CAP Members In Fire Service or EMS?

[ProdigalJim]

So, fellow CAPTalkers, I'm curious. I'm a firefighter and an ALS provider. I believe strongly that the two things that influenced me to join the fire service in the first place were A) watching "Emergency!" on TV as a little kid, and B) joining CAP as a cadet and working ground team.

I'm wondering whether CAP has attracted fire service folks looking for additional ways to serve, or conversely, whether CAP has influenced folks to get into firefighting or EMS. Personally I find the two "services" to be vastly different, and yet tend to attract the same types of personalities.

My LE friends probably have a similar experience, but I think that's probably, in fairness, a different poll with slightly different motivations for joining.

[Garibaldi]

So, fellow CAPTalkers, I'm curious. I'm a firefighter and an ALS provider. I believe strongly that the two things that influenced me to join the fire service in the first place were A) watching "Emergency!" on TV as a little kid, and B) joining CAP as a cadet and working ground team.

I'm wondering whether CAP has attracted fire service folks looking for additional ways to serve, or conversely, whether CAP has influenced folks to get into firefighting or EMS. Personally I find the two "services" to be vastly different, and yet tend to attract the same types of personalities.

My LE friends probably have a similar experience, but I think that's probably, in fairness, a different poll with slightly different motivations for joining.

Well, if my local volunteer FD would stop cancelling their twice-monthly meetings I'd already be immersed in my first responder training and on my way to my EMT.

[Walkman]

K've been thinking of taking the EMT-B or First Responder course at some point. I just need time/money...

[Brad]

Joined CAP first, then getting that first 2am callout for a helicopter crash got me bit by the bug I guess. Got into volunteer firefighting shortly after and have loved every moment!!

[AirDX]

CAP in the 80s, fire/EMS in the 90s, back to CAP in the 2010s.

[tarheel gumby]

I had always wanted to be "Johnny Gage"

[ProdigalJim]

CAP in the 80s, fire/EMS in the 90s, back to CAP in the 2010s.

Almost exactly my progression...CAP starting in 1979, the fire service in the 90s, and then came back to CAP in 2011.

So far it looks sort of half and half on the poll. Wonder how this tiny sample stacks up nationally?

[RiverAux]

Wanted to be able to do something more local and more often than CAP's rare missions.  Had considered really making a hard core effort to start a senior-based CAP ground team in the vicinity but came to the conclusion that even if I really sold the team to the locals (assuming I could build one) that it still wouldn't get used very often.  So, wanting to make some use of the years I have to be able to do significant physical work, I got into volunteer firefighting and cut way back on CAP (still every active in CG Aux). 

I suspect that once I get too old to do the firefighting, I might migrate back to CAP and become the typical old geezer. 

[Brad]

Wanted to be able to do something more local and more often than CAP's rare missions.  Had considered really making a hard core effort to start a senior-based CAP ground team in the vicinity but came to the conclusion that even if I really sold the team to the locals (assuming I could build one) that it still wouldn't get very often.  So, wanting to make some use of the years I have to be able to do significant physical work, I got into volunteer firefighting and cut way back on CAP (still every active in CG Aux). 

I suspect that once I get too old to do the firefighting, I might migrate back to CAP and become the typical old geezer.

Sounds like me, I'm Group staff now with CAP so all I really have to do is teach some comms classes and talk to my squadron comm guys now and then about stuff.

[chief2]

Retired Fire Chief with over 40 years in emergency service

[SARDOC]

I'm a Retired Firefighter Paramedic did that for close to 20 years.  Retired against my will.

[Slim]

Third generation fireman, second generation EMT, with twenty-two years on the job.  Far as the tie-in with CAP goes, one didn't really influence the other.

[fyrfitrmedic]

Firefighter/paramedic/instructor. I've had a number of cadets in my home unit go on to fire and/or EMS careers.

[Flying Pig]

I became a cop because the local firefighters needed a hero!

[SJFedor]

Newly ordained Paramedic. CAP started the bug, but honestly, the more and more I got into the emergency services side of the rest of the world (outside of CAP), the more it pulled me away from CAP. Still debating if I want to get involved again, but honestly, the more n more I think about it and see it, the more it looks like if I want to do something, I'll go do it at my job or volunteer/work with one of the local FD/EMA's/OEM's; whereas it feels like if I want to just talk about doing something, I'd go back to CAP.

I became a cop because the local firefighters needed a hero!

You're my hero. 

[Flying Pig]

CAP started the bug, but honestly, the more and more I got into the emergency services side of the rest of the world (outside of CAP), the more it pulled me away from CAP. Still debating if I want to get involved again, but honestly, the more n more I think about it and see it, the more it looks like if I want to do something, I'll go do it at my job or volunteer/work with one of the local FD/EMA's/OEM's; whereas it feels like if I want to just talk about doing something, I'd go back to CAP.


I couldnt have said it better...............

[ProdigalJim]

CAP started the bug, but honestly, the more and more I got into the emergency services side of the rest of the world (outside of CAP), the more it pulled me away from CAP. Still debating if I want to get involved again, but honestly, the more n more I think about it and see it, the more it looks like if I want to do something, I'll go do it at my job or volunteer/work with one of the local FD/EMA's/OEM's; whereas it feels like if I want to just talk about doing something, I'd go back to CAP.


I couldnt have said it better...............

I understand where you're coming from. Since I only just came back a year ago February (after being a cadet 79-83), CAP still feels different enough from riding an engine or a medic unit to still be fun. I've flown a bunch of times in the past year and a half (20 or so mission-related sorties), and am getting pretty good at MO work, so I'm still enjoying myself.

On the other hand, while I enjoy my time on ground team, you're right, if I really wanted to do high-angle rope rescue or below-grade rescue and the like, I'd just go to Tech Rescue school or something like that and actually run tech-rescue calls.

And if I ever get to the point of having as many flying hours as you, the "excitement" will surely wear off. I've got a long, long, long way to go for that, though...

[Jerry Jacobs]

Started as a cadet in 2006, and have been active ever since except for the 10 months I was in basic training and tech school.  Got the ES Bug ever since I went to NESA in 2007.  Started EMT school in January this year and have loved it ever since.

[Flying Pig]

I think a big part of it, as ive said before is that I do EMS, SAR, tactical flying as my day job.  So naturally the desire to do it on my days off died off pretty quick.  CAP is just about as bare basic as you can get when it comes to being "SAR"   So if I really wanted to get back into it, as was said by Fedor, If I REALLY wanted to volunteer for SAR, getting in with local agency, county sheriff SAR team, etc.  You would be pretty solid.  Some areas dont offer that though.   Just my thoughts. 
After my son joined, I was really looking forward to getting into the cadet program.  After a year, he decided band, varsity water polo and varsity swim was more important.  Cant argue with that...... the kid is 15 and he is a ripped genetic mutation of physical fitness!  And he still wants to join the military.  So after that, I really could find a reason to stay.   But to each his own.

[754837]

I became a cop because the local firefighters needed a hero!

True!!!  I was going to be a fireman but I had trouble sleeping more than 12 hours a day!