How YouTube Wrecked My Firefighting Career

[@Livingingrace]

My son had joined the local volunteer firefighters and really loved it until, the internal politics and infighting from leadership led him to turn in his gear and call it quits.

[@DaggettCreekJake]

Cody! I’m a TFLD(t), ENGB/HEQB, ICT4 here in Idaho. Currently on standby for Treasure Valley Fire, we are always on the lookout for single resources and also pimp ourselves out to other Wildland avenues. Please keep me in mind, I’d be happy to interview or offer you a position (up to you on how long). Like you said, Wildland is a small community and we take care of each other! -Jake

[@nickhoeven7026]

Stay safe out there. 10s and 18s.

[@lukehayes4027]

Blow up so he can see

[@grantrennie]

@wranglestar

[@jesusgarcia-xj2mz]

@dagget I’m 19 and wanting to be part of the forestry firefighting. Would it be possible to get in touch with you and talk about some things?

[@whenthepraisesgoupthebless1505]

jesus garcia hey man if your serious about fighting fire in the forest service your best bet is apply on usajobs man it will tricky and tough to get it in to I to had a hard time getting it but it was worth it you can do it man stay in great shape station visits are a huge part of getting a foot in the door best of luck and I hope this help

[@maksim33]

Don't feel bad about having to make videos like this that require less effort, it's nice to hear a more personal side from time to time.

[@drewmoney4411]

Well said

[@bigd158]

This isn't his fault. The fact that he was using his gear to safely teach his kid in a practical environment should be held in high regard. We need more people like him.

[@ziggy2652]

Thats what i was thinking they fired a guy for teaching a kid to wear their safety gear. Unreal

[@amer1canbea5t89]

Yes it was 100% his fault. It was a decision made by him that caused him to lose his job

[@jeremyboecker9236]

What we need is less people blaming "their" mistakes on others. He broke a badlands wench while pulling out a stump that was impossible while having access to an excavator then went on to make a video about why it was a cheap wench. Lmao.

[@coni7392]

@@jeremyboecker9236 wait not about the helmet?

[@Francis-rs7zu]

liability - if his kid was hurt using the company tools, then the company could be found guilty. Usually this stuff is stated in employee handbooks, and employees are informed of this ahead of time. Stupid, but he was at fault in this situation, and company should protect its assets. Not unlike your neighbors kid playing over your house and they find you gun unlocked and gets hurt.

[@randallparr680]

I am retired from the US Forest Service and proud of it. That being said, there is some supervision that is thin skinned and overly sensitive to any less than flattering images. I came on board in 1980. I recall that about 1981 Playboy magazine featured a photo spread of a Forestry Technician in Alaska. From what I could tell from the text (umm I read Playboy for the articles), it was clear which agency she worked for. Moreover, apparently, some of the photos were taken in her quarters and one of the images included one of her shirts WITH the shoulder patch clearly visible. Although the article was the subject of some talk and giggling around my District, from what I could tell from the internal gossip, that young tech never faced any career consequences. Image is in the mind of the beholder.

[@coni7392]

Now I want to see it myself lol

[@halosrusty]

We are along way from the 80’s unfortunately

[@jacobmccandles1767]

...or the beer holder.

[@christopherblack4771]

Very true. But that's still lame af. Current times .....ugh are utterly RIDICULOUS

[@steeltoeflipflops]

Most responder departments and medical are usually a bunch of Kevin's and Karen's. Not hero material.

[@reiteralbert3118]

Hey Cody. In Romania we have a proverb when the fox can't reach to the grapes says that they are sour...sorry for my grammar mistakes. You have a great family ! And achived some great things thru hard work . Keep on the good work ! And may God bless you and your entire family!

[@wiscodisco6665]

Based on Aesops’ Fables I believe

[@maggiee639]

Sounds about right in this case lol

[@Crosswalker.]

Your name sounds german, saxon? 🤔

[@jimmy500]

@@wiscodisco6665 Correct.

[@AdeptPaladin]

We have a similar phrase in English - 'sour grapes', which refers to the same fable from Aesop!

[@Wvusoldier217]

Imagine firing a guy because his kid put his dads kit on. Unreal.

[@steveroche2524]

Massive pr stunt for most big company's I'm pretty sure most in ul would use it our roadworks have pica of kids done out in workwear stating for instance please keep slow my day works here

[@steveroche2524]

Uk

[@Wvusoldier217]

Steve Roche looks like you had a stroke while typing.

[@steveroche2524]

@@Wvusoldier217 lack of concentration suffer sometimes with it

[@q-_-p.d-_-b]

Well look at Seattle. A bunch of loons running the place. I would imagine the state following suite.

[@Grogbelly]

Cody, small government operations like that (even federal ones with local controllers) are just like schools and academia in general. The reason the people are so petty and the fights are so vicious is because the stakes are so small.

[@wranglerstar]

You just won the comment of the day award Grog *

[@Grogbelly]

Thank you! At first I was sad for you over your obvious disappointment at being removed from the program, then laughing with your infectious joy at your thoughts on being a firefighting contractor with your family on UTV Fire Engines!

[@DRWebster93]

Cody, I’m a licensed Ham radio operator. I was so glad to hear that you are interested in Ham and in getting your license! Don’t let the negative comments get you down! The elitist Hams who complain about people new to the hobby will be the death of it if they keep that up. I believe they do that because they want to feel special and like they are part of something exclusive. They should be positively encouraging new people to get more involved and get licensed, not driving them away. If we don’t get more people using the Ham frequencies, I fear that the FCC will sell them off for commercial use.

[@grmmq2247]

I am also a licensed Ham and I feel the same. If people don't feel welcome they won't join and a wonderful thing will be lost. The only argument that holds water with me about why some ham's watch, harass, and hunt (see "Fox Hunt") unlicensed users is to keep the frequencies clean. Just turn on a CB radio and listen to the filth spewed there. My two cents. I enjoy your channel and it is one of the very few I have subscribed to. (And I'm not an east coast guy, I have polished boots, and I hold open the door for women and men)

[@ryanjones9305]

Exactly why I didn’t renew my license. The crybabies just made it no fun at all.

[@pokemonemeraldlover]

Whats ham

[@TimB0B_6152]

@@pokemonemeraldlover Amateur Radio - HAM is an acronym for the hobby. The hobby is unfortunately heavily and in some cases overregulated by the FCC.

[@rhoonah5849]

@@pokemonemeraldlover A tasty, white meat.

