Whether it’s here in the UK, or across the pond, as is the case with out namesakes at Rescue 702 at the Greenville Fire Department, having a quiet day is always preferable to getting called out to deal with emergency situations. Call outs range from the types you might expect, such as imminent danger in buildings on fire to the more clichés like cat’s stuck in trees.

When we’re in the station, though, there’s plenty to do. For example, we’re all expected to stay in shape so that we’re effective on the job, so using the gym is a common pastime. There’s also all sorts of community work that we do, such as visiting primary schools and raising awareness of safety measures like fitting smoke alarms.

Of course, there’s rest time too, particularly on the night shift. Many stations have sleeping quarters, where many members of the team catch up on some sleep while the remainder stay alert in case of a call out. For those who draw the short straw, there’s usually an obligatory caffeine hit required, so many crews (known as watches in the trade) invest in coffee machines to get the desired hit during the long hours of darkness. In fact, blue watch have just investing in a brand new bean grinding machine after doing their research with beantocupcoffeemachines.net, and making use of that Amazon Prime subscription. It’s surprising (or perhaps not, actually) how few members of the team actually got the normal amount of sleep on the first night that machine was on site, as they were all playing with the controls and grinding the coffee beans for hours. As you’re no doubt aware, coffee and sleep don’t mix well!

There’s also a common trend for fire fighters to indulge in sporting activities too, although that’s not usually on shift (with the exception of the odd game of table tennis or pool). You’ll often see your local firemen in the five a side league, or perhaps even the Sunday league at the nearest pitches. One of the problems is consistency, though, as the team will regularly change due to the shift patterns rotating every week.

Every so often, fire stations offer open days where the public can visit and take a look around. It’s often a popular event, and you never know when a call will come in. Kids are often inspired by the Fireman Sam TV show, and you’ll commonly hear one of the children looking for Norman Price getting up to mischief!

The fire service are a vital part of the safety of our local towns and villages, so we’re keen to be seen in the local area. If you think you might be running an event that we might wish to get involved with, please get in touch – we particularly like anything that involves a cup of decent coffee, as you are now well aware!