Where are the newbies?

[Rossco]

Don't be too bashfull to post in here newbies! Tell us what's been going on from the view of someone new. Where did you come from, and where do you think you're going?

[Spectre08]

Jonathan Lobb, from Dallas, Texas.

Going to air force basic training on October, then DoD fire academy in December.

In October 2006 I'll be taking the FDNY Open Comp. Civil Service Exam

Hopefully I'll have a job at the FDNY waiting for me in 2009 when my Air Force contract is up.

[craigsheets]

They are all out learning the equipment on their units and studying their Essentials Manual. Asking questions and learning all they can!!

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

..And while they are at it, they better be doing some housework too.

[Peetmoss]

Hey easy on us newbies :p

[EngCo29]

Not a newbie here but Sprectre good luck in 09'. :cool:

[FireAndy]

Still new to fire, but not to EMS. I am sure I will be posting here quite a bit :)

[Co11FireGal]

Where have all the newbies gone?!?!

I think my dept. has 'em all! And believe me, we have LOTS of work to do! :eek: :rolleyes: ;)

[JHR1985]

13 guys after me and I under 2 years but no longer a rookie. Hell, some days if staffing falls right, I senior firefighter level wise.... and thats sad

[txnfirefighter]

Hey guys I am just now learning all bout the fire service. I am actually in fire academy now. We started July 5 2005 and gradduate at the end of january. Everyone that sees me wearing my fire academy t-shirt asks me about school and tells me I am getting into a noble profession and asks me where I want to get hired on at, so I just tell them whoever will hire me. Recently I have been thinking about going over to Iraq. I was wondering if they only take people with experience. Everything I have read seems like they were all FF in a paid department here in the states somewhere first. I figured they wouldn't mind taking in fresh meat because we haven't worked anywhere and are not use to routine things yet. If anyone has any info to feed back I would appreciate it.

[Maverick9110E]

hey guys i joined back in december finished fire 1 june 17th. took pump operations last weekend and have graduation on friday night. ever since i joined the fire service i just cant get enough of it. im thinking more and more how much id love to make a carreer out of this. but where i live it would be hard cause there really arent any paid depts. nearby that i would be elligable to join (just with residency alone) and since jersey isnt proboard recognized yet i cant even move out of state without doing everything all over again.

[Scothew]

New guy to the fire scene as well in Oak Grove, AL. I've been around the station I am with for a few years now, but have just recently moved back to the area and have started volunteering full time. I am loving every minute of it so far.

I didnt even get to get a good complete training or practice runs in before I got to go on my first fire call. I stumbled my way through it though as I was only one of 3 that showed up the during the first 30min of the fire. Sadly, a waverunner, brand new mercedes, bass boat, and harley davidson that was all under a metal carport went up in smoke. It was all fully involved before we got the call though :(

[chrnea]

I am not a probie at my Vol. dept any longer, butI soon will be at my new fulltime dept in Oct.
The night of my first Fire meeting and acceptance into the dept just as roll call was beginning we were dispatched to a garage fire 4 blocks from the station. It was so exilerating (sp?) to watch the guys work on that fire. I didn't even have my gear yet so all I got to do was sit back and watch and oh yeah, roll a bunch of hose. I had been trained in firefighting in the Navy and was eager to get behind the nozzle again. I have had the bug ever since.

[justinco]

I'm here, BTW how do you change your title from guest to member?

[EngCo29]

You have to register as a free user on the forums,meaning less capabilities or register as a MemberZone Suscriber,pay and you have more capabilites and access to more things on firehouse.com

[variable1]

Rookie here!

Joined the beginning of this year, completed Fire 1 and our departments training, taking first responder, FAO, and hazmat operator starting this month. After I get first responder done, I plan on gong for EMT.

Loving every minute of it so far! Looking to get into a career department in the future.

