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On
a 100-degree summer day with 80 percent humidity, painters set to
work removing old layers of paint from a big old house on the water
in Darien, Conn., as part of a renovation. The job was made more
difficult because of several layers of roofing. The combination
of the heat from the stripping gun and the weather started a fire
that burned for eight hours and destroyed everything, including
an attic full of antiques, despite the heroic efforts of firefighters
including Steve Palmer and Scott Barker. Fortunately, no one was
hurt.
Neither
Palmer nor Barker has ever helped get a cat out of a tree. But these
volunteer firefighting veterans have repeatedly battled one of the
most destructive forces in nature.
The
fire department in Darien, Conn., handles 10 to 15 structure fires
each year, including brush fires, house fires, and store fires.
In addition, the team responds to about 600 calls per year to provide
any emergency service not handled by the police. This includes car
accidents with injuries, rollovers (which can create hazards because
of spilled fluids), and accidents involving tankers. Each year the
team extricates 15 to 20 people from cars.
About
half of the calls are false alarms, including blunders with home
alarm systems.
Keeping
their day jobs
Between emergencies, the 50 active members of the department don't
stand around waiting in their fire gear. Like most smaller departments,
the Darien fire department is volunteer, so they've all got day
jobs. Palmer owns his own business in computer networking/consulting
for small businesses. This allows him to be available for calls
from the fire department as much as possible. He spends about half
of his time at each job.
Barker
works nights as a respiratory therapist, which complements the schedules
of the other firefighters. Other members of the staff are electricians,
plumbers, and custodians. A few professional firefighters from nearby
towns are stand-in members.
Seven
to ten staff are on hand for each routine call. In extreme situations,
the entire staff can be paged. Most firefighters can get away from
their jobs in an emergency.
Recent
regulation requires active firefighters to be at least 18 years
old and to go through proper training. Barker, 25, walked into the
local department on his 18th birthday and filled out an application.
Volunteer
status suits Barker fine, given the hazards. "Being a full-time
firefighter becomes extremely dangerous, not because the duties
are more challenging as a professional, but because they are just
doing them more," he said.
Palmer,
who started his firefighting career 16 years ago when he was in
high school, is also happy to be a volunteer. "I wanted to preserve
the enjoyment of it," he said. "The fact that it wasn't work made
it more appealing. Besides, you've got no chance of getting wealthy
as a firefighter."
Professional
firefighters working full time earn $34,000 per year on average,
with only a slight opportunity for growth. Palmer estimates that
he volunteers about 15 to 20 hours a week.
Weekly
training at the drill tower
Training for firefighting is a continuous process. The Darien department
offers basic firefighting training, which includes preparing for
motor vehicle accidents, basic first aid, and CPR. The volunteers
gather once a week to practice in the drill tower in sessions sometimes
led by the professionals. There the volunteers rehearse the skills
of placing ladders, handling hoses, extricating victims, repelling,
and other drills.
In
one grueling exercise, the team puts 25 gallons of flammable fuel
in a pit and lights it on fire. Barker said that, in addition to
the immense heat, this type of fire is difficult to combat because
water would only push the flames away, and the fire would engulf
anyone who got too close. Firefighters have been injured in such
drills.
The
department pays for accelerated training as encouragement to volunteers
to continue beyond the basics. State schools generally offer training
at national standards, with certification potential for Firefighter
I through III, Fire Officer, and Fire Instructor. Such training
programs are often stepping-stones for the younger volunteers who
want to move on to professional status.
Emotional
distance
A firefighter's unofficial training involves learning to dehumanize
emergencies. This lesson has helped Palmer cope with heartbreaking
scenarios, including a car-garage suicide attempt that was brutally
accelerated by an oil fire. Barker said the team handles a few fatalities
every year.
So
if you can keep your cool in emergencies, think about volunteer
firefighting...and dream on!
-
Leslie Tebbe, Salary.com contributor
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