Just wondering if any of you out there know people that have quit a fulltime fire job for a fulltime police job. What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?
Many years ago, before I got on the department, there was a firefighter who switched sides to become a police officer. He ended up retiring on a medical.
There was a cop who took the civil service fire exam, passed and got appointed to my department, taking a leave of absence from the police. He fell off a roof at a structure fire and was injured. He decided to make the switch back to police work and left the department. He is now a detective sergeant with our PD.
Most cops I know would have loved to be firefighters, except they are afraid of heights!
"The education of a firefighter and the continued education of a firefighter is what makes "real" firefighters. Continuous skill development is the core of progressive firefighting. We learn by doing and doing it again and again, both on the training ground and the fireground."
Lt. Ray McCormack, FDNY
Most cops, when they're being honest, admit "I stood in the wrong line...", usually when they wander into the station at meal time, as they're digesting their fast food....
We have a member who was a Chicago cop for 12 years before coming on the job with us, mostly because he was living outside the city and thought he would get caught. He says you'd have to be an idiot to become a cop, especially nowadays.
just my .02
FFDennis L-1894
Northbrook IL F.D.
"my views are my own, not my employers"
Like we tell all the cops who come in the firehouse, if they had scored a little higher on the Civil Service exam, they could have become firefighters.
Hey, cops really eat Dunkin Doughnut bagels and drink cappiccinos now, its the 21st century.
Seriously, my agency is a "public safety" agency. We are cross trained as firefighter, either EMT or Medic, and as cops. It is very difficult top maintain your skills in both areas. To be honest, there is a definate difference between us firefighters and the cops.
Someone did once say that if you dug a hole and dropped everyone in, the firefighters would climb out.
By the way, I'm in the process of getting hired on with a real fire dept. I never got into the doughnut gig.
Bless all of our Fallen Brothers and Sisters. You will not be forgotten
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