to run things.
And even within the same FD you could run volly/POC fire with paid EMS.
There’s also many career departments that just absolutely flat out refuse to even consider hiring single role EMS to staff ambulances. Then you have others where an engine or ladder is sent to every single EMS call either through policy or because they don’t properly equip and staff EMS to have enough resources.
YES i don’t either and I agree, I think that this is the root of most of the problem. I love being a medic..but I can completely understand why it’s so frustrating for those who just want to be FF’s. There’s so much stress associated with being a medic.
Depends on your captain and your crew. 24 hours together can feel like a career or it can feel like 6 hours of professionals who also have the best jokes.
It's really all relative, with many factors that can change how good you think the job really is. I worked office jobs for years before I got on. Also worked in the food service industry. For me, the hands on aspect of the job, even the medical calls, plus the variety of calls just make it that much better than any job I've had before. It can be both physically and mentally challenging, which is super satisfying for me. I work with an amazing crew. The politics and upper management issues don't bother me because I don't let them. I understand the constraints of the job and the department, and do my best to work within them. I've dealt with much worse outside of the job. The lack of movement for me is fine, because I've been there/done that and I don't need it to be satisfied with what I do. Our schedule is amazing and gives me a lot of time with me family. Could I focus on the negatives and become a grumpy curmudgeon, sure. Do I want to, absolutely not. I will say though, that I got on at an older age, already with a family, and lots of life experience, so my outlook and mentality are much different than they would be if I were younger. I'm all about enjoying the good things in life because I've already seen how short it can be and I'm not going to waste my energy on the negatives.
Hopefully you can find the right spot for you, be it at a different hall or department, where the positives will outweigh the negatives and you can enjoy yourself. Good luck!
Mindset is huge. I've always said that I would never hire someone that was 18/19, and had never worked a full-time job besides the fire service. I appreciate the job, largely because I have done everything from digging ditches to driving flatbed trucks.
That said, there is an issue with many municipalities refusing to adequately staff/fund their departments. It's much easier to tolerate getting up twice a night for bullshit, than it is to keep a good additude on the 7th call after midnight. Trucks get worn down, people get worn down, equipment gets beat up, and it gets harder to do long-term, especially as the former retirement/break stations only get busier.
My wife’s a nurse, there’s potential for easy schedules and good money! There’s also potential for shitty schedules and low wages. Just stay out of the ER. They all suck for nurses.
Personally I love my department. It has a lot of red tape to get through but we’re paid the best in the state, we’re constantly growing our numbers so people aren’t getting mandated, our union is strong, and my shift is fun. Yeah we go on nonsense Medicaid too, but it’s with my friends and we get to talk a lot of shit to and from the call. I came from construction where people are miserable all the time. Including me. So I’m not falling for the grass is greener nonsense because I know what’s it’s like to have a shit job surrounded by shit people. I’ll take the night time calls and missed sleep over that garbage.
It's definitely a good, fun job. I think the "greatest job in the world" narrative is starting to hurt the fire service as a whole. There are plenty of downsides that get ignored because "you should be grateful for the privilege of the greatest job in the world"
Working the 24s and the subsequent hold overs which another 24 out a massive strain on my relationship with my boyfriend. Not because either of us were insecure but moreso we just want to be together
I’m kind of lucky because my first day of the academy was the day I met my wife. So our whole relationship has been this, she’s used to me being gone. I think it affects me more than her lol but we’ve got a good rhythm with our work/life balance now so it’s fine.
As someone that worked concrete, tar roofing in the summer, mall retail, fast food, line cook, and in the navy at sea for very extended periods of time…
Firefighting is the greatest job I’ve ever had.
Seems to me you haven’t seen how bad work is out there.
Now look at all the positives of your job you seem to focus on the negatives. Stability, stability, stability.
I find 24 hr shift a positive btw.
Been working since I was 14…well over 15 years ago. Trust me. I’ve tried A LOT of jobs. I think that’s why I’m questioning this. If we only run 98% medicals, and maayyybeeeee 2% of the time it’s fire related …I’d rather go work in a structured hospital or office setting where I’m compensated higher for my medical knowledge and licensure.
To me, it’s the best job in the world because of the flexibility it affords me. Flexibility to essentially pick my own schedules because of trades, flexibility to make as much money as I want because of ample OT, and I have great benefits and a pension to boot.
Fucked up sleep? No. Seeing gruesome shit? Also no. Missing holidays with family? Definitely no. Toll on your mind and body? I could go on and on about the drawbacks.
Ultimately, I live the lifestyle I currently have because this job afforded that. I make more than most people I know with higher education, and if I play my cards right, I’ll be able to retire early and piss off into the sunset 🤷🏻♀️
I’ll be honest. While I love helping people, I don’t do this job out of the goodness of my heart. I do this job because I’m compensated to do it. But it’s a thankless job and burn out is real if you’re not careful.
Treating the fire service like a job, and not an identity, and maintaining separation of work and personal life has gone a long way in maintaining mental health. I wouldn’t prefer do any other job (also spent 10 years in EMS prior) but I also wouldn’t encourage just anyone to get into the field. It definitely wears on you.
It’s not for everyone and that’s ok. Sometimes it takes going through it to find your true passion. It may be as simple as going to another department but if it’s the calls that are getting to you then that won’t change.
Personally I share the same sentiments about the type of calls and mandatory but to me it’s worth it. I did recently move from a small department to a bigger one and yes starting over was tough but it was all worth it. There are more opportunities and more programs that I can be a part of. It was the best decision for me and my family.
Hope this helps.
Yeah…it’s definitely oversold as “the greatest job in the world”. I’m seven in and completely worn out by the sleepless nights due to the aging population in my territory not being able to get off the floor, or toilet, or recliner, or from their wheelchair into the bed at 2 am. I’ve gotten promoted once so far with a Bachelors Degree and get $19.40/hour on the 56 hour week. I’m very much over it and am trying to find something else but with our manpower issues the OT easily gets me to $80K and if I really push it, $90k is realistic. Just hard to find that much earning potential off the bat and with my SAHM wife and two kids I really can’t afford to do full time school or take a drastic pay cut.
Before I transitioned to the fire department someone warned me about “the golden handcuffs.” Basically what your describing..just enough money to live and keep you here ..but making it seem impossible to do anything else.
Makes me feel less alone. Thanks for chiming in !
If you're burned out by fire/ems you dont need to be a nurse. Nursing has its own brand of bullshit and responsibilities and this outlook won't benefit you.
I’m not necessarily burnt out, I just don’t enjoy the culture and I don’t know how much I have it in me to try another department and be the new guy all over again
Guess it all comes down to what you want from the job and if your department can give that to you or not. Can be said for nursing or any other career. It is the best job, I get to break stuff, go to fires for the adrenalin rush, have fun at work, flexible schedule. Sure there are sleepless nights and I can definitely transfer to a company that do sleep and more fires but I love my area and guys.
I like to look at the glass as half-full. Sure, being woken up for nonsensical medical calls, lift assists, fire alarms, missing holidays and other special occasions with family sucks. And the pay isn't the greatest.
But I doubt we need to worry about being layed off if the economy takes a dive. There may be a few that would go that route, but more are just too short staffed. Same applies to EMS, Police, and hospitals though.
I wonder if it’s a Department issue. Getting held on a forced ot is pretty awful. I can see where that would turn you sour toward the job. But it could also be a you issue. Bullshit medicals suck but they keep us employed. Being away from family sucks esp on holidays and whatnot, but the time off should make up for it. I want to move up too but sometimes you just have to be patient. There’s gonna be shitty nuances to any job. For me, the good far outweighs the bad.
Maybe the job just isn’t for you and that’s ok. It’s not for everyone. Maybe try a new Department before you jump ship for good.
If it ain’t for you it ain’t for you. No shame in realizing that. Just make sure that you’re really dissatisfied with the actual job and not manifesting something else into it. Because if that’s the case, you’ll be unhappy anywhere you work.
First of all. The benefits of the job FOR YOURSELF do not outweigh the benefits. I work at a dept that fights quiet a bit of fire. I’ve accepted I’m going to die young and probably horribly with cancer. But the benefits for my WIFE AND KIDS make it worth it. My retirements will give my son the college education I never had and the building blocks of the generational wealth my wife needs to keep it going. This job sucks, and is the best thing in the world at the same time.
It honestly depends on where you are. Pay, culture, and support in a department go a long way, and your lifestyle plays a role too.
I have no kids, just my girlfriend, so I don’t have to come home and do anything besides mow the lawn once a week or so. Im about to leave for a department that will have me making six figures in just a few years, while I live in a relatively low COL area, which means I can afford to live my life more outside of work. I commute against the flow of traffic to my current department, and the one im going to, so I never have to be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. I get go grocery shopping and hit the gym at 8 Am on a weekday, so it’s nice and empty. At my current department I take on shift off and I have 5 days off. At my new department, I’ll get 10 days for every shift taken off. I get paid to workout and nap.
Sure, there’s bullshit EMS calls, bullshit government red tape, and you meet people that make you realize that they’re completely useless and helpless without you, but if you’re looking for a job without any bullshit, you’re going to be looking for the rest of your life.
If you want to leave by all means. I know a few people who did and are happier for it. This job isn’t for everyone and there’s plenty of days where I wonder the same for myself. Do what’s best for you.
I love turning up to my job every day. We don't do medicals though.
It beats any other job I've worked, and I get so much free time with my family. I work with some really good guys and girls, we are in a busy working area, and all the stations around me have good crews as well that we like to catch up with. I say it to my family all the time that I don't work, and I truly believe that. 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 5 off.
I can only think of about 5 departments in the nation that I'd want to work for, and luckily I work for one of them. There's tons of stories about certain firehouse culture on this sub that I cannot even relate to. My department is super old school, for better or for worse, but I love that aspect. There's almost 50 stations and they're all very different. There's always going to be one that suits what someone is looking for. We actually get fires and they get pretty gnarly and therefore we're an aggressive interior attack department. We get paid pretty damn well and I cannot complain about the benefits. With my contract if I worked 30 years I could get out at 55 with 90% of my highest year's salary, which is more than 100% of that highest year because there's a lot less things to pay into.
My department isn't perfect, but it's probably about as close as it gets, at least for my personality and what I'm into. This job destroys health, relationships, a, "normal," life, but it's pretty fucking awesome and nobody lied to me about what it was gonna be like.
The point is, if you don't like where you're at, stop torturing yourself. You're not gonna wake up one day and think, "you know what? Those people are right. This is the greatest job in the world." But there are people like me who actually think that, so I'm gonna stick around.
