Any EMS/Fire/Police Wives here?

alharbour
alharbour Posts: 116 Member
in Introduce Yourself
My husband is a paramedic and works 24 hour shifts, therefore we have what others call a "weird" lifestyle and routine. It sometimes makes it kinda difficult to juggle the family life, chores, and taking care of myself. Any other ladies with husbands who work as emergency responders?
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Replies

  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
    My hubby is also a medic. You are SO right about crazy schedules. I consider it a great day when he is actually home to have dinner with us like a 'normal' family.

    Being a full time working mom with a very active one year old. A house to take care of & a hubby who is gone for what feels like days at a time...is sometimes very hard to juggle. I have to be honest the other night I opted to read a book in bed (with a glass of wine) instead of working out. Because I was exhausted with between all my everyday demands and getting ready for Easter. I just needed a moment to relax.
  • alharbour
    alharbour Posts: 116 Member
    We moved 15 months ago to a new town and I have had a very hard time "fitting in". The friends I have made have husbands who work Mon-Fri 8-5 and never work weekends or holidays. 3 Sundays out of the month, it is just my girls and I at church and alot of times it is just me that goes to the school events. People from our church think he is a bad husband and father because of his line of work and see me as a victim. I am not....he worked EMS when I met him and when I married him, so I knew what I was getting into. I am proud of what he does, and that he does it very well. It is a different way of life, with a different schedule. I am looking for other women here whom can identify with the struggles and challenges of this lifestyle, mainly the aspects finding time to workout, time for ourselves, and staying on track with good eating, not just grabbing something that is quick and easy!
  • Elen_Sia
    Elen_Sia Posts: 638 Member
    <-- Wife of full-time EMT. He's also on the Standard Operating Guidelines committee at the dept. And currently in medic school, from which he will graduate next May. At the same time, he's a trained firefighter/EMT on a part-time basis at another firehouse. And a certified instructor. And de facto IT guy at both full-time and part-time houses.

    We are fortunate because we decided not to have kids. And we don't mind the erratic schedules. The most recent and biggest change I've made was to not cook his meals during the week because he is not a fan of leftovers and I hate throwing out good food. So now I just cook for me during the week and do something simple for him on the weekends if he's not on shift somewhere.

    Cooking is a challenge on its own because he's not into health and fitness at all. :)
  • texasyarngirl
    texasyarngirl Posts: 47
    Howdy! I'm a wife to a police officer. We're lucky / a-typical as we're on a very regular schedule right now. Unless there is a "project" in which case he works mad OT. But we did 8 years of nights and weekends - so I am well aware of that crazy schedule game. If/when he promotes we'll be back to swing or night shift and weekends.

