Prospective Fire Fighters: Read This...

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

If you want to be a fire fighter:

DON'T DO DRUGS. EVER.

[kolat06]

If you want to be a fire fighter:

DON'T DO DRUGS. EVER.

amen brother

[haligan155]

Don't get caught doing drugs ever...

[flipper123]

Always amazes me how guys come on duty after drinkin till 3 am, still stink,hung over, and immediately assume horizontal recliner mode, and it's ok, even funny.
But someone smoked pot and they should never test for firefighter?

Pot use ten years ago, or hung over a few shifts a year.
Which is more dangerous?

Our redneck brethren will scream to high heaven that anyone that used any drugs, ever, is unfit to be a fireman.
But they have bars in their stations, work hungover, get DUI's.

I wonder how many people out there are workin at the FD right now that have used drugs in the past, and yet, amazingly, are not killing their crews, or stealing supplies, or being general dirtbags.

We might be surprised

[Catch22]

Always amazes me how guys come on duty after drinkin till 3 am, still stink,hung over, and immediately assume horizontal recliner mode, and it's ok, even funny.
But someone smoked pot and they should never test for firefighter?

Pot use ten years ago, or hung over a few shifts a year.
Which is more dangerous?

Our redneck brethren will scream to high heaven that anyone that used any drugs, ever, is unfit to be a fireman.
But they have bars in their stations, work hungover, get DUI's.

I wonder how many people out there are workin at the FD right now that have used drugs in the past, and yet, amazingly, are not killing their crews, or stealing supplies, or being general dirtbags.

We might be surprised

I have doubts you'll find anyone who advocates no drug use who condones coming in to work drunk, or even hung over.

I can tell you my department doesn't find it funny whatsoever. You come in hungover and you'll likely find yourself sitting somewhere waiting for a UA, hoping you've burned enough that you don't pop up with any in your system.

[nmfire]

The point isn't if a joint as a freshman in college makes you unfit to be a firefighter. The point is if it will hurt your chances of getting hired. They are two very different things.

Yes, pot is pretty harmless when used in small amounts rarely and socially in your younger years. Big deal. Its probably less harmful than college binge drinking. Will that have any effect on your performance as a firefighter 6 years later? Probably not. But there will be 1,000 other people who are equally as qualified as you that didn't smoke pot. You instantly fall behind those 1,000 other people. So like George said, if you want a job as a firefighter, or most any other public service job, drug use even if harmless youthful fun, will probably sink you.

I wouldn't have the job I have now if I smoked pot. I could have, plenty of opportunities, and it would have been totally harmless and nothing bad. But I wouldn't have the job I have now because I would have had to say "yes" when asked if I smoked pot in the last X number of years.

[tajm611]

For once, I actually agree with George.


The worse part of all of this is that it even as to be said and is not assumed.

[AFPD34]

The point isn't if a joint as a freshman in college makes you unfit to be a firefighter. The point is if it will hurt your chances of getting hired. They are two very different things.

Yes, pot is pretty harmless when used in small amounts rarely and socially in your younger years. Big deal. Its probably less harmful than college binge drinking. Will that have any effect on your performance as a firefighter 6 years later? Probably not. But there will be 1,000 other people who are equally as qualified as you that didn't smoke pot. You instantly fall behind those 1,000 other people. So like George said, if you want a job as a firefighter, or most any other public service job, drug use even if harmless youthful fun, will probably sink you.

I wouldn't have the job I have now if I smoked pot. I could have, plenty of opportunities, and it would have been totally harmless and nothing bad. But I wouldn't have the job I have now because I would have had to say "yes" when asked if I smoked pot in the last X number of years.

I wonder where that question was located on the US Presidential candidate questionnaire back in '93??

I guess you can smoke pot once and lead the country, but your chances of running into burning building for a living just go up in smoke.

[FyredUp]

I agree with George, and yet I also find it hard to completely agree.