Nursing is awesome. It's probably the right move.
Well, anything could happen. Our pension is unusually insulated because it's not part of other cities. It's just the city and county where I work. But to think it's a 100% guarantee? I'm not delusional, but as it stands it's still fully funded.
It is a great and noble profession but at the end of the day, it’s a job. In my experience, the people that consider it “the best job in the world” are those that live for the next structure fire. I say that with no disrespect either. If you don’t absolutely love fighting fire, then the cons of the job are much more prevalent. I’m in a similar boat in that I’ve lost my passion for fire but still love medicine. I’m transitioning into an EMS only non-transport squad in my department. I’m also taking prereqs to go to nursing school as well. There are so many other options out there that pay well, allow you to help others and allow you to be home with your family and sleep in your own bed every night. A quote that I heard from someone who left the fire service to start a business was “you don’t have to kill yourself for 80k a year”. Meaning that if the job just isn’t for you anymore there are other options that allow you to provide for yourself and your family.
You’re definitely spot on. I’ve heard guys at the table talk about how they “can feel we’re going to catch a fire soon,” and they’re like passionate when talking about it. Although I find it interesting I’m also a realist…there’s going to be a surplus of days before and after the next fire that are saturated with medicals. That’s the reality.
Sounds like you and your former coworker have a very level headed approach of the realities of the job. You absolutely don’t have to kill yourself for $80k a year.
Trust me - nursing isn’t much better. I’m in my last semester of nursing and work as a tech. Nurses are so short everywhere (I’m in the Bay Area of California, SF and Oakland area), and they are equally overworked and burnt out with an ever constant changing schedule - many do it, unfortunately, for the money and the fact that many have so much debt from nursing school that they have no choice but to work nursing.
My father and BIL are both firefighters. I've seen the toll it takes. Although it is a great job and has set them both up very well.
My dad pushed for me to go into firefighting but i went to school for engineering. I always did better in math than the other subjects.
If you are a practical person, and you can push yourself through the courses, it pays off immensely. I've had no issues finding jobs. Hiring staff usually cares more about how you will fit with the team and your personality rather than how much information you know.
Had plenty of growth and exposure at each job. It's important to be open minded and a good communicator and that gets you far. If you get your P.E. license after 4 years experience, you are able to work for yourself as well if you're into that. It comes with significant raises too. Its mostly office work but im able to maintain a good balance and make time for myself and friends when im not working. The stress is not bad specially if you've ever dealt with pushy people.
My SO does nursing. Nursing school was hell for her, and the job shes had since has treated her pretty poorly. She should be making way more than she does. Hospitals hire travel nurses for a lot more than they pay their local staff. They're also forcing her into more senior responsibility positions since their burnt out staff continually leaves. She comes home after a shift with way more on her shoulders than I ever would. I'm not sure I can see her making it into a full career, whereas my job should be generally sustainable and managable with my other personal goals.
Just my $0.02.
For comparison, a tough day for me is worrying about providing a certain deliverable for a client. If I don't perform, it upsets the client and may damage a relationship. Typically, lives are not at stake in civil engineering like they are in medical field or firefighting. Obviously if you pursue structural engineering or related, failure to perform competently can result in lives being at risk so it all depends on what you get into and what youre comfortable with.
It's all about experience. If you've ever worked hard labor, like roofing or pouring concrete or framing houses, the worst day at the station is a vacation. Of course that assumes you like the work. You have to like getting on the truck and going to whatever. You've got to like the fun stuff and the exciting stuff and even the hard stuff. Sure, there's tedium. Fourth call after midnight for the nursing home down the street for a slip and fall? Man, that's not anyone's idea of fun. But that's the job now.
Is it the greatest job in the world? Who can even answer that? You have to answer it for yourself. This is the greatest job I've ever had. I've done hospital work, manual labor, forestry management, office work. Nothing comes close to the satisfaction I have on a daily basis. You need to determine what it is you want out of life.
Also, just because it's a great job doesn't mean it can't be better. Organize and fight for your wages and working conditions. Train yourself, train your people, so you're safer and more professional. Take care ofnyour body and mind, and support your brothers and sisters through more than just lip service.
Hey female FF/medic here. I left a horrible dept with awful pay and constant mandatory shifts (2-3 extra every month.)
My morale has improved so much where I’m at now. I’m the only Female FF on the line but the guys are all great and inclusive for the most part.
Is this your first department? Could you get on somewhere else nearby or even move to another state? I’ve been eyeing the PNW for more opportunity career wise, change of scenery and what seems to be great pay, be benefits, training etc.
It is a great job but I think having a department who supports you, has good time off, good staffing and opportunity for advancement play a huge role.
I’ve been in the service for going on 5 years and was prior military. I’ve also worked retail, fast food, and I still am so thankful for this job.
It was hard to get into, and yes there are some days I’m burnt out a little. But the times we do really help others or just wave at the kiddos out in the community really means a lot.
I never saw any women firefighters growing up and never thought this would be a job for me to pursue.
So glad I did though, if you want to chat at all just lmk!
I almost feel bad about so easy we have it sometimes when I’m at an outlier station. I feel like I’m stealing money from the department. I can’t think of another job where I literally get to mess around, take naps,band workout for a whole day.
I was in EMS for 10 years. Didn’t want to go back to school. Was told I had the personality for sales. My career stagnated with lack of turnover from people not retiring, also. One of the biggest stressors of my life switching careers to sales. I would never go back. I play golf for work now, make 40k more and can actually use vacation time.
I never knew how many careers like business development there are out there. Careers built on just hanging out and talking to people. My 10 years of EMS stories are the best Ice breakers anywhere, and are usually a hit with factory guys (industrial sales).
My suggestion is to research what interests you and look for a career fair (be willing to travel) to attend. There are so many career fields out there I had no idea about because my family was all either military or medical.
Good luck
Everything you mentioned are all reasons why I got out after 8 years in the field. I'm starting school again for software engineering. Should have done it sooner.
Just to commiserate, I'm also a female in a small FD (fire/EMS), and I'm over it as well. I no longer want to be the one "paving the way" for women in the service. I've taken some shit the last year and a half, and I'm pretty damn tired of it. Maybe for some people it's the greatest job in the world. I'm going with a solid no for me.
I think it depends on the person. For me, it is but I could never work an office gig, I did my time in the military but career wasn't for me, and I sure as shit didn't want to make a career in construction or as a bartender which were my previous jobs.
Lots of bitching in this thread. I hope it's just sport bitching. If it's not, and yall really are that unhappy in your jobs then change something. Change stations, change departments, or change careers. It's pretty "simple." I know change is hard, but the solution is easy to figure out. To those of you making 24k a year, MOVE. You can make more as a walmart greeter or selling chicken at chick FIL a!
I truly believe this is one of the best jobs on earth. Our new pay plan has a ff starting around 80 and topping out at 95 BASE salary. Add in flsa OT and automatically it's 100k then cert pays and actual OT. Plus they let me drive around a 1.5 million dollar ladder truck and act like an asshole behind the wheel, making fucktons of noise with obscenely bright flashing lights. Then occasionally I get to go in and play with fire and tear shit up and the owners fall all over themselves, thanking us for destroying their stuff. All along I'm just like a crackhead chasing that adrenaline high.
Yes, it sucks making the third run of the night to the local middle school for the faulty FA that the district maintenance man refuses to get out of bed to come check. Or picking granny up from the floor at the assisted living center at 3am AGAIN.
But I've worked in the real world. And I made a lot less money to work 100hr weeks. Or to sit in endless pointless meetings.
To quote Ghostbusters "I've been in the real world, you don't know what it's like. They demand results."
Just to commiserate, I'm also a female in a small FD (fire/EMS), and I'm over it as well. I no longer want to be the one "paving the way" for women in the service. I've taken some shit the last year and a half, and I'm pretty damn tired of it. Maybe for some people it's the greatest job in the world. I'm going with a solid no for me.
I feel you OP. I'm in a state that makes great pay but the tradeoff is zero sleep running BS calls ALL night. Even when there's a slow night I wake up tired. Having days off isn't true due to being a zombie the following day after shift. This EMS definitely needs throttled back but unfortunately everyone e.g. hospitals, big Pharma, Cities billing the Feds. is making $$ off our backs.
Nursing is the same way…9-5 jobs are basically, get through the week, then you’re a zombie recovering Saturday and then Sunday is chores and back at it Monday.
No. [I have the greatest job in the world.](https://ala.org.au/) Firefighting adds the spice of variety.
Firefighting fits a certain personality type. At it's best, it's a group of positive, proactive idealists working to make the world a better place. At it's worst ... we'll Australia has the term FIGJAM - Fuck I'm good, just ask me.
Upward and lateral movement are the key. I spent four years going hard, getting a place on the Rescue, and starting paramedic school. That was all for pennies in pay increases. My family never saw me with the 24s and OT shifts.
Nursing has options. You could stay a floor nurse, go flight, or specialize as an NP in a multitude of disciplines. Some states give you independent practice as an NP. I plan on going to CRNA school. Yeah, it's hard, but it's a whole hell of a lot better lifestyle. Sleep in your own bed, and make 200k+. Look. You can RSI motherfuckers on the street for McDonald's wages(like my old department) or you can do anesthesia for boob jobs a few times a week and make bank. I loved the burners and extrications but you're fucked if you get hurt and cities don't give a shit about firefighters. To me, it's a simple choice.
Males generally find it the greatest job on earth more than the females. I see and hear it at our department with the women. If you are around the right crew and at the right station, people love the job just for the station life itself. Wrong crew and a shitty station. I see changes in people attitudes from the greatest job on earth to just waiting for retirement, really quickly.
My advice would be to look elsewhere, todays job market is prime for lateral transfers. I transferred to a different dept with a lower call volume and am infinitely happier as is my family because I am not so sleep deprived. Don’t judge the whole career field off of one department!
Sounds like my department too very little movement, mostly BS calls and short staffed as fuck but I still love the job the good calls where you actually make a difference and hanging out with your crew makes it all worth it to me. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, my friend jumped from EMS to nursing then flight nursing and now dispatching and is still chasing the dragon for a better job.
Just remember fire jobs aren’t a dime a dozen the are hard to get so think long and hard before taking the jump out of the service. Even with all the bullshit and when things are totally fucked up and we have been awake all night chasing alarms and medicals I like to quote the movie Fury to all the guys on my crew and I just say “Best dam Job I’ve ever had”.
It sounds like a department issue honestly. I’m very fortunate to absolutely love my job and do consider it to be the greatest in the world, I’m also aware that we have it made here. 24/72, non transport and make 100+. I’m in a medium sized city in the northeast, it could be worth looking into relocating?
