What motivates you?

[Remember585 815]

ALS brings up good points about training in the fire service, how it should never end until your life does. It got me thinking. What is it that motivated you to get into the fire service, and what is it that keeps you going? Also, does anyone personally influence you to do it too?

I think - with some exceptions - most people are in it for the right reasons, and stay with it because they love to do it - paid or volunteer.

Let's hear what you got to say!

Here's my deal.

I am a fourth generation volunteer in the Croton FD. Over time, close to 3 dozen members of my family has either served or does serve in the emergency services. My Grandpa was a Chief 3 times in CFD. My Dad twice. I grew up having most of our family parties held at a firehouse - somewhere. I used to listen to the scanner and dream about being as awesome as all of them. Not to mention that so many of the guys in Croton are like an extended family to me. It has been beyond my imagination to be a part of the brotherhood. That's why I joined.

I am still big into this stuff because I can't imagine my life without it. One of these days I hope to get my fat a** in shape and to get on the job somewhere, anywhere. I continue to train and better myself for several reasons. First, the sadest one. I lost my Uncle to a house fire in 1997. I wasn't there so I don't know what happened. But I do know that I will always do what I do as long as I can to honor my Uncle, someone I still miss today. Second, I want to know as much as I can so I can share it to my members. Even after I am no longer an Officer, I will still share my training and experiences with them. Third, I know that training can save your life. It did for me! After going in to help a couple of my crew (a cousin and a good friend) I realized that what I knew about staying calm and getting my a** out (even in a bucket) makes a major difference. I still believe that if I went hysterical, I may not be bothering you all today. And lastly, I do what I do because I hope that one day, people will look back in time and remember me for being a mentor and a leader, not so much as a "Good Ol' Boy."

What inspires me is the guys that have been members of my Department, or others like it, that have put in 20, 30, 40 + years and continue to train and to respond! I also am impressed with career personnel that take the time to teach us dumb vollies, and, in rare instances, continue to take classes on their own time as well. That's the people I look up to.

Enough about me.....even I am sick of hearing myself!

Edited October 30, 2005 by Remember585

[JBE 328]

Public service is a family business. I grew up around it. My father was retired NYPD(Detective Sergeant 30 yrs). My grandfather was NYDOC for 25 plus. My Maternal Grandfather and a number of uncles on my mothers side worked for the NYCTA. My brother is FDNY EMS and I do what I do. Apparently we have some kinda distant relatives on my fathers side that are FDNY and NYPD. On one hand we have the tradition of service. I take a lot of pride in knowing something I did, or those that work for me did, may have made some sort of difference. Doing the right thing by someone, be it a civilian or an MOS, that's one of my sources of motivation. One of my other motivations lately is to try and fix what's broken with the job today. Coming up with ideas to make the job better for all parties involved.

[x635 4,066]

I love waking up and finding topics like this and the training one on the forum.....thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.

I never was really able to pinpoint what motivated me to get into the fire/ems service..........I've never wanted to do anything else but this, and can't imagine doing anything else at all. It all feels so natural for me to be doing. My father was a cop, my mother a nurse....so maybe that has something to do with it. I grew up in the Hartsdale Fire District, with the dream one day of becoming a career Hartsdale Firefighter. I've turned down jobs at other departments and even a job as a Greenburgh Police Officer....all with my desire to be a Hartsdale FF in mind. With some work and luck, I'm close to achieving my dream and 7 weeks to go...I am lucky to be a part of one of the best academy classes in the world that's giving me a great foundation to start from.

What motivates me with this job, as cliche' as it sounds.....simply, I like to help people. I like the challenge the job presents, the situations I get to intervene in with my fellow PFF's/FF's. I love the awesome people I get to work with and learn from. I love working as a team to accomplish something. I love to learn, the never-ending educational oppurtunities and potential this job offers is a great reward, especially when it can empower us so much more. I think it's unique that I have the oppurtunity to serve the community I grew up in. Most of all, what motivates me, whether we see it or not.....is the clear difference we make in peoples lives and the impact we can have each and every day we go to work. The significance we have in the communities we operate in is taken for granted by some, but not by me. I am blessed to have the oppurtunity to serve in the way and where I do.

I'm looking foward to my future in the fire service, and hope to be as great as the greats in this business.

Edited October 30, 2005 by x635

[JohnnyOV 2]

I joined the emergency services for numerous reasons. lol none of them had anything to do with Family involvment since I am the 1st generation FF in my family. It actually came about because of the way my town was turning out to be.