The generation that grew up in the 1960's through the 1970's had a high percentage of people that socially smoked pot. Some went heavier into drugs, some became life long pot smokers, and some, for the want of a better term, outgrew it. I think if we wholesale eliminated anyone that ever smoked pot we would lose a HUGE majority of the productive element of our current society.

I am more concerned with the actual drug used and the recency of the use than I am that a 19 year old kid smoked a few joints and then stopped.

As far as guys coming in hung over, I don't find it funny in the least. It is dangerous, not only for the guy hungover, but for everyone else that works with that guy. To me that is a call in sick situation. better to burn a day that cause an injury or death.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Don't get caught doing drugs ever...

That's great advice. I feel sorry for your kids.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Always amazes me how guys come on duty after drinkin till 3 am, still stink,hung over, and immediately assume horizontal recliner mode, and it's ok, even funny.
But someone smoked pot and they should never test for firefighter?

Pot use ten years ago, or hung over a few shifts a year.
Which is more dangerous?

Our redneck brethren will scream to high heaven that anyone that used any drugs, ever, is unfit to be a fireman.
But they have bars in their stations, work hungover, get DUI's.

I wonder how many people out there are workin at the FD right now that have used drugs in the past, and yet, amazingly, are not killing their crews, or stealing supplies, or being general dirtbags.

We might be surprised

Certainly you are not referring to me as a redneck. We don't have alot of rednecks here in North Jersey.

I never said that using drugs should disqualify someone as being a FF. If I did, please point it out.

But my advice stands. If you never use drugs, you never put yourself in the position of having to explain it. Or worse, having to explain the arrest and conviction you got.

[Bones42]

That's great advice. I feel sorry for your kids.

Classic!


(extra letters just to fit minimum post standards)

[BoxAlarm187]

Always amazes me how guys come on duty after drinkin till 3 am, still stink,hung over, and immediately assume horizontal recliner mode, and it's ok, even funny.

Glad I don't work for your department. In the 9 years with my department, we had three guys show up like this, and all of them got the opportunity to see how the disciplinary system works in our department, including a visit from law enforcement.

The others made the point. It's not about experimenting 10 years ago, it's about those applicants that never did.

[Jasper 45]

But my advice stands. If you never use drugs, you never put yourself in the position of having to explain it. Or worse, having to explain the arrest and conviction you got.

Maybe my mind is just too simple to have thought this topic any deeper, but this is what I took from the original post.

I wanted this career more than I wanted to smoke a joint. In fact, I wanted this career more than a lot of other things that are superficial.

Besides, once I am able to retire in a few years, I can smoke all the dooby I want to, and still get paid.

[haligan155]

That's great advice. I feel sorry for your kids.

I have never used drugs, I have never even smoked a cigarette. But I am not so naïve to think that it isn’t the act, but moreover that act of getting caught.
Drug use in this country is a bigger problem than you think, and I guarantee you that you know people that either have a drug problem or had a drug problem, and you don’t even know it.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

I have never used drugs, I have never even smoked a cigarette. But I am not so naïve to think that it isn’t the act, but moreover that act of getting caught.
Drug use in this country is a bigger problem than you think, and I guarantee you that you know people that either have a drug problem or had a drug problem, and you don’t even know it.

I was a cop for 20 years and you are telling me that I am naive about this country's drug problem?

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[batchief99]

If you want to be a fire fighter:

DON'T DO DRUGS. EVER.

Don't get caught doing drugs ever...

And if you do use and do get caught, tough. You knew the rules going in.






Good thread George.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

And if you do use and do get caught, tough. You knew the rules going in.






Good thread George.

This is especially true when kids turn 18 and they didn't stop to think that they are not going to kiddie court anymore and, no matter how much Mommy crys, the judge is going to put your *** in jail.

[CALFFBOU]

And- Future and CURRENT Firefighters- Do NOT drink and drive. Why some still do, I will never know.

[MarcusKspn]

And- Future and CURRENT Firefighters- Do NOT drink and drive. Why some still do, I will never know.

You would think that the average firefighter has peeled enough metal off dead drunks to get the idea that it is not a smart thing to do...