WHAT DO FIREFIGHTERS DO ALL DAY?
Some people think that firefighters sit around the station all day playing cards, watching TV, eating, and only leave when the alarm bell rings. This is far from the truth.
A firefighter's day at North Highline Fire District begins at 7:00 AM and ends at 7:00 AM the next day. Those 24 hours are filled by: TRAINING: Firefighters must learn how to save lives and this takes lots of training. Because they never know what kind of emergency they will respond to, they must be prepared for everything. They spend on average about 4 hours each day in training classes or drills. EXERCISE: A firefighter's job requires a lot of physical agility, so they must exercise daily so they don't hurt themselves on the job. They spend approximately an hour each day on the treadmill, stairclimber, lifing weights, etc. CLEANING: There is no maid service at the fire station, so the firefighters mop the floors, wash the trucks, do minor repairs, and even take out the garbage. SHOPPING: Because they have to be ready to respond to emergencies at all times, if one firefighter needs something at the grocery store, they all must go. EQUIPMENT CHECKS: Firefighters spend another hour each day making sure each piece of emergency equipment is working properly. They also check the fire truck - it would not be good if they couldn't get to the emergency. EMERGENCY RESPONSE: As you can see from the above table, North Highline firefighters respond to a high number of emergencies. This is what we pay them to do - help us when we need them; but you can also get a glimpse of the amount of other work they do in order to prepare themselves on our behalf. |
Get the latest news on social media.North Highline Fire District
1243 SW 112th Street Seattle, WA 98146 Phone: 206-243-0330 Email: [email protected] |