So I'm half way through the process of getting in the Police Academy here in St.Pete FL, but I'm really starting the question it, and more leaning toward being a fireman. I know theres some of each on here so just let me know how you feel about your jobs. pros and cons.

Whats drawing me away from the police is just the hours with them being long and weird, no time with family and just adding stress.

With the Fire is 24 on and 48 off, thats nice...but then again it can be hard to get used to.

I know people in both, and recently went on a ridealong with the police...it was fun and exciting but I dont know. Just wanting some opinions. THANKS

 

Kinda at two different ends of the spectrum here. One side you shoot/arrest people, the other you put out fires and take cats out of trees. Dont go to the academy and waste your time if you arent fully sure you want to do it. I dont know about the benefits for a st pete cop, but tampa and hillsborough have very nice ones. do you have a college degree, and if so, what was major?

 

While the 24/48 with the fire service sounds nice, the 48 really isn't 48. It also only gives you one night off, because the night before a shift, you're preparing (mentally, physically and emotionally) for the next shift, and then of course you have your shift night, then your night off. Also, when you get off at shift change, depending on what kind of a night you've had, you may have to grab some shut eye during the day. It's not unusual for us to have 2 or 3 calls during the night out of MY station, and we're one of the slower stations in the county. An average night for me at the fire station would be going to bed after the news, generally around 11pm. We're up at 6am the next day for shift change. If we don't catch a call, that's roughly 7 hours of sleep which is fine for me, I generally get less than that at home. If we do get up, I can count on ATLEAST an hour per medical call, longer for accidents and even longer for fires. The reason I say atleast an hour...by the time you wake up, get dressed, run the call, do what you do, get back to the station, do paper work and wind down, an hour goes by pretty fast. Two calls in one night suck because they're never back to back. You run one, get back in bed and then have to wake up again. It's not good sleep at all. Even on a good night with no calls, I sleep VERY LIGHTLY because you're always listening for the tones to go off in the back of your mind.

There have been many nights with no sleep whatsoever, but of course, there are nights we sleep without a call.

It's nice and gives you time off shift to make some REAL money, but it is a sacrifice. Even though we only work every third day, you're either just getting off shift, or getting ready to go back.

I love what I do though.

 

He is correct. I'm a Officer. It is not about shooting people. It's a taxing job at times. I do get to chase people, write tickets. I really do more PR calls than anything. A lot of your time is spent with reports and going on wild dog, or neighbors fussing. You try to smoth it out, instead of arresting. On the other side it putting out fires, and sitting around or helping EMTs.. You have to decide. My neighbor is a fire fighter. We have an agreement, I don't go into burning buildings and he doesn't chase bad guys.... He can't justify chaseing some one with a gun,or being shot at. Which could happen at any time.. I can't justify going into a burning house. Don't want to get burned.Which could colapse and kill you or burn you. We both respect each others job. Both and a couple of other jobs are frowned on. You'll find out some people just don't like a Cop, or Fire fighter. Both have perks and minuses... You have to decide!!!!

 

i agree with the above post, two separate but similar jobs if that makes sense, two different responsibilites but both help out the general public, it all depends on what you feel, if you like solving problems, police officers do that, if you like putting out fires and helping people when they are injured etc. then fire fighters do that, i respect them both in a huge way, i would have to say that from the younger crowd especially firemen get more respect because younger people see that police officers are out there to hurt them when they are really just tryin to make our world a better place....

 

Yes they are both the same but different I do understand that. Thanks for the replies I was just wanting some views from actual people who do them. All of the firefighters Ive talked to absolutly love their job and really encouraged me to do it. Dont get me wrong the police I talked to loved their job but it just seemed like the firefighters enjoyed it more. I still have some time to decide though. The police do get payed more but its whether or not you love what you do rather than the money.

 

Sounds like you're leaning towards being a firefighter then

 

me being one of those younger people i kind of agree with not liking cops as much as fire fighters. i dont hates cops or dislike them. i dislike a cop after i meet him. if he gives me a ticket and is nice about it, dont have a problem with him. but if your a complete jerk and rude about your job give me a ticket thats the cops i dont like. i show complete respect to cops if i get pulled over or i see them somewhere. some just dont like to give respect back. if you like spending time with your wife and kids, consider fire fighting. you will get 2 days with them, so you can be really active in their lives. not saying you wont be able to be active as a police officer, but you seem to want to spend as much time as possible from your original post. atleast thats how i took it. question about being a cop tho. dont you just have a regular scheduled shift and you get off at a certain time, unless your out arresting people and get tied up with filling out your police reports for that incident? i agree with who ever posted, dont go thru police academy unless your positive.

 

Cops seem to have to work extra every Holiday.{Hard on a family man}
Firefighters run into burning buildings{I don't know what to say about that}
tough choice.

 

holidays would be hard on the family, but would a fire fighter be much different? im sure there are tons of fires during the holidays with all the lights going up and what not. its your choice tho what you want to do. not sure if this is a priority or not with you, but whats the pay difference between the two?

 

It really depends on the department and their schedules. Some depts you do a 4 day week, the following you do a 6. it all depends on how they have each one set up. primarily, the new and younger cops work holidays and the veterans/family men get them off. police reports do take some time to write, which is why you will notice a lot of patrol when they are about ready to get off, they "patrol" a location where theres not much traffic. but to the OP, by the sounds of it you are leaning towards FF and thats fine, do what will make you happy.

 

Yeah I mean, my uncle was a cop in Atlanta and he always worked holidays...etc didnt get to see family often. The cops I talked to said for the first couple years in St.Pee you get the 2-midnight shift but usually dont get out till around 1am. They do 4 10 hour days.
Im going to ride with my friend for the day and hang out at the station hes at one of the bussiest fire stations in St.Pete and see what its like.

Im going to be 23 in December so I dont have a family to worry about right now but Im kinda thinking into the future. Starting pay for Police about 42k a year and Fire is 37k I believe.

 

what if you got a degree for from college for fire fighting? i heard you need it to move up into ranks i believe. might be wrong i heard it along time ago.

 

We do 12's. 3 12's one week and 3 12's and an 8 the next. I work 14 days a month. Best part time job I ever had.

Neither job is easy on the family, don't kid yourself.

 

That seems like really good pay for either. Around here a firefighter is lucky to pull down 35k after 5 years.... 28-30k seemed to be the average starting pay. Out of the local academy last year i was told they only took maybe 3-5 onboard the fire dept. this year they could take less than that, I know two guys going through it right now. While the city plans on building i think 3 new stations that is over a period of 5 years.


I too am in the same boat sort of. Im considering the fire academy because fire fighting is something im very interested in. The kicker is the pay and off time. I know alot of the guys on the local force make very good money, have lots of toys and are able to take care of their families nicely. BUT they work like dogs on their off days doing construction work, finish work, chimney sweeps, etc, etc.... Im not so sure about that whole lifestyle. Ive been in college for 3 years now and have 3 or more to go just for a bachelors in something

Ill more than likely finish school see what i come out in and check out the jobs available then probably get into fire fighting. Ill have something to fall back on if it does not work out or if money becomes an issue.

Conserning a degree in fire fighting. I know of one its fire protection engineering (sprinkler systems, alarms, fireproofing, escapes, etc...) only a few schools offer it and not many people are doing it. The few that do it around here easily pull down 6 figures. OU or OSU is one that offers it i think.