If you went around the kitchen table at your firehouse, I’d be willing to bet almost every firefighter had their first fire service memory at a young age.
Whether you grew up around firefighters or saw them for the first time at a school assembly, that first encounter likely defined your perception of the fire service.
We asked our fans on Facebook what their earliest childhood memory of the fire service was. Many grew up around the firehouse and knew firefighting was their career path at a young age. Some had the bad fortune of meeting firefighters for the first time as a victim.
If you haven’t already, be sure to add your memory in the comment section below.
1.“My dad would bring us to the fire hall all hours of the day or night if he had a call and my mom was still at work. In the middle of the night, wearing PJs, and carrying my teddy bear and blanket, I would sleep or wait quietly until they would return to hall. I’m now 26 with 8 years of service. My dad had 23 years of service and retired last May. My dad is the reason I have this passion. My dad is the reason I fell in love.” — Tara M. Schaefer
2.“My kindergarten class had the opportunity to go to an FDNY firehouse. We loved it so much. We came across a refrigerator box that we brought back to the class and the teacher painted it to look like a fire truck. I played with that thing for months, and that was the day I knew I wanted to be a firefighter.” — Andrew Landstrom
3.“My father was the chief of our local volunteer fire department. I grew up in the fire service. They would use me as the rescue dummy during blackout drills.” — Zeke Garrett
4.“Mine was when I was about 9 or 10 years old. I was the only student in my 4th grade class who volunteered to put the air pack on and walk around with it. Although it was heavy, I still managed to do it. When the firefighter tried to take it off of me, I put up a struggle. Regardless of your age, no matter what happens, when you put that pack on for the very first time, it becomes a part of you.” — Adam Jeske
5.“I can’t remember if it was the dryer fire at my home or seeing firefighters jumping off the gymnasium roof into their net during a demo. Both happened when I was about 6 years old in the mid-70s.” — Christopher Drake
6.“My dad and some of the other firefighters he worked with came to my preschool for fire prevention week.” — Johnnie Driscoll
7.“A fire chief promised that if I had my heart surgery he would take me on a ride in the fire truck.” — Jared Freeman
8.“Watching my dad suit up when I was a kid. Now we both suit up on the same department.” — Dustun Stockton
9.“Firefighting saved my life. If it wasn’t for a firefighter taking time out of his day to talk to me and bring me to the station, I’d be either dead or in prison. But I’m a firefighter instead.” — Joseph Lapiana
10.“We had a house fire when I was 15 years old. I made it out but my mother did not. This happened in 1977. I joined the fire department at age 16 to help others who helped us get through a tragic day.” — Judy Kenefick