[@kansaIainen]

"Never interfere with an enemy in the process of destroying himself.' -Tsun Tsu, The Art Of War

[@theronwinsby]

well said!

[@WhatInTheGoddamn_]

Sun tsu didn't say that, Napoleon did smh

[@kansaIainen]

@@WhatInTheGoddamn_ Yes, Sun Tsu said: “Never Interrupt Your Enemy When He Is Making A Mistake”. :D

[@WhatInTheGoddamn_]

@@kansaIainen No he infact didn't lol

[@WhatInTheGoddamn_]

Also even if sun tsu said it, napoleon also stated the same thing lol

[@nickuchneat301]

Hey Cody. Just wanted to say that when you say for instance "We'll fix the tank together", just something about you saying "together" makes you seen so inclusive and just a good person.

[@caninedrill_instructor5861]

Mr. W. As long as you're not transmitting on Amateur frequencies. ANYONE can own a Ham radio. Something that my brethren in the Ham community seem to have forgotten. 73/72 de K9DI

[@drteknical6571]

You certainly can listen, but you are NOT allowed to transmit if you don't have the proper license. Just owning a piece of gear and an antenna does give anyone the right to transmit whenever and on whatever frequency they want to.

[@OpSic66]

@@supermoon1430 DrTeknical isn't being so Technical. Even without a license, operation of said gear CAN be done legally, without a license. I'd suggest he go read his rule book again. There are a couple of ways legal operation of equipment you own, without a license can be done. I also state this, as someone currently holding a General Class license. ;-)

[@llshamelessll]

@@drteknical6571 Whoa, calm down there "Daren"

[@BonzerWolf]

@@drteknical6571 Nobody F'n cares except you nits, and that includes the real PO-lice and Fire Fighters

[@thefreedomwarrior]

DrTeknical Pajama boy.

[@TijuanaSmoke]

Such a divide. All gun owners say “screw the ATF get away with what you can”. HAM radio owners say “bow to the FCC or we will make you”

[@trwsandford]

Is radio communication in the bill of rights? oh yep! there it is! First amendment. lol

[@beaker15tyler39]

@@trwsandford As a radio operator, its not...

[@robertjeffery3237]

trwsandford the First Amendment deals with speech among other freedoms. It doesn’t deal with the means and methods of how you communicate. Just like licensing drivers. Amateur Radio is self-poilcing because we can interfere commercial radio and TV as well as emergency communication for police and firefighters.

[@trwsandford]

beaker15 Tyler yep it is. Freedom of speech ring any bells for you?

[@trwsandford]

Wrinky's Carnage crew, gold and silver and lead. These three are precious to me. I never gave anyone authority over my ability to speak, or how that speech is transmitted.

[@denimjez]

I remember wearing my uncles volunteer firefighting gear. Have pictures too. He went from a teen runaway, hs drop out, to business owner, inventor with patents, volunteer firefighter, author, 9-11 first responder who has the lung disease from the dust, and big wig at FEMA. Just to name a few of many accomplishments. I respect this man. It's crazy to think a child putting on gear could of had the potential to alter his life so much as to take the thing he loved the most doing from him. Some people are just pathetic.

[@RandomTXDude210]

I used to wear my dad's bunker gear all the time. Myself, and the other kids, used to stop by the department and crawl all over the fire trucks and ambulances. Hell, when Life Flight came to pick up someone who ended up dying before they landed, we also got free rides in the helicopter if the pilots didn't have to rush back to the city. Disgusting that he got fired for something so small. I bet in 2022 they're reconsidering!!!

[@srice8959]

@@RandomTXDude210 I know that this is kinda old post. I couldn’t agree more with you and the Original Comment too. I’m from New Orleans and all of my family are cops. 26 members counting active, and retirees not counting the ones who’s passed away over the years. The neighborhood where I grew up at is called the Irish Channel. Growing up there when I was younger and the generations that came before me. There was a saying if you was a boy growing up in the Channel you had 3 choices in life. You became a Cop, Fireman, or an Angola Inmate. Even though all of my family were cops we also knew the firemen that worked at the neighborhood firehouse, and they use to be more than happy when the neighborhood boys would come to the Firehouse to play or hang out. They had a basketball goal set up at the house where we’d play by ourselves or sometimes against the firemen too. They use to let us climb all over the different rigs they had from Pumptruck to Rescue Truck and so on. They’d even let us ride on the truck if it was going anywhere that was Non-Emergency. We even use to help wash the trucks. Looking back on that I’m sure that they was happy to have that free labor with washing the trucks too. One thing I also remember now that I look back on it is they would let the neighborhood kids that hung out there more then others would also get feed by the firemen, and looking back that might have been the only really good meal a few of them got everyday. The Irish Channel wasn’t a rich area like it is now with Gentrification. Some of those boys dads who was away in prison. Had just a single mother’s income plus a few brother’s & sisters was living paycheck to paycheck. Commented all of that to say basically the same as you said. Back then they didn’t have these Candyassed bosses like they do now. Bosses stood up for their men. Also those firemen and their Chiefs knew that the more time those kids was at the firehouse the less likely they were getting involved in anything that would have them getting In trouble or becoming Angola inmates

[@BaptistJoshua]

I wonder if taking Clear Lung would help him.

[@buildingwithtrees2258]

I'm a federal employee that was blacklisted from a promotion. I'm in a union and a few phone calls later, the program director called apologizing for a clerical error. I'm an unapologetic union thug.

[@Sirmellowman]

that is so incredibly sad and just straight up sickening that A some low life has the time to report you for your kid wearing a piece of your gear and B that they actually care about something so silly and small.

[@maxquigley9524]

Just speculating here based on my experience working for corporations. The helmet thing sounds like a pretext rather than the real reason. They probably want people who they can have complete control over, not independent thinkers. They want soldiers who will follow orders rather than make their own decisions.

[@brianwalker1933]

Max Quigley. Well said, 100% true!! I can definitely relate to that. I was a “volunteer” in two organisations, (in Australia) They frown upon anyone that can think for themselves . So rather than argue with them, l quit, their loss.😊

[@jfett1738]

I heard stories of firefighter burying tools and equipment cause the state give them new one salad our tax dollars at work there

[@joshuabean9409]

Lots of spiteful "woke" types out there with daddy issues. Just my opinion, dig.

[@igitahimsa5871]

@@maxquigley9524 100% agree! Thank you for sharing your experience! I had the same experience and left it in the dust. Been waaay better off since.. God bless us all

[@watchthe1369]

New title, "Why few people volunteer anymore"

[@sherpa972]

watchthe1369 You are so right. As a volunteer in a couple of different organizations, the administration is now more taxing than actually work you signed up for!!!

