Second Jobs?

[ScottTX]

Howdy,

I was just wondering if most firefighters have second jobs lined up for their time off? Is it recommended or just something out of personnel preference and the need for money? Lastly, what are some of the common second jobs?

Thank ya,
Scott

[RFRDxplorer]

Did you get my PM????

[ScottTX]

No sir, not yet atleast

[LRFPD60]

Well, around here most do it for neccesity of money. Firefighting is not a very high paying job, for the most part. Unless you have a sugar momma at home working as a doctor or lawyer or some other high paying job I would do it. Most guys on my department work for one of the EMS services around here, some do dispatch. Some guys even have their own business. It just depends on how you want to spend your off time and how much money your lifestyle warrants.

[RFRDxplorer]

No sir, not yet atleast


I will check on that and hopefully get back to you sometime today or tonight.

[kswartz79]

Our department is combination paid/volunteer. Our paid guys are drivers that staff the station from 7am-5pm and are full-time at various career departments. They only work for us 2 or 3 days a week, so it never interferes with their full-time jobs.

I'm not sure if that's a "common" second job, but that's what we do and it's a nice setup for both the department and the employees.

[KTorak]

I'd have to say that around here, one of the most popular jobs for those on the Volunteer Department is working for one of the EMS providers (Promedica mainly). We also have a firefighter who is a teacher and another one who is a lineman for Verizon. ...Just goes to show that you're other job doesn't have to be in the fire or medical field.

[CaptainGonzo]

A career firefighters work schedule allows for working a second job.

For some firefighters, it is an economic necessity, especially if they want their wives to be stay at home moms. For others, its for saving for retirement or for supporting hobbies, paying for vacations, college tuitions, etc.

On my FD, a few of us work at the State Fire Academy on a contracted per diem basis. We havea City Councilor, National Guardsmen, carpenters, electricans, a plumber, vinyl siding/window and trim installers, an auto body shop owner, heavy equipment operators, flooring specialists (hardwood or tile.. we have both!), a few firefighters who work in private EMS, landscapers, a trash disposal company co-owner, welders, a seal coating/parkling lot line painter and a roadside hot dog truck enterpreneur... just to name a few. Their talents have been used on the job many times.

Me? I work at the Fire Academy, have an automotive detailing venture and do free lance writing and reporting for a local newspaper.

[MarcusKspn]

I am a nurse looking to get on with a volunteer department. I hope to get some good experience, and also get in good shape so I can hopefully get on with a career department down the line. I would probably work nursing at the side (lots of 12 hour shifts avaliable) to keep up with money, especially during my Probie year.

[KeithA8]

I'm a part time mortgage broker and do it for play money. Some years the mortgage income out paces the fire income. And once in a while I general contract a house or 4 or 5.

[Dave1983]

Except for a few who are single and have no kids, every FF I know has a second job. Some two other jobs. Most of the wifes work as well (as far as I know). Only way to make ends meet. Cant live on Firefighters pay alone (at least not around here). :(

My second job is driving a "bus" for the county ambulance service. Not a bad job, and the pays decent. :)

[DennisTheMenace]

Ans sometimes the secondjob is the one riding the BRT. ;)

I have a lawyer friend whos firefighting gig is his "part-time second job". Folks covering him for his court days usually get free legal council as part of the swap.

[BrianB35]

All of us have primary jobs including our Chief. We have a city councilman, a retired engineer, EMTs, teachers, factory workers, etc as primary occupations. My primary job is being an engineer for Ford Motor Company. I am a gearhead and love what I do.

We are a paid on call department so the more you respond the more you make. I don't do it for the money, I do it to help others out because my family needed help a few years ago and this is my time to payback. I'm saving up the fire paychecks for a family trip later this year and as a buffer for our savings account.

[WaterbryVTfire]

I am a paid call FF, and just started a new job as an insurance adjuster in training. (Which incidently, if there any FF's in the metro Boston area reading this, send me a PM, I am looking for guys in that area.)
Its actually pretty cool, I have been to a few fires, where I come to work the next day, and I go right back to look to the scene again. Works pretty well, I know already the layout, what damage was caused by what (over haul v. fire, what the occupant did) etc...be surprised how many people try "blame" fire dept. for stuff, that they did.

[SafetyPro]

A lot of the paid guys around here do work second jobs, primarily in contracting-type professions. For example, a friend of mine who's a Captain with a neighboring department has a carpet installation business (he has guys who work for him who work even when he's on-duty) and my next door neighbor growing up was a painter on his off days. There's also a local guy who runs a business called "Off Duty Fireman Carpet Cleaning"...he did my neighbor's (retired FF) carpets recently.

Around here, the pay's pretty good, but for those with a family, the extra income is important.

[BD6413]

I too work full time at a combination department. We're paid an average salary for the area we serve. {18 of the 21 Volunteer companies in the county have fulltime staff mostly from 6am-6pm all seven days / suplimenting with part time staff after 6pm along with the mainstay of volunteers}

With the schedule I work {2 on 2 off 3 on 2 off 2 on 3 off} leaves me pretty much open for a second job{s} I pull occasional part time shifts at two of the other stations in the area which is a nice little side job. --

[PFDFIREDOG]

Electricians, Plumbers, Landscapers, State/City Fire Inspectors, any job you can schedule around your FF career, thats just a few that I know of what the Full Timers due on their days off.

1st Lt PFD
state of Vt

[columbusfire]

most medic's here made about 66 to 70 thousand last year...most medics seem not to work a part time job. The ff that are just ff/emt most of the made in the upper 50's last year. Some work, some don't, i myself work here and there just for play money. For the most put i enjoy all the free time i have.