    I also work full time. I'm new to MFP and have a wad of weight to lose - I've "done" every diet I know of and am just going back to basics - burn more than i consume, eat clean, move more. My goals for this week are just to keep an accurate food diary, drink my weight (in oz) in water, avoid all alcohol (empty calories), and eat a TON of veggies.
  • interceptor311
    interceptor311 Posts: 980 Member
    you all rock! Couldnt do it without you!!
  • lg3703
    lg3703 Posts: 190
    Yep... my hubby worked those crazy hours with the county sheriffs office for years. Thankfully he's the head of all departmental training now so its USUALLY 8-5. However, he has gym access and TIME ...and is in obviously good shape which leaves me a little envious!:grumble:
  • sabrina32576
    sabrina32576 Posts: 253 Member
    My husband is a police officer. He works the same shift but its the evening one so we don't see each other much. But it's been this way for the past 12 years. I'm also raising my 16 year old stepdaughter. He has the kid duties in the morning but the evening tasks are so much more time consuming.
  • jwkime
    jwkime Posts: 37
    Wife of a police officer, who works a 12 hour night shift, and just picked up more part time work for another city's PD. We've also been through 3 year's separation due to army deployments to Iraq, so I'll take his crazy schedule in the states any day. We have 3 kids age 6 and under and I work full time too. I hear ya about trying to find the balance to be a wife, mom, work, and take care of myself and home, but we make it work. Glad to find others who are in the same boat!
  • SARgirl
    SARgirl Posts: 572 Member
    My husband is a firefighter and also works 24 hour shifts. He works 24 hours on and has 72 hours off so by the third day I'm ready for him to go to work! He used to be a police officer and worked 8pm to 4am so I got used to sleeping by myself. Once he switched to the fire department everyone asked if it was different for me and I told them that the hardest part was getting used to sleeping with someone else in the bed again! I think it takes a special kind of woman to understand the hardships that come with the job (i.e. working holidays and weekends, OT, etc) and be able to go with the flow so to speak.
  • BuckeyeGirl1
    BuckeyeGirl1 Posts: 23 Member
    Hubby is a full time firefighter/paramedic. It can be so hard at times especially with me working nights full time and a 2 year old at home. I feel horrible for my son because he is not on any type of schedule. I wouldn't have it any other way though. I am so proud of my husband and the work that he does. It does make for a hard home life but it takes special women to be married to these men!
  • camsmommy2008
    camsmommy2008 Posts: 131
    My husband is a police officer and he works full time 12 hr 6p-6a night shifts for one department then he works 4-6 shifts per month for another department and is on call for a third. I am a full time working special education teacher with an active preschooler that has some medical needs and he sees 4 specialists plus his pediatrician regularly. I so get where everyone's busy life and not having time for themselves comes from but I vowed on my sons 4th birthday that I was going to get skinny and make time for myself even if it is my hour at the gym each day.
  • softcoeur
    softcoeur Posts: 10
    Police girlfriend here! And he's new, so he works almost entirely midnights. Awful schedule :/
  • NewFitKeri
    NewFitKeri Posts: 190 Member
    My wife has been a firefighter/Medic for about 12 yrs now as well. I definitly miss her when she is on her 24's but I enjoy her Kelly week!

    I used to be an EMS dispatcher for 4 yrs as well
  • jwkime
    jwkime Posts: 37
    you all rock! Couldnt do it without you!!

    Thanks for this! I'm guessing most emergency response spouses don't hear this much, especially from someone you don't know. I for one, appreciate it!
  • interceptor311
    interceptor311 Posts: 980 Member
    you all rock! Couldnt do it without you!!

    Thanks for this! I'm guessing most emergency response spouses don't hear this much, especially from someone you don't know. I for one, appreciate it!

    You;re welcome. it's true.
  • mgs68pony
    mgs68pony Posts: 306 Member
    Yep, married to a fire dept captain/emt. He works the 24hr shift and spends 90 miniutes in transit one way. It does get hard to juggle his schedule and mine, but we make it work.
  • Healthy_4_Life2
    Healthy_4_Life2 Posts: 595 Member
    Am married to my wonderful husband who is a Police Sergeant. My husband works 12 hours shifts. He's off three days off one weeks and 4 days of the next week. He works long shifts, but I like when he's off. He will be retiring in 4 1/2 years.
  • alharbour
    alharbour Posts: 116 Member
    Thanks for all the great responses! So glad to know there are other ladies on here like me! :0) Feel free to add me if you want! I know I sure can use the extra support!
  • LauraSchaller
    LauraSchaller Posts: 106 Member
    Not married.. but my boyfriend is a Lt Firefighter for his volunteer department, and a full-time EMT. The last year has been crazy, busy as he went through Medic School and it's such a relief now that it's OVER! National Registry coming up on April 18, then the tests begin for a full-time firefighter / paramedic position. I'm prepared for what our life will bring in the future with the crazy hours & such... It's a lifestyle ALL its own! Quite honestly.. working 24 on and 48 off will be much more normal than his already crazy "station duty" & "on call" shifts that he has now. It's never a set schedule and no two weeks are ever the same. Happy to see other FF/Medic/Police Officer wives & girlfriends on MFP though :)
  • strunkm4
    strunkm4 Posts: 265 Member
    Hubby to be is the LT of his police dept. He works cover shift 7pm-3am and is on call all the time. Feel free to add me for the support! We have a crazy weird lifestyle/time schedule too, but we make it work :)
  • alharbour
    alharbour Posts: 116 Member
    LOVE all my new friends I have gotten thru this thread! Thanks girls!
  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
    We moved 15 months ago to a new town and I have had a very hard time "fitting in". The friends I have made have husbands who work Mon-Fri 8-5 and never work weekends or holidays. 3 Sundays out of the month, it is just my girls and I at church and alot of times it is just me that goes to the school events. People from our church think he is a bad husband and father because of his line of work and see me as a victim. I am not....he worked EMS when I met him and when I married him, so I knew what I was getting into. I am proud of what he does, and that he does it very well. It is a different way of life, with a different schedule. I am looking for other women here whom can identify with the struggles and challenges of this lifestyle, mainly the aspects finding time to workout, time for ourselves, and staying on track with good eating, not just grabbing something that is quick and easy!