[@95ffd]

It's amazing how much it has changed. Everyone wants money now. Which I don't blame them for all the time that is involved now. The regulations change so fast. Did it for 26 years and walked away from it.

[@kristianhumphries8026]

New title how I get bored and quiet

[@phillims1]

The queep in the fire world sounds a lot like the direction the National Guard has been on over the last few decades. It takes surprisingly little to ruin the best job in the world...

[@Swampyankeehomestead]

Agreed.

[@toddabbruzzese4985]

Hi Cody. If the "brotherhood" was so strict and to the letter that they had to let you go for breaking their uniform/gear regulations, they exposed themselves as a "brotherhood" I would not want to be a part of by the shady way they let you go. Not a manly man manners way at all.. No thank you.

[@lancewalker6067]

Too many “brotherhoods” are antithetical to the real families they claim to support and value. Any brotherhood that you can “trust with your life, but not your money or your wife” is not worthy of anybody’s consideration.

[@TheodenEdnewDoesDnD]

Todd is absolutely right.

[@JourneyOnLife]

What a horrible cowards for not letting you know what was the reason they no longer needed your services. And I mean how is one supposed to learn or how are things supposed to get better if you don't let someone know what they did wrong? There's a darn well cowards and really ignorant and embarrassing. They really show that Selma fire and that would be great people in the United States are regressive sick losers who are creating toxic environments.

[@JourneyOnLife]

Also if they hate wranglerstar so much then why are they watching his videos in the first place, LOL. What losers. I'm embarrassed fellow Americans with these people.

[@01AceAlpha]

Exactly the same reasons I retired after 16years. I was fully up to date with all my qualifications, but the officers felt that they didn’t have to do anything, they just had the the trainers check them off without even being in gear. It’s amazing that it’s the same situation here in Ontario Canada. I do believe this is part due the unions pushing to receive more dues.

[@TheHarryb]

I also had to make a decision between our dog and my little daughter. And I can tell you, it really really hurts when walking out of the woods, and you hear the screams behind you: "daddy, daddy, daddy..."

[@GuntherRommel]

So, so dark. I shouldn't've laughed, but I did.

[@MrBroken030]

You got a talking dog?!

[@jfett1738]

HagaahahahhaH

[@jfett1738]

Yes the world is right again

[@tonydobek8908]

🤦‍♂️🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@mixflip]

I walked away from industrial firefighting as a refinery firefighter and hazmat technician. $100k a year job... 12 years later the refinery is closing and everyone i worked with who stayed are devastated. I'm glad I dodged that bullet. Sad to hear about your issue with the firefighter gear and your son.

[@jochie18]

Doesn't sound a lot for such a high risk job.

[@greenshield1]

Never met a fireman that preferred wildland over structural firefighting. Where where you a paid fireman?

[@KrackDaddy]

@@jochie18 it's a lot

[@AurumFaber]

I mean, you could have stayed a _little_ longer.

[@goldcrownkingmod]

@@AurumFaber yeah. 12 years is a hell of a long time.

[@James_Hough]

You think the ham radio guys are bad, just wait until those weirdos who call themselves "dog parents" hear about you "abandoning" Heart Racer.

[@wranglerstar]

Dude, this is so true,

[@Suitednzooted11]

Oh no, fur baby owners are the worst.

[@CainnechK]

OMG spot on!!

[@gabe7478]

Good point James. Not to sound too hoity-toity, but I've always been interested in Plato's prediction that when civilizations treat dogs like humans, it predicts the downfall of civilizations. From The Republic, book 8: "By degrees the anarchy finds a way into private houses, and ends by getting among the animals and infecting them...for truly the she-dogs will be as good as their she-mistresses, and they will run at anybody who comes in their way if he does not leave the road clear for them."

[@gabe7478]

@@MisterBoy316 You got a point there, but that's not to say the old guy in the cabin thinks his dog deserves all human rights. I think old wise men loves his dog and understand the dog's place in the universe, whereas a silly dog-woman might want her dog to have free healthcare. The old guy actually is treating his dog better because he knows the dogs real needs and desires, and the silly dog-woman is actually doing the dog a disservice

[@TheFlowshizle]

I am a full time career paid FF/EMT in one of the largest integrated response zones in Canada, and I have to tell you that the volunteers and mutual aid are very critical to operations, and I am very thankful to work along side them.

[@texasatrox]

It's common for kid's to try on their dads things, especially when it comes to fire and police. I don't think you missed out by being associated with the spineless and the petty. It's really sad the way some people are in the service.

[@mikepalmer1253]

I’m speechless.... I’m an iron worker and just drawing a parallel here, it be like getting fired for my sons wearing my welding helmet!!! Completely nuts.

[@amer1canbea5t89]

more and more companies are coming out with social media policies that do not allow anything with their logos to be published on social media by any employee. Every oil company i have worked for since 2008 has had some form of social media policy like that. Some enforce it strictly and some really do not.

[@amer1canbea5t89]

@@robertsenior8330 okay and? If it has their logos in the picture and it is against policy, you can be punished for it.

[@mrprodigy7143]

@@amer1canbea5t89 somethings fishy about this to me companies don’t just fire people

[@amer1canbea5t89]

@@mrprodigy7143 companies fire people all the time that violate policies.

[@jasonrasch6225]

I'm right there with you Cody. I volunteered for over 20 years doing search and rescue. Spent countless hours of my time and my own money. I made the hard decision to quit last year for the same reasons. SAR is part of the Sherriff's office here in Arizona and more and more they started making us take class upon class that had nothing to do with our jobs. For example a class on sexual harassment of prisoners. Has nothing to do with a volunteer of search and rescue. In addition our new Sherriff was very unfriendly to volunteers on top of ever increasing politics in the department just made it not fun or rewarding anymore.

[@mattjames8683]

Wow, the federal forest service is antiquated. Don't they know jack wearing their helmet is free advertising! You should have sent them an invoice for advertising then LoL!

[@cylais3518]

You could also use your portable fire truck golf cart thing to spray water over the angry HAMM radio guys. It will cool them down.

