A day in the life of a firefighter

We see them in their trucks, which flash by with sirens blaring, but what do firefighters do when they’re not rushing off toward an emergency?

Mike Demoff, a new member of GracePoint BIC (Ontario, Calif.) and a firefighter with Station 74 in Fontana, Calif., explains that while firefighters are at their “second home” (the station), they all take care of each other and help out with jobs there.

After arriving at the station, Mike collects his gear and puts it on the engine so it will be ready when the siren sounds. Next comes “pass down,” a time when the firefighters who are going home tell incoming firefighters about their prior shift

Mike then heads to the workout room at the station, as it is imperative that firefighters stay in good shape due to the strenuous physical demands of their work. After a workout and a shower, Mike helps clean the station and then with a station project, such as building maintenance.

Following lunch, all of the firefighters participate in training in order to their skills sharp. “You have to be a jack of all trades,” Mike explains. “I never stop learning. Every day I’ve learned something new.” The group works out again, eats dinner together, and plays cards to determine who will cook dinner the next night.

Of course, this daily routine is often interrupted by emergencies. “You never know what’s going to happen,” relates Mike. “The alarm goes off, and you have to be ready for anything.”