[doughesson]

Me too.Been on two years,no longer considered a probie except when outside of earshot(I feel my ears burning)and am getting ready for the FF I skills test.Also this month(Sept)is fire school up in Louisville Ky,NIMS Training,and various mutual aid training during our regular training meetings.Gotta start EMT sometime soon.
The best thing is to train,train,train,and train some more,then pass on what you have learned.Even a newbie has some knowledge that his Captain can use to put a fire out of our misery.

Rookie here!

Joined the beginning of this year, completed Fire 1 and our departments training, taking first responder, FAO, and hazmat operator starting this month. After I get first responder done, I plan on gong for EMT.

Loving every minute of it so far! Looking to get into a career department in the future.

[WojoMan]

Rookie here as well,
currently in FFII acedemy which is going good.
other than that just getting alot of questioning and drilling (mostly goofing around) on where things are. it seems like some people want to talk to newbies and some dont want to have anything to do with us.

[Rossco]

That probably has nothing to do with being a newbie.

[FireGyrl]

new probie here from kansas. i'm an emt-b, have firefighter 1/ hazmat awareness and am almost finished with firefighter 2/ hazmat ops. i've just started with a career dept ( been a volunteer for a year now as a firefighter/emt on another dept ). i'm the first female to be on this dept (career ) as a ff/emt ever. about 8 years ago they had female emt's, but not firefighters. very excited about that. glad to be here. praying for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and especially for our brothers and sisters that are already down there and for our men and women that will respond as part of the nationwide call for help. God bless and be safe.

[fire909]

Started in january 05. FF1, Haz-Mat Awarness, working on my EMT-B. Going for full time and was looking for a fire science program in Colorado. Any advice.

[usafyyc]

I was wondering what any of you think about Training Division.com? I'm still active duty Air Force but when I get out I would like to have a lot of my initial training knocked out. If it's not all that great does anyone know of an on-line school that is better?

[reesncsa]

Hi everyone, I am new to the fire service and these forums. I have been hired on by the Des Moines Fire Dept. and start Drill School Tomorrow! I can't even describe how excited I am. It has been a dream for so long, and for it now to be becoming a reality is amazing. I don't know all of the specifics, but I belive that by the time we are placed in stations we will be EMT-Paramedic Specialists as well as have all of the FF I and FF II. I think there is also some HazMat and other specific training they plan on putting us through. I imagine that most of you have already experienced the excitement I am pressently enjoying. The folks in the dept. I already know just tell me "wait until drill school is over, then you will be excited". I don't know how I am going to sleep tonight. Normally it is my daughter that keeps me up :)

Have fun everyone, and stay safe.

My thoughts are with all of the folks along the gulf coast, and all of the families in NY and DC. God Bless

[Fowlplay]

DOD ,,,If I make it through the school,,,,,,I'll let ya know in April,06 how that went,,,,,,


I'm green as green can be,but I have the drive to get there

[paris04]

I am a 19 year old volunteer probie from Atlantic Canada. My probationary period will be ending soon, I really hope to stay on, my department is small but the guys are great.

[danhawkeye]

After hearing nothing for weeks from the local volly dept, I finally got my letter stating that I am a probationary member as of yesterday! Yay! I can't wait. Man, I've got a lot to learn.....

[chrnea]

After hearing nothing for weeks from the local volly dept, I finally got my letter stating that I am a probationary member as of yesterday! Yay! I can't wait. Man, I've got a lot to learn.....

congrats!! now get your butt to the staion probie... you've got trucks to wash....JK I will e a probie again in a little over two weeks. Had to get my lick in before I get my licks.

[danhawkeye]

congrats!! now get your butt to the staion probie... you've got trucks to wash....JK I will e a probie again in a little over two weeks. Had to get my lick in before I get my licks.

I'd be happy to wash trucks!

But they have a large rentable hall and I know I'm gonna do a lot of sweeping and mopping...