[@xxM5xx]

I am a licensed ham (2 years now). I never knew there was so much anger, hatred and jealousy directed at hams. Here is the thing...hams police themselves and self police the thin slice of radio spectrum hams are allocated is important to hams for good reason. The very last thing hams want, and they fear most (other than losing some spectrum) is that ham frequencies become the anarchy mess known as CB Radio. The way to keep the ham frequencies clean and usable is the ham licensing process. Licensing forces users to know the rules and the consequences for breaking them. There are alternative "radios" with their own frequency allocations such as FRS and GMRS. Cody's Baofeng BF-F8xxx is NOT such a radio even though it can be tuned to GMRS. Please use those inexpensive GMRS radios and available frequencies (not the Baofeng BF-F8, using the BF-F8 for GMRS in the USA is illegal). Getting a ham license at the Technician level is easy. Knowledge of Morse Code isn't even a requirement. I studied for less than two days, took the test and passed with ease. Cody is a bright guy. He could do it too. With regard to "private channel". What is that? There is no private channel in ham radio. If Cody and another unlicensed gent are conversing on a BaoFeng handheld they are violating Federal law. If Cody and the other fellow think GMRS channels are usable on the Baofeng, think again, because it is a FCC violation. Even someone licensed in amateur radio (licensed ham) would get in trouble with the FCC for using the Baofeng handheld for GMRS two-way communication. Cody, if you are using your handheld Baofeng ham radio transceiver on GMRS (or FRS) frequencies, it is illegal for anyone to do that in the USA. The entire spectrum is allocated, there are no private channels, unless you have a FCC business license (for a specific business frequency / channel). Cody, having watched Wranglerstar for years I know you are not an outlaw. Please do your radio communications legally. Get the correct radio (not a Baofeng) for what you need, or get your ham technician license and transmit on your Boafeng legally. Have a good day.

[@alew1372]

@@xxM5xx OK Karen.

[@xxM5xx]

@@alew1372 Call me names, whatever. Go ahead and call me a Boomer too if that makes you fell good. I'm not hating on Cody. He is smart, successful and knowledgeable on many things. Seems like his lack of knowledge on two way radios should be addressed promptly. When he starts the new business thing, at the new location, he may want to look into radios for business use, on the business frequencies (an RF channel you temporarily own). The Baofeng can't legally be used for business frequencies either (even though they can tune to them). In fact, amateur radios cannot be used for business purposes whatsoever.

[@xxM5xx]

@@sheldonfrey1 Not true what you are saying about "The Walmart" channels. It is still illegal to do that with the Baofeng BF-F8. Go back and sit at the kiddie table Sheldon. We adults are tying to communicate adult stuff here.

[@xxM5xx]

@Luke K. A Baofeng Bf-F8xxx is what Cody said he was using. It is illegal to use that transceiver on any business band. If you have a ham radio license, you aren't helping. If you don't have a license (which requires knowledge) then please stop spewing ignorance. I could be wrong, but I do not believe there is any scenario which Cody can legally use that BF-F8 radio to transmit on himself. He can listen. He can use another radio for his needs but the BF-F8 requires a license for amateur frequencies (all of them) and cannot legally be used for transmitting on frequencies outside the 2 meter or 70cm ham bands.

[@isla25]

That is one of the most petty things I have ever heard, they dropped a highly motivated and skilled volunteer because a child wore one of their helmets in a KZbin video.

[@michaelhorner4011]

The United States of Commieville ! Trump 2020 :)

[@totallyfrozen]

Very petty. And let’s not pretend that the vengeful rat doesn’t have children somewhere and that those children never messed with any of dad’s uniforms or gear. Come on! I have no doubt whoever targeted Wranglerstar is a hypocrite.

[@toosas]

it's just good old jealousy, they must have been looking for an excuse for a long time

[@shanerathburn8527]

@@michaelhorner4011 Even worse now with biden.

[@amer1canbea5t89]

They probably have rules against that. I know the company I work for and most of the companies in my area have strict social media policies.

[@mikeschmid4841]

volunteer fire fighter in Wisconsin. Our fire house has a walk in beer fridge. after training or a call it is still tradition to share a beer or two or three. It may just be because its in rural Wisconsin. Great bunch of guys. So happy to call them my brothers.

[@mattpowelluk1]

It’s pretty similar in Britain, volunteering feels like free labour now due all the pain and effort of new regulations coming in.

[@tramerr92]

I'm sorry but why, can a kid not, have his Dad's fireman helmet on. The person who got you kicked out, should be kicked out!

[@mrturtle52]

Yeah sorry if its a dumb question but whats the problem with the kid wearing a helmet with the logo on it

[@TheVeryBFG]

Monetized content changes everything. What would be acceptable use by an unpaid amateur becomes copyright infringement etc when the creator is remunerated. I think his termination was an overreaction, and that a quiet word would have been sufficient.

[@submarineradioman5535]

You’re fine Cody. I’ve been a ham for 51 years. Don’t worry about the negative comments from SOME Hams... they’re just a bunch of “yentas” (Yiddish (similar to PA Deutsch actually) for an old bag). Good day and God Bless! Just two cents from an old diesel submarine telegrapher/radio operator.

[@submarineradioman5535]

The hams I hang around with can all operate Morse (CW) at over 20 WPM and design/build some, if not all of their own radio equipment.

[@wobblysauce]

That is it, you need a licence to transmit not receive, and if you do illegal broadcasts... people pinpoint them rather fast.

[@zapityzapzap]

Do be fair, the UV-5R gets a bad reputation for it's spurious emissions yet the FCC still granted it Part 90 certification (i.e. it's a commercial radio). Also, amateur emissions standards are tested differently from commercial standards. Commercial standards test what is actually radiated from the antenna and as a result some of the spurs get suppressed by the OE "Dummy Load" duck where amateur standards test the output of the PA (or what is put into the antenna, not what is radiated by the antenna).

[@kiffing]

@@wobblysauce The Baofeng radio also has on it the public frequencies for FRS/GMRS(Family Radio Service). So he can use that radio on public channels which doesn't require a ham license.

[@jonathanbrock2478]

@@kiffing Not legally. It's certified for the Amateur bands, but not for transmitting on FRS/GMRS. Of course, from a practical matter someone would have to report it's use and the FCC would have to care.

[@Devin82m]

Cody, I'm a ham radio guy (13 years licensee) and I FULLY AGREE, there are so many tattle tale jerks in ham radio. :-)

[@mozee06]

As soon as I saw him pull it out and talk into it, I knew he was going to get an ear full, especially after just talking about how people from all over the place report him in hopes of catching him in a building code violation or construction without a permit!

[@Devin82m]

@@mozee06 Yeah, it's sad to hear. People are stupid, often.

[@ulfhenarpolymathmilitant6258]

not just ham radio ...........now it'll be .............."PUT YOUR DAMN MASK ON !!!"

