The Firefighter Family Academy: A Guide to Educate and Prepare Spouses for the Career Ahead

by Rachelle Zemlok

Overview

What a thrilling time! Your spouse was finally hired as a firefighter. You are seriously proud to be a fire spouse, but puzzled as to what that might mean for you. Your spouse goes through an academy to become fully prepared for the challenges that await. What about the transformation you are about to go through? Who will prepare you for the life-changes to come? If you're begging for more information, this book was written for you. Dr. Rachelle Zemlok, clinical psychologist and happy fire spouse, shares essential information and relatable stories about first hand experiences that led to her finding better ways to prepare for a lasting career and foster an inspiring relationship. The Firefighter Family Academy will prepare you with knowledge to dominate the road ahead and jumpstart your role as a kickass fire spouse.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781543943153
Publisher:	BookBaby
Publication date:	09/11/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	156
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Rachelle Zemlok is a licensed clinical psychologist with multiple immediate family members employed in law enforcement, emergency medical services, and firefighting. She is a proud fire spouse in the beginning stages of building a family. In fact, she got pregnant with and had her first child while writing this book! Her personal experience of being in an emergency responder family has influenced much of her professional development and contributions. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology in 2013 from Alliant International University located in San Francisco. There, she completed her graduate school dissertation by conducting and publishing original research on the experience of law enforcement families ("The Impacts of Police Work on Law Enforcement Families"). Subsequently, she provided treatment to law enforcement families in her postdoctoral training. Currently, Rachelle works full time providing treatment in a managed care setting serving children and families with a broad range of mental health challenges.

Table of Contents

1 Fire Fighting 101 1

2 Firefighter Culture: "It's the best job in the world" 32

3 Firefighter Spouses 101 49

4 The Schedule 62

5 Strike Teams, Overtimes, and Forcebacks, Oh My 68

6 The Hiring Process 87

7 The Academy 93

8 Probation: You made it!… Almost 100

9 Firefighter Safety 104

10 Emotional Impacts of the Job 118

11 How to Prepare Your Relationship 136