brothers
Welcome to AS brother. I'm also a full time FF (IAFF Local 865). I'd say tree work fits perfectly with my schedule (and probably yours too.)
That said, it took me quite a while to learn the ropes, though. I worked full time for a tree service for years before I became a FF, and then started my own co. as a side job (I don't know many FF's without a side job!)
You might benefit from working for a local tree co for a while to see first if you like it, and second to see if you are any good at it.
bfd_ast I mean cutting trees down! If it is I know someone who can help me and I will get some schooling
Hey brotehrs local 730 here. I work 2 10 days followed by 2 14 nights then 4 off. Leaves me 6 out of 8 days to swing around in trees. The best part of working the fire job is all the good temp help that can be found. The bad [as you 2 know ] is the night I had a couple weeks ago; working a underground confined space fire most of the night [wondering what that black s*!t is I'm spitting out] then strait to a sketchy removal. Wa wa eh, I wouldn't change a thing...
Bfd, your instincts are right, if you can not find a mentor to teach you the trade [better yet the profession] then don't take on the aggravation and personal risk. we already have enough risk; myself and some of our brothers here are volunteering for a study with the local university to find out why professional fire fighters have heart attacks 16 years before the national average of 68. I wonder if it has anything to do with the black s*!t?
I did 13 years in the bush with a chain saw as my constant companion and did some logging sport climbing. I was really naive when I thought "how hard can it be." While its not rocket science, I almost killed myself a couple times before I recognized I needed to find a mentor or two. Another brother who also did time in the bush did a year and a half with a local company before venturing out on his own. We are at about the same level but his route was much more safe. I made more money with risk I took and it bought me the tools of the trade he could not afford. I would rather have done it his way.
On another note you will have all the brothers looking for you to cut there trees down [regardless of bylaws] for a case of beer, ha ha!
For those that are thinking of getting into the biz, off the top of my head and by no means a complete list, I would say...
-if your doing it for "all that money" tree guys make, don't bother. I don't know any rich tree guy. This job is to dangerous to do if you don't love it.
-get some quality mentoring first to see if its for you.
-you need to have another guy around who can climb, In my town the tallest Ariel ladder is 115 feet in the unlikely event it can even get to you. Forget about high angle rescue teams from the fire department [I'm on ours and I doubt most cities are any different]
-the job is as much about people as trees, you have to be personable if your going to run a business yourself.
-start with the ISA arborist exam so you know what you are looking at and proposing to do to trees.
-buy the proper gear for yourself and for rigging
-rack a 100 hours on the ground with saws before going aloft with them
-those hours better include falling cuts with use of sight lines and awareness of holding/hinge wood.
-stay away from the house drops until you are advanced
-Basically it is a tall order unless you stick to easy stuff.
Anyrate enough rambling