I’ve been a firefighter for 11 years now, and let me tell you, it’s a job unlike any other. Sure, there’s the obvious stuff, running into burning houses, trying to save lives…but there’s a whole other side to it that most people don’t see. It’s the bond, the camaraderie, the family that forms within the firehouse walls.
When I first started, I was the “new guy,” “the rookie.” I remember sitting at the table at Station 13 out in the bay area, listening to the older firefighters talk. It was like a whole different language. They’d dissect calls from the night before, who made a mistake, who left the kitchen a mess, who showed up late. It was all good natured ribbing, but as a newbie, I was a little intimidated. I wondered if I’d ever truly fit in.
What I didn’t realize then was that this banter, this constant joking, is a crucial part of what makes a firehouse work. It’s how we build trust, how we learn about each other, and how we become a family. It’s what makes us more than just a group of people who happen to wear the same uniform.
It’s all in good fun, and everyone knows they’ll be on the receiving end sooner or later. It’s a way of letting off steam in a high stress environment. We don’t take it personally, we know it’s just part of the culture. It’s our way of saying, “I see you, I know you, and I’ve got your back.”
But it’s not just about the jokes. It’s about the shared experiences, the late night dinners (or the dinners on the road, lol), the games of basketball in the bay, even just hanging around a fire on a cold night. It’s those moments, big and small, that forge the bonds that make us so close.
I remember one time another crew pulled a pretty good prank on us. We were out on a call, and when we got back, they had moved our entire table and chairs into the bay! (As you can see in the photo.) We were annoyed at first, but we couldn’t help but laugh. It’s stuff like that that makes this job fun, even when things get tough.
This kind of camaraderie is so important in firefighting. We rely on each other in life or death situations. We have to trust each other completely. We need to know how each other will react under pressure. This constant interaction, this teasing and joking, helps us understand each other on a deeper level. It builds the trust we need to do our jobs effectively.
At the end of the day, we’re more than just colleagues, we’re a family. We celebrate each other’s successes, we support each other through tough times, and we’re always there for each other, whether it’s on a scene or just hanging out at the station. We show love and affection in our own unique way through pranks, through shared meals, and through the constant banter that fills our days. It’s a special kind of bond. It’s what makes being a firefighter more than just a job.
