Are there nicknames for firemen and EMTs

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Police are often called the city’s finest, what are the firemen called?

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

"BRAVEST" should certainly be on the short list

[J-BAR #18287]

My fireman nephew has some tee shirts calling them “dragon slayers”.  I don’t know if that is used in any other cities besides Omaha, though.

[Calamity Kris]

1 hour ago, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said:

"BRAVEST" should certainly be on the short list

 

9 minutes ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

My fireman nephew has some tee shirts calling them “dragon slayers”.  I don’t know if that is used in any other cities besides Omaha, though.

 

Yes and yes.  Hero's is another term I've heard bantered around but that is subjective.  

 

{We've also been called a lot of other things that you couldn't post here............}

 

[Pat Riot]

49 minutes ago, Calamity Kris said:

 

 

Yes and yes.  Hero's is another term I've heard bantered around but that is subjective.  

 

{We've also been called a lot of other things that you couldn't post here............}

 

“We’ve”? 

[Rye Miles #13621]

2 hours ago, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said:

"BRAVEST" should certainly be on the short list

This ^^^^^^

[LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L]

Cops refer to firemen as "second responders".  We're siblings, and love picking at each other.  

 

(Second responders, as in "scene is secure, have FDP respond now".)

[Dantankerous]

I have several friends who are Firemen. And yes, some of, most of the nicknames they earn from each other,  in that close-nit brotherhood, although affectionate and good natured, cannot be posted here.

[Pat Riot]

My sister used to work for a company that did fire, flood and damage home clean up. She has some not so flattering terms for firefighters. Mostly because of what she and her coworkers considered unnecessary damage caused when fires were fought. Nothing really nasty, more along the lines of making fun of them. 
 

I was telling her that my wife and I were looking at a house in a certain town in PA. My sister commented that she liked the town but she didn’t like the fire department. When I asked why she said “They are true heroes. Just ask them. They haven’t lost a foundation yet.”

It didn’t dawn on me what she meant for a few seconds. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

"First Responder."
That is the first person or persons on the scene to attempt to render aid and assistance, uniformed or not.  The guy who sees a car wreck, pulls over, checks the occupants, shuts off the car, and starts first aid is a "first responder."  The woman who pulls a kid out of a pool or lake and starts CPR is a "first responder."  To paraphrase a common meme, not all first responders wear a uniform.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

2 hours ago, Calamity Kris said:

 

 

Yes and yes.  Hero's is another term I've heard bantered around but that is subjective.  

 

{We've also been called a lot of other things that you couldn't post here............}

 

I'll second "Heroes" They have been so for me a half dozen times in the last ten years and I have no complaints.  I love those guys and gals...and the ER crews that have become family.

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

Here’s one that’s been around. Before I was an LEO I did two years as an EMT on an ambulance crew, then 6 years firefighting. I was much younger.

[DocWard]

When I was a medic in the National Guard, we were required to sit for and obtain our EMT-B. My unit arranged to do ride-alongs with a couple of local fire departments (actually doing hands on in many cases). When the paramedics first found out I was an EMT, I was asked if I knew what EMT stands for. Turns out it stands for:

Extra Man on the Truck. 

[Calamity Kris]

5 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

“We’ve”? 

 

My first career was a firefighter in Missouri, when I was married to the AH.  If I hadn't been injured, I would still be doing that today.

[Michigan Slim]

My son always said when the firefighters needed a hero, they called the medics! LOL

[Badlands Bob #61228]

We use to refer to the firemen as Weed Hoppers because of the way they waddled through tall grass with all their gear on.  They referred to us as Blue Canaries because the Weed Hoppers knew there were no toxic fumes at the crash site if the Blue Canaries were still walking around.

[Michigan Slim]

2 minutes ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

We use to refer to the firemen as Weed Hoppers because of the way they waddled through tall grass with all their gear on.  They referred to us as Blue Canaries because the Weed Hoppers knew there were no toxic fumes at the crash site if the Blue Canaries were still walking around.

I learned about Blue/Brown canaries in my Hazmat classes! 

[Black Angus McPherson]

6 hours ago, Lawdog Dago Dom said:

Here’s one that’s been around. Before I was an LEO I did two years as an EMT on an ambulance crew, then 6 years firefighting. I was much younger.

