Researching Question

[cali-k8]

Hi everyone,

I am new here, and so glad I stumbled across this blog and forums. What a great resource!

I am attempting to write my first book, and I have a question for some of you about researching. My main character is a fire fighter, which I don't know much about, and I need to figure out the best way to learn more about fighting forest fires. I think I have reached the end internet when it comes to this topic. Unfortunately, I don’t know any fire fighters. I am a little nervous to approach one; tell them I am an unpublished writer, writing about a topic I know nothing about, and then ask them if I can pick their brain. Is this standard practice when it comes to researching, and I need to just get over my fear of that they will be thinking I am crazy? How do you find all the information you need when writing your books?

Thanks in advance!

[wetair]

i know you said you have reached the end of the internet . . . but maybe a firefighter blog? there are some. i know because when my aunt's house got burned, the pics showed up online a few hours later. you could post a question and/or email the blogger. before you start cold calling firefighters, i mean.

[Holly]

Hi everyone,

I am new here, and so glad I stumbled across this blog and forums. What a great resource!

I am attempting to write my first book, and I have a question for some of you about researching. My main character is a fire fighter, which I don't know much about, and I need to figure out the best way to learn more about fighting forest fires. I think I have reached the end internet when it comes to this topic. Unfortunately, I don’t know any fire fighters. I am a little nervous to approach one; tell them I am an unpublished writer, writing about a topic I know nothing about, and then ask them if I can pick their brain. Is this standard practice when it comes to researching, and I need to just get over my fear of that they will be thinking I am crazy? How do you find all the information you need when writing your books?

Thanks in advance!

You might call your local fire department and ask if they could use a volunteer a few hours a week -- maybe not as a firefighter (unless you want to try out for that), but in some other capacity -- stuffing envelopes, answering the phone, whatever they need. If you hang out around them, you should pick up a lot.

Editing this to say I Googled firefighter training and found all kinds of videos and books and classes.

[cali-k8]

Thank you both for your great ideas!

Wetair-I am new to forums in general, and I never even thought there might be a fire fighter forum.

Holly-Thanks for the idea about volunteering. I will look into that idea with more detail.

[dios4vida]

A lot of cities have a fire fighter training grounds outside of the city limits - we have one not far from our house - where they set fire to buildings and brush, etc. and teach the trainees how to deal with those situations. You might ask if you can be an observer to some degree.

Maybe a nearby station would be willing to have you help clean the barracks or wash the trucks, too. At least around here they are so nice if you're around and if I were there I wouldn't mind a bit of help!

[steve]

You need to read "Young Men and Fire" by Norman Maclean.