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Firefighters
always set to respond
Over
the years I have always enjoyed talking with the citizens we serve about my
job as a firefighter.
People have always shown a tremendous
amount of respect for firefighters as well as a natural curiosity
about our job and how we operate. It sometimes can be very humbling to be
held in such high regard by the people we serve, so I have always tried to take
every oppor tunity to
thank people for their support and answer any questions they may have.
It may be somewhat difficult to
believe, but one of the best opportunities for me to talk with people is at
the grocery store or when we are eating at restaurants. It is not uncommon at
all for people to stop us to chat or maybe tell a joke or ask what station we
are from.
There are always a wide variety of
questions from people, but the two questions asked most often are,
“Why are you at the store instead of your station?” and, “Who is going to
answer calls while you are at the store?” These are legitimate questions that
need to be answered.
I think the best reply is to
talk about our work schedule. A firefighter’s schedule is very different from
the typical 9 a.m.5 p.m. job that most people work. When on duty,
firefighters work a 24-hour shift. Our shift begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 8
a.m. the following day. Many of the people I have talked to were surprised
that we work 24-hour shifts. Each station is different, but generally most cook two meals, which the firefighters are responsible for
cooking and purchasing. They also have the option of eating out at a
restaurant in their firstresponse area if they
choose. Each station is allowed a trip to the grocery store during their
shift to pick up whatever is necessary for the day. They are required to go
to a grocery store in their firstresponse area,
and they must be available to answer calls while they are shopping. That’s
why you may see a firefighter suddenly drop a loaf of bread and take off,
leaving their cart sitting in the middle of the aisle.
Be assured that firefighters
are always ready to respond and provide the highest level of service
possible, whether we are in the station or out interacting with the public.
If you see the firefighters out, take a moment and say hi, and I am sure they
will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
24/7/365: You call; we res p o n d
.
KENNETH LEE KNIGHT is a battalion chief in the High Point Fire
Department.
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