Feature -- by Mark Sproxton

Brett Marshall began building his firefighting portfolio by volunteering at a small town fire department.

Jumping into the driver seat of the big yellow rig, the young firefighter begins to visualize the route to the latest fire. His co-pilot has a map in hand to ensure they arrive quickly, in addition to basic information about the blaze. Arriving on scene minutes later, the work begins.

"The adrenalin's pumping, but you do get used to it," says Brett Marshall, an almost third-year firefighter at Station 21 with the Calgary Fire Department. "Generally, the guys don't get too excited unless you know there's a life at stake. When you first get (hired) on, your head is working all the time. Everything is so new because you don't know what to expect."

Before jumping off the truck and rushing into the blaze with hose a spraying, however, the fire crew must wait for instructions from the captain before determining how to proceed. This isn't a job without risk of getting hurt. "A lot of things we go into, they're not controlled," Marshall said. "There is a possibility for serious injury. But we take every precaution. Safety is our number one thing."

If the captain says "go" then the teamwork and communication skills, the ability to handle pressure and think on your feet, and at times, physical fitness required of firefighters is put to the test. Those requirements are part of what Marshall enjoys most about the work. "My like is it's a physical job, especially when we're at a fire or training," he said. "It's very dynamic. One of the things that allured me is it seems it's one of the few careers you can (have) with some job security."

Marshall chose the career with his eyes wide open. He spent summers working with the Hanna volunteer fire department while completing his physical education degree from the University of Alberta. "I was working and volunteering and this is one of the main reasons I decided to pursue it. I really enjoyed it. I worked at the career for two to three years before I got on."

In addition to his degree, he also had completed a seven-month firefighting emergency medical technician program at the Alberta Fire Training School in Vermilion. Two weeks before graduating from university, he was hired by the Calgary Fire Department.

For Marshall, approaching three years with the department holds some significance. When he hits that mark, he will receive his first cheque earning 100 per cent of the pay scale. The fire department pays its members a specific percentage of the full salary during their first few years with the service. (For new hires, it now takes five years to reach 100 per cent of the first class firefighter pay, which is currently $52,657 a year. In their first year, probationary firefighters earn 65 per cent of that total.)

In addition to traditional fire suppression duties, Marshall also is part of the aquatic rescue team that operates out of Station 21. Three Calgary stations house specially trained aquatic rescue crews and all members on this team must have at least an equivalent of the Royal Life Saving Society of Canada Bronze Cross certification. (For more on aquatic rescue, see this month's Career Mirror.)

When not out on a call, a typical morning shift begins with firefighters checking the rigs and equipment to ensure they're ready to go when the bells ring. Going through departmental paper work and cleaning and washing the hall and any dirty equipment follows. Lunch is typically prepared at the hall with the entire crew eating together. The afternoon will consist of required training or upgraded training and sometimes there is time for the firefighters to work on their physical fitness.

Similar to the emergency medical services department, firefighters also work a rotation of two 10-hour days followed by two 14-hour nights and then four days off. While Marshall doesn't mind the shifts, he said some people find it hard to balance the schedule with their families. "It's very difficult to maintain a regular schedule because it's an eight-day week," he said.

His recommendations for others considering a career firefighting are to spend time researching the career and determining if the work will fit your personality. "If you like sitting in an office, this probably isn't your career."

If it is, however, he sees many more opportunities within the department in the future. In addition to aquatic rescue, the Calgary department also has people specially trained for high-angle rescue, heavy rescues, dealing with hazardous materials, air rescue, and those who work specifically in the fire prevention bureau. "I see the job changing quite a bit," Marshall said. "We evolve to meet the needs of the community and I see us assuming more and more responsibilities."