“This will be a great career for you if you work hard, love the job, do what’s right, and treat people fairly.”

Lt. Bryan Bull, Clermont Fire Department

Why did you become a firefighter?

Bryan Bull grew up between two busy fire departments in Jacksonville, FL.  Any time the fire truck drove past his house, he ran to the window to get a glimpse of the heroic responders in action.  At age 13, his mom took him to the fire station for his first station visit.  Not long afterwards, he began riding his bike to the fire station to hang out and see the trucks.  “Sometimes they caught a call while I was there, and that was a bonus,” Lt. Bull fondly thought back.

Mr. Bull joined his local Fire Explorer Program (now known as the Cadet Program), where he would go for ride-alongs with the crews at fire stations near his home.  This ignited the spark of interest that he always had, turning his passion into a fully involved desire.

Today, Lt. Bull is assigned to the tower truck on the special rescue team at Clermont Fire Department (FL).  In addition to his full-time duties with Clermont Fire Department, Lt. Bull is studying for a promotion to safety captain and his master’s degree at Columbia Southern University in Public Administration with a focus on Emergency Management.

What do you do like to do outside of work?

Currently, his 3-yr old daughter occupies most of his time outside of work.  However, when he’s not tending to his daughter’s needs, he loves to travel and learn new skills.

Earlier in his career, Lt. Bull worked for 10 years as a part-time paramedic at Universal Studios. During his time at Universal, Bull noticed that many Spanish-speaking people came to him expecting him to be able to speak Spanish.  After enough requests, he decided to take it upon himself to learn the language. He then traveled to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean islands on his mission to learn Spanish.

His hard work paid off and he eventually got good enough to translate Spanish to English for an Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic assessment.  Next up for Mr. Bull is learning how to play an instrument.  “Probably the guitar,” he pondered, “but maybe the piano…  We’ll see.”

What advice do you have for other firefighters?

“Be yourself.”

Lt. Bull didn’t open himself up to being vulnerable when he began his career in the fire department.  He robbed himself out of experiencing many activities that he now enjoys after he finally gave it a chance. 

From water skiing to snow skiing and many things in between, Lt. Bull’s colleagues have helped him gain a new appreciation for many new activities.  These experiences outside of the fire station have helped him become a more well-rounded person overall.

“When you’re not yourself, people don’t get to know you as a real person,” Lt. Bull stated.  “That stunts camaraderie and trust within the department.  But more importantly it stunts your own personal growth.”

“Understand the whole picture.”

As a young firefighter, it’s easy to focus on the occupational and financial parts of the equation, Lt. Bull pointed out.  “I was happy to have a job and to be making money when I first got hired.  I wasn’t thinking about a retirement plan or anything like that,” he recalled. 

Sometimes the best way to understand the whole picture is to just listen to others at the fire station.  From life planning and pensions to the purpose of the labor union, Lt. Bull credits kitchen table talks at the fire station for most of his education on the “whole picture.” “Stay healthy.”

With the many health crises facing firefighters (cardiovascular health, sleep deprivation, obesity, alcoholism, and more), it is critical for firefighters to take care of themselves on and off duty.

“You may only work every third day on shift, but your responsibility to take care of your body is 24/7,” Bull noted.

What changes do you foresee in the fire service?

Lt. Bull has noticed a much greater focus on mental health in recent years and he believes that this is where some of the greatest change will continue to take place in the years to come.

Lt. Bull has seen those around him struggle with mental health.  In fact, he had some difficulties of his own after responding to a drowning in his teenage years as an Explorer. 

“We can’t just do the job and go home.  We have to take care of ourselves on- and off-duty.”

It’s far too common to see firefighters retire early because something affected them that they didn’t think would.  “If someone is struggling and you notice a change in them, you have to be keen on that,” Lt. Bull called on other firefighters, “and help them get the help they need.”

­­­­­­­Lt. Bull has been with his husband Joshua for 11 years now.  They have been married for five years and they have a daughter named Aria who is three years old.

When he began in fire service, Bull was not himself because he was worried about how others would perceive him.  He soon learned that the fire department is a melting pot of people — each of them unique in their own way.

“Eventually, you end up understanding people a lot better.”

It became easier for Lt. Bull to be more open about his sexual orientation after being exposed to his crewmates and their diverse backgrounds.

“You get to learn a lot about people,” Lt. Bull cracked a smile. “Whether you like it or not, you turn into a family and you learn to love things about people that you never knew you would.”

“It doesn’t matter what sex, sexual orientation, race, or religion you are. Once you prove yourself as a firefighter, you’ve earned the respect of those around you.”

“This will be a great career for you if you work hard, love the job, do what’s right, and treat people fairly,” Lt. Bull’s closing words ring true for anyone aspiring make the most of their career in the fire service.