My career as a firefighter so far has taken me places and shown me things I thought I’d never see. We are expected to go places others won’t, and to be ready when we get there. This is just a cool little tidbit of research I did to show what we as firefighters carry on a day to day basis. Something to think about as far as physical fitness and when you may see even the best of firefighters struggling somewhere…

My everyday station uniform including boots, pants, shirt, hat, radio, and radio strap. 222lbs.

Next, my uniform plus turnout coat, boots, turnout pants with suspenders, and helmet. Typical of a car wreck or other incidents where a little more protection is needed, but not necessarily respiratory protection. 247.6lbs.

At an “everyday” housefire or alarm where added respiratory protection is needed, so is a little weight. Personally, this adds an SCBA, mask, my own personal ceiling hook, and another flashlight (who can have too many lights?!). 287lbs.

Finally, and this RARELY happens, is the load on a large commercial building (like hospitals and schools) or other hard to access places. I think I’ve only carried this load five times, and I have to be honest it sucks. The “highrise pack” is a bag full of hose, a hydrant gate valve, spanner wrenches, and a nozzle. 313.5lbs!

Just another look inside my life. Hope it shows a few things, and maybe helps people see the physical weight we carry during mentally stressing times.