Retired full-time fire service

[chief02]

I just found out that we only have a social group designation. Social groups have no communication functionality between its members. It mearly shows people that we have this retired fire service in common. Not exactly what I was hoping for.

[Medico]

Bill,
If I click on your user name in one of your posts I get the same messaging options as I do in any of the regular forums.

[chief02]

We have started a rolling thread in the "General Discussion" forum called "Retired Fire Service RVer's". That idea came from FireBug5..lets try that.

[FIRE UP]

Well gang,
I was notified of this "Group" by one of you a day or so ago. My name is Scott and, I'm retired San Diego Fire Department. I started my fire service right out of high school with what was then, "California Division of Forestry". Now it's called "CAL-Fire". I spent a season with them. I backed off of the fire service for a short stint then, got the bug again and entered the USAF as a crash fire fighter.

Spent three years at that in McChord AFB in Tacoma WA and got out early due to an illness with my dad that he needed help with. I then entered the Federal Fire Department with the Navy Regional Medical Center in San Diego. Spent 2.5 years there. I finally hired on to SDFD and spent 30 years there. I retired as an Engineer 'cause that was my love and where the department got the most out of me. They wanted me to promote to Captain but, I was not having any. I loved what I did.

I've since been retired for about 5 years now and, the wife and I are in a brand new home here in Lake Havasu City, AZ. We travel from time to time, here and there and see what we want to see. But, I'm a tinkerer at heart. So, having a stick and brick place for me to dabble in whatever, is a need. Our new home has an RV garage built right on to it that is adjacent to the two car garage. So, I can goof around with the big beast without ever entering the outside which, as many of you know, can get a bit warm here in Lake Havasu.

In the 30 year stint with SDFD, I spent 24 years in an overtime assignment as Lead Outfitter for brand new fire trucks. As you all know, when a new fire truck arrives, it's a rolling empty tool box. So, mine and, a crews job was to outfit it with everything needed for service. That was a great assignment for that long.

Anyway, glad it's all behind me (us) now and we enjoy every day (oh, and night, not having to get up and race around). When I see a fire truck go by with sirens blaring and horns a blasting, all I think of is, "have fun boys".

The wife and I enjoy boating with out new to us boat, riding everywhere possible with our 2008 Honda Goldwing GL 1800 and, our little companion, a two and half year old Schnauzer, Sophie. Glad to be here.
Scott

[phinneyj]

Just came across this group. Let's see, I got the bug while doing a time with Station Weapons at Barbers Point NAS in Hawaii. We worked with the CFR guys during NTPI drills and inspections.

In 1983 I was hired on by Sacramento County Airports. In 2010 I retired as a Captain.

We are currently living in our MH in the Sacramento area. Hopefully December will see us heading to Casa Grande and then Quartzite in Janurary.

[chief02]

Welcome Capt! We will winter in Az next winter and hopefullly get to Q at least during the big show. My department had a municipal AP with a small ARFF crew backed up by city units. We had a Oshkosh TA 1500 and a small Rapid Intervention Unit. AP duty was considered the country club haha..well keep us all posted on your travels. Maybe catch you along the road sometime.

[phinneyj]

Thanks for the invite Chief. I see you are from the four corners area. I got an old High School buddy that lives in Farmington. Our current schedule puts us in Casa Grande first week of December and then to Q in January. Probably hit Yuma in February.
I worked Sacramento International Airport, Mather Field and Sacramento Executive. I spent my last four years running the Station at Mather Field home of the California International Air Show. Those where some great weekends working. I usually had the best seat in the house.

[chief02]

Look for "Retried Fire Service RVer's" thread in the General Discussion forum. We all hang out over there

[Willy7]

No chief here, just a lowly Seattle Fire engine chauffeur for 30 years. I loved driving too much to promote. Retired in 2013 and have been a 34’ Class A commander for the last 14 years. I try to get the wife to call me “sir” but somehow it just doesn’t work, I will try “commander “next.
I noticed this Forum is still called " Retired full-time fire service RV’ers “ and not Retired Fire Service RVer’s, which might discourage some people from joining.

[Monster99]

Hi I started out as a second generation Firefighter in a small community in Massachusetts. I worked my way up to Captain and Training/Safety Officer. I spent 27 years serving this community. I retired when politics overrode Safety and I was Safety Officer in title only. I'm a bit young to be totally retired so I now work for the Commonwealth overseeing a group home for the developmentally and medically disabled. We travel as much as possible and in a few years the kids will be out on their own and we can hit the road.

[steve11669]

Not having been one myself, I'm curious how a firefighter adjusts to retirement. Before my retirement as a cop, I would drop by fire stations to write reports and I saw the firefighters' routine.

So when one retires, how do you go from lazy boy chairs, big screen, great meals, hanging out with good guys and getting paid to sleep, to retirement life?

Seems like it might be difficult to handle the stress of retirement!!! It also seems one would have to start missing some episodes of "days of our lives" when he retires.

All in fun brothers!

[dlewis9a]

Not funny

[firedoc]

Boy, it’s a long time between responses!

[rvingchub]

I'm a retired ff/emt from here in Tennessee. I worked for Jack Daniels Distillery and also Metro Moore Co. Both positions were volunteer. I enjoyed my career. My wife and I now travel in a Tiffin Red.