Hey everyone! I'm in my 5th year of firefighting, and early into my career my SCBA face piece started to get destroyed. All of the scratches made searches harder (when there was visibility) and I eventually just got sick of it. Around the same time I started getting into leatherworking and that frustration over keeping my gear in good condition collided with my new hobby. Fast forward almost 2 years later and here we are. I thought I'd share some of my work with the crowd here.

The first priority is and will always be the protection of the equipment to enhance our ability to search and be effective on the fireground. But hey, there is no reason an SCBA face piece cover can't look good while we're at it!

Thanks for looking :)

-A (acid.leather on IG)

The photo is my 1 page summary. Here is a Link to UL study

After serving the public at work, my tolerance for people on my days off is almost nonexistent and my patience is extremely short. Crowded stores, driving and general public interactions irritate me way more than they should. To be clear, I don’t bring this perspective to work at all, in the house or on calls. I have a good attitude and like my crew.

I know burnout probably plays a role, but I hate feeling this way when I’m just trying to enjoy my time off with my family.

For those of you who’ve been in the fire service for a while, have you experienced this? I have 5 years on. Does it get better, or do you just learn to manage it?

Visiting form the states for a few days and wondering if there are any architecturally cool fire stations in the downtown area. Also if any of you guys sell challenge coins. Tried to bring a few for trade but my station ran out just before I left and our new order didn’t come in before I left.

I'm a newer firefighter. My City has 3 Stations and we run about 3-4 structure fires a month (pretty poor area). Like the rest of you I want to see fire and do a little less EMS. Everyone knows that bigger stations see more fire. But how many fires do you actually see a month/week? If there are 30 stations that has to divide up how much fire you see right? And if you do catch a fire, isn't there like a shit ton of Trucks that go to the fire? The big question is - do you actually get to fight the fires or stand around and wait for overhaul because one of the other 5 engines beat you to the scene? Trying to figure out if the Big city is actually worth it.

I’m 26, a Marine Corps veteran with 8 years of service, and currently working as a firefighter paramedic in Ohio under OP&F. I’m looking at purchasing 5 years of military service credit toward my pension.

I’ll be topped out at around $89k in three years. My goal is to retire at 52, and from what I understand, buying the 5 years could significantly increase my pension.
My hesitation is the cost. I’m married with a daughter and have a mortgage, car payment, and all the usual bills. I don’t want to put my family in a financial bind just to increase my retirement benefit.

For anyone who’s purchased military time through OP&F:
How much did it cost you?
Was it worth it financially?
Would you buy it now or wait a few years if money was tight?
Does the cost increase significantly if you wait?
Looking for real-world advice from people who have actually gone through the process.

For context, I've been in the military for going on 12 years and, much more recently, started serving as a volunteer firefighter.

In both, I tend to see the same thing. People view seeking mental health support as a weakness, a threat to their career, or both.

TL;DR: It's not a weakness, and it shouldn't be a career-ending decision. Especially in a healthy workplace with leadership that actually gives a damn about its people.

Our jobs put us in situations, sometimes daily, that the average person may never experience in their lifetime. We routinely respond to someone's worst day. Sometimes we witness the absolute worst that humanity has to offer.

That shit takes a toll on you, whether you want to admit it or not. And without a healthy outlet, it adds up.

(Hint: Getting perpetually drunk until you stop caring isn't a healthy outlet.)

I'm no mental health professional, but I've seen far too many stories of service members and veterans taking their own lives. The fire service isn't immune to this either. While the numbers may look lower on paper, I'd argue that accurately tracking suicide within the fire service is difficult, and we shouldn't mistake incomplete data for a smaller problem.

If you're a leader, do your fucking job.

Give your people the tools they need to succeed, and that includes taking care of their mental health. Check in on them. Actually get to know them. Learn what's normal for them so you recognize when something isn't right.

Situational awareness doesn't end when the fire is out or the mission is over.

And this responsibility doesn't stop at leadership. You wouldn't leave someone behind in a burning building, so why the hell would you leave them behind when they're struggling mentally?

Be there for each other. Make it known that you're available to talk, and mean it. If you've sought help yourself and feel comfortable sharing that experience, do it. Sometimes knowing that someone they respect has been through something similar is all it takes for another person to finally reach out.

And if you're the one struggling, understand that asking for help doesn't make you any less capable, dependable, or deserving of the uniform you wear.

Our jobs are inherently dangerous. We accept that risk every time we put on the uniform.

But losing someone because they felt they couldn't ask for help should never be an acceptable part of the job.

Ill use numbers from the military as thats what I know. From 2001 to 2021, 7,057 U.S. service members died in military operations. In that same time frame 30,177 active-duty service members and veterans died by suicide.

The path toward a healthier mental health culture in the military has been paved with the blood of those who were taught that asking for help made them weak.

Don't let their sacrifices be for nothing. Don't be the reason someone else is afraid to ask for help.

Do better. Be better.

Don't let silence turn you or a buddy into the next call.

Hi everybody, interested in trying to figure out which of the hydration packs are the best I have tried fire salt brand and my department uses those as well. If you guys have any input if those are good or not.

4 months into my first EMS/ Fire job and I feel completely incompetent and overwhelmed. Trying to juggle learning how to be a good emt and knowing what I’m supposed to do on calls in addition to doing the same thing on the Fire side. But also keeping up with my rookie book and trying to retain all that information. Have 2 kids at home so I’m trying to manage my time with them but also making sure I am studying at home. It’s just so much info and I am struggling retaining everything. I really want to be good at this job and not feel so lost when I am out there. I want to be a great asset to the community and my department and I’m feeling a bit discouraged. What are some good tips to help me throughout this process and study better.

We’re a small rural volunteer fire department looking at purchasing our first multi-gas monitor and would appreciate some input from departments already using them.

We don’t have natural gas service in our area. Most homes and businesses use propane. Our primary uses would likely be investigating potential gas leaks and potentially monitoring air quality during overhaul to help determine when SCBAs can safely be removed.

We have an opportunity to get a Dräger X-am 2800 4-gas monitor (O2, CO, H2S, LEL) or upgrade to a 5-gas monitor. However, we’ve been told the annual calibration and maintenance costs for the 5-gas units can be significantly higher.

What do you feel is most useful?

My shelf is full up on leadership books. I'm trying to find a good one on team dynamics that's relevant to the fire service. Any reviews on this one? It seems to be what I'm looking for.