[@mozee06]

@Tommy Ealey , the logic is similar to that of a driver's license. Ensuring that people have some basic knowledge of how everything works, both theoretical and practical, as well as the laws and common courtesies pertaining to operating the radios. You don't want to be a nuisance and cause interference with people's TV's and radios, and especially emergency service and aircraft communications and navigation equipment. You can also get shocked or burned when dealing with higher power outputs. Most of that isn't as big of a concern when using handled radios though. At that point it's mainly trying to avoid being a nuisance to others. With the Baofeng and other Chinese radios, they aren't locked down to the US approved frequencies, so you could end up transmitting on frequencies that are reserved for other purposes.

[@Devin82m]

@Tommy Ealey You probably remember his callsign because he stated it so many times on the radio, it's required to state your callsign at the begining, throughout, and at the end of a contact (conversation). Oh, there's lots of logic to it. For one, it gives more capability to communicate long distances. I live in North ID and can speak to people in Europe quite easily and consistently for instance. But on a more national or regional scale any non licensed frequencies and power limits on those frequencies are next to useless compared to ham radio frequencies and power levels. Just using VFH frequencies I can get about 50 to 60 miles using 50 watts and a omnidirectional antenna, I can get further with a directional antenna. CB can get up to a 100 miles or more if conditions are just right with the ionosphere and sun spots, but we have been in low sun spot activity for a decade now and it's going to be another decade before the cycle gets up to anything useful again. Not to mention CBs and other non licensed frequencies can be noisy and way too many people talking on them and in a chaotic way. With ham radio I can discreetly communicate with one person using my computer over the radio, it's literally like emailing or chatting. So there are a LOT of benefits to learning the tech/hobby and using it, especially during peacetime, when things get spicy anything goes. I suggest checking out OH8STN's youtube channel, it's awesome.

[@jameskennedy7509]

Well that never happened to me. As a former municipal police officer, now retired.... Goverment at all levels (municipal, county, state, federal) is full of people who like to micromanage, make rules, start/stop programs they know nothing about, etc. They are also very sensitive about their agency's public image and how it reflects on their personal image. Do not sweat this, you are a good man/person and are doing well. Keep up the good work, I love the videos. Be safe!!!

[@0ddSavant]

My brother recently retired after 20+ years as a Paramedic/Fireman. Growing older and nagging pain from a long career with no shortage of very physical work finally did what no structural fire or multi-vehicle / mass casualty event could: forced him to slow down. The fraternity and closeness is what he misses the most. That’s the subtext in a lot of his stories. Losing the ability to do something before you’ve lost the desire is heartbreaking. He’s still close to a lot of people from the firehouse, and he just finished his Master’s degree. So now he’s teaching the next GEN of firemen and paramedics. Love your content, keep up the good work. Cheers!

[@ericthehalfmexican9187]

As a young (40 yr old, lol) ham radio operator, I will say I see more Karen’s in the ham world than anywhere else.

[@seedlessgrapes2605]

You wouldn't expect the Karen's to be in the ham radio world but they seem to be taking over every platform

[@babiesfartingfire6007]

Yeah. HAM guys are the only ones dumb enough to think geochron digital is worth it. 73's

[@WarpFactor999]

I've been a have since 1963. It was MUCH harder to get a ham ticket and a ham rig up until the last 10 years. Today, the FCC is begging people to become hams as my generation is dying out. Get your ticket...its not that hard these days (you don't have to go before the FCC anymore). Lots of hams will help.

[@JS-jh4cy]

Why are there Karen's and Carmen every where

[@ambilaevus7607]

@@JS-jh4cy my theory is they are bored cause modern life is too boring and trying to exert power/control over trivial things is entertaining.

[@HappyTr33]

I'm an arborist, and I've learned a ton about chainsaw maintenance and forestry from you. Thanks, Wrangler star.

[@thomast8539]

Want to learn a bit more? Go watch Femalelumberjack. She is from Denmark, knows her stuff and well, is easy on the eyes too.

[@HappyTr33]

@@thomast8539 never from a woman, but thanks.

[@yoavnavott]

@@HappyTr33 why? Sexist much

[@CainnechK]

My sister in law was a dog mom and when she was pregnant with her first real child we were talking about her dog and i said “u just wait till that baby comes, u think u know love now, u have no idea what love is. The second that little dog so much as growls at the baby it will be gone!” She go so offended. One year later and they gave up the dog last week.

[@wobblysauce]

Normally the same issue as a firstborn, if they are close... attention split is not good for some.

[@tonyneff9196]

As a junior firefighter, I’m glad to see that we have the same views on a volunteer department. I moved departments because I got treated like garbage and they didn’t have the strength to tell me what I did wrong and just blamed it on me by saying I was irresponsible. Hope you do successful!

[@george344]

Sounds like nursing.

[@aaronanderson7619]

@@george344 and a bunch of other jobs. I run large scale state projects on the electrical side. 15 years ago, I thought it would be awesome to be top... Bunch of babysitting bs of grown men likely older than I. Too late now, the lack of man in man power is tough to stomach sometimes

[@george344]

@@aaronanderson7619 I agree. Did Civil Affairs in my last nine years in the Reserves with two deployments. Had a few who were “civilian” in their attitudes, but most were really good at their jobs. A lot of folks just don’t care about quality anymore. Just the quantity in their pay and play modes. The folks that run nursing have almost zero leadership skills and a lot of the new nurses lack the old work ethic, so a bad combo. Plus, critical thinking gets “policied” out. Policies are written to maximize the bottom line. If something happens, then the nurse can get thrown under the boss and management is insulated. Healthcare is not a healthy place to work in, IMHO.

[@george344]

Bus not boss - autocorrect strikes again.

[@aaronanderson7619]

@@george344 no worries, happy new year. Wishing you all of the best it has to offer

[@kesselrunner]

Being blacklisted without knowing the reason is just about the worst feeling in the world. Especially when you would still have so much to give. In the end, though, companies or organizations that would do that to a person aren't worth the effort.

[@ShepardCommander]

Companies never were. We need to restructure our power balance so that the companies serve the people, including as employees and not the other way around.

[@hashnotall6263]

All companies and organisations post 2010 do that as standard course. It's really bad. Worse still, social media. You can be talking for months before you realise NO ONE saw a single thing you said because they just decided you had the wrong opinions, not that you ever broke a rule.

[@abeanishinaabe1373]

If you don't know why you're the problem.. or it wasn't right In the first place

[@markmcgoveran6811]

If you got blacklisted somewhere it might be something about you and your attitude?