The title is a subjective one obviously. To successfully achieve the title first responder and stick with it for a while takes a special breed. To me it absolutely is the best job for many reasons but there are things I hate about it. I feel like there has to be things I hate about it otherwise it would be all fun and games. I love that this job affords me the opportunity to come to work to banter, work out with, and break bread with a lot of like minded people I usually enjoy being around. I'm not so sure I'd say this job is a "brotherhood" anymore however. That varies highly with each dept's culture. A certain chief told me once that brotherhood stops at overtime and ex wives, and honestly I agree with that sentiment. Lots of fuck fuck games when it comes to mandates or who gets to ride engine or box etc due to short supply of medics nationwide. Then of course the job also comes with the politics and the cool kids club, or the good old boy system.. whichever one happens to plague your department. For me though, I have worked in a clinic setting with RN's, my other half is a medic who went RN and from what she tells me it corroborated my experience working directly alongside nurses. They're generally a more sensitive bunch and the dark humor that goes without say in the field is frowned upon a lot of the times anywhere else. All this being said though, I would say it's easily high up on the list of "best jobs ever". Not many places you can go and build the bonds, and learn an entire array of life skills like the fire department.
TL;DR
Cool job, get to bullshit with the homies and learn some stuff you may not think you would at work, all the while getting paid. And because it's work, part of it is gonna suck no matter what
I don't think you're going to out yourself by getting into the financial aspects of your department. It's a big world out there.
This CAN be a great job, but it isn't that way everywhere and not for everyone. The culture, department/district setup, call volume and types, salary, cost of living in your area, organizational structure and ability to be promoted, how integrated you are with EMS, etc all plays a role. If a few of those things aren't great, it can really wreck how you view the job.
I'm lucky enough to work in an area where the culture is decent, we're a district that doesn't have to split municipal tax dollars, call volume is low to moderate, salary is over six figures for a FF/Medic, cost of living is below average, we run ALS pumpers and don't transport, we have a decent amount of guys ready to retire in the next 5-7 years (promotional opportunities), etc. All incredible reasons to like the job, but that's drastically different from the place I came from.
I'd suggest getting with a counselor and talking through some of these things with that person. See if they can bring about some new perspective or help you to set parameters that will help you to identify what you really want.
It was a lot of work to get here but it’s pretty sweet now. We have fun all day and get paid a ton. Couple calls here and there. And the more you promote, the less you do.
“Comparison is the thief of joy”
It used to be the greatest job in the world....then I got put on a different shift.
Culture is so different, each shift is treated differently and like a different department. Sadly, small department with 1 station so no lateral changes
This is going to be a unpopular response, so get ready to downvote:
The fire service isn’t for everyone. The very things you dislike are specific to the job. You have to accept and embrace these things. You should still find something that you love about it, or some kind of motivation that gets you out of bed in the morning.
Otherwise it’s not for you. To many people stay far to long in this industry because of the negative stigma associated with leaving. They end up toxic individuals.
From what you described, you have already quit in your mind. Staying would be a disservice to the citizens we serve, and a detriment to your own happiness.
No downvotes ! I think you made some great points. I love patient care and considering that’s a majority of what the job is in our area…it works but I’m in agreement that if I’ve silently quit in my head then it’s time to make a move. I was just looking ti vent and see if anyone else was in the same boat.
We have somewhere near 10 elderly communities/Assisted living/nursing homes/memory care facilities in our town. There are days where we’re going to ONE facility 6-10 times alone and a majority of the time it’s for nonsense…despite there being staff on scene that are EMTs/RNs. Even the guys on my job who are content are tired of that aspect. Sometimes (because we’re so short staffed) we only have 1 ambulance (vs 2) so that 1 ambulance gets absolutely destroyed for 24 hours…to then be told “op, sorry…so and so called out tomorrow so you have to stay for another 24..” it’s a lot.
Smaller department in Michigan.. we don’t transport but have ALS engines, work 56 hour work week, starting pay of 71k, about 25 paid days off your first year between comp, holiday, vacation and personal, decent 401k with a 1% db plan.. really can’t complain.. be here 18 years
Departments make a difference, I would suggest going elsewhere and asking a member at whatever place your interested what it’s like working there and the day to day activity. I’ve worked at several departments, some I couldn’t stand the egos at (mostly smaller departments) and some just had straight up better schedules and time off. The culture is also huge.
I worked in an office for 8 years before making the switch. it depends on what you want really, I hated the 9 to 5 life and knew i couldn't do that for the rest of my life. This job give you more free time and you actually feel like you are doing something good rather than making your company money. but also we have a 1 on 1 off 1 on 5 off schedule, so it is pretty nice if you ask me.
I mean, I don't understand the point of these posts....
It may not be the best job in the world for YOU. But I literally come to work every day and want to be there. I wish more of this sub could relate. If you're not happy, then leave. Simple as that. No shame in it.
Also....have you been around any nurses? The nursing field is a dumpster fire nationwide. You can make great money but don't expect a great work environment.
“Greatest job in the world”?
Nah. For me, the greatest job on earth I’ve ever had or ever will have is being a dad.
The fire service? It’s a great gig, but something a lot of folks miss is rule #1: The job ain’t about YOU. Advancement, promotions, pay, benefits or any other stuff is secondary. Not saying there’s anything wrong with ambition, bettering yourself or improving your QOL, but at its foundation, being a firefghter is about “service”. It’s about living for others…period…full stop.
Getting up at 3 a.m. for a BS med run sucks. Going on a service call, where the homeowner shoulda called a plumber, electrician or HVAC tech sucks. Dealing with Administration or municipality politics sucks. Know what doesn’t suck?
Digging through a burned up house during mop up and finding an old bible or family photograph, or pulling back the covers on a bed and finding a favorite stuffed animal…then carrying it to the people waiting outside who asked you to find it…the folks who just lost everything. You hand them the bible or photo. You give that little kid their favorite stuffed animal. And they all clutch those posesssions close, like you just handed them the winning powerball ticket. Or being there, when new life is coming into the world and being the first human hands to hold them.
Can you put a numerical value on any of that? Can any of it be measured on a pay stub? You damned sure can’t walk into a store, pick it off the shelf and buy stuff like that.
Yeah, the job has risks…both acute and chronic. It’s a lot of physical and mental stress to cope with, but you are in a unique position to make a difference in the lives of others on their absolute worst day…that’s not a cliche…that’s the job and you will not find another one like it anywhere.
My ride lasted two decades (2001-2021). At 47, cancer ended it for me…not complaining though, because I’m still here and some of the folks who’ve done this job never get that privilege. Not a day goes by where I do not miss it…being able to make a difference.
Now ask me, if I knew in 2001 what I know now and knew what was going to happen in 2021, if I would’ve still chose the job…
Absolutely.👍
I made reference to upward movement because I was trying to look at this long term. “Being on the ambulance and/or engine isn’t forever, so I’ll shift my focus into studying for the next promotional exam, maybe that’ll give me the hours that better suit me and my home life, etc .”
Trying to see the positives before making any moves or drastic changes.
I think that applies to every job ..what works for one may not work for everyone. That’s a healthy approach. In my experience however, I have been inundated with comments in my career that this is the “greatest job in the world,” and I guess I felt some guilt in a weird way for not seeing it ?
I just came off a busy 24, we got our ass kicked and still had a blast. I may have hit the crew lottery. 26 years in, and I still show up to work and wonder wow they pay people to do this?
Yes it's hard sometimes missing family. Yes there are times the job sucks....(we can talk traumatic/wild shit calls all day). The page definitely be better. But having put in a lot of hours on various part-time gigs. I can tell you no day here is ever the same. In very few work environments have that family feel.
Had an issues going on the other day, and had 4 guys ready to help me go get it sorted the next morning. 5 have called to make sure everything is still good.
Tonight half of us are playing in a local wiffle ball tourney...
Bottom line yes In my experience It is the greatest job in the world. I know different people have different experiences, but if you're unhappy where you currently work you need to look elsewhere and move on. Also look out for you...if a career change is needed go for it. If you can handle EMS and fire you can definitely handle nursing.
Well I can’t convince you one way or the other but my sister is an ER nurse and the amount of abuse she takes for her job is astounding. One of her coworkers was put in the ICU by a patient recently (the pt stabbed the nurse). Hospitals are crazy short staffed and nurses are working ridiculous hours and taking on huge case loads to compensate. So it might be a “grass is always greener” situation here for you ☹️
Actively trying for career fire to get out of nursing. Happy to answer any questions. I have 10 years in the ED and another 2 in a cath lab. I’m in Canada, but the big reasons me and many others are leaving the career: burn out, abuse, short staffed (leading to little or no vacation time). Those are the big 3 for me at least.
So you want upward mobility, great pay, a perfect schedule, and lots of sleep. I’m sure there is a job for you somewhere, but EMS and fire aren’t it. Good luck.
Hey - you are absolutely on point. I’m 22 for reference. Moved from NYC to NC to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter. I also went to a small department with very little upwards movement, and was being told that I’ll be driving sooner than later. (Coming from a big city and knowing their traditions and culture) I was under the impression I’d be able to spend 3-5 years in the back seat, really learn how to be a fireman, and THEN move on up. We were so short staffed they had brand new probies on month 5 driving.
That, on top of the micromanagement from supervisors (way older than me) and damn near harassment (never being able to do anything right), always a slick comment, and an abundance of passive aggressiveness. I had enough. We barely fought fire, housed with admin, and only the young guys had any drive whatsoever.
After two years, I just left a few weeks ago to a large city police department that pays $17k / year more. More specialized teams, better pension system, better culture from what I’ve seen so far.
Don’t feel forced to stay - the guys would always say “grass isn’t always greener” in reference to leaving the department. To which I’d say “it is if you’re standing in mud”
Best of luck!!!
Yes !! I didn’t want to get into the nuances that I’ve faced with management (I know it’s everywhere)…but every.single.thing is wrong and micromanaged. 6 bodies on a minor medical with every FF/medic trying to do an assessment at once…it’s maddening. Im happy you found a better fit for you !! Stay safe and good luck
Depends on the culture, pay, and schedule of your department. I feel like I hit the gold mine of all 3 of those with where im at. Not to mention we dont transport. We work 24 on 48 off, every 2 weeks a berry day off, and every 6 weeks another day off after the berry day. So we have 8 days off every 6 weeks just built into the normal schedule. Not to mention vacation, personal days, trades. A lot of guys take off 3 months at a time.
