The number 1 reason why...

Why would anyone in there right mind want to risk it all for complete strangers? The implied answer is because they enjoy it and want to help people. Well, duh. Tip for interviewing, don't ever answer the question of why you want to become a firefighter with the cookie cutter answer of you want to save people. Well no shit! I sure hope you aren't getting into firefighting because you like to watch people die!

So anyway, why would a fairly capable and fairly smart individual choose to be a firefighter? When everyone else is running from a certain situation why would anyone want to be the one to go against the flow of people and head into danger? I look at all the brave first responders at the 9/11 building collapses and see so many examples of masses of people running away while a honorable group of people were fighting against the crowds and debris so they could die doing their job. Which brings up another great point, why would anyone want to die for their job?

Everyone has there own reasons. A lot of them are probably similar, and everyone probably has a few that is on no one else's list. My list is very long and I will attempt to discuss my reasons why as time goes on. If anything just to remind myself of why I am doing this.

So the number one, top of the list, reason why I am doing this is my daughters. Might seem weird at first, especially because I had a hard time growing up with a firefighter as a father. But time passed and I understood what it was all about. I am sure the girls will figure it out some day too. My girls are pretty much my reason for living. Ok, not pretty much they ARE my reason for living. My wife deserves some credit for keeping me alive too, but without those girls I don't know that I would care what I was. With those girls I have a purpose greater than myself. I am not religious, nor do I care to be, so I guess these girls are my god. I answer to them ultimately. Any good or bad I do I will ultimately have to stand in front of them for judgment. Which makes me want to do good things. They make me want to accomplish something in my life. They make me want to be something to be proud of. I don't need to be a hero to anyone, outside of my house. I have a direct desire to be a hero, the all powerful, big, strong, invincible dad that story tellers talk about. Not to anyone else, just to those girls. There is a clear burden with this philosophy and that is there is a huge amount of risk with this job. I won't always be invincible and wont' always be the hero in every situation. But I don't doubt, that at the end of the day if I have tried my hardest and done my best I will be a hero to those girls. My number one reason to be a firefighter is also gives me my number one job once I become one.

I am studying and working my ass off to be the best firefighter I can be. So that once I become one I already have the mind frame of hard work, and dedication to my training. Because ultimately, once I am hired on a department, my number one reason for wanting to become a firefighter changes to my number one job as a firefighter. Making sure I get home every morning so I can kiss and hug those girls.