[@kesselrunner]

@@markmcgoveran6811 Or a simple misunderstanding that gets blown out of proportion by plain old ignorance. At least in my case...

[@SkinnyMedic]

I love being able to help my community being a vol.

[@aaronautry1981]

Same here in Eaton IN

[@inkzy1816]

@Gary Hochstetler lmao and why did this pop up 9 months later

[@rhoonah5849]

@Gary Hochstetler Did you really need to comment when you knew what he was saying?

[@HandyMike78]

The worst part about being early is there aren't many comments to read.

[@thefreedomwarrior]

It sometimes the best thing about coming in early.

[@aideningram434]

Good thing you are not early

[@thomast8539]

Come back. We have filled in a few blanks.

[@HandyMike78]

@@thomast8539 haha I think there were 8 comments when I watched and 4 of them said first...

[@candyslife160]

Wow! That is very cowardly on their part. The right thing to do would’ve been to just explain what the problem was & go forward with an understanding & agreement that you won’t keep those particular helmets stored with your other helmets. I know how much you love wild land firefighting Cody.

[@wranglerstar]

Yes it was

[@ICanJumpU]

When God shuts one door He opens another. Give it time.

[@alanj7306]

I thought he opened a window..

[@Mrbfgray]

Hahaha! The Ham Radio floored me. "Thanks but I'll tune into the airwaves as I see fit without your permission." Air is free and so is that that flows thru it be it sunshine or radio.

[@botabob]

The hat deal could have been handled with a phone call, requesting you remove the video from the channel. There loss Cody.

[@ulfhenarpolymathmilitant6258]

No.. they should've been proud that a youngster was sporting it .......FFS .......its stupid !!!!!!

[@captainmango1355]

Thanks, Cody, for having the courage to share these things with us. It's good to see you so happy about taking this whole thing a giant leap forward! I'm am looking forward to watching you do it too!

[@914Rocky]

WTF? The dismissed you as an AD because your son had on your helmet? That's lunacy,. What could possibly be their rationale? I am a former prosecutor and know tons of folks in law enforcement, and their kids often wear their covers at home. Did they think that Jack was going to sneak into service as a wildland firefighter? It's certainly not disrespectful for him to wear your helmet. It's the opposite. Man, that sort of BS really pisses me off. Terrible.

[@jamesdinius7769]

Some people just like inflicting misery on others, and seek government positions for that exact purpose. Some people are just too much of a stickler for every obscure rule. And some people are cowards.

[@95ffd]

I couldn't agree more with your comment about the volunteer departments. I started on a volunteer department back in 88, and loved it! We had a beer tapper, and free soda at fire station. It was a great group of people to be around. Even if you weren't good friends with someone, or had a beef with them, when the pager went off, all that went out the door. It's changed so much that it was more aggrevating than anything. Did it for 26 years and walked away from it. As far as someone complaining about your son wearing your helmet??? Really??? That is the biggest issue with the forrestry service??? Amazing. Thank you for your service!!!!

[@bransonred1]

Oh, and you were spot-on regarding your comments about volunteer fire departments. Some of the best years of my life were serving on one. Great group of folks. I started out as a Jr volunteer, which if my memory serves me, you had to be 15. At 18, after several good, hands on certification courses, you would be promoted. We had 23 members in our department. I remember when folks would join, after a period of several weeks, maybe a couple of months, they would be voted by all present members via the blackball method. lol - big coffee can with black and yellow marbles(I don't know why we didn't have white marbles as is tradition). Each person got one of each and they passed the can around. One crazy guy wanted to be on the fire department so bad, as it turned out all he wanted was the flashing red light that he could run on the dash of his huge Delta 88. He was 5'1", cross-eyed and bald at 30 years old, he might have weighed a buck-25 soaking wet. He got stopped for doing 70 in a 45 in our small town, and was warned. Several weeks later he wrecked responding to a call. Poor guy could barely see over the dash of that huge car. Funny thing, his wife was probably 5'8" and weighed well over 400 pounds. He was one I remember having all black marbles in the can after the vote. good times!

[@donaldvest5050]

Cody, I really admire your humbleness/maturity with certain situations, the way you handled the situation with the forest industry letting you go over something silly but are still eagerly wanting to assist and provide your time says a lot about a man. Keep up the great videos, I really enjoy them

[@dannyh5051]

I went to a ham radio club once. Similar same experience. Never again. Sad to see how bad they've been to you. What they dont realize is they hurt their community by being that way.

[@normmuelleman2570]

I equate this to Linux nerds. Go to a linux forum as a nee person and ask a question,and feel the hatred "noob"

[@thegrumpytexan]

Creepy old guys that invite you over to their house to look at their radios. I took the test and I'm licensed, but almost never use my radios now. There isn't anyone that isn't old and creepy to talk to seems like. I felt like fresh meat to them when I took the test.

[@Worthrhetime]

The Government is not the Solution... it’s the problem. RR Zeeeeezzzzz some people are such assess. Glad you are not one of them !!!

[@brentrowan2794]

Nice hat! As someone from Nebraska and someone affected by the floods I really like seeing you wear it

[@lorenhall1835]

I have been watching your content now for about 6 months and I have decided that we are cut from the same piece of fabric. Homeschool family, volunteer firefighter, independent minded, and a little bit prepper for extra flavor. Not to mention you sound conservative to boot. I had to turn in my gear as a volunteer for the very reasons you gave. Regulations and requirements were becoming overwhelming. The fire service was (and still is to some degree) like a family. Keep up the great content, I really enjoy watching what you are producing! God Bless!

[@kenb2472]

I have the same feelings as you had about the volunteer fire service. I have been in since I was 14 , 31 now, and I have gotten burned out from it. I still love it, but the political b.s. with the volunteers got old, fast. However I am a professional paramedic with critical care certification and the training requirements are heavy. Too bad I’m a east coast guy or I would cone out and help with the idea for private contract firefighting.

[@EdKirkpatrick10]

I started my ham career by listening to the ham radio late a night, just listening, don't worry about the old ham folkies giving you grief, you will get your ham license in time, N4LC... Ed Kirkpatrick

[@elementgypsy]

A tractor is so necessary when you have land. Once you have a child, the animals go lower on the totem pole.

