We’ve all been there, starting out as the probie. It likely wasn’t the easiest road, but hopefully now, all that training and hard work has paid off.
We asked you, our Facebook fans, earlier this month to share with us the moment that you no longer were a probie. Here are some of your top answers.
1.” When I was able to take command and drive the trucks.” - Travis Braxton Dyer
2.“One year in, after a good job when my Senior Tailboard gave me my Saint Florian pendant.” - Brandon Ethridge
3.“When I was able to tell someone else to clean the urinals, lol.” - Mat Weiler
4.“I knew the moment my captain said, ‘Son, you’re not a rookie anymore! Starting acting like it.’” - Mac de Beaudrap
5.“When I cut my childhood friend out of a car. Back at the station, everyone knew how shaken up I was. One of the guys my age (18 at the time) came up, gave me a hug and said, ‘Hey man, you did great tonight.’ At that exact moment, I knew I was finally one of the brothers.” - Carter Bowns
6.“The moment I knew was when we pulled up on a car accident with multiple victims, and me being the only firefighter/EMT on the truck, the chief yells to me that he’s got traffic control and to tell him what I need.” - Josh Reeb
7.“When I started breathing in through my mouth and out through my nose.” - John Williams Cox
8.“When I became chief of department after 24 years and interviewed the rookies.” - Gareath V. Adderley
9.“I’ll always be a probie for life, but I knew I had moved up to sr. probie when the asst. chief started having me take charge of the junior firefighters’ training!” - Joshua David Rodrigues
10.“When I made the right decisions and actions to help my crew systematically lift a pickup off of a teenage girl, saving her life. Also recently, when the chief asked me to wear a red hat and lead others.” - Bill McKellip
Have more moments to add? Sound off below in the comments section!