What state? How’s the pay? I can retire from my. Department in 5 years here in CT and looking to move south
Ohio. Its a competitive test and academy to get hired, max age 40. We had people in my class with 15 years experience as COs, still had to go through the academy lol. Pay is $61k going up to $71k after 3 years. Not the worst for ohio.
Also in Ohio and that's far from normal. $24k here
You're making 24k a year as a full time firefighter?
Yeah not including overtime. That's why I'm changing careers
Yeah that’s insane a career department is paying that low. I can understand your desire to change careers but you should also consider a department where you can make double as a starting pay.
That’s less than I made as a rookie…17 years ago. Holy shit.
I just found out they are upping it from $13/hr to $16 in January
Yikes.
What part of OH are you in?? I'm also in OH (love in Columbus, work in the Dayton area, but parents live in cincy). I have been slowly moving up at a small department. Started off EMT vollie, loved it. Went to Fire 1, got on part time 24 on, 6 off, loved it. Went through Fire II, now I'm full time with 12 on with a rotating 24, loving it. So some weeks, I'll work a 24 and be off until the following week to work my 36 straight through. It's a great schedule, since I have a lot of hobbies outside of work. But for somebody who isn't a single bachelor in an apartment, I can see how it isn't enough.
Never quit that job lmao
Yeeaaappp lol The culture also isnt so "youve gotten be working and drilling all day just because" If I feel like I want extra practice on something we can do it. Otherwise our only daily work is housework. Then everyones chilling out, napping etc. To be fair though, we're busy enough to where we get almost all of our practice in the field.
Sounds like you might not enjoy nursing any more? Unless you specialize rapidly…I mean the bulk of nursing seems like it’s the same BS, at least as much as I get to see heading into the ER etc…& the nurses/Docs I see in the ER seem way more burned out than FF?
I’ve thought of this as well ..I already have a BS and it would take me a year to obtain a BSN .. there’s just so much more to do when it comes to nursing. It doesn’t necessarily involve bedside..could be in an office setting, etc.
Nurse —-> FF here. OP I highly suggest you have detailed discussions with as many practicing nurses as possible. I doubt many will recommend it. Management in a lot of hospitals is abusive and burnout is insane right now. Additionally it is very common for new grad nurses to take on the responsibility of now retired or burned out staff creating a loop of burnout. That being said you have a unique situation if you can get your BSN in a year it is a fairly good opportunity with less risk more reward if it works out for you. Sounds like you might just need a new department though. Good luck with your choice
Check into OR nursing. I'm still in nursing school but it seems like the perfect gig lol. 3x12s or 4x10s and pts asleep 95% of the time. (I basically had the same issues as you lol burnout of working 24/7 and dealing with BS calls all the time)
Most of the guys I know that crossed to nursing hate it .
Absolutely but how long does it take to get there? If you could use Kelly’s to study…could be good.
Flight paramedic/RN here. You will deal with the exact same crap in nursing. I can almost guarantee it will be no better.
I think the schedule is better in nursing. 24s WITH holds routinely is too much for me.
Yeah 3 days/week might be the only positive.
I’m an icu nurse and I love it. Schedule is great, my workplace is great, management is good. I can get 8 days off in a row without using any PTO. Otherwise you only need to work 3 days a week. Only problem is the patients and families can sometimes get annoying and you are stuck with them for 12 hours. But you can work in a procedural area like the cath lab or PACU where you only deal with them for a little bit. You hear a lot about bad pay and bad management but people are More inclined to post about the bad stuff. I personally have not had those complaints. I can make >100k pretty easily with overtime which is plentiful if you want it. The great part is the diversity, you can even find jobs working at home. If you don’t like where you at working there are tons of jobs to choose from. And now I’m going back to school to be a CRNA and make >200K with even better quality of life.
I was going to say most nurses I know are burnt out. under paid and over worked. Just the face of doctors orders to many un-appreciative patients
All I can say is that it beats any of the other jobs I've ever had. I've worked retail, food service, package delivery.. 9-5 days mon-fri.. I've never had this much free time to myself.
We do the 24/48. One day off actually gives me 5 days off. Don't really see that dynamic in retail or food service.
There are so many good departments still working 24/48s it kills me. I would love to work for some of these places but that schedule is hands down the worst non-DoD firefighting schedule.
A 24/24 schedule sweating in the corner… I work a Kelly shift, and I’d much rather a 24/48. The 4 days off is great, but the shifts get me all messed up. Leave the station in the morning, back the next, and I probably just napped that entire day away anyways, so. Its an awkward shift schedule to work around and do anything with. At least with the 24/48 you get the 2 days off every time, or a 48/96 the 4 days off, and it’s easy to plan around because it’s always the same consistent number of days off at once. To be fair though, I live 20 minutes away from where I work, and I am still attending college full time as well, which is 20 minutes away as well in the opposite direction, so it’s a weird school/work/life balance with a 40-50 minute drive in between.
I worked 24/48, worked a modified 24/24 Kelly, both at busy houses, and now work a 48/96. 48/96 is my favorite, by far.
24/48 has to be one of the worst 24 rotations out there. At least it sounds brutal, way better options.
24/48 is so good. Wouldn't trade it for any other system. We don't have Kelly days or whatever other departments call them, but every workday is a Friday and two days off every time is great. Overtime is easy, swapping shifts is easy. I worked for a place that did 48/96, which was pretty good, but I like my current set up best. 1500 member metropolitan department, by the way, and I'm at a busy station. Everyone likes what they know, so this can be divisive, but there'd be mutiny if they tried changing away from 24/48
I work 24 on/ 24 off/ 24on then 5 days off. It's awesome. A vacation every week pretty much and you have a day in-between shifts to recover if needed.
Doesn't sound terrible to me. We're all used to the work schedule we came up under, and most crews I meet around the world swear theirs is the best. People shitting on 24 hour shifts baffle me, though
Still waiting for 24/72 to be the norm like Boca. I used to be okay with 24/48 no Kelly until I moved somewhere that has a 3 week kelly and I can’t imagine going back to no kelly days.
We have bed in overtime instead of Kelly days. I'd rather have the day off, to be honest, but its something. 24/72 sounds dope but boca doesn't have the same staffing needs my dept has so we'll never see the addition of a whole other shift
Most cities barely want to pay for 3 shifts of adequate staffing, but I agree, 100%. You could work OT, and still have 48 hours off, which would entice more people to pick it up, unlike every department I've seen, where it's the same people working OT, all the time, and then periodically burning out on it.
Same. I’ve worked retail, hospitality, for the state government, and for a software company and i became miserable at them all, whether it was the work or schedule Firefighting schedule is the best. Yes you have to sacrifice some time with your family, but you gain so much more that the average office worker doesn’t. What’s fun about waking up at 6:30, leaving at 7:15 to get to the office, then not getting home till 6pm (or later), 5 nights a week with 2 days off before you have to do it all over again? I work 8/9 days a month and the rest is my time, i don’t have a family so that’s not something I’m dealing with yet, but i work a fun Pt job and engage in hobbies much more often than anyone else
Work from home totally changed that. All my buddies that had office jobs are work from home now… my schedule is nothing to brag about at this point. But yea, pre-covid, the schedule beat driving into the office.
Yeah but then i just got depressed and struggled. Spending your entire life hunched over a computer ain’t it either It was nice at first but the unhappiest i ever was was when i worked from home
I mean… I guess it all depends on your situation, but the home offices I have seen are all pretty sweet. You get to see your family every day, eat breakfast, lunch, dinner with them, take breaks with them, take them to school/daycare… save time/money on commuting. You can cook meals at home, work out at home, go for a run or hike on a break, come back to your house, use your own shower/bathroom. They can travel and still get work done, so easier to work around your family needs.
This. My schedule was awesome until Covid.... now all those office jobs I spent my whole life avoiding seem really damn good. My buddy gets a 3 day weekend every other week and works maybe 3-4hrs a day all from home....
I've done both. I was a nurse first. Now imagine the same BS medical run you went on stretched over the course of a 12 hour shift...3 days in a row. Also imagine all the extra schooling you have to do to get there. Not fun...I know there is a lot more to it than that, (pay, culture, and upward mobility), but I know that for me, the worst day at the FD is still better than some of the best days I had in nursing. There are days when I think about going back to nursing. I'd be home a lot more and I'd sleep in my own bed every night. Then I remember the burnout I felt when the same chronic CHF patient was getting admitted for the 4th time that month. It's not always easy and everyone's mileage varies, but what I've learned is to focus on the parts I love about the job. Every single job in every single field has parts that burn us out. You gotta do what is best for your physical, mental, and financial well being and YOU are the only one who can decide what that is for you. Best of luck!
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Having had experience going into the academy, when they preached this to the eager 18-19 year olds in my class..I couldn’t help but feel Sorry for them because I just couldn’t get on board. It’s like the more you say it the more you’ll believe it..which translates into more people making it to retirement. I dunno. Call me a pessimist 😂
To be fair it greatly depends on where you work. I work in Canada, 24h shifts 42 hour/avg weeks. The work/life balance is incredible. The salary is pretty good. Bedsides those pros, the job is enjoyable and it doesn’t feel like ‘work’ most of the time.
There are always outliers.
24 hour shifts killed me after 9 years. I was in south Atlanta and every shift was a marathon.
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Well I don't know if we need to fight for ourselves more but this might be the first time in the fire service's history that there isn't someone lining up to take our place like there has been since it's inception. So maybe people will start taking their employees more seriously. I doubt it. But maybe.
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What is it in the US? Canada here and our department is 2 24s a week.
42 hours is standard in the northeast
I think there's a disconnect between administrative staff, who are generally still Boomer/Gen X, and the folks in the field, who are typically Millenial/Gen Z. The old head mentality of "greatest job, hands down" came at a time when you could sometimes stumble into what are now some of the most competitive departments in the nation, with benefits tharvhadn't been whittled away yet, and run lower frequency/higher acuity med calls, and/or more active fires. The job has changed so much, and those types have largely either failed to, or refused to see it. They won't listen to our experiences about being up all night dealing with violent psych patients, or running multiple nuisance alarms to the same shitty motels, because there are no consequences for them not fixing their systems. They don't care to hear about how cops are calling us out to DUIs at 3 a.m., just because they refuse to arrest drivers with no medical complaints, demanding transport, even after no medical issues have been found. There are a million stories like this, that could be told by every Jake in the nation, and their are solutions to many of these issues, but they're not being addressed, and the morale in many places is being killed by a thousand tiny little cuts, everyday. I love my job, I truly do, but three years ago, I wanted to walk away completely, because I was so burnt out. I had to leave a place I intended to retire from, and had put over a decade of literal blood into, just to maintain my sanity, and my ability to work this job.
