u/Clear_Year9051

I really want to be a firefighter, but my mom worked as a paramedic and she says everyone she’s ever met who has worked as a first responder became unrecognizable. She says her friend who is a FF has severe ptsd and is no longer how he used to be. I know this job comes with seeing some traumatic and horrible things, but how bad is it really? Like how bad does it affect you? I know everyone is different I guess I’m just looking for opinions on this. I don’t want to “harden” or lose myself. But I also have never felt as passionate about anything as I do about FF. The departments near me don’t do volunteer anymore so I can’t do that to “dip my toes in” but I’ve been training for the past year to get physically fit and looking to get my EMT soon. I just wanna know if this job is worth it I guess… does the good outweigh the bad in this career? Has it changed you?

Edit- thank you to everyone responding every response so far has been very helpful.

I see so many people heavily blaming and hating Chuck, but I really don’t think he’s that bad.

I hated chuck at first and I still dislike him but I have sm sympathy. His story makes me so sad. I feel like there’s things unsaid as well, like that chuck always felt overlooked maybe even before jimmy was born, then he devotes his life to the law and works really hard.

He obviously cares very much for his parents. Then he sees his brother experiencing deep paternal love, the kind he never got.

Then he finds out jimmy’s stealing from their dad. (Yes a lot can be attributed to his dad giving stuff away but we clearly saw jimmy also started stealing) and maybe chuck was mad or formed an opinion abt jimmy there but I’m 100% sure what solidified that was when his brother starts running scams all over town and we obviously know chuck learns this before jimmy gets arrested based on his high knowledge of slipping jimmy as well the towns.

Then his brother gets arrested and chuck clearly wants nothing to do with it, jimmy put himself there and honestly deserved to be there. Then chucks mom calls crying begging him to help jimmy out and so he does. And it’s implied his mom asked him to take care of him beyond being his lawyer and getting him out.

It’s shown he wanted nothing to do with his brother, didn’t want revenge or was out to get him just wanted distance which we see clearly proven based on what chuck says to Rebecca before jimmy first meets her. (In which Jimmy also makes fun of chucks law degree and his wife chimes in, finding jimmy funny and charming) but nonetheless he takes jimmy to Abq and gets him a job in the mail room and helps him out.

Then his brother tells him he’s a lawyer? His sacred job the one thing he’s devoted to and also seeing his ocd likely leaks into. And he does know jimmy sure jimmy can change but he never really did, did he? I’m not saying jimmy was terrible I love jimmy in the first seasons and honestly don’t see much wrong with his scams in Abq like the guy falling.

BUT imagine being chuck and seeing that, and seeing jimmy trying to hide it. His brother comes here he helps him on his feet and then he goes into his profession (taking shortcuts meaning doing things the “wrong” way in chucks eyes and still not playing by the book) And then his mom dies, and jimmy’s like oh let’s go get food but chuck refuses to leave her side and then she wakes up calling for jimmy. damn bro.

And yes chuck asked Howard to be a cover for him not wanting jimmy in the mail room, but that one makes total sense to me why he didn’t want jimmy working at his law firm, and honestly whomp whomp like I agree with chuck there. The only thing is chuck should’ve been upfront and said what he felt then. But it’s understandable bc he didn’t want to hurt jimmy.

I’m not saying chuck was right, he should’ve just focused on himself or asked for distance from jimmy and said I want nothing to do with you or the law you practice. But I do sympathize and see his side of things. And yes jimmy did take care of him getting him food and newspapers but chuck also saved jimmy from a prison sentence got him a job and helped him a lot. So. Yk.