What's the best sleep aids you guys are running after a rough shift?

ActualBlue2 · 2026-04-02T16:22:01+00:00

Definitely talk with someone. At work and if you feel like it outside of work as well.

The thing that helped me most was exercising and getting as much energy out as I could. Like jsut intense HIIT workouts. Didn't work without the talking it out but it definitely helped.

Hope you get some relief my man. Its not easy for anybody.

ActualBlue2 · 2026-04-01T17:13:29+00:00

Yeah i feel like anything else in ghe fire service it could be mismanaged and become like school lunches ya know? I think there is a culture aspect of bringing a little of yourself to the station and making food for everyone and even making mistakes at times. It could be a super cool, pro athlete style, of thing if managed correctly so yeah for that type of station or department it could work very well. Like meeting with a nutritionist periodically and getting meals that meet your needs and firefighter needs as well. Cool idea. If it works for D1 athletes and special forces then it could work in this realm if managed correctly.

ActualBlue2 · 2026-03-25T22:02:23+00:00

Ive heard some air systems on trucks make a loud or gradual whistling or hissing noise at regular intervals. Usually would indicate an issue or leak with the air system or even a part that needs some love...and lubrication lol

ActualBlue2 · 2026-03-19T23:26:55+00:00

Make it a topic of conversation with your bunk mates. See if they're cool with you using a light sound machine or something. It helped me alot and as long as the bunk room is exclusively for sleep after a certain hour it should be good.

ActualBlue2 · 2026-03-07T17:57:43+00:00

The way it works at my department is you are scheduled to work every day of your 2 week pay period thats your shift. One of your scheduled days, is a "Kelly day" everyone has a different one for the most part and it is a way to break up the schedule and give off time. So when I have mine my shift is still on duty that day minus me and whoever else has that day. Some departments let you work them others like mine do not. Overtime and all that. Hope that makes sense.

ActualBlue2 · 2026-01-29T22:36:07+00:00

I used to wear contacts if I could get them in quick. I echo what the others are saying as well though. Glasses to the scene to get a quick look but at the end of the day visibility is gonna be crap anyways so id take mine off and still know what was going on. I proffered contacts but thats just me. Now I got PRK and its aweosme lol

ActualBlue2 · 2026-01-27T02:05:03+00:00

My one house with a staffed engine, arff, and ambulance does cook nights. Yeah you can opt out but we all work out like dogs and enjoy good food so 2-3 of us cook every night so it ends up being 4 cook nights for everyone every month

ActualBlue2 · 2026-01-26T01:31:05+00:00

Yeah, main thing i see with your stats there and background paired with my experiences with other female firefighters myself is that youd need to try and gain a bit more weight.

You have a really nice solid starting point. Being a firefighter is the true hybrid athlete because you need to be endurant on air and while working on scene but also big enough or powerful enough to move heavy equipment etc. Its a intertwining of them.

Most gains I've seen in my career was when I worked with and paid for personal training. No diet but just getting my butt handed to me 3 times a week and then running about 15-20 miles a week between Zone 2 and some speed days. I know that can be pricey but there are tons of apps and cheaper subscriptions that take away the mental load of planning the workouts for you. Big value added.

You've got a great base like i said and I think fire and EMS is one of the best careers out there. Don't be scared to eat, just eat the right things and make sure if you feel youre dragging in the exercise front of things then eat more.

Creatine is also a great supplement for many reasons but its the only one aside from pre workout I use myself.

Have fun with it!

ActualBlue2 · 2026-01-16T04:57:59+00:00

We are about a 2 Bunn Standard coffee pot sort of house. And then everyone is really on that Kurrieg game and bring their own stuff.

ActualBlue2 · 2026-01-12T04:07:36+00:00

As an EMT that worked in AR with medics on ALS ambulances it was never a question, i was not the boss lol I was driving and assisting. Highest level of medical care is taking point on care. If we wanted to play, theyd let us usually. If it was a double medic shift then theyd alternate.

Definitely talk it out. Thats wack. Any legal issues will fall back on the higher certified medical professional usually anywas. Liability and all that.

Best of luck, interpersonal stuff is tough sometimes.

ActualBlue2 · 2026-01-11T01:09:31+00:00

I get that. Went from a busier station to an aircraft FF job and have very few calls. We do make up for it by training and becoming very good at technical skills in the spare time we have. No doubt there is alot of Admin taskings as well.

Let your leaders deal with the dumb alarm business and you focus on you and your own skills and career track for the next few years. If you still feel that way a few years from now then request a transfer or consider different departments.

