Is anyone here a fire fighter?

captmoto
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captmoto 6/20/2017 2:55pm
6/20/2017 2:55pm
rubarb wrote:
Lot of my friends from Huntington Beach I grew up with went the FF route. I strongly considered it at the time, but opted out after...
Lot of my friends from Huntington Beach I grew up with went the FF route. I strongly considered it at the time, but opted out after watching them struggle. One fried who's daddy was a big time fire chief in Orange County, well lets just say he ended up in Imperial county (f*** that!). I was like no thanks, not sure I want to live in some sh** hole forver. Not to mention all the horror stories of getting sued for performing a tracheotomy on people and breaking their jaw over saving their life.
If you break a jaw you fucked up bad. There are ways around a clenched jaw and no where in a paramedic or emt scope of practice is forcing a jaw advocated. When they get hypoxic enough they will relax and then you can manage the airway or manage through the nose. Tracheotomies? I'm not sure they're are done any more in the field. They were extremely rare when our department was in the pilot program. i think only 1 was done in 6 months.
I was willing to go anywhere to be a fireman and I worked with guys that came from all over, Tiny 1 station volunteers departments, cops. nurses, construction workers etc. If you really want to be a fireman you go anywhere and work your way back.
30 year SoCal paramedic.
captmoto
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captmoto 6/20/2017 2:59pm
6/20/2017 2:59pm
yzrider314 wrote:
I work in sales. M-F, 8-5 type gig. Definitely a far cry from police work.
Your in the stealth mode RK, I'm gonna rat you out. Evil
yzrider314
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yzrider314 6/20/2017 3:36pm
6/20/2017 3:36pm
yzrider314 wrote:
I work in sales. M-F, 8-5 type gig. Definitely a far cry from police work.
captmoto wrote:
Your in the stealth mode RK, I'm gonna rat you out. Evil
You would, hose dragger. Cool
Homey55
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Homey55 6/21/2017 8:26am
6/21/2017 8:26am
captmoto wrote:
If you break a jaw you fucked up bad. There are ways around a clenched jaw and no where in a paramedic or emt scope of...
If you break a jaw you fucked up bad. There are ways around a clenched jaw and no where in a paramedic or emt scope of practice is forcing a jaw advocated. When they get hypoxic enough they will relax and then you can manage the airway or manage through the nose. Tracheotomies? I'm not sure they're are done any more in the field. They were extremely rare when our department was in the pilot program. i think only 1 was done in 6 months.
I was willing to go anywhere to be a fireman and I worked with guys that came from all over, Tiny 1 station volunteers departments, cops. nurses, construction workers etc. If you really want to be a fireman you go anywhere and work your way back.
30 year SoCal paramedic.
Did you ever work in Gardena?

I did a ride-a-long with my dad there...1 day/night;

- Gang Fight - lady had trouble breathing/scared, everyone figured we'd be back later to clean up a bigger mess.
- Car crashed into a telephone pole - I sat in the back seat of the car holding an IV bag for the driver while they cut open the door. The engine of the car was where the gearshift should have been.
- Gang Fight (same place) - The gun shots woke me up before the fire alarm as it was 2 blocks away. 3 people shot, 1 dead. I rode to the hospital while they were working on the dead guy, my dad's friend pulls me into the ER to see the dead guy on a table with chest spreaders, Dr. is teaching students how to massage a heart...almost tossed my cookies.
- Got to drive the hook and ladder in a parking lot before I left.

Never want to do that job. It's not for everyone, and you see most people on their worst day, but the guys are awesome!

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captmoto
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captmoto 6/21/2017 8:51am
6/21/2017 8:51am
Homey55 wrote:
Did you ever work in Gardena? I did a ride-a-long with my dad there...1 day/night; - Gang Fight - lady had trouble breathing/scared, everyone figured we'd...
Did you ever work in Gardena?

I did a ride-a-long with my dad there...1 day/night;

- Gang Fight - lady had trouble breathing/scared, everyone figured we'd be back later to clean up a bigger mess.
- Car crashed into a telephone pole - I sat in the back seat of the car holding an IV bag for the driver while they cut open the door. The engine of the car was where the gearshift should have been.
- Gang Fight (same place) - The gun shots woke me up before the fire alarm as it was 2 blocks away. 3 people shot, 1 dead. I rode to the hospital while they were working on the dead guy, my dad's friend pulls me into the ER to see the dead guy on a table with chest spreaders, Dr. is teaching students how to massage a heart...almost tossed my cookies.
- Got to drive the hook and ladder in a parking lot before I left.

Never want to do that job. It's not for everyone, and you see most people on their worst day, but the guys are awesome!
No I never worked in Gardena. I worked most of my career in the San Gabriel Valley. Baldwin Park, El Monte, South El Monte and Pomona were all like that with Pomona being really crazy. In one night there were 6 shootings and stabbings going on within 15 minutes of each other with 5 dying.
PM me your dads name, maybe I know him.
c0ncEpT
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c0ncEpT 6/22/2017 7:37am
6/22/2017 7:37am Edited Date/Time 6/22/2017 7:38am
A have a ton of friends who are all full time Fire/Medic

Hardest part is finding a full time fire job is the market is very competitive (at least around here).

Pay is dependent on department. 2 of my buddys are on good departments. Pay is around 60-70K a year starting out with yearly raises and great benefits (pension, retiree heath care, ect). Max around 90K. You can break 100k if you're an officer.

Best part about the job is the fact that you work 10 days a month. Most use a work cycle like this (on, off, on, off,on, off, off, off, off. repeat). You work alternating 24's for 4 days followed by 4 days off in a row.

Most guys have part time side jobs as well.


Its a pretty good gig IMO

JustMX
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JustMX 6/23/2017 8:33am
6/23/2017 8:33am
Ebs wrote:
Here's what you do: Consider what you are naturally good at. What comes easy to you. Examine what career fields are in demand and pay well...
Here's what you do:

Consider what you are naturally good at. What comes easy to you.

Examine what career fields are in demand and pay well.

Figure out the jobs where those two intersect, and decide if any are something you could tolerate doing everday.


It's not the end all be all plan to life, but it's a good starting point. Even if it's not college, definitely persue something that results in some proof of education (license, certificate, apprenticeship program). It's just makes for an easier way to market youself.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wNYHoI47fw0

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