Calling all Fireman wives!!!

[Pooh's Pal]

My dad was a firefighter (or as they used to say-fireman) for 29 years in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts. He was even given a medal of honor once, as he had saved a little girl from a burning fire, while he was off duty!
He passed away over 14 years ago, and that little girl showed up at the wake, 12 years after, she remembered him and saw the obit in the paper! Our family thought that was so special.
The city had a fire truck there for the procession and a full military funeral(17 yrs in the Navy-WW2&KorenWar). He would of been so embarassed, but we were so proud of him. He is missed!

I remember going to the station when I was little and sitting on the truck, with the dalmation, Sparky! My dad drove the back end of the old hook and ladders. (He was called a Tillerman!)
Last time I was home visiting, my brother took me by my dad's old station, it is now a restaurant, complete with the pole! Not sure if he'd like that or not!

 

[Annie68]

What a wonderful thread!

My God bless & watch over these heros of ours!!!!

 

[Roemama1]

Pooh's Pal....I got teary eyed over your story about the little girl and your dad. How nice that was that she came to the wake! You must be so proud of him.

(there is just something about Dad's being FF). My dad has been one all my life and now MY little girl's dad is one, too. She thinks he is her hero, too. Actually my dad is the one that inspired by DH to be a FF. It started out when we were dating in HS and my DH would see my dad leave our house when the pager went off and say, "Where the heck is he going? It's dinner time, etc". MY DH thought he was NUTS!!! Well, look at him now.

Mad4mickey...I've never heard THEM called HYDRANT LIZARD before but I know what you mean. It seems like sometimes the firehouse is it's own soap opera with all the drama!!!

April 76...I have heard of the saying, when everyone else is running out...we run in. (I never really paid attention to this one before 911 but WOW is it so true!!!)

We actually had 2 firefighter's die 2 years ago in a house fire in another FD in our county. I remember hearing that fire call and hearing the call that there were 2 firefighters down. (Just got chills down my back...I remember just dropping down to my knees and praying for them) Here in our county there is a special "tone" for "everyone get out of the building". That one went off and then a few minutes later there was the same "sound" again which means there are firefighter's down and it was the scarriest noise I've ever heard!!! My dad was at that call!!!

I guess it takes a special "kind" to be a brave "nozzlehead" as my DH calls them.

 

[kdibattista]

My DH is a volunteer firefighter and has been since he was a teenager (he's 35 now)... he's also been serving as vice president of the company for the past 3 years. I'm very, very proud of him!!!!!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Another wife checking in..

My DH is a BC here in S Florida. He is on shift, so I have my few nights a week when it is "Girl's House" ( MY DD name for it ). He may go to a days position next year, I am hoping not. It is a lateral move position wise, but I won't have my nights alone...LOL!

We have a DD (6) and he has a DS (11)

HI!!!

 

[Roemama1]

Does this ever happen to anyone else...


We keep DH's scanner/pager running 24/7 so we hear all the calls. I really don't pay much attention unless it is HIS call but there have been many a time when my DD's have friends over and ask what that noise is and the funny thing is...I'm not even paying attention to it any more it's just habit, you know?

 

[Mad4Mickey]

How many of you girls love having the WHOLE bed to yourself when your DH is on shift me...me...me......

 

[slo]

Originally posted by Roemama1
Does this ever happen to anyone else...


We keep DH's scanner/pager running 24/7 so we hear all the calls. I really don't pay much attention unless it is HIS call but there have been many a time when my DD's have friends over and ask what that noise is and the funny thing is...I'm not even paying attention to it any more it's just habit, you know?

I totally understand what you are saying here. My DH has his pager that is attached to his hip at all times and then he has his seperate radio/scanner also. This scanner is on all the time. If the radio is not by him and he hears something going on in another town he will say to me "What did they say was going on in X town?" I just laugh and say "I don't know, I wasn't paying attention." I always "hear" it, but I do not always "listen" to it, if you know what I mean.

I mentioned in a previous post that my husband was at an apartment fire yesterday and I just want to say that he finally came home at 10:30pm and was completely exhausted and sore. One of our guys had to be taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation - scary -but he's fine now.

We are having family over today for dinner, it's a guarantee that he will get called out sometime during the course of their visit - I'm sure it will be dinner. My parents are so very proud of him though and never mind him having to go. In fact, my parents live in the same town as us, and if they hear sirens they often call to see what is going on.

My husband is an EMT also, so he gets called out for every medical call along with every fire related call - he's always on the go.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

I am the daughter (and granddaughter) of VFF. My dad's day job is as a part manger for a truck equipment installer, but firefighting is in his blood. He's been doing it since before I as born (I'll be 34) I'm very proud of the fact that he always gave his time to those in need.

My DGF passed away 10 years ago, he had a heart attack on scene . That was some funeral procession - fire equipment from all over the county lined a 1/4 mile.

It takes a special person to volunteer time. I'm appreciative of them and thank them for doing a fine job.

 

[BHFan25]

I love having the bed to myself during those shifts. DH is talking day shift & I'm thinking "ugh, there goes the bed" LOL

I used to listen to the radio all the time and you are right, soon you don't hear it at all. It is just background noise or something. I no longer do that though. I find for myself, I don't want to know because I'll worry more. I keep DH in my prayers throughout each shift and let God do my worrying for me. I also didn't want DD to get addicted to that thing either. She's a worrier.