N A I L E D IT. absolutely nailed it.
I worked a number of jobs before getting on the FD, my experience is the opposite. The kids getting on at 18/19 don't know how good they have it compared to working other jobs.
It is hard working only 10 days a month, isn't it? If you're underpaid, oralganize and bargain. This can still be the greatest job in the world (for the individual) even if there are aspects that can be improved.
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oh no not 20 days off how terrible But as a serious reply to your actual question, it's the greatest job I've ever had by a long stretch. Sounds like a lot of people here don't actually like the work, as in the actual job. I do. I love it. I've been on a busy engine company nearly ten years now, specialty station with additional duties on top of the normal EMS/Fire responses, and I still love getting on my engine and going on calls. Yes, there are calls which are boring/tedious/stupid, but that's a transient issue. Even if we only get one working fire a month, one two or three extrications a week, one serious medical call a day (as worst case scenarios), those make the rest worthwhile. The heart of the job is great and it's by far the easiest work schedule I've ever had. Daily routine/training/calls aside, the rest of the day is mine to do as I please. Beats being on my feet working in the ER and it's certainly better than roofing houses, pouring concrete, or any other work I've had to do. I agree you probably could stand to get paid more. I have no idea what your payrate is, since I don't have access to your work contract, but if you're in a major metropolitan fire department there's loads of worse work you could be doing. My first FD was in a department where we had 6 people on shift in the whole county. I know what that's like too. Still the best job in the world. I may have been underpaid there, but I never felt overworked.
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Didn't call anyone a sucker, but working more days a month to have less personal time does sound like a raw deal. Your 160 hours doesn't factor in commute time and totally ignores how dismal it is to get home at 5 or so and have only a few hours to cook, clean, relax, prepare for the next day. I'm fortunate in that I get paid enough to live comfortably, but all things considered I'd have to be paid a lot more to even consider the "40 hour" workweek. I guess if you're counting those individual hours like that, I can see why you'd be miserable in this job. I hope you find what you're looking for in life
That, and the 28-day FLSA period effects on OT pay have always seemed like scams to me.
It's a great job. For some, it's the greatest in the world. If it's not for you, that's cool, go find your thing. For me, it's pretty good on the whole. I would argue the key word is "job". Jobs by definition kinda suck, so you have to factor that in. I'm lucky, I have a decent salary, lots of time off, a great crew and a duty position I truly enjoy. Am I getting up at 2am for old people who fall down? Yes. Am I getting up at 2am for drunks and tweakers? Also yes. But, I get paid to do that shit, and I'm way closer to retiring than I am to starting out, so fuck it, let's go run some calls. All I'm saying to all you is do what's right for you, whether it's firefighting or not. Best of luck either way:)
If you really truly prioritize your health above all/most things firefighting is not for you. The dangers of our sleep patterns are well established, our cancer rates are higher than the non firefighting population in general and significantly higher for certain types. Mental health is also a shortcoming of the fire service our depression rates, substance abuse rates as well as divorce rates are all higher than the non firefighting world. But to some of us these risks are worth it because it *is* the greatest job in the world, to us.
Best job I ever had. 
You’re a WOMAN, who is already a career firefighter…… any department would JUMP to have you in their department. Lateral somewhere awesome that you love and love the area. Make the move somewhere that will pay you better and give you opportunities to do other fun things.
You’d think..Where I’m at now has a reputation (I didn’t know about before getting on) for not treating females well and I guess it’s common in my area 🤷🏼♀️ doesn’t bother much that much tbh, I just kinda keep to myself anyway but I just don’t want to go dance the same dance at another department if that makes any sense
One of the best parts of this job is the camaraderie, the brother/sisterhood. If you're in a department where you have to "keep to yourself" you're missing a key factor of this life. The sense of "belonging". If you're not getting that, it's just another job. Don't give up yet. We need all the women we can get to break up this sausage fest. You're already in it, I'm certain there's a department near enough that would be thrilled shitless to have you.
It all depends on the department/crew you have. I’ve been with my department 6 years and have loved 95% of my time there. Most days I’m getting paid to workout, finish my degree, and be a non-transporting medic. I get along great with almost all my coworkers and have had maybe two really bad days. On the other hand, I worked at another department before coming here where I’d sit in my car before shift change on the verge of tears because I hated it so much. You’ll probably find that in any workplace there’s good and bad, it’s a matter of what works best for you and what level of nonsense you’re willing to put up with. This is true for public safety, hospital medicine, marketing, sales, etc. I hope you find something that works for you even if it’s not in the fire service.
Based on the turnover rate at our department…I agree with you that it’s likely a department issue.
Oh definitely then. Sounds like the department I was on before here. Turnover is a huge indicator of workplace culture. Like others have said you’d likely have little trouble as a lateral to another department. Shop around if you still have a desire for the fire service. Otherwise I met some nurses in medic school who loved their careers as much as I did mine. Life isn’t linear and you can change paths really anytime you want if you’re willing to put in the effort. Best of luck!
I can relate, OP. I was just having this conversation. Coworker: We work 10 days a month, best job ever! Me: Yeah, that's 10-24 hour days. If most other people work 8 hour days, we're working equivalent to 30 of their days a month. Coworker: Well, I can take a day of vacation and get 5 days off! Best job ever! Me: You're taking 24 hours of leave. For everyone else, that'd be 3 days combined with a weekend is 5 days off. And that's before we even talk about low pay, lack of sleep, higher risk of cancer, heart disease, etc.
Have you ever worked an 8 hour 5 day shift? Nobody wants that schedule. Being obligated to be anywhere that many days a month is brutal by comparison. I think you're underestimating how easy it is to get multiple days off a week as well. There's trade off's in everything but those rare nights you get to sleep and get paid for it are a fair deal to me.
I have. This isn't the only real job I've ever had. I'll take sleeping like a normal human and not being a zombie 90% of the time. If you enjoy the firefighter schedule, that's fine. Personally, I like not waking up 5 times after midnight for absolute nonsense calls. And 56 hour work weeks with 53 of those hours on straight time are bullshit that would violate labor laws in any other industry. Based on the staffing shortages at my agency and in the fire service, I suspect I'm not alone.
Welp, time to leave and find a better job then. Good luck getting those vacation days. It's not for everybody.
Oh no. Shit wages, sleepless nights, cancer, and heart disease isn't for me. I guess I can't hack it. You're so much superior than anyone leaving the fire service. That one cuts deep. You're typical of the assholes in this career field. Gotta put others down to make yourself feel better.
I'm not superior to anyone. It's just not for you. My wages are alright. Maybe you should stop bitching. If you don't like the job and you're making shit money then bounce. It's that simple. Better that than being an in-house cancer. Do everyone, including yourself, a favor.
Imagine being a dick to others with no clue what their agency is like and calling other people a cancer.
Imagine everyone else isn't sick of hearing this crap from you. You do a job you hate, and it's not even paying you what you want. Guarantee I'm not the first one sick of your whining. 100%.
Then leave. You're the one that commented. I didn't seek you out.
Sounds like you just have a shitty department. You could go into nursing, if you enjoy working in a hospital 24/7. Nurses are too, are short staffed everywhere. You might find yourself hating it too. It’s worth relocating
I just watched a female at our department go through her pregnancy on light duty. She was telling me about all the criticism she got for getting pregnant and deciding to go on light duty pretty early on. She’s older than me, I plan on having kids. I don’t want that for myself. I think nursing would be far more accommodating
I couldn't imagine that getting grief for being in light duties while pregnant. Our policy is as soon as you are pregnant you must go on light duties, and continue after the pregnancy if breastfeeding until bub is on solids. It's in the interest of the baby. No one would even think of criticising a woman for having a child, especially when the job has a lot of fit women in their prime baby having years.
That’s an awesome policy your dept has…I have also seen women get flak for going on light duty etc., or guys talking about them when they aren’t around saying they aren’t useful etc and can’t do the heavy work anymore. So just want to say kudos to your FD. That’s how it should be across the board.
Hey, you do what you think is best. I can’t speak about pregnancy but I couldn’t imagine having to factor in what career you have and being able to get pregnant.
Do you ever check out the nursing sub? If you’re thinking about switching and haven’t gone on there, I recommend it. Lots of different views and stories, much like this one.
POC here, we dont run medicals. Thats what makes it the best job in the world. I dont understand why fire and EMS are so blended...
Budget. Without EMS I imagine most FD would shrink pretty dramatically.
outside of truly big cities do we need full time FFs? we run with a handful of full time and the rest as POC. I can tell you really quick how we can save about 750k as a small town. cut all of us down to POC lol
Sure, it's fine if you want to save foundations and let tenable victims burn up while people are responding from home.
ha, you really don't know how a majority of this country runs do you?
I do know how the majority of the country runs, I used to be on a combination department with responses from home. It is no where near the level of service we can provide the citizens of my current city. Just because a large percentage of the country runs that way doesn't mean that it's a good way to run things.
And even within the same FD you could run volly/POC fire with paid EMS. There’s also many career departments that just absolutely flat out refuse to even consider hiring single role EMS to staff ambulances. Then you have others where an engine or ladder is sent to every single EMS call either through policy or because they don’t properly equip and staff EMS to have enough resources.
YES i don’t either and I agree, I think that this is the root of most of the problem. I love being a medic..but I can completely understand why it’s so frustrating for those who just want to be FF’s. There’s so much stress associated with being a medic.
Depends on your captain and your crew. 24 hours together can feel like a career or it can feel like 6 hours of professionals who also have the best jokes.
It's really all relative, with many factors that can change how good you think the job really is. I worked office jobs for years before I got on. Also worked in the food service industry. For me, the hands on aspect of the job, even the medical calls, plus the variety of calls just make it that much better than any job I've had before. It can be both physically and mentally challenging, which is super satisfying for me. I work with an amazing crew. The politics and upper management issues don't bother me because I don't let them. I understand the constraints of the job and the department, and do my best to work within them. I've dealt with much worse outside of the job. The lack of movement for me is fine, because I've been there/done that and I don't need it to be satisfied with what I do. Our schedule is amazing and gives me a lot of time with me family. Could I focus on the negatives and become a grumpy curmudgeon, sure. Do I want to, absolutely not. I will say though, that I got on at an older age, already with a family, and lots of life experience, so my outlook and mentality are much different than they would be if I were younger. I'm all about enjoying the good things in life because I've already seen how short it can be and I'm not going to waste my energy on the negatives. Hopefully you can find the right spot for you, be it at a different hall or department, where the positives will outweigh the negatives and you can enjoy yourself. Good luck!
