Any of you hosedraggers do anything on ur days off?? A few guys I work with piddle around with different things....I'm getting kinda bored, could use a little money, and I cant figure out what to do....Kinda thinkin about moving trailers or something, maybe starting some kind of business...I dunno.....Im just BORED OUT OF MY MIND......

 

I've done everything from installing sprinkler systems to painting (don't recommend that ) to working for a landscape company. Right now I'm just taking it easy since we sold our old house. Pretty much worked all of last year trying to sell that piece of .......junk, so I'm enjoying being lazy right now.

My only advice about working a second job is to try to find something that you enjoy doing and then don't make the mistake of relying on that extra income. I have seen a bunch of firefighters start off just trying to make a little extra money and then fall into the trap of needing that extra money because they over-extended themselves because they have that extra money. Heck... I was one of them.

I personally like the freedom that I have right now. I really like being off of work during the week while the rest of the world is at work.

Britt

 

depends on what skills you have as well, my friend does electrician work on his days off, he doesn't need the money, his wife does . I gotta say I was proud of him yesterday, he finally got sworn in to his position.... Paid fireman, Nutley NJ.

 

Both the guy's are right on the money. I stared and operate a concrete company. Polka Construction LLC. I guess it depends on how commited you are to doing another job. I drove tow truck 40+ hrs a week while on the job as well as other jobs I had, before doing my own thing.If you go out on your own its more than just a side job,I get rassed all the time for my Fire dept jobs as my side job,but thats what really pays the bills.You can make alot on your own because you don't have to worry about insurance and retirement cause its coming from the fire dept.There are alot of truck companies that will work around your schulde if you have a cdl.

 

Several of the FireFighters and Security Forces guys on the base have started lawn care businesses on their days off.
One FF has been doing it for several years, has hired on some of his co-workers, and has landed a few corporate accounts.
He claims he's making ~45 grand a year in his part time endevour.

 

My advice on working on your off days is start your own buisness that you have control of the hours and jobs, as a retired firefighter who was told some life advice from a retiring deputy chief several years ago, """If you play with your children when they are young, they will come back and play with you when you are old""". This is the biggest mistake,not spending time with your loved ones. Over my career I witnessed first hand fellow firefighters who worked every day off and got hooked on the money like Britt stated and as you know the fire job takes you away enough but to work every day off it will catch up to you. I did dozer work,built houses,farmed, but come summer time I was with my girls, and when they were in school I worked only during the day and was home when they got off the bus, also I took/picked them up from school every chance I had. They are both grown now,one married, one still in college and we talk every day and are very close. I have several friends who I keep in contact with, and it is sad to see them wondering why thier childeren don't come around much. So take some advice!! they grow up fast, in the blink of a eye. So spend your time with them now when they are young. Herrin I don't know if you have childeren but if or when you do apply this. Goodluck,,Rick

 

When I get out of school I want to do fire fighting and start up my own High Performance Diesel Shop. That way if my buisness didn't go over so well I'd still making money from Fire Fighting, that I could fall back on if needed. Many of the FF around here do landscaping work. One of the guys I now started up a welding buisness.

 

I play with dead people. I work for the medical examiners office as a death investigator. I also do a little concrete/construction work and work as a medic on the ambulance. But I just had a baby(or the wife did) so all that's slowed down considerably.

 

Excellent advice. That is another reason that I don't work on my days off. But, if you don't have kids or a wife (or maybe just kids ) then this would be a mute point.

Britt

 

Depending what you do,They can go with you, My two boys fight to see who's going to work with me,on the concrete stuff, that is.But now we have a lttle girl,Maybe its time for the wife to get another job!

 

I run a lawn care company on my days off....

 

One of my buddies was a licensed electrician (well, he still is) before he joined the department. Now, a firefighter and paramedic, he works part-time doing electrical work.

We're both licensed electricians and I joke with him about job security where electrical fires are concerned.

 

Neighbor a couple doors down is a fireman, he has his own painting business he does when he's not at work.

 

I'm a electrician.

 

Don't haul trailers unless you're making too much money and need a way to get rid of some of it . The few guys making money hauling trailers run hard 60+ hours a week . One thing few people realize about part time driving jobs is that if you're required to run a log book ( as you would hauling trailers) you are required to log ALL compensated hours that week as on duty . In your case that would include all hours with the fire department . There are plenty of part time self employment opportunities that pay well like pressure washing or concrete coating .