    I know how you feel we moved right before I got pregnant (about 2 years ago). And, most of the woman I have met do not get the hetic schedules. Every time there is an event at my sons daycare ~ it never fails one of the other parents will say is it just you again? They make it sound like I have something they might catch. I just have to laugh sometimes.
  • alharbour
    alharbour Posts: 116 Member
    Bumping this up to see if there are any more gals!
  • hosegirl
    hosegirl Posts: 157
    As you can guess I am one of those ff/emt people. it is a hectic schedule and it is even more hectic when both of your are ff/emt. trying to schedule time together let alone a meal. Even though I access to a gym I prefer to go to a local private one. It does take a special person to understand why we do what we do. It also takes a very special person to raise the family technically as a single parent. The next ime anyone says anything to you about attending event by yourself say "Your Welcome" My husband/wife are at work protecting what you hold dear and placing themselves in harms way. So you are welcome.
  • pinepl
    pinepl Posts: 19 Member
    My husband is a Detective and I am an ER nurse. We have always had very strange working hours, sometimes he was on nights and I would be on day shift or I would be on nights and he would be on day shift. He is now mainly through the week with on call for 2 weeks at a time. I still work 12 hour shifts and on cal for the ER. I have been a nurse for 25 years and have seen my weight creep up to over 200lbs. I am losing the weight slow and steady. I usually exercise even on the days I work I make that time. Glad to meet everyone on here.
  • tobafa
    tobafa Posts: 344 Member
    Thank you guys for putting up with all the wierd things that go on in our lives. Hopefully your husbands don't bring it home too oftern. :D
  • SoxxEBeotch
    SoxxEBeotch Posts: 17 Member
    My husband started his career as a Fire Fighter/EMT, then went on to be an EMTS for about 10 years. He then went to working at a local hospital as an ER Tech, which led to him working on their then newly formed Cardiac Care ambulance type thing (sorry, I can't remember what they called it specifically lol). He loved working the road, but the money just wasn't there. He sought out a position in the Cardiac Cath Lab as a CVT (cardio vascular tech). He received about a $4/hr raise, but soon after, began to miss the road again. He hasn't gone back, but I hear a lot about it. He now has changed hospitals, for a better atmosphere (unfortunately not better demographically, but...) and also more pay. He's now a CIS (cardio invasive specialist). He's learning things at this hospital that the former one wouldn't even let him consider. But I know his heart is still on the road :) I've tried convincing him to look into doing a paid on call type thing with our local fire dept. He always says he'll think about, yet just keeps doing what he does. I think he's afraid he'll go back to it, and end up leaving the hospital. We both know that being on the road doesn't pay anywhere near as well as being a CIS. I think he doesn't want the temptation :)
  • MamaSonyaP
    MamaSonyaP Posts: 90 Member
    My husband is a police officer, and has been since I met him. We have three, (almost four!) children, and with juggling his schedule, the kids and my workouts while pregnant, it's nothing less than exhausting! Add me if you'd like, I love other police/ems wives...we're a rare breed!
  • SamanthaTheSpartan
    SamanthaTheSpartan Posts: 32
    I am myself a volunteer EMT. I'd love to meet any other EMS workers...Fire and Police too...I guess ;p
  • MamaSonyaP
    MamaSonyaP Posts: 90 Member
    I should add that my hubby is a Forensic Officer, here in Canada. My children always ask, 'Is daddy sleeping, or is he at work?'. I think it's so cute how they adapt easier than me to his schedule. At least he's uploaded his five week rotating schedule to my iPhone so it's easy for me to plan birthdays/vacations/events.

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