As much as no one belives me or any other student who goes / went to my school, but drugs were every where and I wanted nothing to do with that. You could walk down the halls durring class change and scream who got weed, coke ect ect and you'll hvae 8 guys surrounding you wanting you to buy it off them. ok so maybe screaming it was not going to happen, but you get the idea. And im not talking about a school in the big city, I'm talking about Yorktown High School. A school that was suposed to be in the subarbs away from drugs, viloence and all that other crap that is a bad influance was now quite rampent through out our school.

Anyways, I saw a sign in town that YVAC was looking for volunteers, so I signed up at the age of 15. Joined their youth group and the rest is history. I moved up through the ranks of lines officers in the Youth Group and eventually moved on the the VAC itself.

During my 17th year on this planet, I heard that YHFD just created a Junior Corps. So I went over to find out what that was about, and absolutely fell in love with it. Everything from riding on a fire truck to cutting people out of cars and preforming search and rescue in a burning building enfatuated me. And so a new truckie was born into an engine company . As a couple of months moved on, I realized that this is possibly what I wanted to do with the rest fo my life...but there was one problem, I had already applyed early desicion to Embry-Riddle for fight school and was accepted. And so the battle I have been fighting myself with over the last year and a half was born.

Luckly I was able to join the FD down here, Volusia County Fire Services. On the downside, I would have to take all of my classes again, since FL doesnt accept NY FF I. So just as of last week, I changed my status over to driver and once my classes are finished, ill become a driver for VCFS. Thats right, I'll be driving the fire engine at 19!

I think the main reason I have not stopped firefighting, is beacuse it is me. My friends are always pokeing fun at me every time I see a fire truck go by or how I get all happy at the sound of a federal siren . lol yesterday we went to an airshow and all I wanted to do was look at the ARFF trucks lol. So I think that firefighting is me and that is why I am so motivated to continue in this field, and hopefully, I'll never have to give it up!

Edited October 30, 2005 by EMSJunkie712

[Guest SQUADco119]

You know its funny everyone that isnt in the fire service( my family) always ask me why do u do it. Well its simple you get to ride a big loud red firetruck that u saw wipping down the road as a kid you get an adrenaline rush, you get to help people,you fight something most people are afraid of, you have a bond with brothers like no other but most important i think i was born for this stuff. What i mean is that i feel like god put me here to do this, firefighting its really one of the only things im good at. Like 585 said i cant imagine my life without it. Its almost sad i cant go a day wothout talking or thinking about something involving the firehouse/firefighting. Also im surrounded by a great bunch of guys who want to do the same exact thing as me fight fires and help people. I do have to say also the members in my company gave me alot of guidence and training/knowledge and showed me what its all about and to this day still do. Basically i feel like im alive when im im fighting a fire or just even talking to the guys about fires or firehouse stuff its almost like being in love but ofcourse guys i love my girlfriend more LOL. Its one thing to just exsist but to be alive is another i just dont want to exsist i wanna live and make a difference challenge myself accomplish hard goals and most importanly enjoy myself and thats what im doing. My father once told me find a job you love and youll never work again a day in your life and im finding that to be more true each day each time the pager goes off every drill etc. Even though im a vollie i consider it a second job hopefully piad someday but no matter what i will always be a firefighter.

[ajsbear 11]

I've been in the Fire Service for a long time, since I was 18 and yep, back then we did have essentials and once you took that you were considered "trained enough to go in." Today we know so much more. The equipment is much better, more technical and does take time to maintaine. YOu have to constantly up your skills. Practice practice practice. That's the name of the game. The more times you practice someting the better the chances when it comes time to doing it you'll get it right. Training should be constant. Not just weekly or monthly drills on what you know, or think you know but learn new skills. Your never too old or experienced. One thing I have noticed is even though its in the state book, none of the counties in the area list any refresher courses. I took my first class 30 years ago and while I have taken many classes, drilled etc, I know some of my skills just may have a little rust.

For you younger members, just soak up the classes, take whatever you can because you never know what will happen, what kind of alarm comes up and what to expect. I don't remember who said it in a post, ALS or Firecapt, but no 2 fires, no 2 auto accidents, Hazmat, spills etc are alike. Always try to keep one step ahead but the situations are always changing so the only thing you can do is train and like the Boy Scouts say "BE PREPAIRED."

