Always a FF post - vs - Always an EMS

[gaelicfirefighter]

Here are my thoughts for what its worth.

I would say there is a diffrence and here's why. Firefighters experience immediate gratification more frequently than ems personnel. The house is on fire or the car was wrecked and we do our jobs and save the person immediately. EMS personnel dont always know what happened to the PT. Yes, EMS does save people (dont get me wrong) but I would say the ff's get more immediate and tangible gratification.

Also, there seems to be greater "burn out" with EMS profesionals. I cannot immagine being a medic here in Chicago for 30 years. We have them and it amazes me.

As a firefighter and as an EMT, when I retire I will remember good fires and saves I made. I will also remember the good times at the firehouse I doubt I will remember my EMS PT's. But then again I do not get very memorable calls. Im not a medic and don't get as much gratification as you medics. Its rare I actually save someone on the BLS ambo. So its not same same.

EMS does more runs and the calls become diluted I Think. They all run in together. I believe more EMS personnel walk away from the job and never look back. They have put their mind and body through so much that all they want to do is retire and forget all the chaos. Where as firemen will always talk about the great big one or their first real fire.

In most systems, there are more FF's than EMS. We have more time to get to know eachother. More time to bond and make more friends due to the larger number of ff's. I run with four other ff's. We are true brothers. You EMS personnel run with one other person an it usualy changes more frequently than on the fire side.

We have time to goof off around the firehouse. Most of my memories of the fire service have nothing to do with fires. Its jokes and pranks we pull on eachother. Firefighters have more of a brotherhood I think and therefore have a harder time forgetting and walking away.

Its an unwritten rule here in Chicago that you dont go back to the firehouse after you retire. Unless its a party for someone retiring or a yearly retirement luncheon. You always see old fireighters still having stickers on their cars and wearing ff stuff. You never see this with EMS. I dont know where you people go to die. You must be like elephants and all travel to some wierd remote place and fade away quietly.

So i do think there is a difference. However sad it is, its true. When my faher retired after 35 years of service to the CFD, we was lost and extremely sad. The firehose is the ultimate boys club. I love going to work. I get to the house 1.5 hours early as do most respectable firefighters. Some dogs still show up 15 min before shift change. He misses it soo much. It was such a huge part of his social life. All his friends and most of my firiends ar present and past firefighters. I just dont see this with the EMS field.

I will definitely miss the fire service. I will not miss the ambulance. But I'm a firefighter first and EMS second.

Those are my thoughts.

[CBEMT]

Words fail me.