| What makes a career firefighting an ultimate | | | | cut holes in the roof, deluge the home with water, |
| dream job? Passion! Doing what you love and | | | | drag huge hoses through the landscape and then |
| loving what you do. I love everything about | | | | we are thanked for coming." |
| firefighting. I love dragging and/or rolling fire hoses. | | | | A career firefighter is an ultimate dream job |
| I love climbing the enormous, truck mounted | | | | because there are clearly defined goals and |
| ladders. I love riding the engine, code three, lights | | | | objectives. You put the wet stuff on the red |
| and sirens down the highway. I love being the first | | | | (hot) stuff. You go in the structure and you put |
| one on the team making entry into a burning | | | | the fire out. It is not complicated, it is not political. |
| building, watching the fire build, then doing what I | | | | You are helping people in their very worst hours, |
| am trained to do and knocking the fire down. I | | | | when their home has burned down, when they |
| love wearing my turnouts (bunker gear) and | | | | have been in a car crash or when they are |
| helmet, wearing a heavy, air tank, and dragging a | | | | suffering an unexpected medical emergency. You |
| fire hose. | | | | are there for them when they call. What else can |
| What do I love about firefighting? I love returning | | | | you do as a career that would make such an |
| to the station, reloading the fire hose onto the | | | | impact? |
| engine. I love washing the engine. I love hand | | | | Why is firefighting my ultimate dream job? At the |
| drying the engine and making sure all the | | | | end of the day, I have worked hard, I earned my |
| equipment is secured, put away correctly and | | | | sore muscles, I helped someone who needed |
| ready to use on the next call. I love being hot, | | | | assistance and when my five year old son |
| sweaty, bruised and having tired muscles, because | | | | introduces me to his friends he says, with a |
| I feel like I earned them. | | | | puffed out chest, "This is my mom, she's a |
| The firefighters I know jokingly say, "we show | | | | firefighter! |
| up, in the middle of the night, break the windows, | | | | |