Dealing with highschool kids?

[HOOK&LADDER]

DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A PROBLEM AT SCHOOL DEALING WITH OTHER KIDS THAT THINK THE FIREHOUSE IS FOR LOSERS. I DON'T WEAR ANYTHING THAT DEALS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO SCHOOL. ALL I HEAR IS WHY DO YOU GO TO THE FIREHOUSE? YOU HAVE NO LIFE? AND OTHER KINDS OF B.S.

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CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY

[e33]

<chuckles> I have to say I know what u mean. Its just the nature of the beast. Kids dont have any respect for firefighters and its not "cool" I guess. If u like it, do it F em if they dont appreciate it.

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The opinions and views expressed herin are solely mine and not on the behalf of any department or organization I belong to.

[Yellowengine]

People at my school don't seem to mind it, and for the most part they respect what we do for the community and they look up to us. Personally, I don't walk around school wearing dept. shirts every day of the week because I don't think it's professional. The people I know of who do just do it to show-off....which I think is dumb because that's when you may run into problems. As far as pagers and scanners go, use them ONLY for the sole purpose of being alerted of a call...don't walk around school or your friends with them "taped to your forehead" just to let the whole world know who you are. In conclusion, as long as you don't walk around school "with your turnout gear on", I don't think you will have much of a problem. Always remember...professional is the way to go. Not only will you earn greater respect, you will also create a possitive image for your department and who you represent.

[Brian Book]

I know what you mean, At my school all of us cadets get a lot of crap from other students because we are involved with the fire dept as cadets. But I dont worry because there is nothing else I would rather do. So hang in there. And dont listen to others stupid
comments.

Captain Brian Book
FFD CADET

[explorer36]

I agree. I haven't had anybody say anything lately but in the past there have been the few kids that will say something....I don't really let it bother me!

Joe
President
WHTFC Explorers http://www.voicenet.com/~dame/fire/

[NMFD33]

granted i goto a regional catholic school(shoot me please) there are a considerable amount of emergeny service people in my class. 5 EMT's and around 10 Junior f/f's. its a little hard when such a large number is all involved in such a thing

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Chris Kerrigan
ILiveInACage@aol.com
&lt;&gt;Junior Fire Fighter-NMFD Co.2
&lt;&gt;EMT-B-NMVAC
New Milford,NJ


"Species come and go, but the earth stands forever fast. All river runs towards the sea, but the sea is never full"-In Flames

[1627]

I have to say the people at my school aren't as bad as some of the people in your schools. Most of the people in our school have seen us in aaction or at the various activities the Dept. does and most people are cool with it but there are exceptions to every rule.

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Leon Bass
Jr. Firefighter
SWVFD Station 16

[KVFD#8]

My school is retarded b/c they don't allow me to wear my Minitor II in school. They won't even let me out if I know I have a run. I think that that is just stupid. It should be an excused absence. What are some of your school's policies?

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Wayne Hocking
KVFD#8

[OFD95]

KVFD#8 --- Well I think I speak for most students, that pagers are not allowed to be on during the school day. I also know that some departments do not allow juniors to carry pagers at school anyway. And dont forget, you are a JUNIOR!!! You should not be leaving school to handle a call. I know of departments that will pull your gear and place juniors on probation if they show up for a call during school hours. School is more important right now, so stay focused!

[Brian Wade II]

Ok Guys,
I am 21 and in college working on my fire science degree. I became a cadet at 12 and a senior at 18. When I was in school I didn't ever sprot my pager or dept shirts. People don't know what to think about it and that why they pick on it. If you want their respect and the respect of other ff's you will earn it. Go to every ff function and school. I took the ff 1 class at 13 you can do alot, to learn alot concentrait on that at school and at drills as well as at regional schools. If this is what you want to do, you have a long road ahead of you. PAY ATTENTION IN SCHOOL, and save the firefighting till after. I know it sucks but you'll realize like I have it was the smart thing to do. Beleive me Knowlege is power!!!

[This message has been edited by Brian Wade II (edited February 17, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Brian Wade II (edited February 17, 2000).]

[Justin Gershon]

Ya know what i have to say to those people is that where are you at 4:00 am putin the blue stuff on the red stuff. for a person to call a firefighter a "looser" or "gay" ahows a sign of inmaturity. I would die for any living person. that is how I feel and when a person turns around and bashes firefighters they make them selfs look dumb. I tell them about the 6 brother firefighters that died in Worcester. Now those men died fighting big red. I have respect for them.

Justin
Probie firefighter 248
Albany co NY
Altamont vol FD

[FF McDonald]

Guys,

Don't wear your pagers in school. You are there to learn- not to leave school for a fire. There will be plenty of fire to go around, don't worry about that.
Brian Wade was right- learn as much as you can about the Fire Service. Learn why the fire is acting the way it does- knowledge is power. The more educated you are about what you are doing, the better. That having been said-- do not mistake 'book knowledge' from hard earned experience. Don't worry about what people think about you, or what you are doing. The reason they are making fun of you is because they don't know much about it-- so they question it or mock it.
Don't worry- they'll appreciate you when they are standing on the front lawn of their property, watching their house burn.

