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What Draws People To Join The FDNY?

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - Nearly 10 years ago, the New York City Fire Department lost 343 of its members but that hasn't stopped others from joining  New York's bravest.

WCBS 880's Peter Haskell On The Story

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The danger of the job isn't necessarily what draws them in. For many, being a firefighter isn't just about the job, but the life.

"It becomes not just what you do. It's what you are," said Lt. Joe Huber.

When he was a gym teacher on Long Island, he thought he had the best job in the world.

But then almost as a lark, he became a firefighter.

"The experiences were great and what you get, in terms of the satisfaction and the thrill, all of that stuff, there's something to be said for that," he said. "But I think there's at least as much to be said of the people that you're working with."

He says he feels the most important thing is the brotherhood.

"It has everything to do with the people that you live with and you learn from, and when you see and respect, as a young guy, the older guys that have been in a long time, you see their life and think 'That's something that I could aspire to,'" he told WCBS 880 reporter Peter Haskell.

Huber has been doing this for 27 years and now says this is the best job in the world.

Would you ever become a firefighter? Share your thoughts below.

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