[@Rand0G]

Sounds like LDFR in Summit. I interviewed there a long time ago but ultimately ended up working for a couple different city depatments in the Denver metro area for a decade or so. My experience was very similar, boring and repetitive ultimateately pushing me to quit in a similar way. Now doing aerospace work in Boulder. Love your saw videos, have a yard the size of a postage stamp but have six saws in the garage that could outfit a forestry shot team. I guess fireman will never get rid of all their tools. Nice work on your channel Sir!

[@basjenniskens8728]

I love your enthusiasm when you talk about the thing you love. It is a great feeling.

[@Robmancan1987]

I'm sorry about the haters Cody. I enjoy your content because I too am a mistake maker lol.

[@beaker15tyler39]

Man I told you about you having summed the wrath in the last video LOL. There are a lot of radio nitwits that would call the feds on their own grandmother.

[@AluminumPuppy]

OMGOSH Cody! Whatever you do, when you get the Honda’s set up. The first fire you go on please play “Ride of the Valkyries”, I want to see that video.

[@stevenc6256]

I am sorry for your loss from fire service. I, like you, know what its like to serve the public in the fire service. I am a retired officer form the FDNY. I retired 1 year after 911 due to lung issues. I did not retire on my terms, like you. Devistated I was for a while. I now turned into a volunteering maniac. At 3 museums (and other clubs too), 2 having to do with 911. So I have regained that sense of serving the public. Im sure you will find something similar to fill that void. You take care and God bless you and your family as well. Stay low Brother, as we wish each other here in the FDNY community.

[@bansheedearg]

Re: Getting let go because of the helmet: They didn't tell you because you could have sued for wrongful termination, after all the training they had created an expectation of employment, and to take it away without a reason could be construed as fraud. Knowing what they did was legally dangerous, they stonewalled you. If you lawyered up, they would have spoiled their pants.

[@longlimboy]

I was literally thinking something along these lines just now. I get very angry at bullish!t injustices such as this. I want to sue. The service is public to serve the citizens of this nation, or state, and to reject a perfect candidate is wrong morally, literally, and probably some other ways.

[@bansheedearg]

@@longlimboy it's called corruption and we all hate it here.

[@steverampey]

Sueing is still an option

[@mcearl8073]

Steve Rampersad probably not. If he was an at Will employee, like most people are in the US, they can fire him for any reason they want, with a few obvious discriminatory reasons.

[@longlimboy]

Mc Earl I bet that there could be made an argument. Or at least make sue against that individual employee for misuse of power in their position, which goes directly against the mission and neeeds of the Dept. Something could definitely be done, that’s what makes America so awesome. If enough of us see corruption and want it remedied, we organize, and change what we believe together is wrong/unconstitutional

[@DrivingWithJake]

Self employed is a great way to be. I couldn't stand working for others at this point in my life after doing my own thing for the past 12+ years.

[@dougdickey7381]

As a HAM myself, you will be hard pressed to find such a diverse group of people with more opinions. Don't believe me, don't worry they'll tell you....🤔🤣🤣🤣....hope you do get your license and perhaps get into HF. There are alot of famous people in the world that are hams that can be found on air. No doubt the wranglerstar on the air would create a pile up....

[@NordicViking88]

every one gets upset about everything nowadays its just sad

[@NordicViking88]

dont get a like very often from you Cody i always kept thinking that I've been blocked without knowing it and my comments are just sitting in the dark so always good to know

[@fsmoura]

he likes blocked people from time to time, just to keep them on their toes

[@OGsDangerShow]

We call it “RECREATIONALLY OUTRAGED”. They wake up looking for things to be outraged about. -OG, the Taofledermaus Channel

[@jeffreyyeater1780]

Wussies

[@SnakePliskenDK]

You are a big inspiration to me Cody 👍 You are rock solid with your mind and heart in the right place - integrity... Best of luck with the new place 🤞 I'm looking forward to see your videos years to come 😎 Stay strong - all of you 😊

[@jimbremner7660]

Sir, someone, smarter than me said " you can't be a profit in your own land"....if everyone could do what you do , what you do would not be unique. Envy of those who can't do what you do leads them to take from you what you love the most.......you can Firefight but you have more to offer you are appreciated in more ways than you know. Thanks for all you do.

[@ChuckisOutside]

Baofeng Radios. The feds are so busy and undermanned right now they don’t know weather they are washing or hanging out. I’ll bet you can’t even get them to answer the phone. 😂😂🤣🤣

[@hammerjar9000]

when i took my ham test the examiner bitched for 20 min about the bafang i think it is a good cheap radio

[@dpeagles]

🤣🤣🤣

[@hammerjar9000]

@@chris2956 yes i did mine years ago and did code then let it all go and had to redo it but i heard that also there it was bad i figure if people want to get into ham and can only get a cheap radio they should be happy

[@IrishEagIe]

I don't understand, what was wrong about Jack wearing the helmet??

[@maksim33]

probably something dumb to do with unauthorized use (despite it being a safety helmet, being used for safety), you know how fed boys are

[@Jkub101]

It associates everything that Cody is about with the organization where that helmet came from aka some liberal canceled him.

[@maksim33]

@Jason Craig Ankle biters.

[@iswm]

liberals. anytime you see something stupid like this the answer is always "liberals". liberals are what's wrong with it.

[@Jkub101]

@@MisterBoy316 who do you think is tearing down his flags, calling cps on him, calling the feds, calling the county?

[@reneemorton1970]

I’d be fired immediately from a hand crew for even posting pictures to Instagram.

[@thulegezelschap5884]

I bought such a HAM too.. used it outside so they can’t trace me to my house. The Karen was real

[@s.kierkegaard7396]

It's Antifa?

[@Allikattoo]

So glad to hear about the Heartracer I thought something bad may have happened to her. My aunt had a Chihuahua he was always a biter, I'm pretty sure he bit every person in the family at least once. She always made excuses for him, until he bit her first grandchild.

[@keithbrookshire]

I miss the Heart Racer but I'm really happy that she's in a good place.

[@GrizzlyGamingVideos]

Cody just told us the dog went to a farm. Damn I feel 12 again parents lying to me.

[@morrow.m]

🤣🤣🤣

[@lizzapaolia959]

The corruption in our government is rampant. We're very aware of the corruption in law enforcement as well as fire departments. One of the fire departments were aware of hosted sheriff deputies allowing them to watch TV while on duty. Sometimes they would eat the food donated as well. They no doubt didn't want you to see the corruption in the forest service. Stay safe and pure, God bless you and your family 🙏👌

[@moore871]

I can feel that same excitement in your voice when you talk about wildland fire. Had to hang it up about 10 seasons ago. Every single spring I get the fire itch. Still look up to see what type of helicopter is flying by. And yes the camaraderie is something else. If my Red Card was still active (CRWB, ENGB, HECB, SAW-B, ICT4, etc...) I’d take you up on that 14 day assignment on the Honda! Thanks for your videos I enjoy them.