You are the future of fire service. We need you-- study hard and do well in school.

Marc

[OCFireEXP]

i dont get any of that, because people i know think its cool! ive been on tv a couple times, and in the paper, and stuff like that, no one thinks fire fighters are "retarded" here. besides, if anyone did, my 6'5" and 278 pounds would beat the living piss out of them! (just kidding)

again, we are not in the business of running calls while we are in school. i dont condone such behavior. i wear my pager at school just because i can, but i would think twice about responding.

later all,
Joe

[wannabe-EMT]

We're specifically prohibited from riding calls except if cleared in a special situation by an officer. For that reason, and others, cadet's aren't even issued pagers. Furthermore, our policy is that cadets are not to be in station or at any department function during the hours that school is in session. As for shirts, I don't plan on wearing mine to school except if I have a department function immediately following school, or I was my typical self and forgot to put the clothes in the wash and have nothing else clean. http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

Learn all you can in high school. Nowadays, some departments are requiring college credits to be hired as a career firefighter. If you don't get your HS diploma, forget about making firefighting a career. Enjoy being young while you can, make the most of it, learn all you can in school. Don't blow the opportunity to hang with friends and be a "kid." You can't turn back the clock. Remember that.

Peace, and stay safe.

[dc45b]

When I joined some 3o years ago. Half of the guys in the senior class joined the station. We were very proud of it to. The kids in the school were very impress with us. I had a lot more girls then the rest did. Today, the kids don't like to do community work at the firehouse to much work. My son and his friends are members of stations. I haven't heard of any problems with other kids. I was in a lot of trouble in those days but the firehouse put me down the right path.

Mike
Marlboro VFD
Assistant Chief

[OCFireEXP]

278!?!?!
HOLY CRAP!!!! http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

serious typo!

228

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Joe Nassetta

-"I run through the gates of hell so you don't have to."

[FF McDonald]

Sure OCFireEXP --

I'll bet it was a typo!!

http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

Marc

[OCFireEXP]

dude- if it wasnt a typo, i couldnt fit in the jump seat! http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

later all,
Joe

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Joe Nassetta

-"I run through the gates of hell so you don't have to."

[jr.fire]

A lot of the kids in my school thinks it's pretty cool that myself and 4 others are in the FD. Some of them even ask how they can join and I tell them. I think that kids from school will want to join if they hear how much fun it is from thier friends that are in the dept.

[NJOUTLAW6]

I say screw them all because when there house is on fire and you show up to save there crumy stuff they will be wishin they never picked on u ever. thats a fact!! http://www.firehouse.com/forums/biggrin.gif

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Thomas

"I'm Going For ThE Hose!"
"Why We Always Last To Leave!!"

[Engine58]

Yea, I know what you mean...kids in my school ask me...WHY DO YOU HANG OUT AT THE FIREHOUSE OR FIRST AID SQUAD? I say, because its cool there,and I mention some of hte stuf we own..Big screen Tv, Video games etc...and they are like Oh cool can I join? and i go no because it involves more than just fun and games....But then you get the kids who dont really care and make fun of you anyway...OH GO PLAY WITH YOUR FIRETRUCKS and AMBUlANCES...yea but what do they do hang out on corners and go drinking places...but when they get so drunk and there parents call the first aid...and we show up and help them..the next day they wanna be your best friend cause you helped them out the night before..or when they are involved in a MVA and you patch them up and send them on tehre way...they think your the best thing since sliced bread...the best is when they see ya outside cleanin the firetrucks out side..I got even with a few kids...they kept passin comments to me...well we were drilling one day at the local park...and they said something to me..I turned a 1 3/4 line on them (FOG STREAM ONLY STRAIGHT STREAMS HURT) and then they never passed anymore comments... http://www.firehouse.com/forums/biggrin.gif http://www.firehouse.com/forums/tongue.gif So basically..as mentioned in a previous response...F-em theres alot of people who critisize us for the stuff we do..they just dont understand...but remember..we'll always be there when they need us...then for once hopefully they'll realize what we do this job for....

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Andrew
South Amboy, New Jersey
EMS Cadet in NJ
"EMTS DON'T DIE THEY JUST STABILIZE"

[nomad1085]

Well, that was never a problem in our school. When I was in High School (graduated last year), no one had a problem. In fact, most of them respected you for it. Its a shame your school is like that. They'll sing a different tune when you save their ass sometime.

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Control 2 to North Madison Fire and EMS, LETS GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!

