Episode 027 - Tips to Surviving Your First Year as a Firefighter

We've recently had some "probies" come out of their 16-week fire academy and we’ve been able to put eyes on them and see their personalities come out.  While in the academy, everything was regimented for them and planned out.  Now, they’re having to adapt to their crew, adapt to the interruption of emergency calls coming in, and adapt to the emergency situation itself.  It can be overwhelming at times… They may have been confident in the academy, but now that they are on the trucks, shift work will provide them with an entirely different environment when it comes to getting along with their crew, being adaptable, and knowing when to relax, if ever. I’ve got some friends who just got the call to start an academy soon.  So, I’ve decided to dedicate this episode to those who are about to start an academy, are currently in one, or have just come out of one and may be looking for some guidance or advice on things they can keep in mind in order to help them manage the first impressions they leave and build bonds with their crew.