Calling all Fireman wives!!!

[slo]

I am the wife of a volunteer fireman in our town. We have two DD's that are the ages of 5 1/2 yrs and 7 months.

During the day my DH is an Engineer and during the evenings, weekends, and his days off of work is when he is on call to be on the fire dept. We never know when he is going to have to go, and we never know how long he will be gone, but we are very proud of him. When I see him in his fireman uniform and seeing him drive that big firetruck it brings tears to my eyes because I know he is dedicating his life to helping others.

This thread is in honor of our spouses or loved ones to tell all of us about him/her and how they have dedicated their lives to helping others.

 

[Roemama1]

Hi Slo,

My DH is a VFF, also. He's been so for about 11 years. He's now a Captain in the department and loves it. Next year he may be an assistant chief.

His paid job is a manager of a supermarket but his one real "dream" is to become a paid firefighter, to do what he LOVES to do and get paid for it. He took the Civil Service test and got 100...so he's just waiting for them to hire.

I'm very proud of him for what he does but I have to say being a VFF wife takes a special breed, too.

I just wonder how come everytime we just get ready to sit down to dinner, he has a call....it's kind of funny.

MY DD's are 8 and 5 and they're very proud of their daddy, too.

Thanks for starting this thread!!!

 

[JVL1018]

My husband is an accountant-he is the asst controller of a commercial real estate firm..but his passion is for firefighting.

He has been a member of the volunteer fire dept for 12 years, is in his first year as Lieutenant right now(which means 2 more years as Lt, 3 as Capt, 2 as Deputy Chief, 1 as Chief--then I get him back. LOL)
It is sometimes very frustrating for me with 2 small kids at home to have him out at Captain's Class(every Friday) dept drills(1st Sunday of every month), BOFO meetings once a month, dept meetings once a quarter and company meetings once a month--plus calls and critiques of fires..and scary when I hear what he has to go through(went to a call and walked into a restaurant doused with gasoline and rigged with home made bombs this past Januray )
BUT he LOVES it & I couldn't be more proud of him. He has a lot of dedication, does alot of schooling and training..and best of all, he takes the kids to the fire house about once a week so I can have peace and quiet in the house.
My kids love it there, they are like 2 little mascots of the fire house and think being a firefighter is the coolest thing-my daughter tells me she's going to be a "firegirl" when she grows up...and my son is nuts for all things firefighter-related.

 

[Otto's Doll]

My DH is a VFF also. His "real" job is a Fuel Specialist in the Air Force, but his dream is to be a paid Firefighter one day. He usually drives a Rescue truck and has been doing this for 15 years. I am very proud of him, although not so fond of the pager going off at 3 AM!
God bless all our firefighters!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Not a fireman's wife, but a firefighter's dad here. Great thread, great reading about all these heros. So as to not bore many with writing my 'gushes' again, here are a few past links of threads I have posted over the past. Proud? Yep. Tears? Yep.

(I think these are in chronological reverse)

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=524222

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=414107

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=389527

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=261916

<center><IMG width=200 src=http://www.feuerwehr-langerfeld.de/rcid/firefighter_mickey.JPG> </center>


PS: Slo, are you coming to the Gino's DIS meet??

 

[mousefan]

The Fireman's Wife's Prayer

The table's set, the meal's prepared, our guests will soon arrive.

My husband once more disappears with a hope of keeping a child alive.

While waiting at home alone, our plans having gone awry,

My first impulse is merely to sit right down and cry.

But soon again I realize the importance of my life

When I agreed to take on the duties of being a fireman's wife.

While there are many drawbacks, I'll take them in my stride,

Knowing "My Daddy saved a life" our children can say with pride.

The gusting winds and raging flames may be his final fate.

But with God's help I can remain my fireman's faithful mate


Author Unknown

 

[Roemama1]

Mousfan...awesome poem. Love it.

Dan...that is awesome about your son. You seem so proud of him!!! That's awesome.

LEt's see..firefighting is in the blood here. my Dad, my brother, my DH, 3 of his cousins are all in the FD.

Speaking of the whistle going off around dinner...my DH was doing a "standby" at the station to cover another VFD that was having a banquet. He called me up because some of the other wives were there w/ kids and having BBQ...well, I get the kids dressed and ready and get up there and guess what...BANG!!! Another call!!! Never fails. That is why I'm back home again!!! Kinda funny how it always happens. Doesn't matter what is going on though, they just drop what they're doing and respond!

