u/Infitima

I don’t run, I take my 2 15s, and I usually get back at most 30 minutes early. Yet I’ve had nothing less than 185-200 stops, 230-300 locations, and 300-350 packages for a month and a half now.

It also seems like the hotter it gets, the more stops Amazon gives me. I’m a top driver and i even had to get a rescue myself recently. I’ve been doing this for 2 years now and this last month has sucked so bad.

I’m currently a firefighter in North Carolina and before I went into the fire service I was pursuing accounting. I already have my associate’s degree in accounting and lately I’ve been thinking about going back and finishing my bachelor’s online. To be clear, I’m not looking to leave firefighting. I love what I do and plan on staying in the fire service long term. This would really just be supplemental income and a second skill set that I could use on my off days. I work a 24/48 schedule, so I work for 24 consecutive hours, followed by 48 hours off, so realistically I could probably work another 20-30 hours a week either remotely or in-person.

I actually enjoyed accounting when I was in school, and I’ve been thinking it might be smart to finish the degree since I already came this far with it. I’ve looked into bookkeeping, tax prep, AP/AR work, and other flexible accounting roles, especially things that could be done remotely or seasonally. I’m just not sure how realistic part-time accounting work is in this industry, especially for someone who wouldn’t be following the traditional full-time corporate path.

For those already working in accounting, do you think finishing the bachelor’s would be worth it in my situation? Are there decent opportunities for flexible or part-time work once you get your foot in the door, or is most of the industry still geared toward full-time positions? I’d also be interested in hearing whether certifications like QuickBooks are actually useful for landing side work or freelance bookkeeping clients.

I would sincerely appreciate any advice from people in the field, especially anyone who balances accounting with another career.

I know some people in the fire service have had bad experiences with volunteers who act unprofessional or don’t train enough, but my experience has fortunately been the complete opposite.

I’m with a smaller combination department that serves around 15k people, and we need volunteers. Our station used to be volunteer-only for years before the department became combination, so most of the volunteers here are
trained, professional, and take the job seriously, and most of the career staff are previous volunteers.

My goal is to go career eventually, but right now I’m just trying to learn as much as I can before I start the fire academy in August. I’m young, single, and have the free time right now, so I’ve been spending a lot of it at the station.

I live out of district, so I can’t respond to calls in my free time or with my personal vehicle. Instead I just come in and do duty time whenever I can. Sometimes it’s only 1-2 hours, sometimes way longer depending on my schedule. Last night I ended up doing a 22-hour shift and stayed overnight at the station. We didn’t get any calls after 8pm which was great. We usually only run around 2-7 calls a day, mostly medicals, but we also get frequent traffic collisions, vehicle fires, and occasionally residential fires.

The best part has just been the people. We went out to lunch together, smoked cigars, hung around the station, and when things slowed down my Lieutenant took time to show me different training techniques. The brotherhood has been the best part. These guys took me in and made me feel at home faster than I expected. They even told me I can sit in the recliner lol. Even the chief told me that after I finish academy and get my certs, he hopes they’ll be able to hire me full-time because he really likes me and my work ethic.

I know every volunteer department is different, and volunteering isn’t for everyone, but this has honestly been one of the most meaningful things I’ve done in a long time. It feels good being part of something bigger than yourself.

Hi everyone!

I am a volunteer at a combination department. Because I technically live outside of district, rather than responding to calls on my own time, I do “duty time” and chill at the station for around 4-8 hours (depending on the day) and respond to calls with the career folk.

Because of this, I am held to the same uniform/grooming standards as the career staff. My department has given me a $300 duty voucher to purchase a pair of dark navy pants and black boots. I have been looking at the 5.11 Apex and the Redback Easy Escape boots.

I see the 5.11 recommended all the time, but haven’t heard much about the Easy Escape. Does anyone here have personal experience with them? Are they too hot in the summer? Are they comfy? Steel toe or non steel toe?

Thanks everyone!

Hey everyone,

I’m a 25M volunteer firefighter (5’10”, around 150 lbs) working toward going career eventually. I’m pretty skinny right now and currently bulking to try to put on some size and strength. It was a humbling moment when my department gave me my uniform shirt and my arms didn’t even fill out the sleeves. It definitely made me realize I’ve got some work to do. I’m not trying to look like a bodybuilder or be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger. I just want to put on about 25 pounds, be healthier, and build the kind of strength I can actually use on the job.

I’ve been going to Planet Fitness about three days a week and I’m starting community college fire academy this fall, so I want to be working toward being in solid shape before that starts. This academy isn’t like a typical career department academy with scheduled PT days. It’s a nighttime community college course focused more on certifications, so I know it’s on me to show up already in good shape.

My cardio is solid. Running has always been my strong suit, but I know I need to build more functional strength that actually carries over to the job. I’m trying to figure out what lifts or types of workouts I should focus on to build real, usable strength and muscle, not just aesthetics, how to improve muscle endurance, and what kinds of drills or workouts outside the gym people have found helpful for firefighting.

If you were starting from where I’m at, what would you focus on?

Hey everyone!

I’m currently a volunteer firefighter and working toward my EMT-B, and I’m really interested in getting involved with search and rescue. I know a lot of SAR work around here is handled through fire departments, sheriff’s office, and mutual aid, but I’m trying to figure out what the best path is to get more hands-on experience and formal training outside of the fire department.

Are there any local teams, rescue squads, or programs that civilians or firefighters can join? Or any specific certifications/training courses you’d recommend in NC for SAR (outside of what we typically get through the department)?

I’ve heard a little about CERT and some rescue units in nearby counties, but I’m not sure what’s actually active around Forsyth or worth pursuing. I would appreciate any insight, especially from anyone who’s done SAR locally.

I’m a newer volunteer firefighter in North Carolina and I’m looking at my options for getting my certifications because I want to go career eventually.

Unfortunately, my department has certification classes but they’re only on Saturdays and Sundays, and I work both days so this is a much better option for me. There’s a community college about 45 minutes from me that runs a nighttime fire academy three days a week from 6–10 PM.

The schedule lines up perfectly with my work schedule because I’m already off three days a week already, so I’d be able to attend without cutting hours or worrying about money. Since I’m currently volunteering, I should also be able to get the tuition waived. The only downside is the course does not include EMT-B certification, so I would still have to finish that afterwards.

I’m curious if anyone here has gone through a night academy like this, especially through a community college.

I have a few questions:

- What was your experience like?

- Did you feel like you got the same level of training as a daytime academy? If not, what was different?

- Was it harder balancing the schedule?

- Did departments view it any differently than a traditional daytime community college academy or a full-time career fire academy?

Just trying to figure out if this is a solid route to go or if there are any downsides I should be aware of. I appreciate any insight.