Volunteer Firefighter

420God · May 9, 2016

Been thinking about becoming one. Anyone else do it? I guess there's like 120 hours of training plus refresher courses every few months. Was told they pay $10 an hour but I'm not doing it for the money.
Anyway, thoughts?

tangerinegreen555 · May 9, 2016

No $10/hr. here, free beer on Thursday nights though...plus you get to play with fire pits for practice...and after you're 60, you're promoted to directing traffic.

srh88 · May 9, 2016

420God said:
Been thinking about becoming one. Anyone else do it? I guess there's like 120 hours of training plus refresher courses every few months. Was told they pay $10 an hour but I'm not doing it for the money.
Anyway, thoughts?

you get a cool light for your car!.. i dont think id want to be one because id be hammered at like 3am, get the call for a fire and be like.. fuck it

tangerinegreen555 · May 9, 2016

srh88 said:
you get a cool light for your car!.. i dont think id want to be one because id be hammered at like 3am, get the call for a fire and be like.. fuck it

Oh yeah...we've been known to pull speeders over at night...no ticket, just make them piss themselves and drive on. Is that road trolling?

Singlemalt · May 9, 2016

I did it for a couple years 20 some odd years ago. Was kind of fun but it got old, esp cuz you can't pick out the calls you'll play to. I can drive heavy equip (Cats and such), I liked the earth moving and cutting firelines , etc. The night early morning stuff was for the shits, esp if you had alcohol on your breath, you'd get fined.

420God · May 9, 2016

I think they're offering the 10 an hour because there are so few able body men willing to help. Most of the current volunteers are in their 50s and not nearly as nimble as me. I've lived in this area for 20+ years and I want to do something to help the community.

cannabineer · May 9, 2016

Singlemalt said:
I did it for a couple years 20 some odd years ago. Was kind of fun but it got old, esp cuz you can't pick out the calls you'll play to. I can drive heavy equip (Cats and such), I liked the earth moving and cutting firelines , etc. The night early morning stuff was for the shits, esp if you had alcohol on your breath, you'd get fined.

Yah can't take a job that gets in the way of the serious shit like drinking!

But playing Tonka with the full size Diesels must have been a blast.

(But not enough of a blast to get in the way of the serious shit)

Singlemalt · May 9, 2016

cannabineer said:
Yah can't take a job that gets in the way of the serious shit like drinking!

But playing Tonka with the full size Diesels must have been a blast.

(But not enough of a blast to get in the way of the serious shit)

Indeed!

oldtimer54 · May 9, 2016

I live in a rural area. Without the volunteer firemen our homeowners insurance would be considerably more expensive.
And there is also a retirement for volunteers in our state. I don't believe they're compensated hourly. Most of the volunteers in our area go on to be city or county firefighters , law enforcement or EMT's. In my opinion they provide a valuable service especially in rural areas.

420God · May 9, 2016

Singlemalt said:
I did it for a couple years 20 some odd years ago. Was kind of fun but it got old, esp cuz you can't pick out the calls you'll play to. I can drive heavy equip (Cats and such), I liked the earth moving and cutting firelines , etc. The night early morning stuff was for the shits, esp if you had alcohol on your breath, you'd get fined.

The equipment is a good part of why I want to join, I'm already familiar with most of it and I know construction, supporting walls, electrical, plumbing, etc...

Singlemalt · May 9, 2016

We got paid $12/hr back then but just for actual time on the line. I got involved originally cuz we had a monster forest fire(national news big) and had a shortage drivers. Plenty of dozers and Cats but no operators and there was a call out on TV and radio for operators. A friend who was on my local vol co called me.

wascaptain · May 9, 2016

dont get me wrong sir....
but no way i would do it for free.
its always the working stiff that volunteer.
how many doctors and lawyers you ever met a volley ?
i was a pro and never met one in 25 years

hats off to you for wanting to help your fellow man!

420God · May 9, 2016

Last summer I watched a neighbor's house burn to ground because they couldn't get enough volunteers in time. :sad:

Singlemalt · May 9, 2016

oldtimer54 said:
I live in a rural area. Without the volunteer firemen our homeowners insurance would be considerably more expensive.
And there is also a retirement for volunteers in our state. I don't believe they're compensated hourly. Most of the volunteers in our area go on to be city or county firefighters , law enforcement or EMT's. In my opinion they provide a valuable service especially in rural areas.

Yep, me too. Rural living has lots of perks. I used to burn some of my fields and we'd call it a training day, they'd get paid and I'd donate my "pay" for beer and burgers after wards

420God · May 9, 2016

Singlemalt said:
Yep, me too. Rural living has lots of perks. I used to burn some of my fields and we'd call it a training day, they'd get paid and I'd donate my "pay" for beer and burgers after wards

That's the way it is here, very rural and most of the fires they deal with are controlled burns. Maybe one actual fire a year.

curious2garden · May 9, 2016

wascaptain said:
dont get me wrong sir....
but no way i would do it for free.
its always the working stiff that volunteer.
how many doctors and lawyers you ever met a volley ?
i was a pro and never met one in 25 years

hats off to you for wanting to help your fellow man!

Many physicians I knew and worked with volunteered. We sent an entire heart team to India every year and we did mission work in Mexico, Africa, Jamaica etc...... We saved supplies all year to support the mission drives.

Many donated time locally as well.

wascaptain · May 9, 2016

curious2garden said:
Many physicians I knew and worked with volunteered. We sent an entire heart team to India every year and we did mission work in Mexico, Africa, Jamaica etc...... We saved supplies all year to support the mission drives.

Many donated time locally as well.

i misspoke...i should have said firefighting.....

Singlemalt · May 9, 2016

CalFire has taken over most of the old volfire companies now days; so they are "professional". Now, they would charge a farmer to attend his field burning; and fine him if he did it on his own. But, they do have state o the art equipment now, not the old hand me down engines lol

Singlemalt · May 9, 2016

420God said:
Been thinking about becoming one. Anyone else do it? I guess there's like 120 hours of training plus refresher courses every few months. Was told they pay $10 an hour but I'm not doing it for the money.
Anyway, thoughts?

Typical TnT, we go off on tangents, lol. Yeah do it til you get tired of it; it will likely has a bunch of fun to it for awhile

curious2garden · May 9, 2016

Singlemalt said:
Typical TnT, we go off on tangents, lol. Yeah do it til you get tired of it; it will likely has a bunch of fun to it for awhile

Make some friends, add a skill, can't go wrong, great advice!

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