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The Chicago Sun-Times published a compelling personal story from a firefighter in Chicago, sharing his journey and experiences on the job.
"I didn’t grow up in a neighborhood with firefighters. I didn’t know any. A guy I knew from high school had a father who was a lieutenant on the fire department, but it wasn’t until I saw they were hiring in 1995 that I even considered it. There were 35,000 applications, and around 25,000 showed up for the test. The odds were really slim."
"I was lucky enough to be called in the second class, which was a year later. I thought maybe I wouldn’t be thrown into real action right away, but no—once you're on the street, you're doing the job."
"The first few calls are always the most nerve-wracking. After that, you start to get comfortable. Even when adrenaline kicks in during a big call, you learn to push through and do what needs to be done."
"My first fire was pretty intense. We were a single-engine company, and I had been on the job for about three months. I started in a slower area, dealing with car accidents, train derailments, and medical emergencies. But I hadn’t seen my first real fire yet. Three months in, I finally got it. Flames, heavy smoke, and a single engine. We waited for another truck to ventilate before moving in."
"It was pitch black when we turned the corner, and all I saw was red. There was a lot of adrenaline, excitement, and pressure to perform. You don’t want to make mistakes, and you just want to get the job done. When it’s over, you feel like you’ve earned your paycheck."
"Sometimes you have good fires, and other times you come out exhausted, needing to step back and take a break. Every day you go home to your family is a good day."
"In 2002, I was at a high-rise fire. We forced entry on the 14th floor, and the wind was strong. It turned into a wind-driven fire that roared down the hallway. We had eight people on that landing, and I was at the front. When we opened the door, there was someone behind it. The fire came rushing in, and we had to abandon the floor to avoid more injuries. I ended up with second- and third-degree burns from my knees up on both legs. I needed skin grafts and was in the hospital for 10 days. That was definitely the worst day of my career."
"When I returned to work, the first fire after that was tough mentally. But I think it helped me in many ways. Now I’m more aware of danger signs, something I didn’t think about before."
"I’ve seen a lot of tragedy. People not making it, kids in bad situations, accidents, and drownings. In a way, you become desensitized to it. Before I was married and had kids, it didn’t hit me as hard. Now, with two young children, if I see a child in danger, it hits me differently."
"The first time I did CPR, I always asked if they made it. I was surprised when they didn’t. That’s part of the job. You can’t save everyone."
"I truly love coming to work. If you can do a job and not feel like it’s work, you’re living a good life."
Thanks, Dan.