Why I Want to Be a Firefighter

Being a Firefighter today is a demanding and dangerous job.

From mixed views of the profession from the public, all should respect what danger a firefighter faces day in and day out. Being a firefighter is more than just putting out fires. They have many more calls such as EMS and car accidents not including all the false calls. What possibly could drive this writer to risk his life day in and day out for people he doesn’t even know? Well this writer will be a future firefighter and this dream occurred in 3 stages of his life. Young boys dream about being a doctor, professional sports player, or being a astronaut.Ever since my mother gave birth to me I have had a toy model fire truck in my hand.

My grandfather and uncle are both firefighters so ever since I could comprehend things they always pushed my into the Whetstine family legacy of being a firefighter. So I can honestly say ever since I was a child I have dreamed of being a firefighter. The biggest step I have taken in my adolescence day to being a firefighter is constantly talking about it, drooling over the fire trucks when my grandfather or uncle took me to the fire station, or practicing putting out fires that I started out in the back yard with my dad’s garden hose.During my high school day is when I starting doing more research and interacting with the fire department more.

During my first two years of high school I started doing ride-alongs with Moline fire department. My Uncle really encouraged me to doing ride-alongs because he said this will really help you learn a lot more about the fire service. During the many ride alongs I did in these two years really showed me the activities of being a firefighter and how much good they do to help the public. I also learned the ranks of the fire department and learned a lot about how much room for growth and advancement there is.What also was very nice is how amazing the fire departments pension is.

The next two years of high school was really a turning point in my life. I started becoming more and more active in LeClaire’s volunteer fire department. I started doing probie work for them. Although I was not officially on their department, my grandfather encouraged me to attend their Tuesday night training sessions. I never missed one of them for 2 years.

I felt as if this was where my heart was and I loved doing firefighter work. My senior year of high school I started competing with LeClaire’s firefighters in water battles.After my first couple times I battled I got my butt kicked. I felt really down and felt like not doing them anymore.

But a couple of the guys in the fire department pulled me aside and gave me pointers and kind of picked me back up. I progressively started doing better and better in each competition I competed in. I realized how genuine people in the fire department are and realized not only was the job really good the people are amazing people too. Lastly the turning point of the rest of my life was set on a Thursday night the week before my baseball season started.

I was faced with a decision sitting at my kitchen table. My father wanted me to sign a letter of intent to a college. I had 8 college baseball offers in front of my ranging from NCAA Division 2, NCAA division 3, and Junior College offers along with 6 college soccer offers including a scholarship offer to play soccer at the University of North Carolina. None of this appealed to me I sat down and talked to my dad about how I would just be going to play sports and not school cause I don’t want to be an accountant or anything like that I want to be a firefighter.So the next day I contacted all the coaches and told them they had nothing to offer me so I decided to attend College for one reason, their Entry-Level Firefighter program. Lastly, attending Kirkwood Community College’s Entry level fire fighter program is the last on why I want to be a firefighter.

When I first came to Kirkwood’s fire program orientation I felt overwhelmed. I felt like it may be too much to handle. But as I settled down and spent a couple days going to my fire classes I felt as if this is my niche.I felt almost as if I should have been learning this my whole life.

I have so far, learned so much about the fire service that it is a eye opening experience, in a good way. After learning so much already in my first semester at Kirkwood it strengths my pursuit to be a firefighter. After being born I have been pushed into being a firefighter. But after much more research and ridelongs with fire departments it strengthened my pursuit so much more.

Though it is a dangerous profession, the feeling that you elped out someone you have never seen in your life on the worst day of theirs is by far much greater than the danger. As many people dream of being a professional athlete, my dream has been to become a firefighter. As many people pursuit to be a doctor because this dream of being a professional athlete expired, I can honestly say I feel like a kid in a candy shop because I still am pursing my dream to become a firefighter; and with the help of my college's finest firefighter instructors I will achieve my dream in the upcoming years.