The Longest Journey Of Becoming A Firefighter

Matthew E. Barnes was a firefighter who could be called many things including a hero, a friend, a husband, a father and even an angel. The story begins like many 9/11 stories do, with the planes being hijacked, he was one of the men working that day in the New York City Fire Department that would go into the World Trade Center, but would never come out. The 37-year old resident of Monroe, New York was a father to three boys and the husband to Ms. Susan Barnes; he would spend all his available time with his family, somehow slipping out of chores and such just to go fishing with his boys. Two years before the 9/11 he had saved two twins, Isabella and Jacob Kalodner from a fire in their mother, Linda Kalodner’s apartment, by climbing up a 100-foot aerial ladder to the 10th story to save the 6 week old twins.

Much like the firefighters in 911 (figure 1); many people would say that a firefighter’s health is very important. Life is a precious thing and before we sit around and let controlled burnings take control, we should protect the lives of those who protect us.

Firefighting has specific duties such as put out fires with specialized hoses and treat sick people and get them out of houses with burning buildings. It requires a lot of commitment and you will be forced to carry a person outside of a burning building and you must not be claustrophobic because you will be in a burning building with thick smoke trying to find somebody and you will get cramped by the smoke and debris. In this career this person need to be allowed to perform in the career with excellence and they need to be able to withstand heat and they need to be able to have the strength to be able to carry out a person in a burning building or any

Fire service personnel, regardless of rank have a duty to protect life and property from fire and other hazards. Other duties include carrying out risk assessments, enforcing fire legislation and educating the community. The fire fighters duties include attending emergency incidents, dealing with fires, flooding, chemical spillages, terrorist incidents and checking water hydrants. All members will need to be disciplined correctly to carry out every aspect of being a fire fighter.

Being a firefighter is everything to me; it’s my dream job. But why did I want to embark on a lifelong, rewarding journey as a fireman? Looking back, I realized that three things really intensified my love for firefighting and sparked my dreams to become a career firefighter. The first was a near fatal car accident that my grand mom was involved in. My next realization is simple - I love helping others and having the potential to do something positive for the community I serve. Finally, the excitement along with the adrenaline I have when I get to go on a call Is like no other feeling; there is no other feeling that I can compare it to.

This paper explores the different aspects in living a firefighter’s life. The topics that will be covered are the various types of technology when being a fireman, the different tactics you see on a day to day basis, the physical abilities one must be capable of, and the types of equipment used. The technology used today to help fight fires is extremely progressed and different than it was even just ten years ago. If it were not for these new inventions, communication would not be as easy and complex for any fire station. Firemen face different obstacles every day and have to be ready to jump right in with whatever the circumstance may be. Tactics such as

The probie should consider him-self or her-self a sponge with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. By the end of probation the firefighter needs to be a walking, talking encyclopedia of firefighter and fire service expertise. He must not only know the basics of firefighting, he expected to take it upon himself to know all the little details of all those basics that he has already or is learning about. He must learn about fire ground safety, tactics and operations. He must know every little detain about his apparatus and equipment. He should have a clear understanding of all ropes and knots, as well as how those ropes and knots can be used in certain rescue operations and tool

There are various examples of incidences where sleep deprivation has made 911 dispatchers issue wrong services and consequentially cause injuries or death to people needing the services. In one of the recent cases which happened in 2012, a 911 dispatcher in Maryland failed to order an ambulance despite the efforts of a woman who called to report her husband’s troubled breathing (Clarke). While the

I generally had a very active lifestyle. I did essentially everything a young child could dream of from baseball, football, riding dirt bikes, and building tree houses. I would get into anything and everything as a young boy, even into my early 20’s. Around the age of 16, I began to develop unexplainable back pain that would. I never considered anything of it since I worked at Turtles Moving Company in my extra time and was into a great deal of sports. When I was 17 I decided I wanted to become a firefighter. During my junior and senior years I went to Scarlet Oaks which is a vocational school. I attended classes and training for firefighting and ems. I landed a position directly after graduation. I have always had a physical was of life so having a physical demanding occupation would fit perfect into my life. After working with the fire department for some time I began to have more pain in my lower back and hips. After talking with multiple doctors, who all considered something different, my family doctor saw something in my x-rays. He then sent me to get more x-rays and tests. After a considerable measure of tests and hospital expenses, my doctor found out why I was having so much unexplainable torment. I had Ankylosing Spondylitis otherwise called A.S. for short. At this point when my doctor explained to me what A.S. was, I was lost. I did not realize what to do or where to seek help.

“Who you gonna call? Ghost Busters” (Brillstein & Reitman, 1984). In 1984, a very popular comedy movie “Ghostbusters” hit the big screen and this quote from the movie seemed to stick in everyone’s head. Today, the question that seems to be raised when there is a crisis or emergency situation is “Who you gonna call? The fire department”. In today’s society, the fire service has become the “catchall” for every kind of emergency. Do you agree? Fighting fire is still a big part of the fire service, “in 2015, every twenty-three seconds a fire department was responding to a fire” (NFPA (Ed.), 2015). However, the fire service has evolved from just “putting the wet stuff on the red stuff” mentality, to a profession of highly trained and skilled firefighters. Ever since the discovery of fire there has been a need for methods to manage it if, and when, it gets out of control. Throughout history, to keep up with the changing environment in which we live, civilization and the fire service have made numerous changes. With fewer fires, and more products being manufactured from plastics and other dangerous chemicals, the fire service must be vigilant in developing new methods to keep firefighters safe and justify their job while providing the most efficient service for the citizens.

The applicant’s life will not be affected much because they will only work 56 hours a week. According to http://learn.org a firefighter/ paramedics have 24 hour shifts, and they tend to only work 3 days of the week. Firefighter/ paramedics only work about 12 days in a whole month. This leaves them time to acquire a second job, which would also help with the money aspect. Only the station manager can make the hours, but you’re able to trade hours. The average rate of pay per hour is $21, but firefighters can have higher wages with longer amount of

I always saw fire is a mystical force of nature, one that shouldn't be bothered with, but embraced with admiration. Beautiful, passionate, determined. To dance with the flames is indeed dangerous. But the fear is to be embraced. Without it, there is no humanity. Without humanity, there can be no dreams. It burns a path to happiness and lights the way to clarity. Although the fire can bring peace and happiness, it has blinded me from my responsibilities and turn to be reckless.

Would you be willing to risk your life to go into a burning house to save someone you have never even met before? Firefighters face this possibility every day. The dedication, training, and pride of firefighters makes this career highly respected on many levels. Few people really have the true desire and makeup to be a firefighter, but those who do find the job challenging and rewarding. As a community, we should be grateful for these brave workers and their dedication.

Firefighting is a career that can make you feel proud and accomplished, and it is a career in which I have a lot of respect for. In order to be a firefighter you must be in shape, prepared, experienced, and ready to deal with your job emotionally as well as physically. I chose to be a firefighter because I want to be able to help others and make them feel safe to live in their communities.

Becoming a firefighter requires specific qualities such as strength, endurance, and bravery. Those who inspire to become a firefighter must devote their time and well being to those in crisis. A firefighter does not just hang around the station all day, instead you will have to field many calls. When you are not working you will have to be helping out around the station. The station does not just stay clean itself you will be assigned chores and duties you will have to follow. Being in physical shape is also a main part of being a firefighter.