 

[Mad4Mickey]

Not that my "Tag" is true for me but I love saying it . You can tell I'm the proud wife of a . He has spent his whole adult life working as a Paramedic or a Fireman . Now he is doing both ,he started out in a Explorer program when he was 14. He used to be a volunteer and a paid FF. We are proud of him and I am happy for him because he is spending his life doing what he loves . How many people can say they have a "calling" in life and then get to do that for thier job ? To the girls whose DH want to be a paid FF .... SUPPORT ...SUPPORT...SUPPORT your men when they are testing . It will happen for them dont worry

Wishing all a Tagged day
Mishell

 

[kpgclark]

No one in my family has ever been a firefighter, but they are great heros! We support the local fire department and hope they are always safe. Great job folks, and thanks to the families that support them!

 

[FranP]

DH was a volunteer fireman in our town for many years, and went through the ranks to become Chief!!! He also spent about 15 years as a fire commissioner for this district (an elected official, whoopee!!!)!!!!! He is also an engineer and serves on the fire brigade at his place of employment!!!

Unfortunately, his job also required him to travel quite a bit (Spain, China, England, etc.) so he discontinued active duty as a firefighter a few years ago.

 

[April76]

DH began as a VFF and eventually became a career FF; over the 28 years he came through the ranks and retired as a Battalion Chief... he continues to work with a team that travels around the country to help departments improve their service.

Both the VFF's and professional FF's deserve so much praise -- they are very special people who have chosen to put their lives on the line for their communities.

(One of dh's favorite sayings..."we're the ones running INTO the building that everyone else is running OUT of...." )

 

[Mad4Mickey]

how many of wives got the saying "You go , We go " the 1st time they heard it ?? I didnt get it the 1st time . But I understand now

 

[slo]

I screwed up my post somehow. The next one is right

 

[slo]

I can honestly say that I understood it because the men on my DH's FD have the same type of bond as the men in Backdraft.

In fact, my husband is at an apartment fire as we speak. He was in the process of opening our pool when the tone came out as our FD needing to assist another towns FD with our "Tower" (for all of you that are familiar w/ firetrucks you will know what that is). Well, this truck is my husbands baby and there isn't a call for it's use that often. He ran out of the backyard so fast - tail wagging - and off he went. That was at 2:30 this afternoon. It is now 9:30 at night. When he comes home, he will be so tired, but he wouldn't of passed this up for the world.

This is the type of man my husband is and I'm sure all you wives can relate.

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I had never seen Backdraft before I dated my husband . I understand now but I sure didnt when he said it the 1st time.

Slo have you ever heard of Hydrant Lizards ? LOL

 

[slo]

No I have not - I wish my husband was here to ask.

He actually just called me and said they are leaving the scene. I told him to hurry and come home, but he said they have a lot of clean up to do and to not expect him home anytime soon .

So...what is a hydrant lizard??????????

 

[Otto's Doll]

I asked my DH and he didn't know either....

 

[BHFan25]

Married to a FF. He started out in the early eighties while in college. They send them up into the Smokies to fight forest fires. He then became a VFF w/ a rescue squad (which was a very busy, very demanding "job" and gave him tons of experience) and then hired on as a full time FF and became a paramedic too. He has worked at 4 different departments. The one he is at now is Y-12 Nuclear Plant in Oak Ridge. He doesn't get to fight too many fires working there and "yikes" if he ever does! But he is fianlly paid about 1/2 of what a firefighter should make. They are WAY underpaid IMHO. Of course, when people are VFF they risk their lives for free so...

My proudest moment was when he attended Smoke Diver's school in Jackson Miss. DH is a do it or die type of guy and I thought he would die getting through that. He set that school as a goal very early on in his FF career. Supposedly he was the first TN FF to ever complete it.

I agree about a FF spouse/SO. We are special, I think. There are a few jobs like FF, like police and what Snoopy's DH does as SS. (But he used to be a FF too) so, they are just people who need that kind of risk and thrill in their lives. Not me though. LOL

Love that prayer.Thanks for the thread. It is very nice.
To all want to be paid FF, good luck. A lot of politics and red tape to go through but when they love, they love it!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Not a wife...but my dad is a firemen..he has been since i was like 4 years old ,and im 19 now...im soo proud of him...my brother is 17 (almost 18) and also wants to be a firemen

 

[Mad4Mickey]

Hydrant Lizard is how we refer to the group of girls who only date fireman . They move from one to the other sometimes in the same city and they dont care if they are married . They are all called Hydrant Lizards because it is better then *****