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And for the record. The down side of the job is I've been diagnosed with PTSD, substance abuse, shift sleep disorder, anxiety, depression, had multiple knee surgeries, have had friends die of on the job cancer, etc.

IMO, it gets respect, because it's selfless and sacrificial.***

I hope this doesn't come off as a humble brag thread, but I honestly want to know, is there a more revered and respected profession than that of a firefighter?  

Every day on shift, we drive around the streets of our first due and at intersections, cars with kids and families will wave at our rigs. Driving down neighbor streets children will stop play, and cheer for us.  We have families request we drive by with lights on for their children's birthday parties.  

I've had days where we've been out training all day and haven't had time to cook a station meal so we'll go out to sit down at a restaurant and have complete strangers pick up our bill.  When we do shop at the grocery store, kids and parents will point at the trucks in the parking lot, and we will give out toy helmets for the kids to wear as we encourage the parents to take photos of their child riding the front seat.  

Many small business restaurants and chains will significantly discount our orders. We never ask.  We constantly have citizens stop by the fire house and bring use home baked goods. We rarely are in the news for negative press, but often instead for our community outreach and valor.

Just last week a lady came by the firehouse with a check.  I said please keep your money, your taxes pay for all this; she still insisted.  Every year, my department has been in the top 3 for the MDA's Fill The Boot.  Honestly, speaking to people in the cars, they don't even know they're donating to a charity, but believe it's going towards a new fire engine or something we are in need of.  

Granted, the fire service bends it's back for it's citizens.  That respect is earned.  I've been a part time plumber, electrician, and just general handyman for our community. If they call, we show up. I've cleared trees in roads with my chainsaw after storms, I've shoveled snow for local elderly.

Maybe I think the US service member comes in a close second as the most respected profession in America, but I've worn that uniform too, and I just didn't see it.

What says GD? What is the most respected profession in America? Does anyone beat the respect of firemen?

Fuck firemen.

Being a fluffer is up there I heard!

One locally got busted banging other chicks at the firehouse and he was married too

Nope.  You guys are well established, aren’t involved in policing, and are seen as a public necessity.  Even when the ambulance drivers upset the patient, the FD is usually in good standing.  


Show offs.

Year round probably.  After a hurricane the line worker takes that spot.

Linemen, even firemen need heroes.

Bull milker is up there too.

I hate to say it because I work with them everyday



But....this.

Anal stunt man on a gay porn set is pretty high above fireman

Our first cop who couldn't make it through the fire academy

lol

Fun fact - when we are sitting around the station bored, we hope for your house to catch fire.  Or better yet, your warehouse.

I'll say it first...the military.

Double fun fact: when we hear that there’s a fire, we hope our ambulance gets placed on this fire standby and that we get to kill half a shift watching dudes move hoses around.

Joke and a half around here. 90% of the time they hose off a hot foundations, other 9% is following EMTs around, other 1% might save an actual structure or person.

County keeps slapping down fire houses all over wide and far - every time a new one opens up, we're all like, "okay... where are all these fires at?"

Volunteers are comedy gold. Pepaw's pretend fire brigade that does half ass training on Saturday mornings drinking beer.

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Lifting weights and washing vehicles.  Ubermensch for sure.

I’d disagree. It’s popular to venerate the warrior, but fuck if I don’t hate his employer and the supposed status that comes with who signs his check.

Now we're pulling back the curtain.  

I don't know if respected is the word

probably "well liked" and approachable.

I suspect (for example) physicians are more widely respected, but less well liked.

I have no science to support this and no dog in this fight.  Adjacent professionally to both is all

Linemen. Having no power sucks.

If my house catches fire, it might be put out, but it will be a total loss from roof smashing and water damage.

Infantryman.

small businessman that works off his own money and creates jobs sadly they are going extinct and once the tax dollars dry up fireman will be unemployed but Rescue Me was a great show.

Probably this. After a storm we're pretty much rock stars.

Day to day, we sometimes hold up traffic, get tasked doing disconnects for problem customers, have to clear trees, and occasionally tear up a yard (even though it usually gets fixed).

I would tend to agree with you, at least in a civilized world.

I was in a shop down in St. Louis area when the Ferguson issues were going on. A fire chief was in the shop trying to buy plate carriers and plates for his men. I had a brief conversation with him about the treatment of the fire and EMS workers in the area at this time. Unbelievable,just unbelievable.

Not respected nearly enough.  

I thought OP was a CC,  now I find out he is only a fireman.

I am saddened.

You must be new or at a slow station.

We just want time to finish a shit or finish a meal.

Playing pickle ball and Xbox and making daily trips to the grocery store 10 days a month is respectable?

I thought the same, as a volunteer fireman, until I read about all the stealing that goes on at fire scenes, mainly in New York.

Several, but it also depends on context. In the local gov category it’s #1.

Some departments manage to save most of the structures they fight fire in.  There is a huge variety of competency in fire and EMS. Just like every other industry.

Bunch of homo hose draggers that sit in recliners most of the time.

Just kidding. I’m retired LE and when I got messed up and was laying on the ground bleeding it was a fireman that helped me and got me to hospital.

We jacked with each other but it was in fun.

I tried to go into a burning house once.
Once.
Got three feet in before there was no air to breathe.

I respect them.

School teacher, but nowdays maybe not so much.

I've been a wildland firefighter before and lots of folks would treat me like they saw me as a criminal dirtbag, so you need to specify structural.

Once again. Go check out a busy firehouse.  Running 20+ calls in a 24 hour shift doesn’t allow for much discretionary time.

Lol

Not all are created equal.

Ok, dr helper

physicians

It's the only public institution in America that hasn't yet been gutted and reduced to a shell of its former self.

So, no.

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Doctor more so than firemen. Most firemen I know aren't very smart. I only know 1 dumb doctor.

Brush Bunnies look rough because they work their asses off for days and weeks on end.  

I work very hard but don’t hold a candle to wildland crews.

Cue the insecure/jelly haters in 3... 2... 1...  


OP I should note that we would get in deep poo for accepting comps for anything really, including meals
We often get our table paid for anonymously, but then we tip out the waitstaff our bill
Which of course they really love

I don't know first hand of a single FD that allows such

Believe me, that sentiment irritates my wife to no end.  I can’t count the number of times I have been flashed.

I was dispatched to the Pentagon on 9/11.  Where were you gramps?  

Somedays it's busy.  Somedays you can't catch a fire alarm reset.  The tones drop when they drop...not when you want.  But yeah, odds go way up when you have just sat down to eat.  

I know one that did not make the le psych exam so, he went fireman. If it wasn't a felony, I'd still like to kick his teeth out. He is in Branson Missery.