[chrnea]

hey at least you arent in the Navy. You could be swabbing the poop deck

[sleflar]

I am just starting my career. I have applied to our local volunteer program and will be working on my EMT-B next semester. I will be goign through the FF1 academy in January if all goes right. I look forward to joining the ranks of such a noble profession. Glad to be here.

[bosljeff]

I just got hired on at a paid call Fire Department. I am an EMT for TriMed Ambulance so I pull EMS shifts there and at the fire department while I am taking the FF I class.

I am ranked on the top 10 for Boise Fire Department which is basically waiting for an answer to their SAFER grant request. They get it, I get a job! The hiring process for that has been 2 years in February. I am about to snap; I can't wait any longer-I don't think I've waited for any one thing that long.

I would kill to do this for a living and would love to start in Boise!

Thanks for reading,
Jeff

[dneptun81]

I've been sitting at number one on the list for the local paid dept. for almost two years. They recieved their SAFER Grant Q's about 2 weeks ago The list expires in March '06. I check the AFG web page daily (Even though I know grants are only announced on Fridays). I've been in the volunteer ranks for three years and testing for about as long... the suspence is killing me! :o

[baileydonk]

Hi - New here. I've been with my volunteer department since June of 2004, and all my training until recently was given to me within my department. I have now begun the ROP Volunteer Firefighter Academy and I'm enjoying learning some extra things that have not been covered by my volunteer department (like last class I got to rapel and it was great!).

I have been called "our most enthusiastic volunteer". I think what I love about it so much is that for the first time in my life I have found something that is both challenging and purposeful. For the first time I'm learning something that it *really matters* that I do it right. Other than my full-time job (which I do right because someone is paying me to do it right), the other activities in my life are really just for fun - and fun's great, but hardly a higher calling.

I am not interested in becoming a career firefighter - mainly because I enjoy living alone and I always have at least a couple of dogs depending on me, so I can't be away from the house for days at a time. But I see myself being a volunteer for my department for a long time, and I really think that if I ever move part of my decision will be based on "is there a volunteer FD there?".

[doughesson]

Yes,you do have a lot to learn.Depending on what else clutters up your head with your"real"job and your life,it might take a while before things start to gell and you actually understand what is being discussed and recalling where everything is on the rig without having to think about it.
At least it was that way with me and I've been on two years now,so it can be done.
Just think before you say or do anything and if they let you go into a building,make sure that you are with someone more experienced(more than 2 days ahead of you please),that you are packed up correctly(if you smell smoke through your mask,you aren't)and that you go home after your shift or the fire is over.
That's what I think makes a successful run for my volunteer department.



After hearing nothing for weeks from the local volly dept, I finally got my letter stating that I am a probationary member as of yesterday! Yay! I can't wait. Man, I've got a lot to learn.....

[thomas15]

I started last November at my volly co. At first my training consisted of weekly company drills. In March of this year I took my first state fire course and as of this date I have 156 state fire class hours completed. Right now I'm in a structural burn class which is all I have left to take before I can take the state FF1 challange skills exam which I intend to take in November. It is not a requirement that I take anything other than HazMat awareness and first aid/CPR so anything above those 12 hours is optional. It is funny how some of the guys are supportive of me taking training classes and some think it is a waste of time, implying that I will never know as much as they do or they want to make sure that I understand that taking classes does not make the fire fighter.

I'm in a rural area and we have few structure fires. Mostly we respond to MVAs and car fires. Last week we had a mutual aid call for a structure and although I didn't make any big mistakes, I wish that I done better than I did. I can control the amount of formal training I receive but I can't do much about getting real life experience, I guess that will come in time.

I have enjoyed my time in the fire service, I don't know why I waited so long to start this. I intend to take more classes next year, hopefully the FF1 exam will go ok so that I can move beyond that and concentrate on rescue and fire fighting tactics.

Tom

[JBP854]

It must be nice for all of you who don't Have to become a FF/Paramedic. I just got hired in Florida and we have to become paramedic certified within 2 years or you get fired. Well Good luck to all of you who are working on emt.