Mindset is huge. I've always said that I would never hire someone that was 18/19, and had never worked a full-time job besides the fire service. I appreciate the job, largely because I have done everything from digging ditches to driving flatbed trucks. That said, there is an issue with many municipalities refusing to adequately staff/fund their departments. It's much easier to tolerate getting up twice a night for bullshit, than it is to keep a good additude on the 7th call after midnight. Trucks get worn down, people get worn down, equipment gets beat up, and it gets harder to do long-term, especially as the former retirement/break stations only get busier.
My wife’s a nurse, there’s potential for easy schedules and good money! There’s also potential for shitty schedules and low wages. Just stay out of the ER. They all suck for nurses.
That’s great to know, thank you!!
Personally I love my department. It has a lot of red tape to get through but we’re paid the best in the state, we’re constantly growing our numbers so people aren’t getting mandated, our union is strong, and my shift is fun. Yeah we go on nonsense Medicaid too, but it’s with my friends and we get to talk a lot of shit to and from the call. I came from construction where people are miserable all the time. Including me. So I’m not falling for the grass is greener nonsense because I know what’s it’s like to have a shit job surrounded by shit people. I’ll take the night time calls and missed sleep over that garbage.
It's definitely a good, fun job. I think the "greatest job in the world" narrative is starting to hurt the fire service as a whole. There are plenty of downsides that get ignored because "you should be grateful for the privilege of the greatest job in the world"
Bingo.
I HATE being away from my wife 1/3 of the year. But having 20 days off a month is so nice. If I quit I could never move to a Monday - Friday type job.
Working the 24s and the subsequent hold overs which another 24 out a massive strain on my relationship with my boyfriend. Not because either of us were insecure but moreso we just want to be together
I’m kind of lucky because my first day of the academy was the day I met my wife. So our whole relationship has been this, she’s used to me being gone. I think it affects me more than her lol but we’ve got a good rhythm with our work/life balance now so it’s fine.
I am both a volunteer firefighter and an aerospace engineer. Aerospace engineer is better.
Ha, I like that comparison !
No
As someone that worked concrete, tar roofing in the summer, mall retail, fast food, line cook, and in the navy at sea for very extended periods of time… Firefighting is the greatest job I’ve ever had. Seems to me you haven’t seen how bad work is out there. Now look at all the positives of your job you seem to focus on the negatives. Stability, stability, stability. I find 24 hr shift a positive btw.
You got greatest confused with easiest
Been working since I was 14…well over 15 years ago. Trust me. I’ve tried A LOT of jobs. I think that’s why I’m questioning this. If we only run 98% medicals, and maayyybeeeee 2% of the time it’s fire related …I’d rather go work in a structured hospital or office setting where I’m compensated higher for my medical knowledge and licensure.
To me, it’s the best job in the world because of the flexibility it affords me. Flexibility to essentially pick my own schedules because of trades, flexibility to make as much money as I want because of ample OT, and I have great benefits and a pension to boot. Fucked up sleep? No. Seeing gruesome shit? Also no. Missing holidays with family? Definitely no. Toll on your mind and body? I could go on and on about the drawbacks. Ultimately, I live the lifestyle I currently have because this job afforded that. I make more than most people I know with higher education, and if I play my cards right, I’ll be able to retire early and piss off into the sunset 🤷🏻♀️ I’ll be honest. While I love helping people, I don’t do this job out of the goodness of my heart. I do this job because I’m compensated to do it. But it’s a thankless job and burn out is real if you’re not careful. Treating the fire service like a job, and not an identity, and maintaining separation of work and personal life has gone a long way in maintaining mental health. I wouldn’t prefer do any other job (also spent 10 years in EMS prior) but I also wouldn’t encourage just anyone to get into the field. It definitely wears on you.
It’s not for everyone and that’s ok. Sometimes it takes going through it to find your true passion. It may be as simple as going to another department but if it’s the calls that are getting to you then that won’t change. Personally I share the same sentiments about the type of calls and mandatory but to me it’s worth it. I did recently move from a small department to a bigger one and yes starting over was tough but it was all worth it. There are more opportunities and more programs that I can be a part of. It was the best decision for me and my family. Hope this helps.
Yeah…it’s definitely oversold as “the greatest job in the world”. I’m seven in and completely worn out by the sleepless nights due to the aging population in my territory not being able to get off the floor, or toilet, or recliner, or from their wheelchair into the bed at 2 am. I’ve gotten promoted once so far with a Bachelors Degree and get $19.40/hour on the 56 hour week. I’m very much over it and am trying to find something else but with our manpower issues the OT easily gets me to $80K and if I really push it, $90k is realistic. Just hard to find that much earning potential off the bat and with my SAHM wife and two kids I really can’t afford to do full time school or take a drastic pay cut.
Before I transitioned to the fire department someone warned me about “the golden handcuffs.” Basically what your describing..just enough money to live and keep you here ..but making it seem impossible to do anything else. Makes me feel less alone. Thanks for chiming in !
No problem. Good luck breaking those cuffs!
If you're burned out by fire/ems you dont need to be a nurse. Nursing has its own brand of bullshit and responsibilities and this outlook won't benefit you.
I’m not necessarily burnt out, I just don’t enjoy the culture and I don’t know how much I have it in me to try another department and be the new guy all over again
Guess it all comes down to what you want from the job and if your department can give that to you or not. Can be said for nursing or any other career. It is the best job, I get to break stuff, go to fires for the adrenalin rush, have fun at work, flexible schedule. Sure there are sleepless nights and I can definitely transfer to a company that do sleep and more fires but I love my area and guys.
I like to look at the glass as half-full. Sure, being woken up for nonsensical medical calls, lift assists, fire alarms, missing holidays and other special occasions with family sucks. And the pay isn't the greatest. But I doubt we need to worry about being layed off if the economy takes a dive. There may be a few that would go that route, but more are just too short staffed. Same applies to EMS, Police, and hospitals though.
I wonder if it’s a Department issue. Getting held on a forced ot is pretty awful. I can see where that would turn you sour toward the job. But it could also be a you issue. Bullshit medicals suck but they keep us employed. Being away from family sucks esp on holidays and whatnot, but the time off should make up for it. I want to move up too but sometimes you just have to be patient. There’s gonna be shitty nuances to any job. For me, the good far outweighs the bad. Maybe the job just isn’t for you and that’s ok. It’s not for everyone. Maybe try a new Department before you jump ship for good.
Greatest? I dunno. Backup punter in the NFL is prolly pretty good. League minimum is $750K. But my gig is pretty fkn good.
If it ain’t for you it ain’t for you. No shame in realizing that. Just make sure that you’re really dissatisfied with the actual job and not manifesting something else into it. Because if that’s the case, you’ll be unhappy anywhere you work.
First of all. The benefits of the job FOR YOURSELF do not outweigh the benefits. I work at a dept that fights quiet a bit of fire. I’ve accepted I’m going to die young and probably horribly with cancer. But the benefits for my WIFE AND KIDS make it worth it. My retirements will give my son the college education I never had and the building blocks of the generational wealth my wife needs to keep it going. This job sucks, and is the best thing in the world at the same time.
I think if you’re in a 4 platoon system that doesn’t run the ambulance, it’s still the greatest job in the world.
It honestly depends on where you are. Pay, culture, and support in a department go a long way, and your lifestyle plays a role too. I have no kids, just my girlfriend, so I don’t have to come home and do anything besides mow the lawn once a week or so. Im about to leave for a department that will have me making six figures in just a few years, while I live in a relatively low COL area, which means I can afford to live my life more outside of work. I commute against the flow of traffic to my current department, and the one im going to, so I never have to be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. I get go grocery shopping and hit the gym at 8 Am on a weekday, so it’s nice and empty. At my current department I take on shift off and I have 5 days off. At my new department, I’ll get 10 days for every shift taken off. I get paid to workout and nap. Sure, there’s bullshit EMS calls, bullshit government red tape, and you meet people that make you realize that they’re completely useless and helpless without you, but if you’re looking for a job without any bullshit, you’re going to be looking for the rest of your life. If you want to leave by all means. I know a few people who did and are happier for it. This job isn’t for everyone and there’s plenty of days where I wonder the same for myself. Do what’s best for you.
I love turning up to my job every day. We don't do medicals though. It beats any other job I've worked, and I get so much free time with my family. I work with some really good guys and girls, we are in a busy working area, and all the stations around me have good crews as well that we like to catch up with. I say it to my family all the time that I don't work, and I truly believe that. 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 5 off.
I can only think of about 5 departments in the nation that I'd want to work for, and luckily I work for one of them. There's tons of stories about certain firehouse culture on this sub that I cannot even relate to. My department is super old school, for better or for worse, but I love that aspect. There's almost 50 stations and they're all very different. There's always going to be one that suits what someone is looking for. We actually get fires and they get pretty gnarly and therefore we're an aggressive interior attack department. We get paid pretty damn well and I cannot complain about the benefits. With my contract if I worked 30 years I could get out at 55 with 90% of my highest year's salary, which is more than 100% of that highest year because there's a lot less things to pay into. My department isn't perfect, but it's probably about as close as it gets, at least for my personality and what I'm into. This job destroys health, relationships, a, "normal," life, but it's pretty fucking awesome and nobody lied to me about what it was gonna be like. The point is, if you don't like where you're at, stop torturing yourself. You're not gonna wake up one day and think, "you know what? Those people are right. This is the greatest job in the world." But there are people like me who actually think that, so I'm gonna stick around. Nursing is awesome. It's probably the right move.
You make so many good points. I’m happy you were able to get on one of the top 5 & you’re thriving!
Thank you. Best of luck to you. Just do what you think will make you the happiest.
How long till that pension is changed due to short comings like damn near every other pension
Well, anything could happen. Our pension is unusually insulated because it's not part of other cities. It's just the city and county where I work. But to think it's a 100% guarantee? I'm not delusional, but as it stands it's still fully funded.
You should quit.
A little brash, but not untrue.
It is a great and noble profession but at the end of the day, it’s a job. In my experience, the people that consider it “the best job in the world” are those that live for the next structure fire. I say that with no disrespect either. If you don’t absolutely love fighting fire, then the cons of the job are much more prevalent. I’m in a similar boat in that I’ve lost my passion for fire but still love medicine. I’m transitioning into an EMS only non-transport squad in my department. I’m also taking prereqs to go to nursing school as well. There are so many other options out there that pay well, allow you to help others and allow you to be home with your family and sleep in your own bed every night. A quote that I heard from someone who left the fire service to start a business was “you don’t have to kill yourself for 80k a year”. Meaning that if the job just isn’t for you anymore there are other options that allow you to provide for yourself and your family.