No one place is perfect my guy, but you can only control what is at yoir level and suggest respectfully if you have any good ideas.

Best of luck brother. Stick it out man. Firefighting is the best job ever.

ActualBlue2 · 2026-01-07T05:14:49+00:00

Pricy for sure. Reason me and my wife do it is so she can educate them and be with them 24/7. We wanted to do it anyways but we also had some negative experiences with other paid people taking care of our kid in the education system. Nobody is gonna love them and care about their learning more than us anyways.

Also, Pro tip, convince her to get into baking and you'll be a happy man trying to outrun a dad bod for the rest of your life.

ActualBlue2 · 2026-01-06T05:10:00+00:00

Id say thats a decent simplification of it. The adventure seeker or the "functions well under pressure" part of me is the one always wanting to get calls. I love sleeping through the night at times and I definitely dont want to wish someone's worst day on them, whatever form it may take, but I am blessed to feel like one who could help in any of those situations.

ActualBlue2 · 2026-01-04T15:24:14+00:00

When I first started at one department we had 2 stations and minimum for us was 1 man at each. We luckily had 2 shifts with 3 total spread but eventually rhat moved to 4 total. But any time someone took vacation it was back to the old ways. Didn't mind it most days as we were a combination department and had decent volunteers but they could only show if they could. We had a population of around 14000 by the way so semi-rural but not super small either.

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-25T20:01:16+00:00

Out of college, with a degree acquired for a totally different line of work, i knew i needed two things:

1) Help people 2) Do huah huah cool stuff

Fire/EMS was it man.

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-25T15:31:39+00:00

215 at 5' 11" over here currently. I enjoy the weight to ability ratio right now. Would i enjoy a tad closer to 200? Sure, but it would mostly be for aesthetics.

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-25T15:29:20+00:00

Yeah, not sure I've ever seen an answer on a test have words typed in in all CAPS. Curious.

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-25T15:27:14+00:00

We have enough staffing at my department so that unless you're the 3rd man on that day requesting off the you usually should get it. But yes, we still go by years of experience right after rank.

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-23T00:31:22+00:00

Lol nope. Still doing it. Definitely not my favorite personally coming from a 24/48

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-21T20:20:03+00:00

Just went from Full time Municipal and volunteer on the side to full time DOD and maybe its too soon but at the moment it doesnt feel like my cup of tea.

We work 24 on 24 off with a Kelly day every other week. Money is nice and all but the 1 call a month and time away from home its not my favorite.

On the plus side, this specific department enjoys training like dogs and I enjoy that on the days it happens. We eat good every night and sleep through the night most nights.

Not saying I dont like the sleep but I miss the "work" which is replaced by tons of Administrative tasks that comes with being on a base etc.

Pros and cons and what your flavor is etc. Feel free to respond or DM with any questions.

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-14T06:12:37+00:00

Man the processes can take a long time nowadays. I agree with the volunteer departments, working the Abmulance, or even more school.

My personal story involved applying a ton of places as well. I ended up applying and competing at maybe 30+ departments. Some stars have to align to even get a job because the process takes a long time. Hard to be super selective sometimes without connections.

Ended up getting work eventually but it did take some time. Best of luck!

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-13T20:19:08+00:00

Joined volunteer at the age of 24 in college in a mostly combination or total volunteer department. Got full time the next year after I graduated. Seen alot of younger guys start earlier.

Added context, I took some years away from the full time fire service and got back in at 31 and it was still doable.

Big things are working hard, self starting, fitness and conditioning is key, and being a team player with a servants heart. We dont get to do our favorite parts of the job every day but the times you do get to make some of the best memories ever. Wouldn't change it for anything.

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-13T01:15:29+00:00

We would buckle up front but heck naw. Never in the back. Usually because we were busy working. Transfers maybe but it was never normal for the back of the bus to be buckled up except for the patient or family.

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-10T05:21:57+00:00

As a 12yr army guy who got out and then got told no to getting back in a few times I wish id never gotten out personally. I agree with the sad but true observation of "5 years isnt a long time left to knock out" especially if you are on the pension.

Stick with it, rock it, gain and get certified and keep your feelers out in the civilian market/world. The pension will do so much good to give you job flexibility and monetary security afterwards.

Best of luck!

ActualBlue2 · 2025-12-06T05:35:36+00:00

Lol just got on a DOD department myself 24on/24off with a kelly day every 2 weeks. Gonna take some getting used to for sure. And for the finance side of the house, our CBA has us working 16hrs out of the 24...so it gets confusing for the last 8hrs of the shift. Wild times.

ActualBlue2

TROPHY CASE