Okay, so he’s only a volunteer, but still. He went through a bunch of training- it’s legit.

I was unfamiliar with the many logistics of fire departments before I came to college and met a boy who was just starting his 2-week, 64-hour volunteer firefighter training course (he's in the picture on the right, by the way). We all hear the sirens and see the big red trucks driving by many times, but I had no idea about all the procedures and skills that go behind responding to 911 calls. From seven months of hanging around a firefighter so much, I’ve learned there are a few things that are part of the package of dating one.

1. He tends to run away sometimes.

You could be at lunch, in chapel, or just sitting around in a dorm lobby, and suddenly he’s off running to some popcorn burning in the microwave of a girl’s dorm. And you aren’t the only one who notices. Anyone who is in class with a volunteer firefighter, and there are a few on campus, may have been subject to one of them running out of the room to go to a fire call. Too bad their absences aren’t excused.

2. You hear a lot of crazy stories.

In lieu of the burning popcorn, I have heard of potatoes, bacon, pop-tarts, and macaroni being left to cook too long, or forgotten about entirely. These are usually on campus, and fire alarms going off for various reasons make up a majority of the calls that the fire department goes to. However, there are also some more serious incidents that my boy has responded to. Car wrecks and a flooded school are some examples of situations that firefighters are specifically trained to take care of.

3. The radio gives you heart attacks…

...at first. Firefighters are alerted to a call when their radio goes off, making a loud, high-pitched sound. I did not expect it in the slightest the first time I heard it. I was eating dinner one night and nearly jumped out of my seat when my boyfriend’s radio went off. He was off and I was left with an elevated heart rate. But eventually you get used to the noise... and to the sudden departures. It can be funny to see other unsuspecting people’s reactions who may be around when they are running off to calls.

4. You might even be stuck going to a few of them.

If you are fortunate enough to be, for example, at Sonic sipping milkshakes with a firefighter and his fire radio goes off, you are going too. He has no time to waste bringing you back to campus. This has happened to me on only a few occasions, and none of the calls were serious. One that I witnessed a few weeks ago was literally nothing-- some guy thought he saw fire in a building from the street, but there was none. However,

5. You can’t help but worry sometimes.

Hearing some of the stories and how your guy could have been subjected to real danger, it can be hard trying to stay supportive of what he wants to do. Many firefighters, even volunteers, die on the job saving the lives of others. You just don’t want him to be one of the casualties. It is comparable to being a police wife, on a much smaller scale. He could be off in an instant, and there is a possibility that he will never return.

6. But you feel blessed to have such a special guy.

It takes a certain type of person to be a firefighter, policeman, or any other worker who willingly subjects themselves to potential danger for the sake of others. You need a lot of bravery and selflessness. Even if I do worry, I couldn’t be more proud of my firefighter. And since he is a volunteer, he won’t be one forever. It may be selfish but it brings me peace.

You might not be dating one, but thank a policeman, trooper, or firefighter you know. You may not realize all that they do for you!