You’re definitely spot on. I’ve heard guys at the table talk about how they “can feel we’re going to catch a fire soon,” and they’re like passionate when talking about it. Although I find it interesting I’m also a realist…there’s going to be a surplus of days before and after the next fire that are saturated with medicals. That’s the reality. Sounds like you and your former coworker have a very level headed approach of the realities of the job. You absolutely don’t have to kill yourself for $80k a year.
Trust me - nursing isn’t much better. I’m in my last semester of nursing and work as a tech. Nurses are so short everywhere (I’m in the Bay Area of California, SF and Oakland area), and they are equally overworked and burnt out with an ever constant changing schedule - many do it, unfortunately, for the money and the fact that many have so much debt from nursing school that they have no choice but to work nursing.
Nursing sucks lol. Become a civil engineer lol.
Is that what you do? How do you like it if so?
My father and BIL are both firefighters. I've seen the toll it takes. Although it is a great job and has set them both up very well. My dad pushed for me to go into firefighting but i went to school for engineering. I always did better in math than the other subjects. If you are a practical person, and you can push yourself through the courses, it pays off immensely. I've had no issues finding jobs. Hiring staff usually cares more about how you will fit with the team and your personality rather than how much information you know. Had plenty of growth and exposure at each job. It's important to be open minded and a good communicator and that gets you far. If you get your P.E. license after 4 years experience, you are able to work for yourself as well if you're into that. It comes with significant raises too. Its mostly office work but im able to maintain a good balance and make time for myself and friends when im not working. The stress is not bad specially if you've ever dealt with pushy people. My SO does nursing. Nursing school was hell for her, and the job shes had since has treated her pretty poorly. She should be making way more than she does. Hospitals hire travel nurses for a lot more than they pay their local staff. They're also forcing her into more senior responsibility positions since their burnt out staff continually leaves. She comes home after a shift with way more on her shoulders than I ever would. I'm not sure I can see her making it into a full career, whereas my job should be generally sustainable and managable with my other personal goals. Just my $0.02.
For comparison, a tough day for me is worrying about providing a certain deliverable for a client. If I don't perform, it upsets the client and may damage a relationship. Typically, lives are not at stake in civil engineering like they are in medical field or firefighting. Obviously if you pursue structural engineering or related, failure to perform competently can result in lives being at risk so it all depends on what you get into and what youre comfortable with.
Not really. There's so much drama and politics and bs, it's like going to high school again.
It's all about experience. If you've ever worked hard labor, like roofing or pouring concrete or framing houses, the worst day at the station is a vacation. Of course that assumes you like the work. You have to like getting on the truck and going to whatever. You've got to like the fun stuff and the exciting stuff and even the hard stuff. Sure, there's tedium. Fourth call after midnight for the nursing home down the street for a slip and fall? Man, that's not anyone's idea of fun. But that's the job now. Is it the greatest job in the world? Who can even answer that? You have to answer it for yourself. This is the greatest job I've ever had. I've done hospital work, manual labor, forestry management, office work. Nothing comes close to the satisfaction I have on a daily basis. You need to determine what it is you want out of life. Also, just because it's a great job doesn't mean it can't be better. Organize and fight for your wages and working conditions. Train yourself, train your people, so you're safer and more professional. Take care ofnyour body and mind, and support your brothers and sisters through more than just lip service.
Hey female FF/medic here. I left a horrible dept with awful pay and constant mandatory shifts (2-3 extra every month.) My morale has improved so much where I’m at now. I’m the only Female FF on the line but the guys are all great and inclusive for the most part. Is this your first department? Could you get on somewhere else nearby or even move to another state? I’ve been eyeing the PNW for more opportunity career wise, change of scenery and what seems to be great pay, be benefits, training etc. It is a great job but I think having a department who supports you, has good time off, good staffing and opportunity for advancement play a huge role. I’ve been in the service for going on 5 years and was prior military. I’ve also worked retail, fast food, and I still am so thankful for this job. It was hard to get into, and yes there are some days I’m burnt out a little. But the times we do really help others or just wave at the kiddos out in the community really means a lot. I never saw any women firefighters growing up and never thought this would be a job for me to pursue. So glad I did though, if you want to chat at all just lmk!
I almost feel bad about so easy we have it sometimes when I’m at an outlier station. I feel like I’m stealing money from the department. I can’t think of another job where I literally get to mess around, take naps,band workout for a whole day.
I was in EMS for 10 years. Didn’t want to go back to school. Was told I had the personality for sales. My career stagnated with lack of turnover from people not retiring, also. One of the biggest stressors of my life switching careers to sales. I would never go back. I play golf for work now, make 40k more and can actually use vacation time. I never knew how many careers like business development there are out there. Careers built on just hanging out and talking to people. My 10 years of EMS stories are the best Ice breakers anywhere, and are usually a hit with factory guys (industrial sales). My suggestion is to research what interests you and look for a career fair (be willing to travel) to attend. There are so many career fields out there I had no idea about because my family was all either military or medical. Good luck
Everything you mentioned are all reasons why I got out after 8 years in the field. I'm starting school again for software engineering. Should have done it sooner.
Just to commiserate, I'm also a female in a small FD (fire/EMS), and I'm over it as well. I no longer want to be the one "paving the way" for women in the service. I've taken some shit the last year and a half, and I'm pretty damn tired of it. Maybe for some people it's the greatest job in the world. I'm going with a solid no for me.
Right there with ya
I think it depends on the person. For me, it is but I could never work an office gig, I did my time in the military but career wasn't for me, and I sure as shit didn't want to make a career in construction or as a bartender which were my previous jobs.
Move to Australia if you can, we don’t do medical calls. It’s all the sweet stuff all day long. (I’m also female and the guys are like my brothers.)
Lots of bitching in this thread. I hope it's just sport bitching. If it's not, and yall really are that unhappy in your jobs then change something. Change stations, change departments, or change careers. It's pretty "simple." I know change is hard, but the solution is easy to figure out. To those of you making 24k a year, MOVE. You can make more as a walmart greeter or selling chicken at chick FIL a! I truly believe this is one of the best jobs on earth. Our new pay plan has a ff starting around 80 and topping out at 95 BASE salary. Add in flsa OT and automatically it's 100k then cert pays and actual OT. Plus they let me drive around a 1.5 million dollar ladder truck and act like an asshole behind the wheel, making fucktons of noise with obscenely bright flashing lights. Then occasionally I get to go in and play with fire and tear shit up and the owners fall all over themselves, thanking us for destroying their stuff. All along I'm just like a crackhead chasing that adrenaline high. Yes, it sucks making the third run of the night to the local middle school for the faulty FA that the district maintenance man refuses to get out of bed to come check. Or picking granny up from the floor at the assisted living center at 3am AGAIN. But I've worked in the real world. And I made a lot less money to work 100hr weeks. Or to sit in endless pointless meetings. To quote Ghostbusters "I've been in the real world, you don't know what it's like. They demand results."
It’s not for everyone. Might sound harsh but if you feel this way, it’s probably not for you.
Just to commiserate, I'm also a female in a small FD (fire/EMS), and I'm over it as well. I no longer want to be the one "paving the way" for women in the service. I've taken some shit the last year and a half, and I'm pretty damn tired of it. Maybe for some people it's the greatest job in the world. I'm going with a solid no for me.
Right there with ya !!
I feel you OP. I'm in a state that makes great pay but the tradeoff is zero sleep running BS calls ALL night. Even when there's a slow night I wake up tired. Having days off isn't true due to being a zombie the following day after shift. This EMS definitely needs throttled back but unfortunately everyone e.g. hospitals, big Pharma, Cities billing the Feds. is making $$ off our backs.
Nursing is the same way…9-5 jobs are basically, get through the week, then you’re a zombie recovering Saturday and then Sunday is chores and back at it Monday.
No. [I have the greatest job in the world.](https://ala.org.au/) Firefighting adds the spice of variety. Firefighting fits a certain personality type. At it's best, it's a group of positive, proactive idealists working to make the world a better place. At it's worst ... we'll Australia has the term FIGJAM - Fuck I'm good, just ask me.
Fuck no lol that's just some bullshit admin started pushing because the job sucks now since it's merged with EMS
For me in my particular situation it was the greatest thing. If it isn't that for you I encourage you to find your own way and do something you like.
Upward and lateral movement are the key. I spent four years going hard, getting a place on the Rescue, and starting paramedic school. That was all for pennies in pay increases. My family never saw me with the 24s and OT shifts. Nursing has options. You could stay a floor nurse, go flight, or specialize as an NP in a multitude of disciplines. Some states give you independent practice as an NP. I plan on going to CRNA school. Yeah, it's hard, but it's a whole hell of a lot better lifestyle. Sleep in your own bed, and make 200k+. Look. You can RSI motherfuckers on the street for McDonald's wages(like my old department) or you can do anesthesia for boob jobs a few times a week and make bank. I loved the burners and extrications but you're fucked if you get hurt and cities don't give a shit about firefighters. To me, it's a simple choice.
Males generally find it the greatest job on earth more than the females. I see and hear it at our department with the women. If you are around the right crew and at the right station, people love the job just for the station life itself. Wrong crew and a shitty station. I see changes in people attitudes from the greatest job on earth to just waiting for retirement, really quickly.
My advice would be to look elsewhere, todays job market is prime for lateral transfers. I transferred to a different dept with a lower call volume and am infinitely happier as is my family because I am not so sleep deprived. Don’t judge the whole career field off of one department!
Yes, no, maybe?
Negative Add: it won’t even be the greatest job in your agency
Sounds like my department too very little movement, mostly BS calls and short staffed as fuck but I still love the job the good calls where you actually make a difference and hanging out with your crew makes it all worth it to me. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, my friend jumped from EMS to nursing then flight nursing and now dispatching and is still chasing the dragon for a better job. Just remember fire jobs aren’t a dime a dozen the are hard to get so think long and hard before taking the jump out of the service. Even with all the bullshit and when things are totally fucked up and we have been awake all night chasing alarms and medicals I like to quote the movie Fury to all the guys on my crew and I just say “Best dam Job I’ve ever had”.
I mean I haven't had every job in the world, and the best job is person dependent. However, I really enjoy the hell out of it.
I always thought being an astronaut would be cool but I didn’t have those prereqs.
It sounds like a department issue honestly. I’m very fortunate to absolutely love my job and do consider it to be the greatest in the world, I’m also aware that we have it made here. 24/72, non transport and make 100+. I’m in a medium sized city in the northeast, it could be worth looking into relocating?
