The Volunteer Fireman

Today we had a call for our dive team. Our department and another one from our county. We both took our dive equipment and members of our dive teams to a nearby city that has a paid full time Fire Department. They do not have a dive team.
Not to brag here, just to emphasis that as a Volunteer Fireman we can be called out to do, who knows what.  As a Volunteer Fireman we do all of the same things that the paid guys do, then some times we do what they do not.

To be a Volunteer Fireman can be a rewarding experience. Of Course not everyone is capable of doing it. As a Volunteer we do the same thing that the fulltime firefighters do; only we do not get paid to do it. There are some departments that have what they call Paid On Call members. Or POC’s. They do get a minimal pay for being on call. But they still do have fulltime jobs outside of the fire service. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against fulltime firemen. I have some good friends that are fulltime firemen. An interesting fact is that over 70% of all firefighters in the United States are Volunteers? Just because we do not get paid for what we do, does not mean that we do not have to perform the same way. A fire in a rural town burns the same way as if it was in a big city. Fires, accidents, broken legs, or even skinned knees will happen any were.

Most communities and rural districts have a Volunteer Fire Service. If you are interested, contact someone who is on the department and obtain an application. Most departments are happy to be getting new members. Being on a Volunteer Fire Department is not for everybody. Doing the job can be very labor intense. Physical fitness is a very important part of the service.

My opinion, to be a good Volunteer, either the fire service or helping out with your church, being dedicated to it is very important. I have always lived by the attitude that if you are going to do something, do it right. Now I know that not everybody can devote 100% of their time to this service. But you will only get out of it what you can put into it. Now unless there is nothing else to do, spending all of your time being a volunteer fireman probably is not going to work. Being good at what you do has a certain level of responsibility. Usually third on the list. 1. Family, 2. Work, and then 3. Fire Department.

The one thing that is important to your success, is the support from your family. Having your family’s support will really help. Being a Volunteer Fireman you have no idea when you are going to be called in action. It may be in the middle of the night, when you are at a birthday party for one of your children, or it could be on your anniversary.