how far is your drive to work?

[hoselayer211]

hey guys,

I am a relatively new career firefighter and work in a city that it is hard to afford to live in on my salary. An alternative is to move across state lines for about an hour commute to the station every third day.

I was wondering if any other new firefighters are forced to commute to their respective cities from about an hour or so away. If so, is it easy to handle? or is it not worth it? I can afford a tiny run down house or condo in the city I work in, but nothing impressive. I want what most people want...a big house and a big yard!

Yes, I am allowed to live in another state even though I dont work in that state.

Thanks to all that post.

[jmcguffee]

I know many firefighters and medics that I work with that drive an hour or so every few days. Its not that bad. I have to drive an hour and a half every few days to my college for my Fire Science's degree and it's actually relaxing, just an easy drive. But i don't know about living across state lines. Thats up to what your dept. has to say and so on. Hope that helps.

[AZFF25]

Eight-tenths of a mile:) Takes about 2 minutes to get there.

[Geinandputitout]

25 minutes, used to drive 45 not bad at all. We have guys that drive in excess of 90 minutes each way.

[johnny46]

@20 minutes.

[BoxAlarm187]

30-35 minutes, depending on traffic.

We have some guys that live 1.5 hours away from thier assigned stations.

[firefiftyfive]

I drive about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes on average to get to the firehouse! About 55 miles door to door! It's not that bad, I get most of my thinking and relaxing done in that period + I like to listen to music and the commute is good for that too, unless I'm trying to get home on a friday afternoon at rush hour, then I'm usually muther efffin everyone!! Other than that its not to bad. As for living where you want to and getting a big house and a big yard, its very difficult! I am in the process now of trying to purchase a home/condo but I'm deffinitely not going to be getting something big! I just need something that I can afford with my minute pay from the city and minimal side work! I suggest you try the same; you have to start somewhere! Besides, with the market being down whatever you buy now you will probably be able to sell it at some point in the future for a good profit and then you can get a big house with a big yard. Just my opinion bro!!! Good Luck

[fireman4949]

For me, it's about 30 minutes, give or take.

We have had a few guys that drove up to 2-1/2 hours each way. That's the extreme though.

Most of our people live within about 45 minutes of their stations.

[Jhulsey318]

2 hrs here, its no big deal

[hoselayer211]

Thanks for the information guys, I was just curious.

stay safe

[BKDRAFT]

Takes me about five minutes to get to work. Some guys live about three hours away. It can be done. It's up to you if you want to drive that far. Another consideration is traffic flow.

[MH1390]

I live in Charlotte and we have a guy in my vollie department who is on the job in DC. Seems like a bit of a far commute i.m.o., but he has arranged his shift schedule and days-off in such a way that it seems to work out fine.

I think the biggest thing to consider is the type of department you are driving this distance to get to. Make sure they are paying you enough to make the gas prices not hurt quite as much.

[jdngfd]

I drive around 50min-hour one way everyday for my job now. I'm hoping to hear back this week that I won't have to make the trip everyday, at least after the academy.

[JonathanG]

My current department is about roughly 17 minutes away. Although I always seem to get there a bit quicker when there's a fire. ;)

[BCLepore]

I drive about an hour to get to work. I get to live in paradise and work in the ghetto. I wouldn't want to live any closer.

[BKDRAFT]

I drive about an hour to get to work. I get to live in paradise and work in the ghetto. I wouldn't want to live any closer.Live in Laguna Beach working in Long Beach? :p

[Catch22]

About an hour, a little more depending on which station I'm assigned to for that day.

My saving grace is that I have a buddy that lives in the same town I do and works the same shift I do, so we alternate days we drive and cut our fuel costs in half.

[PineyPower]

I'm a volunteer, but my station is only about 2 minutes down the road from my house. Depending on traffic and the rate of speed in which I am traveling responding the station for a call or just driving there the times can be different.

[Nozzleman141]

The fact that a single family home in Montgomery County, MD is well above the $500,000 mark, only about 8-10 % (around that) of our employees live in county. Most are scattered throughout MD, VA, WV, PA and some even further! With the extremly high house costs in MD, more and more brothers are moving across the Mason-Dixon and points west. But anyway my new drive is 60 miles or a little over an hour. But then again I leave at 430 and get to the house at 530 for early relief.

[firemonkey311]

I can make it to the station in about 3 minutes. Its a rough commute.

[nyckftbl]

No traffic...25 minutes. Traffic, up to an hour.

[BCLepore]

Backdraft,
You're close. I live in Dana Point

[Paddiegrunt]

Live in Huntington Beach, work in Carson 28 miles. 45 mins during the week, 30 mins on week ends

[Dave1983]

About 2 miles. :cool:

[Hexxus]

I live about 1.5 minutes from my station, and if I bust tail, I can be there in a lot less than that. Other then that, I may not be a Career FF, but I drive 105 miles one way to work. About 1hr 45min.

[dsadberry]

I'm a float so... Depending what house I get to go work at anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour and a half.

[arreferee32]

I live 2 blocks from my station. it is faster for me to walk then get in my car and drive

[NCalElias]

I really think I'm going to beat you all on this one. If I run, from my door to the engine is about 15 seconds. A walk, maybe about a minute. Hoorah for government housing.