[TM]

Well I am a year out of High School but what I can tell you is that we are lot more popular then the PD Explorers. We had a job fair at the school last year and we invited the boys from our station to coe down they brought there Paramedic unit on eht medics was our advisor he had people sawrming him asking him how they could become explorers, No one thinks to fondly of those PD boys, Mainly there kind of snobby

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Tim Macias
TMacias@Firehousemail.com
Engine 101

[cmjones]

I'm a Explorer at the Sheriff's Office and A Junior Firefighter

I've never had a problem with me being a Jr. Firefighter, most of my classmates think its cool but on the other hand some kids ask me if I am the police since they have seen me at events with the sheriff's office. I explain to them what the explorer program is about and stuff and they don't usually say anymore about it.

We are also not allowed to carry pagers in school. Fire Pagers, Numeric Pagers, Phones or anything that will cause a disruption. Like others have said there isnt any reason to leave your education behind just to go to a fire.

[This message has been edited by cmjones (edited 11-17-2000).]

[This message has been edited by cmjones (edited 11-17-2000).]

[Tristin]

you guys are all talking about wearing pagers to school i think that it is okay to have a pager but just dont use it in class i never had problems about people buging me about fire explorers but of course i live in a small town with 4 explorer posts so most people know who explorers are and that we are just there to learn. but there is one guy that is in my explorer post that brings his scanner to school and walks around all day listening to it when he does everyone picks on him so if you dont want to be picked on just dont do it at school

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Tristin
Orcutt Fire Department
Explorer post 2335

[URSULAFORHAN]

Tristan,

On my department he would be called a "turnout boy"-someone who wears his gear,or pager,or badge EVERYWHERE.I mean, its one thing to wear your uniform pants to school when you've got duty after school,but the pager on all the time is just silly.I do know how you all feel BIG TIME!!! I have these required freshmen courses I have to take (one semester of computers and one semester of health)and I SWEAR the guidance counseler put me with THE MOST immature kids in the school.
Luckily, I have a few friends in there with me, but we don't get to sit together any more.

Althea Forhan
web address has changed: dragon12slayer@hotmail.com

[FIREGROZ]

fo'get about em, if they are too ignorant too understand that you put your life on the line every time those tones drop they ain't worth it. They will be singing a different tune when they need help and you come rollin up on scene. I remember that happened to one kid that bothered me, it looked like he craped his pants' when I got out of the truck. There is another kid that was like why do you volunteer at the fire house so I told him why. Then I asked him what he does all the time, he was like get laid. Now I am all for gettin laid, but I will be laughing my butt off. When he has warts all over is gonads, or some other STD. Cause he couldn't think of something better to do other than get laid.

Stay in, Learn more, be safe

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Mike G.
Jr. FF Sta. 38

[Tristin]

Originally posted by URSULAFORHAN:
I have these required freshmen courses I have to take (one semester of computers and one semester of health)and I SWEAR the guidance counseler put me with THE MOST immature kids in the school.

i have a question arent all freshmen immature i know i was one at one point but im not any more (thank god)



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Tristin
Orcutt Fire Department
Explorer post 2335

[Engine58]

Sorry there buddy, I was a freshmen once also and I WASNT Immature..Even though a majority of the freshmen seemed immature theres always quite a few that arent...

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Andrew
South Amboy, New Jersey
EMS Cadet in NJ
"EMTS DON'T DIE THEY JUST STABILIZE"

[Firefighter2197]

I agree with all of the people who said stay focused in school
I am one year out of school (class of 2000)
and I was the only cadat in the school
all of my friends thought it was coll
but you should have seen the look I got when
I got of the engine at a call and it was some dweeeb that had rigged on me that had wrecked or something like that
It was so funny
and it still happens to dqay
when I gewt off the engine and it is some one I geraduated with
stay safe and have fun
be cool
2197

[RDWFIRE]

Our cadets are NOT losers, and anyone who thinks they are is just plain WRONG!!! Most of you have the right idea. School is the most important thing in your lives at this point. I am an "old fart", but I work with our cadets as often as possible. Our cadets are not to respond from school, or have their pagers on at school. Our cadets are a valuable asset to us and we like seeing them at calls, but they know that during school hours we had better not see them on scene. A couple of them spend many after school hours at the station, and we think that is great, as long as the homework gets done!

Be safe. The dragon lurks!!!


[This message has been edited by RDWFIRE (edited 11-26-2000).]

[Engineer64]

I have been called everything in the book from KIDS at school. I emphasize the word kid because that's all they act like. They moch what they don't understand. Most are too self absorbed so realize that there are people who give a damn about the community, people that want to make a difference.

If kids in school are so immature to realize that you're doing the community a favor, then so be it. Next time they put you down for being involved in the emergency services, ask them what kind of REAL difference do they make in a person's life. Let them know that football doesn't put fire out and basketball doesn't save lives.

[This message has been edited by Engineer64 (edited 12-02-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Engineer64 (edited 12-02-2000).]