A Day in the Life of a Fire Fighter

from FC 2019

The Winter Wonderland of Clemmons, NC

BY VONDA HENDERSON

Most of us have a fairly typical workday – we go to our jobs Monday through Friday, usually from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. We work an eight-hour day with an hour break for lunch and maybe a few 15-minute breaks throughout the day. Sound normal to you? Not if you’re a rst responder. Their day starts when they get to the re station by 7:00 am (usually by 6:30 am for most) and doesn’t end for 24 hours. While they may plan to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner, there’s no guarantee that that’s actually going to happen. They typically work 24 hours on and 48 hours off, completing nine to ten shifts each month.

Meet one of the rst responder teams who work at the Clemmons Fire Department station on James Street. Each team is comprised of six members who rely on each other in ways most of us cannot fathom. Mitchell Boles has three years on the job, Austin Laws has eight, Shane Moss has been a re ghter for 28 years, A. J. Burton has 19 years of service, Jamie Hofmann has 15, and Neil Hege has 28 years. That’s a combined total of over 100 years of re ghting experience – on one shift. All of the team started out as volunteer re ghters and transitioned into the formal training program.

The training doesn’t end once they earn their certi cations for re ghting,

HAZMAT, EMT, technical rescue, con ned spaces, or any other expertise they need.

No, training is part of their day – every day. On every shift, two to three hours is devoted to training. “To complete the core training takes about two years,” according to Shane. When asked if they’d ever considered any other type of work, to a man the answer was a resounding ‘No.’ As Shane shared, “This is a calling. We can’t see ourselves doing any other type of work.” The team members usually get to the re station starting around 6:30 am; all are onsite by 7:00 am. Most bring breakfast with them and eat while they receive a brie ng from the team going off shift.

Then it’s off to the Jerry Long Family YMCA for a workout. Since they’re on duty, they go in the re truck with all their gear in the event of a call. Staying physically t is critical for the work they do, as a stress reliever, and to be able to meet the required response time for emergency calls. Once a call comes in, the team must be geared up and be in the truck in one minute and ten seconds (70 seconds to get on their way). The turnout gear weighs about 45 pounds; add to that the equipment they carry, resulting in approximately 75 pounds each person carries.

Once back from the Y, it’s time to check equipment and ensure the trucks are set and ready to go. Training and testing occur all during a shift.

Lunchtime is generally food brought from home. They take turns cooking dinner and shop prior to coming on shift for whatever the dinner menu for the evening is.

Keep in mind that at any time during their shift an emergency call may come in for res, personal injuries, wrecks, or more. The teams at the James Station serve a 32 square mile area crossing into three counties. On average, the team responds to eight to ten emergency calls per shift. They must stay in a constant state of readiness, always listening to what’s being transmitted across the radio.

Free time (if there is any) is generally from 5:00 pm until bedtime, around 10:00 pm. It’s important to try to maintain a routine when possible.

This role requires a special type of person, dedicated to service, with a desire to help others. As members of the community, we depend on their abilities to do a job most could not imagine. The preliminary training, preparedness, and on-going training/skill enhancements are to ensure they’re ready when needed. What’s one thing we can do to help them when they’re headed to an emergency? Be aware of their sirens and pull off to the right to let them get to where they’re needed as safely as possible.

Their dedication to each other and their community is remarkable. Thank you for your service!

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