Firefighters are one of a kind person. their tough and courageous. most of them are on call 24/7. They respond from false alarms to "working fires" to motor vehicle accidents to car fires and right back to fire alarms.  90% of them don't get paid to do this.  90% of the have to leave their families at the dinner table and respond to a call not knowing if he will ever come back.  These 90% of firefighters are volunteer firefighters.  The other 10% are paid fireman who work long hours with their co-workers and run about 2,000 calls a year. They are a family, they eat together, run into burning buildings together, shop together, and save lives together. 

Firefighting a brotherhood and sisterhood, it will always be that way whether it's paid or volunteers.