Firefighting as a career path

[ChristIsLord316]

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[Albion]

The firemen I know have a lot of pride in their profession. It is civic-minded, mercy-oriented, and respected. It is also physically demanding.

Even when they have down time at the station, they seem not to feel down. In fact, I have noticed that firefighters seem to want to tell the world that this is their calling. They put that logo of theirs on their mailboxes, stationery, etc, and are proud to wear the uniform.

Indeed, the movie Backdraft almost made me want to be a firefighter.

 

[dreadnought]

I am currently looking at career choices. I am considering firefighting as a career path. From a Christian perspective, is firefighting a good career choice? It it a noble thing to do as a Christian or is it just grunt work?

If your house was on fire, would you want the fire department there to put the fire out?

 

[JIMINZ]

I am currently looking at career choices. I am considering firefighting as a career path. From a Christian perspective, is firefighting a good career choice? It it a noble thing to do as a Christian or is it just grunt work?

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Your not looking down on all of the grunt workers of America are you?

Even being a grunt is a career, not everyone is qualified or capable of filling the position, whatever that grunt position might be.

Firefighting is in fact a noble career, but let it be known, there is a whole bunch of grunt work which goes along with it, it's not all saving babies, and dogs.

If your looking for a noble career, why not Missionary, oh there's grunt work there as well.

 

[TuxAme]

I studied firefighting for two years. It could be a great job for a Christian (or anyone), but it's very hard on your body. On top of the possibility of being killed in the line of duty, your cancer risk increases exponentially, and your joints are going to suffer. There's a lot of down time, and going from 0 (rest) to 60 (emergency) will be hard on your heart, too.

It's not really a career for someone wanting a family. People make it work, but there's jobs out there a lot more family-friendly in terms of time committment and scheduling.

You'll almost certainly have to study EMS, too- that'll probably take up more of your day than fighting fires. Keep that in mind.

 

[SarahsKnight]

I am currently looking at career choices. I am considering firefighting as a career path. From a Christian perspective, is firefighting a good career choice? It it a noble thing to do as a Christian or is it just grunt work?

I would think that firefighting is very much a good and noble career choice. And "grunt work" anyway can still be meaningful to God if you do it well and believe in it, I think. But in any event, would not God approve of a line of work where you are basically saving lives and people's homes and places of work? Or at least attempting to?

But I do agree with what @TuxAme just said; it is no doubt a very tiring and demanding job, so be prepared if you choose to follow through with it, with God's blessing.

 

[Llleopard]

I think the Will of God is more like a big path rather than a tiny bullseye. If there were, say, three different jobs you were interested in, and all of them were 'respectable' professions (ie not being a career white collar criminal, or a loan shark etc), then I think we are allowed to exercise our free will and common sense to choose the one that we like most, see the most potential for, suits our situation best, or possibly which one feels most noble and therefore you want to do it etc. Any of them would be within the 'will of God'. You don't have to hit the 'one' job that is the right one - there's room to move on the path.

 

[SarahsKnight]

I think the Will of God is more like a big path rather than a tiny bullseye. If there were, say, three different jobs you were interested in, and all of them were 'respectable' professions (ie not being a career white collar criminal, or a loan shark etc), then I think we are allowed to exercise our free will and common sense to choose the one that we like most, see the most potential for, suits our situation best, or possibly which one feels most noble and therefore you want to do it etc. Any of them would be within the 'will of God'. You don't have to hit the 'one' job that is the right one - there's room to move on the path.

I agree with this. I remember reading a book six or so years ago by James MacDonald about this very subject, when I was sick from Scrupulosity and thus especially wanted to try to "find God's will for my life", and in the book I remember James pretty much had this same sentiment, that God's will - apart from salvation, of course - for people's lives was likely more general rather than a specific dot on a map of infinite possibilities, from where you live, where you work, who you marry, etc. And I think he made a lot of sense there. I believe the book is called "The Way of Wisdom".

 

[ChristIsLord316]

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[TuxAme]

Did you ever work as a firefighter? Did you also train as a paramedic or just an EMT?

I didn't work as one. I just had to take firefighting to pass the class (I did this in high school). I was more interested in EMS.

I only studied at the EMT-B level (paramedic is a 1-2 year program on its own). That's most likely what you would have to do. If you take the classes on your own, it would benefit you to get your paramedic, though. That'll greatly help out your applications. If you apply to a fire department first and they sponsor your training, you'll only have to worry about whatever they give you.

 

[LoricaLady]

I am currently looking at career choices. I am considering firefighting as a career path. From a Christian perspective, is firefighting a good career choice? It it a noble thing to do as a Christian or is it just grunt work?

I think it is a noble thing. Aren't firefighters saving people's (sometimes even animals') lives and property? They risk their lives to do that. But the biggest question is whether or not the Father wants that career for you or maybe another. Only through prayer can you get that answer

 

[Sketcher]

Pulling people out of fires and giving them another chance to live is a very noble thing to do as a Christian. If you're strong enough to carry all that gear and if you want to risk your life and health to save others and if you don't mind being on call even in the middle of the night, it's worthy of your consideration.

 

[Bob Crowley]

I am currently looking at career choices. I am considering firefighting as a career path. From a Christian perspective, is firefighting a good career choice? It it a noble thing to do as a Christian or is it just grunt work?

There's nothing wrong with being a firefighter. They form one of the triumvirate of emergency services, the others being police and paramedic services.

As others have noted, it's hard on your body. I've got a brother in law who is a fire fighter (Australian version that is), and he studied to become a station superintendent and then a forensics investigator (determining the cause of fires for safety reviews, cause of death, arson, fraud, etc.). So you may find it worth your while to go a bit more into what's available down the track.

A lot of firefighters (in the local area anyway) have a trade behind them before they start - carpenter, electrician, mechanic - whatever. With the roster system they have here, a lot of them do other work on their days off. It also means they have something to fall back on when the work gets a bit too demanding in later years.

You won't be young forever. So you need to consider a parachute or two to make it easier to land when the going gets a bit tough.