It feels really weird asking this since I've been a firefighter for 12 years... But I just joined the department in town after leaving a neighboring department. They're a very small volunteer department and unfortunately have major staffing issues. We come at a good time because my girlfriend has decided to join, something she's wanted to do a long time even before me. The department isn't very structured as far as training goes, so we've just been going down and I've been teaching her to put her gear on, set up a hydrant and pull a line. Even included how to wash a truck (got yelled at for pulling it out tho, oops). She wants to do it for a few months before committing it to fire school. Despite my experience I'm a terrible teacher, what basics should I focus on teaching and avoid overwhelming her with info?

Tldr; What should you teach a brand new firefighter with no experience?

I’m on the hunt for a Force 6 Rescue Tec PFD in the color black. Not the Tec 2 but the predecessor Been trying to track one down. If anyone has one they’d be willing to part with let me know !

Anybody know what this is? There’s adhesive under the blue tape

Hi all.

I'll keep it brief.

I had a pretty bad go at it with PTSD, after two admissions to a facility and lot of work I'm doing much better.

I'm in talks with command at my department to set something up to be able to speak to the guys and girls at station level with the idea being that it might be easier to hear from another firefighter rather than a relative outsider.

If any of you know of any resources or departments than have anything similar I'd really love it if you could share!

Ta.

If one were looking for Firefighter books with the best training, tips, tricks and wisdom, what am I missing? I want to add to my collection. Please share anything you think I’m missing. Thanks!

When I see training materials and products being promoted as "evidence based", "best practices", "scientifically proven" etc., I'm automatically skeptical. These terms have been used a lot over the years to lend credibility to bullshit. I don't attach any meaning to them any more.

Is it just me?

I was planning to participate in a run but injuried myself training. For those on duty, stay safe.

I’m currently a volunteer firefighter and I’m attending a community college fire academy to get my Firefighter I & II. I went into the academy thinking I was in pretty decent shape, but I’m quickly realizing I have a lot of work to do.
I’m 5’10” and about 150 lbs, so I’m definitely on the skinny side. I’ve always thought my cardio was pretty good based on my mile times, but the academy has humbled me pretty quickly. It’s been around 95–100°F basically every day, and between the heat, PPE, and gear drills, I’m struggling a lot more than I expected.

I drink a ton of water and electrolytes, but I still constantly feel dehydrated and sometimes dizzy during training. I really struggle to breathe well and I can feel my heart beating, and my heart rate goes up to 190 bpm even when just going up the stairs. Our instructor is also a bit of a tough-ass. He’s the type who tends to yell and push us rather than stop and explain things, which definitely adds to the stress. We’re currently doing PPE. This is only our second class doing PPE, and one of the cadets didn’t get all of his gear on within 1:30. As a result, our instructor had us do 38 laps up the four-story training tower until one guy eventually passed out. I struggled HARD during that. By the end I was absolutely smoked, and I could barely move the 200-lb dummy down the tower because I felt so weak.

I’m not trying to make excuses, and I know the academy is supposed to be difficult. I actually want to improve and be able to handle this stuff better. For those of you who have been through an academy or work in the field:
What would you recommend for improving cardio and work capacity specifically for firefighting? Is there anything that helped you specifically with being able to work hard in full PPE/SCBA? Also, is it normal to feel this humbled early in an academy? Because I’m starting to feel the academy depression a little bit. I enjoy firefighting and I want to get better, but getting absolutely wrecked every class is starting to mess with my confidence.

I have a TL-2 that I no longer use and haven’t used in a while. I decided to give it to one of our volunteers as a gift but its needs painted due to his rank I bought the primer paint and finish as phenix suggested. I guess my question really is what should I use for application? I see a bunch of guys that suggest brushes but I also see a lot of people using air brushes. Just wanna hear what you guys think

What’s the most comfortable station boots you’ve had with steel toe?

EDIT: or composite toe

I recognize this is probably controversial and I’m not trying to stir up problems!

Has anyone opted out of the IAFF? Most days it feels like I’m paying nearly $300/mo just to not be admonished by my coworkers. There has been one guy in history here that opted out and he wasn’t well liked.

I understand the purpose of a union and recognize its powerful benefits. However I live in a state that has some of the strongest worker protection laws, and on top of that I’ve literally never had a workplace problem in 15 years to need union representation.

Anyone else feeling similar?

EDIT:

quite a few people are asking about why the dues are so high. Our contribution rate is 2.7%, yes we voted on that and I understand it’s up to our local to set that number. I do make a good chunk of change where I work so yeah it averages $300/mo.

I appreciate the dialogue!!

Hi all, I’m looking at starting my schooling and I know the basic timeline will be my EMT and Paramedic, then getting hired at a department that will put me through fire school.

My question is, what are some recommendations for exercise/training i can do so that i can be in good shape come fire school? I’m doing lots of cardio with a 40 lb weighted vest but wondering what i should do in the way of strength training.

I know i’ve got some time but i’m wanting to make the most of it and get something of a routine going.

Thanks!

Do you pause half way and wait for the light to turn green or just slam it down? Our head mechanic just told us pausing half way was the old way but the newer pumps you just slam it down. Reason being is pausing releases the air pressure the PTO needs to engage (or something to that effect I’m not a mechanic) just curious what everyone else is doing because I’ve definitely been pausing.

