Start my dream job Monday

[croaker260]

Well done. Glad to hear that you're doing things that scare you. It's a good sign that you're pushing against your boundaries. It's a fantastic career.

Don't ever feel like you have to apologize for being a firefighter. Wear your uniform with pride. Show up and do a good job.

Good luck Iowa

Never apologize for taking care of your family. Just dont buy off on the fire-jihad/red is the only color/if you aint fire you aint sh*t mentality, and keep thinking like a medic and you will be fine.

Keep in mind that you should probably keep your head down for a good while. I know more than a few excellant medics who almost had their career ruined when they went to fire and began to speak up on a number of clinical issues. Apparently its a novel concept in the fire service when a new paramedic tells a captain who is an EMT to do something on a callthat needs to be done. Even when they are right..they are still wrong.

But then again perhaps your department is different.......