[@deep5811]

Thank you sir. Love your honesty, openness, window into your world you give us. We are all human. You have a great talent of making content that connects with the humanity of us all. Thank you again.

[@byrdt6528]

Where’s your mask?!? Where’s your Hamm Radio License?!?! Where’s your dog!?!?! Where’s your tree felling permit?!? Why don’t you homestead and save the community from fires?!?! My goodness people, give the man a break. Doing a great job Cody and fam. Love that Sweetloaf footage. She’s such a pumpkin.

[@harveyroad6]

Cody, after over two decades in the fire service I can confirm that unless you were warned at least once about inappropriate use of department equipment and allowed to correct your mistake, you sir were wrongfully dismissed. Usually by someone who is ignoring a law to enact a policy. That policy is on the department books probably because of gross abuse by a previous employee who long ago needed a clear explanation as to why he could not use taxpayers property for his personal gain. In your case, my assumption is some bottom feeding godless coward was jealous of your success and ratted you out. You are now free to do as you wish. It's too bad as you would like to continue to serve. But there are fewer and fewer leaders who can manage people without an authoritarian threat. Be safe be well be happy. You did what you could. Cheers from Canada.

[@harveyroad6]

@@FrankFombyFrank, that comment can go in so many directions. It's sounds like you are in the know. With so many subs I doubt if get an answer. Sure I will ask.

[@chadbrunton3373]

I volunteered with Cody and worked with him on a few fires. There are many inaccuracies in his comments. Cody was more concerned about filming and using volunteer firefighting to boost his KZbin channel than he was helping his community. I saw my first Wranglerstar video a couple months before he walked into the station to become a volunteer. The video was all about protecting his homestead from the fire that was miles away with no concerns or worries about getting close to his homestead.

[@sorefoot6329]

Chad Brunton Yeah, anybody who knows anything about the industry can tell there’s a fair amount of BS in this video.

[@huckferoin4882]

Sounds like there is more to the story

[@GlorifiedGremlin]

If I was him I would've sued out of spite

[@WyzrdCat]

When you volunteer to help with something and they waste your time and use you inefficiently, I can hardly think of a greater insult.

[@deleteddata6671]

Hey mate, I’m new to your channel, but I’m very much enjoying your videos. Wish you all the best from Canada 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 💪🙏👊

[@mattclary2069]

Probably a ham radio guy ratted you out for the helmet thing ;-)

[@chrisbulldog1353]

Oh the perils and politics of government jobs sorry that happened to you

[@Aussieuke]

The basic ethos of volunteering, in all aspects of groups, is being eroded by the 'hoops' and 'Nanny State overseers' regulations in an attempt to save the organisers from liability. It is a combination of both fears ie someone getting sued and not being prepared to take a risk. Also, the extra, over the top training of stuff that has little relevance to the tasks that volunteers offer their services. You are not alone, it is happening across the whole of society around the world.

[@screens1979]

I used to help fight fires in Brown & Cherry Countys Nebraska in the 1970s. One of the old ranchers would be out there with us holding his grain scoop shovel. He would go up to a gopher mound, get a scoop and (permanently) knock down about 10’ of fire and say “Thank God for gophers!”

[@gibbson4ever]

The world is full cowards just waiting to show how important they are. Is a millwright red card ok?

[@stevethompson906]

This for update on the heartracer. Glad he/she has found a nice “forever home’.

[@OffroadTreks]

Amateur Radio guys are annoying, becuase they're old farts with nothing better to do. Look into GMRS. 70 license, covers your immediate family for 10 years. AR quality. We use that with our family on our place and we use it for all our events.

[@arenaissanceishman6689]

Why is it an issue that Jack wore the helmet, That is asinine. Edit : Even more asinine is people calling the feds on you, unreal this world we live in. God bless Cody.

[@jackkidd1745]

When I was in elementary school (13 or 14 years ago) we would go on field trips to the fire station and they would let us put on their entire uniform and hold the axe lol. I don't really see what the big deal is.

[@captainpinky8307]

crazy.

[@paulvillere2321]

I’m pretty sure this issue was that it was used in a for-profit public video, who knows what was said or done in this particular video that may or may not have gone against stated governmental guidelines. Not that it was necessarily offensive or bad but with the government who knows. In the end it was probably just an excuse for someone in power to get rid of him because of his personal views.

[@stang7043]

I've been a vol since 1992. Third gen in the same dept. Over the years the comradery has tanked. When I first joined, we used to all meet at the station Sat morning and visit neighboring fire houses and share a beer with them. All these young guns want now is to kick in doors and be the nozzle man. They don't want to sit in the rig for a wire down calls waiting for the electric company. They want all the glory without the work. On top of having to keep up with the career dept regulations. They are killing the small depts. I took a small break for about 5 years when my kids were young and every time, I'd hear that Q2B wind up or those air horns screaming, watching the smoke turn from black/grey to white, I was like a kid at Christmas. I really missed it.

[@NewbFixer]

Sorry you had to suffer because someone was jealous of your channel and your life. Keep living it brother.

[@Texasrt10]

🇺🇸🤙🏻 God Bless America

[@victorhumphrey7127]

“Nanny state”. Yup, couldn’t agree more

[@Realcjs]

Whoever tattle-tailed deserves a knuckle sandwich! No enough people get put in their place these days. Accountability comes in several forms.

[@Yammi_films69]

I'm in a volunteer firefighter in a small town in pa and every you say is so true. Times are definitely harder

[@canadiantrapper2702]

In today's age of lawsuits against organizations municipalities, etc, training has been under many microscopes, and found that it was lacking in a lot of places. Lack of training unfortunately adds up to accidents. So in all the investigations of dead firefighters , a lot came back do to lack of training in some aspect of the job. I have 30 years experience and first 10 was as a vollie. Exciting, you bet, dangerous, you bet, same as a permanent member. In hind sight I am lucky to be alive, We fight the same fires .With things changing in building construction, building materials, new technologies, etc, it is our responsibility to stay on top of these things. The reason we dont wear black coats and boots any more is because they found better, safer gear same applies to training. Reason why we dont break all the windows to ventilate because technology advises against it, its an ever changing beast. The demands for a volunteer are very demanding but in the nature of the business its necessary, the days of charging hell with a bucket of water are over for a reason.