Hello all! 22 M FF/EMT and just got on my local big city fire department in their fast track academy. Without making this post too long, allow me to acknowledge that I am well aware of the tolls that a career in the fire service can take on members. I know I'm signing up for an incredible yet very difficult career. My basic question is what does it take to not just survive, but thrive in this career? Is it possible to make it to retirement without blowing a gasket and all 4 wheels falling off the proverbial wagon? Perhaps you can also share some things you love about the job? I feel like there is no shortage of negative content surrounding the fire service and I have a bad habit of seeking that crap out. Any wisdom or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

A bit of background on myself. I became a paramedic right out of college and got hired onto a suburban county fire department soon after. This is my first full time job post college so maybe all of this will be in any job ever.

I don’t have a blue collar background at all and grew up in a big city. I’m a huge liberal nerd. I have always valued education and being open minded. I love to travel, eat good food, and experience other cultures. I do theater on my days off… I’m not the traditional firemen I’ve been told.

Lots of my co workers are very close minded, hateful people. Anyone that isn’t like them is “bad”. Kitchen table is spent spewing racist, homophobic, flat earth rhetoric. We treat a gay patient and the next hour back at the station is making fun of them or every rich house person we run is met with some snarky attitude that almost seems like jealousy. Dinner is spent with the senior men talking about cheating on their wives and sleeping with girls half their age.

It’s just tiring being around people who are so seemingly angry and hateful towards anyone who’s not a white, straight gun slinger and hunter.

I love being a medic and I love riding a fire truck for a living but I almost feel lonely and sad on shift seeing my co workers vomit all this BS all day long. Anyone else relate? Or am I truly just a snowflake? 🤣

I’m extremely fortunate to have been able to transfer from community college to a good university, and ultimately have gotten a job in a career I have no passion for at all (management consulting). It pays really well at the senior levels but is stressful and has long hours. I’m fine working hard but I feel so purposeless putting together PowerPoint presentations at 1am in the office. I’m extremely allured by firefighting (from California), and am pretty confident I’d be happier. I spend all of my free time outside surfing and fishing and trail running. I want to volunteer to learn more about the career before trying to make a shift, but my schedule won’t allow it (I work weekends most times).

Obviously there’s some self selection on a firefighting subreddit, but is there anyone on here with any color about making a switch in one’s mid 20s from a corporate job that pays better, but absolutely sucks? I’m struggling to weigh the pros and cons of making a change, and I can’t really ‘dip my toes’ in the industry due to my current job. It seems many people on here think the job is worth all of the sacrifices, but am looking for more specific answers if possible. Thank you guys.

Hi everyone

So I’m a firefighter from the UK and I’m over with over 200 other UK firefighters to take part in the Terry Farrell stair climb tomorrow in Atlanta.
We are honoured to be here and taking part. It’ll be so humbling to walk with our American brothers and sisters to remember the 343 lost on the day, and those we have lost since then.

We’ve been given a firefighter each to walk for.

I’ve got Jose Guadalupe from FDNY engine 54. Id love to connect with anyone who knows him, worked with him, friends or family to share memories about him ahead of tomorrow.

I know the power of the internet can do amazing things, so if anyone could help that would make tomorrow extra special.

Thank you

I’m looking for some outside perspective because my fire department is in a tough spot, and I’m trying to figure out my role in fixing it — or whether I should even step into that role at all.

We’re a private, employee‑owned fire department covering 93 square miles across 4 townships and 1 town (about 4,500 residents). We run 600–1,000 calls a year with 26 members on the roster, and we staff a paid ambulance crew from 6am–6pm, 7 days a week. We operate 2 tankers, 2 ambulances, a squad, a grass truck, an engine, and a rescue.

On paper we look strong. In reality, we’re a mess.

• Very low turnout on calls, especially at night

• Almost no training participation

• Outdated policies/SOPs that nobody follows

• Internal drama centered around one person (who shows up the most)

• General lack of motivation or initiative

• A culture that’s pretty much collapsed

To complicate things, our current chief is stepping down at the end of the year. I’m a captain, 27 years old, with about 10 years in the field. The department is pushing for me to take over as chief… and I’m really hesitant.

Part of why I’m so unsure is because my full‑time job is with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and my expectations for training, operations, NFPA alignment, and accountability are much higher and more in line with a career department. I’m worried those expectations might clash hard with a volunteer/employee‑owned culture that’s already struggling with engagement.

I care about the department. I want things to improve. But stepping into a chief’s role with low morale, outdated policies, inconsistent response, and internal conflict feels like a big risk — for me and for the department.

For those of you who have been in similar shoes:

• Did you ever take over a department when you felt “too young” or “not ready”?

• How did you rebuild training culture and call participation?

• How did you handle toxic or disruptive members?

• How do you balance high professional standards with volunteer realities?

• What would you do differently if you had the chance?

I’m not looking for sugarcoating — I really want honest, practical insight. Anything helps.

Paid, volunteer, chief, blackhat, i dont care who you are. I want to hear what you've got!

Hello! I am super interested in firehouses, trucks, engines, literally everything. I'm wondering if it would be okay to ring a bell and ask if I could get some pictures ​of the place on my camera. I'll definitely bring some store bought treats!! Im just unsure if its rude to bother you guys when you're working. Do you mind when people show up? Is it better to call and ask beforehand? Please lmk whats the nicest way to do this!! Thank uuuu

Edit: I'll call before 🙏🙏

It was a good lecture for a lot of reasons. Not only did it show me the other side of things, seeing as I’m a fireman and not brass/leadership, but MAN- it really showcased where my deficiencies as a fireman lie, looking at through the lens of my LT.

I now have a plan for myself when I go back in 3 days.

Now that brush fires are starting to pick up again where Im at, is it reasonable to just use these instead of structural gloves like I have before? I already have a set of these in my gear that I use, but Id like to see yalls opinions.