monocular firemen

[Wes]

I recently lost my eye to a non-work related injury. I am interested in talking with other one-eyed firemen about their experiences.

[KCFDFirefighter]

I recently lost my eye as well. And I'am finding it difficult to get hired on full time. I would be interested in talking to you about it further.

[Dave1983]

Wow, sorry too hear about that. Good luck. :)

[dmleblanc]

My chief for the first 10 years of my fire service career had one eye. You wouldn't know it to look at him, and even after I found out about it I still have a hard time figuring out which one is the glass eye. I believe he lost his in a lawnmowing accident.

[ladder2121]

I have never seen a guy in the fire service with one eye, i am sure if you are able to to show you are cabable of working with one eye it should not be a problem, I know i have seen a couple guys one a police officer and the other a firefighter who both have one prostetic leg below the knee and they are able to function.

[lt74truckie]

One of our career firefighters has been working for years with one eye...he does quite well, and we've never noticed any hinderance....actually we don't cut him any slack either....but hey, it's a firehouse. Didn't help when his prosthetic fell out playing golf one time...or his telling a story about losing it in a urinal. Anyway I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you about it. Send me an email and I'll forward him your address.

cniswander@madisontwp.us

[ISIscba]

I know we make our "Heads Up Display" in a right side version (typically left) due to firemen only having vision in the right eye. I would assume there is a fair number of firefightes only having vision out of one eye.

[ChicagoFF]

I know of at least two on chicago that only have one eye. It shouldn't be a big deal.

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

I do believe that one of those guys is from Truck 32. He won a heroism award from Firehouse Magazine. I really dug the Local 2 pin where his eye is supposed to be !

[ChicagoFF]

I do believe that one of those guys is from Truck 32. He won a heroism award from Firehouse Magazine. I really dug the Local 2 pin where his eye is supposed to be !
yup, Truck 32 and the other is Batt 11 chief

[baileydonk]

I only have vision in my left eye, so no depth perception. This does cause some problems, for example give me a ten foot ladder and have me carry it through a house and I'll hit every damned wall on my way through. I will not become a driver/operator for my volunteer department - I wouldn't want to make a "distance misjudgement" while driving the Big Red Truck. Sometimes it takes me some adjustment before I actually hit the base of the fire with the water :rolleyes: . Other than that, no biggie.

[Popeye54]

Interested to read your notes. In California I know of a Battalion Chief in San Diego, 6 wildland Firefighters from Bureau of Land Management Fire from "Firefighter, Engineer, Battalion Chiefs, Division Chief, Park Service at least 1 firefighter, Forest Service at least 2, Longevity Retirenments (not disabilitiy retirements) of Long Beach, LA City, Alhambra, Monterey Park, South Pasadena, Redding, state Office of Emergency Services and I'm sure many more. I know of Pontiac Michigan firefighter doing well. Since my eye injury over 15 years ago I have relearned depth perception, few can believe it when I tell them, have had no accidents, no problems what so ever! Babe Ruth was legally Blind in one eye, hundreds of pilots are ot there my experience include Structure and Wildland firefighting with not a problem. (wear safety glasses or join our exclusive club!!) Good Luck!

[volunteercareer]

This really brings up an interesting point.

I just had my yearly fire department physical and they test for depth perception.

It may be for the medical examiners card to allow us to drive an ambulance in our state. (Same exam as CDL drivers) and we need to be certified EMT's and able to drive the ambulance to keep our jobs as firefighters.

I wonder what would happen if some failed that part of the test?