The Childhood Dream

Every man can remember when they were a boy wanting at some point in their life to be a fireman. Sliding the pole, riding on the big red fire truck racing through traffic, and getting there just in time to save the day. I have met a lot of adults who secretly deep inside wanted to ride the fire truck with the kids when it shows up at a birthday party. And why wouldn't you....after all when you were young they were one of the coolest things in the world....but As little boys grow, life starts taking shape and we tend to loose sight of the little dreams we had as children. For some boys it was an "army guy" others, a police officer, for me, it was a fireman.
  It wasn't until somewhere in my junior year of high school that I decided to give that dream a shot and joined the local volunteer fire department, Engine Company 13.  At the time, it seemed pretty cool and hey, why not at least Im doing something good, Little did I know that it would become not just a hobby, but a life style.
  For someone young and new in the fire service, or a "probie" (probationary fireman) as their called in the service, there is a lot to learn. From dispatch and radio communications, to LDH (large diameter hose) and SCBA's (self contained breathing apparatus). It doesn't take long to realize there is a whole lot more to it than just "put the wet stuff on the red stuff". So you study tool locations on the rigs,hang out at the station waiting for that fire whistle to blow, working on the rigs or what ever you can to help out. Then after you get a taste of firefighting and you decide that this is in fact what you want to do. It is at this point you accept the fact that at some point you are going to see first hand the worst life has to offer, only you have no idea exactly how bad that is, you know that there will be late nights followed by long days at work and you know that from here on out, there will be missed birthdays, missed anniversaries, missed holidays and a host of other important dates in your life that you will miss and never get back.  Basically, when you become a firefighter, you agree to give up part of your life that you haven't even lived yet.