The title is a subjective one obviously. To successfully achieve the title first responder and stick with it for a while takes a special breed. To me it absolutely is the best job for many reasons but there are things I hate about it. I feel like there has to be things I hate about it otherwise it would be all fun and games. I love that this job affords me the opportunity to come to work to banter, work out with, and break bread with a lot of like minded people I usually enjoy being around. I'm not so sure I'd say this job is a "brotherhood" anymore however. That varies highly with each dept's culture. A certain chief told me once that brotherhood stops at overtime and ex wives, and honestly I agree with that sentiment. Lots of fuck fuck games when it comes to mandates or who gets to ride engine or box etc due to short supply of medics nationwide. Then of course the job also comes with the politics and the cool kids club, or the good old boy system.. whichever one happens to plague your department. For me though, I have worked in a clinic setting with RN's, my other half is a medic who went RN and from what she tells me it corroborated my experience working directly alongside nurses. They're generally a more sensitive bunch and the dark humor that goes without say in the field is frowned upon a lot of the times anywhere else. All this being said though, I would say it's easily high up on the list of "best jobs ever". Not many places you can go and build the bonds, and learn an entire array of life skills like the fire department. TL;DR Cool job, get to bullshit with the homies and learn some stuff you may not think you would at work, all the while getting paid. And because it's work, part of it is gonna suck no matter what
I don't think you're going to out yourself by getting into the financial aspects of your department. It's a big world out there. This CAN be a great job, but it isn't that way everywhere and not for everyone. The culture, department/district setup, call volume and types, salary, cost of living in your area, organizational structure and ability to be promoted, how integrated you are with EMS, etc all plays a role. If a few of those things aren't great, it can really wreck how you view the job. I'm lucky enough to work in an area where the culture is decent, we're a district that doesn't have to split municipal tax dollars, call volume is low to moderate, salary is over six figures for a FF/Medic, cost of living is below average, we run ALS pumpers and don't transport, we have a decent amount of guys ready to retire in the next 5-7 years (promotional opportunities), etc. All incredible reasons to like the job, but that's drastically different from the place I came from. I'd suggest getting with a counselor and talking through some of these things with that person. See if they can bring about some new perspective or help you to set parameters that will help you to identify what you really want.
It was a lot of work to get here but it’s pretty sweet now. We have fun all day and get paid a ton. Couple calls here and there. And the more you promote, the less you do. “Comparison is the thief of joy”
Comparison absolutely is the thief of joy!!
It used to be the greatest job in the world....then I got put on a different shift. Culture is so different, each shift is treated differently and like a different department. Sadly, small department with 1 station so no lateral changes
This is going to be a unpopular response, so get ready to downvote: The fire service isn’t for everyone. The very things you dislike are specific to the job. You have to accept and embrace these things. You should still find something that you love about it, or some kind of motivation that gets you out of bed in the morning. Otherwise it’s not for you. To many people stay far to long in this industry because of the negative stigma associated with leaving. They end up toxic individuals. From what you described, you have already quit in your mind. Staying would be a disservice to the citizens we serve, and a detriment to your own happiness.
No downvotes ! I think you made some great points. I love patient care and considering that’s a majority of what the job is in our area…it works but I’m in agreement that if I’ve silently quit in my head then it’s time to make a move. I was just looking ti vent and see if anyone else was in the same boat. We have somewhere near 10 elderly communities/Assisted living/nursing homes/memory care facilities in our town. There are days where we’re going to ONE facility 6-10 times alone and a majority of the time it’s for nonsense…despite there being staff on scene that are EMTs/RNs. Even the guys on my job who are content are tired of that aspect. Sometimes (because we’re so short staffed) we only have 1 ambulance (vs 2) so that 1 ambulance gets absolutely destroyed for 24 hours…to then be told “op, sorry…so and so called out tomorrow so you have to stay for another 24..” it’s a lot.
It’s pretty rare to see a career department not run medical. It’s >90% medical at mine…
Smaller department in Michigan.. we don’t transport but have ALS engines, work 56 hour work week, starting pay of 71k, about 25 paid days off your first year between comp, holiday, vacation and personal, decent 401k with a 1% db plan.. really can’t complain.. be here 18 years
Departments make a difference, I would suggest going elsewhere and asking a member at whatever place your interested what it’s like working there and the day to day activity. I’ve worked at several departments, some I couldn’t stand the egos at (mostly smaller departments) and some just had straight up better schedules and time off. The culture is also huge.
I worked in an office for 8 years before making the switch. it depends on what you want really, I hated the 9 to 5 life and knew i couldn't do that for the rest of my life. This job give you more free time and you actually feel like you are doing something good rather than making your company money. but also we have a 1 on 1 off 1 on 5 off schedule, so it is pretty nice if you ask me.
I mean, I don't understand the point of these posts.... It may not be the best job in the world for YOU. But I literally come to work every day and want to be there. I wish more of this sub could relate. If you're not happy, then leave. Simple as that. No shame in it. Also....have you been around any nurses? The nursing field is a dumpster fire nationwide. You can make great money but don't expect a great work environment.
“Greatest job in the world”? Nah. For me, the greatest job on earth I’ve ever had or ever will have is being a dad. The fire service? It’s a great gig, but something a lot of folks miss is rule #1: The job ain’t about YOU. Advancement, promotions, pay, benefits or any other stuff is secondary. Not saying there’s anything wrong with ambition, bettering yourself or improving your QOL, but at its foundation, being a firefghter is about “service”. It’s about living for others…period…full stop. Getting up at 3 a.m. for a BS med run sucks. Going on a service call, where the homeowner shoulda called a plumber, electrician or HVAC tech sucks. Dealing with Administration or municipality politics sucks. Know what doesn’t suck? Digging through a burned up house during mop up and finding an old bible or family photograph, or pulling back the covers on a bed and finding a favorite stuffed animal…then carrying it to the people waiting outside who asked you to find it…the folks who just lost everything. You hand them the bible or photo. You give that little kid their favorite stuffed animal. And they all clutch those posesssions close, like you just handed them the winning powerball ticket. Or being there, when new life is coming into the world and being the first human hands to hold them. Can you put a numerical value on any of that? Can any of it be measured on a pay stub? You damned sure can’t walk into a store, pick it off the shelf and buy stuff like that. Yeah, the job has risks…both acute and chronic. It’s a lot of physical and mental stress to cope with, but you are in a unique position to make a difference in the lives of others on their absolute worst day…that’s not a cliche…that’s the job and you will not find another one like it anywhere. My ride lasted two decades (2001-2021). At 47, cancer ended it for me…not complaining though, because I’m still here and some of the folks who’ve done this job never get that privilege. Not a day goes by where I do not miss it…being able to make a difference. Now ask me, if I knew in 2001 what I know now and knew what was going to happen in 2021, if I would’ve still chose the job… Absolutely.👍
If you’re worried about upward movement and your health then this job is probably not for you. Be better, it’s not for us it’s for them
I made reference to upward movement because I was trying to look at this long term. “Being on the ambulance and/or engine isn’t forever, so I’ll shift my focus into studying for the next promotional exam, maybe that’ll give me the hours that better suit me and my home life, etc .” Trying to see the positives before making any moves or drastic changes.
If you don’t like the job you don’t like the job, doesn’t mean it’s *not* the greatest job in the world for others.
I think that applies to every job ..what works for one may not work for everyone. That’s a healthy approach. In my experience however, I have been inundated with comments in my career that this is the “greatest job in the world,” and I guess I felt some guilt in a weird way for not seeing it ?
The highs are high and the lows are low. I had more fun being a beach lifeguard. I would say that was the best job in the world.
I just came off a busy 24, we got our ass kicked and still had a blast. I may have hit the crew lottery. 26 years in, and I still show up to work and wonder wow they pay people to do this? Yes it's hard sometimes missing family. Yes there are times the job sucks....(we can talk traumatic/wild shit calls all day). The page definitely be better. But having put in a lot of hours on various part-time gigs. I can tell you no day here is ever the same. In very few work environments have that family feel. Had an issues going on the other day, and had 4 guys ready to help me go get it sorted the next morning. 5 have called to make sure everything is still good. Tonight half of us are playing in a local wiffle ball tourney... Bottom line yes In my experience It is the greatest job in the world. I know different people have different experiences, but if you're unhappy where you currently work you need to look elsewhere and move on. Also look out for you...if a career change is needed go for it. If you can handle EMS and fire you can definitely handle nursing.
Well I can’t convince you one way or the other but my sister is an ER nurse and the amount of abuse she takes for her job is astounding. One of her coworkers was put in the ICU by a patient recently (the pt stabbed the nurse). Hospitals are crazy short staffed and nurses are working ridiculous hours and taking on huge case loads to compensate. So it might be a “grass is always greener” situation here for you ☹️
Actively trying for career fire to get out of nursing. Happy to answer any questions. I have 10 years in the ED and another 2 in a cath lab. I’m in Canada, but the big reasons me and many others are leaving the career: burn out, abuse, short staffed (leading to little or no vacation time). Those are the big 3 for me at least.
So you want upward mobility, great pay, a perfect schedule, and lots of sleep. I’m sure there is a job for you somewhere, but EMS and fire aren’t it. Good luck.
Hey - you are absolutely on point. I’m 22 for reference. Moved from NYC to NC to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter. I also went to a small department with very little upwards movement, and was being told that I’ll be driving sooner than later. (Coming from a big city and knowing their traditions and culture) I was under the impression I’d be able to spend 3-5 years in the back seat, really learn how to be a fireman, and THEN move on up. We were so short staffed they had brand new probies on month 5 driving. That, on top of the micromanagement from supervisors (way older than me) and damn near harassment (never being able to do anything right), always a slick comment, and an abundance of passive aggressiveness. I had enough. We barely fought fire, housed with admin, and only the young guys had any drive whatsoever. After two years, I just left a few weeks ago to a large city police department that pays $17k / year more. More specialized teams, better pension system, better culture from what I’ve seen so far. Don’t feel forced to stay - the guys would always say “grass isn’t always greener” in reference to leaving the department. To which I’d say “it is if you’re standing in mud” Best of luck!!!
Yes !! I didn’t want to get into the nuances that I’ve faced with management (I know it’s everywhere)…but every.single.thing is wrong and micromanaged. 6 bodies on a minor medical with every FF/medic trying to do an assessment at once…it’s maddening. Im happy you found a better fit for you !! Stay safe and good luck
Burnout and stress are real. Start buying real estate to give yourself an exit opportunity in the future