 

One day I was running radar next to one of our firehouses because of complaints of speeders.  My "buddies" at the firehouse made up some cardboard signs "Speed Trap Ahead" and marched around the firehouse while I was there.  Personally, I thought it was funny as heck.  It slowed everyone down, which was my real reason for being there, and I didn't have to write a single ticket.  No violators = No tickets = I don't have to spend the next month sitting there wasting my time.  Win, win, win.  

 

 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

3 hours ago, Calamity Kris said:

 

My first career was a firefighter in Missouri, when I was married to the AH.  If I hadn't been injured, I would still be doing that today.

My landlady is a firefighter.

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

51 minutes ago, Black Angus McPherson said:

 

One day I was running radar next to one of our firehouses because of complaints of speeders.  My "buddies" at the firehouse made up some cardboard signs "Speed Trap Ahead" and marched around the firehouse while I was there.  Personally, I thought it was funny as heck.  It slowed everyone down, which was my real reason for being there, and I didn't have to write a single ticket.  No violators = No tickets = I don't have to spend the next month sitting there wasting my time.  Win, win, win.  

 

 

 

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

Is there a slang term for firefighters? Like cop, or fuzz, or the like with the police. I can't think of any. Wonder why that is.

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

8 hours ago, Lawdog Dago Dom said:

Here’s one that’s been around. Before I was an LEO I did two years as an EMT on an ambulance crew, then 6 years firefighting. I was much younger.

Could be because they were up all night running calls! One of my oldest and dearest friends is a retired firefighter. IIRC they had like 45 sec. to be out of the station. I asked him once what happened if a call came in when you're sitting on the pot. He said you stuff some TP into your @$$ and roll!

JHC

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

46 minutes ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said:

Is there a slang term for firefighters? Like cop, or fuzz, or the like with the police. I can't think of any. Wonder why that is.

Only one I recall is the firefighters who jump in to fight forest fires. IIRC they called them smoke jumpers.

JHC

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

Seems a good time to remember one of our fallen, Sidewinder Pete, lost his life 9-11

JHC

God rest his brave soul.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/newsday/name/peter-martin-obituary?pid=132236

[sassnetguy50]

12 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

My sister used to work for a company that did fire, flood and damage home clean up. She has some not so flattering terms for firefighters. Mostly because of what she and her coworkers considered unnecessary damage caused when fires were fought. Nothing really nasty, more along the lines of making fun of them. 
 

I was telling her that my wife and I were looking at a house in a certain town in PA. My sister commented that she liked the town but she didn’t like the fire department. When I asked why she said “They are true heroes. Just ask them. They haven’t lost a foundation yet.”

It didn’t dawn on me what she meant for a few seconds. 

There was a group of volunteers we called gloryhounds.  Unnecessary measures were their trademark.  Things like cutting through or breaking down doors instead of opening them.  

[Sedalia Dave]

4 hours ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said:

Is there a slang term for firefighters? Like cop, or fuzz, or the like with the police. I can't think of any. Wonder why that is.

 

Here's a few that google turned up.

 

smoke eater, hose dragger, hose jockey, fire fairy, firedawg, bucket fairy, foundation saver, ladder monkey, hose sniffer, pumper slug, nozzle jockey, ricky rescue,

 

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

Hose draggers, bucket fairies, and grave robbers.

[Eyesa Horg]

Chimney savers!

[Wallaby Damned]

When I was in the USAF, they called us Fire Dawgs. Always hated it but whatever. I think it was due to the our trucks having “ARFF” on the sides (Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting) I’ve heard ‘sparky’ too. A really old term is “Jake” or “Jakey” but I think you’ll only hear this in the Northeast these days if at all. 
 

Firefighters - even cops need heroes too!
 

 

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

Still interesting that no everyday slang term emerged, as with cops for the police. 

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

On 2/9/2023 at 11:42 AM, Wallaby Damned said:

When I was in the USAF, they called us Fire Dawgs. Always hated it but whatever. I think it was due to the our trucks having “ARFF” on the sides (Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting) I’ve heard ‘sparky’ too. A really old term is “Jake” or “Jakey” but I think you’ll only hear this in the Northeast these days if at all. 
 

Firefighters - even cops need heroes too!
 

 

I don't want their job. If I had to choose between going into a burning building as a firefighter or a shootout as a cop I think I'd take the shootout. Not that I want their job either!

JHC

[Sarge]

Hose draggers.  

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

well, ..............

 

   ....... according to Mister Keller in his "Short Stories" thread, ...... a suitable name is ......

 

 

"The Irish Brigade"