Fire fighters are a community’s ‘Swiss Army knife’ – responding not just to fires, but medical calls, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, train derailments, behavioral health emergencies, and more. The all-hazard role of the country’s fire service was a recurring theme of a recent IAFF member focus group led by pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz.
“There’s no emergency that [fire fighters] won’t go and do their best to bring order to,” said Jeff, an IAFF member from Illinois. “But sometimes there are things that you simply cannot do because you don’t have the manpower, because you don’t have the equipment, because you don’t have the personnel, the teams in place. And that is a chief source of frustration for a lot of the individuals I work with.”
Emergency medical workers
Luntz spoke to 17 members from across the United States about their careers, what they want civilians to know about the fire service, and what they expect from politicians.
Despite the challenges, members described their deep appreciation for the job
“We’re medical professionals, we’re fire professionals, and in some cases, social workers,” said Tom, from Nevada. Fire fighters and emergency medical workers face trauma and stress regularly on calls. That has only increased since COVID, as municipalities struggle to fully staff departments. “This job can be death by a thousand cuts,” said Carolyn, from California. “We just get hit all day, every day, with little things that pile up.” Despite the challenges, members described their deep appreciation for the job.
Otherwise stressful situation
“Just those connections that I make every day, whether it’s an EMS call or a fire call, it brings great joy and meaning to me,” said Ross, from Minnesota. “I feel like I’m able to help somebody each and every day and at least bring a little bit of joy to their lives in an otherwise stressful situation.”
The focus group is one way the IAFF is engaging rank-and-file members ahead of the 2024 election. A member-wide opinion survey is planned for January.