[Guest Devil Dog]

Ive been in the Fire Service for a little over 2 1/2 years, i joined as a Junior Corps.

my grandfather was a part of the antique assosiation and her drove the old rigs durring parades. he probbably would have wanted me to join the police department, given he was an officer more than a firefighter. but i still followed his footsteps (or made an effort to) by becoming a United States Marine. i was motivated to join because i saw alot of brotherhood a comradery in the FD i saw that people looked up to us becase we are their almost solely for their protection. we rush in as they rush out of danger.

Ive alway wanted to do something with my life and it just seamed like the right thing to do

[ems-buff 81]

Well I’m pretty much brand new to whole EMS thing. I’ve only been involved with EMS for only 3 years. My motivation is two thing really. One is my parents unfortunately. I grew up with sick parents my dad already had 2 quadruple open heart surgery’s. Plus he’s a bladder cancer survivor. My mom had open heart surgery once and is also a breast cancer survivor. So unfortunately I grew up around hospital, doctors, and medications. Which really was that bad, but to a young kid it was trying at times. I was always festinated by emergency medicine. I always look out my door when every I heard a siren go by my house or I saw flashing lights.( yes I know I’m a buff) It was all so exciting for me though. My second motivation would be something that really got me and I would thing other people started in this field. That was 9/11. When I saw those towers fall something inside of me said I’ve got to do some thing . At the time I was only 15 so there where no ambulance cores that would be available to take me, but once I was 16 I join a volunteer ambulance core, and I’ve been doing that ever since. To me I think is good that I have training in certain emergency’s,. like for me I would like to think that if anything happen to my parents I would be there first and be properly train to help them and not go-( oh my god what do I do now). I mean it never hurts to know how to do CPR, or split a fx. Arm, or just help out if you know you can. To me that’s one of the best feeling in the world know that you made a somewhat difference in someone life. Whether it be: holding someone hand to the hospital to make them feel more comfortable, or doing compressions on a person . You are still trying to help that person in there time of need, and I love doing that. Anyways theses are the reason why I love doing what I do, and what keeps me motivated. And I’m glad to share it with you all

[DOC22 1]

I joined CFFD at 16 YO. MANY MANY YEARS ago. (1963) I was called a "junior fireman".

In those days the only things junior members could NOT do was hold office and drive apparatus. My brother was in, but that really had no influence. I just wanted to give something back to the community by helping others. As I went up through the ranks from Lieutenant thru Chief, I have no regrets although now I'm not as active as I was years ago.

[BIGRED1 71]

I have wanted to be a firemen since i was young. my grandfather was a vollie out in Long Island as well as in the navy and my father and his father were both service men in the armed forces, so serving ones community and country was kinda put in my head when i was growing up. i joined the department when a friend asked me to come to an inspection. he and his father were both members. at the inspection dinner they had a working call and just seeing them all jump up and leave sealed the deal for me. i have been on the vollie side for 5 years now and am on the top of the list for a paid job. i finished college with a business degree and have worked doing this and that but nothing grabs my mind like firefighting. i am not into wearing a suit and making money for a company that really does not reward me for my work. to think that some guys wake up every morning and take a train into the city, do there jobs, come home and thats it. they didn't really do anything to change the world or really help anyone. i like the in the fire service, you can hold your head up high knowing that your making a diffrence. it may not always be clear to you but you are. your actions can prevent a chain of events that lead to someone being hurt, or only losing there kitchen as appose to all there memories and belonings. you can travel the world and if you meet another firemen in a bar and you can buy him a drink and it is like he is one of the guys in your own station. it is family and it is trusting in one another. You know your are doing good. the money may not be there, but if you want to be rich, be a doctor.

i also like sounds fire trucks make

[irishfire2491 24]

I just remember when i was young around 5-16 years old hearing the pager go off in my dads room in the middle of the night or day and running down stairs to get in to the chief car with him to go on call playing with the lights and siren all the way to the call. Some good ones and some BS call but just doing that made me feeling like i was someone importain and helping out made all the differents to me. Now that i am older and able to do all of this on my own it feels so good to get out and help out at the firehouse and then go to the ambulance corp to go on ambulance calls to help people in need. Like (Remember585) said it comes to you by family my family grew up around it you become attached to it and when you can join you know most of what is needs to be done. I don't know where my life would be right now if i did not join the emergency service i am the Fire service and the EMS service at this time and i am in school for the criminal justice sevice at this time. All three emergency service is the best way to go.

Feel proud for what you do cause you are the one that makes all the difference in the world we live in today.

Stay safe every one and God Bless You.!!!!

Edited November 1, 2005 by irishfire2491