 

[Roemama1]

Slo, Glad to hear that your DH came home safe. I find that I actually DO LISTEN to the scanner when they have a structure fire call. It's kind of a running joke though at my DH's firehouse that whenever DH is working/ out of the area....they get a structure fire. (You know how they LOVE the real thing!!!) MY DH has been to LOTS of "real" structure fires but seems lately he has missed a bunch and it's kind of comical that he ends up being not able to go. The guys kid him that ( "Jason has to work today so we'll have a structure."..LOL)

He is an EMT, too, and does ALL of the medical calls.

Mad4mickey, Well, my DH is volunteer but I can say I DO love the bed to myself. There have been nights where in the morning he'll say..."gee, I was at a call until 4:30 in the morning" and I don't even know that he was gone!!! (I must be extra tired those nights, yeah...that's my excuse, LOL)

 

[Roemama1]

Originally posted by iNTeNSeBLue98

My DGF passed away 10 years ago, he had a heart attack on scene . That was some funeral procession - fire equipment from all over the county lined a 1/4 mile.

How sad, I'm so sorry. I'm sure the funeral was amazing. You know how those guys are. They give their own a Royal send off. There's alot of tradition and honor in the FD. You should be proud of him!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Originally posted by Roemama1
How sad, I'm so sorry. I'm sure the funeral was amazing. You know how those guys are. They give their own a Royal send off. There's alot of tradition and honor in the FD. You should be proud of him!

Absolutely! You could equate the funeral to that of someone who's served in the military. It's something we will not forget.

I remember always having the scanner turned on It was background noise to us, until the pager was activated. If I had friends sleep over, they didn't "get" it. My brother and I used to recite the testing list each night when they ran through all of the companies in our Zone. We new the tones and waited with baited breath to hear our company called to battle.

We have a scanner now, but I can't stand to have it on and hear the chatter. DH is not involved with the FC. It's (the fire company) something I've put behind me - it's partly the reason my parents divorced after almost 20 years of marriage. Our rural co. has a few families that have been there since it started in the early '50s and the feuds , I don't miss them.

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I am off to bring the Lasagna dinner to the 12 men on my husbands shift . Seems it always works out this way when it is his turn to fix the supper. See you girls later tonight

Have fun while I am gone

 

[Roemama1]

Originally posted by Mad4Mickey
I am off to bring the Lasagna dinner to the 12 men on my husbands shift . Seems it always works out this way when it is his turn to fix the supper. See you girls later tonight

Have fun while I am gone

I haven't had the pleasure of having to do that yet. Maybe he needs some cooking lessons??? We'll try to hold down the fort while you're gone...

Hey, do those 12 guys all have nicknames? ...it seems like everyone at my DH's FD has a nickname. Is it like that everywhere?

 

[BHFan25]

Originally posted by Mad4Mickey
I am off to bring the Lasagna dinner to the 12 men on my husbands shift . Seems it always works out this way when it is his turn to fix the supper. See you girls later tonight

Have fun while I am gone

WHAT?! A fireman that can't cook?! DH loves to cook at the firehall. That is where he gets to eat all the stuff that I don't cook!


Nicknames? You bet. One guy is called Heathen (except they say it Heathren ) One guy is "Boy" and he is almost ready to retire and I don't know his first name , there is Fester because he looks like Uncle Fester and a lot of last names are used which also keeps me confused.

They are a tight knit bunch. Like brothers. (We have no women yet.)

 

[slo]

Originally posted by Roemama1
( "Jason has to work today so we'll have a structure."..LOL)

I laughed so hard when I saw this because whenever we go on vacation there is always a large structure fire that happens and the guys on our dept. tease my husband this way also. It's amazing that a group of men (firemen throughout the country) may not all know each other, but they are so amazingly the same. I always kinda of knew this, but until reading these posts I now know exactly how much.

 

[Lezah]

My DH has been a firefighter for 4 years now. It all started when he decided to join the Canadian Ski Patrol and learned extreme First Aid and CPR as well. He felt that medical assists were his calling as he had always wanted to be a Paramedic/Firefighter. This first aid training helped him to get on our VF. He is now a Captain (since January 04) and has been their Assistant Training Officer for years. He loves it and it is definately his calling. He has been trying to get on full time for years, but he doesn't test well as he freezes up. If he could just get to the interview stage he would be hired in a heartbeat because he is absolutely made to be a full-time firefighter. His full time job right now is as an assembly mechanic, but his real joy and love is the firefighting. I laughed reading about all the other wives who have the scanners going too. I don't have it on 24/7, but my son goes and runs and gets it as soon as Daddy's pager goes off so we can hear what the call is and how long he might be! I agree with all of you as well that there are special men who are born to be firefighters, but there are also the special women and children who stand behind them! My hubby was saying the other day, well you knew what you were getting into when you married a firefighter. I said, "Honey, when I married you you were a mechanic and never even mentioned being a firefighter!!!" Of course, I am soooo proud of him and support him in every way, even when his "breakfast" meetings go until way past lunch time and his calls send him out just as we were leaving to have some family time!! It is his dream and because of that it is our dream too! God Bless all our firefighters and give us wives the patience and love for them too!!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Traveling on vacations, my extended family would always torment my dad whenever they saw a firetruck.

 

[deedee67]

My husband is a lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department. He has been on the job for 15 years. Being a firefighter really defines who he is. I cannot imagine him doing anything else. Do I like when I have the bed to myself a couple of nights during the week? I sure do ~ but I thank God every time his tour is over and he walks in the door safely.