Week 10: Formatting Questions

Question for First Responders

This is week in the Veterans History Project I refocused my goals to coming up with questions for a potential interview with a first responder. If you can recall, weeks ago I mentioned my direct involvement and heart for the clean up of Fort Myers, FL after Hurricane Ian. The uniqueness of the role of first responders in our society and natural disasters is unique because of the fact that they have been predisposed to situations and have been trained to react, giving them a completely unique perspective compared to the average civilian. The story day we are planning for this members in our community will be veterans as well, giving them two different perspectives that create a hybrid, almost rare outlook on preparation and natural disaster.

Bellow are some of the questions I've come up with myself that stand out to me. It must be noted that in our interviews, we will treat our interviewee like a normal interviewee and ask them general and basic information.

1. How has your training as a first responder and/or veteran changed your outlook on daily life?

        I ask this question due to the idea that a person that has been predisposed to the conditions of loss, hunger, thirst, and even death is bound to live their life differently. I believe too many people walk their lives not unconsciously aware of the value we have in our freedom in autonomy.

2. In terms of preparation, what part of your training has given you the most qualification? (Note: Depending on the person, you may be able to ask them to compare it to their time in the service if they are both a first responder and a veteran.

    I like this question because it acts as a subtle comparison question and gives us deeper insight into their life as a first responder and/or a veteran. It's almost as if I'm asking them about their instructor or the effectiveness of their training. If our interviewee is also a veteran, it also makes them think about their time in the service and allows them to process which career was the most effective in their development as a first responder. 

3. What would you say to someone considering pursuing a career as a first responder?

    This is one of the roots of why we do these interviews, as it's all about obtaining perspective. This question helps us form a sense of expectation in the understanding of the field of first responders; We are essentially asking our interviewee their position on their line of work and what immediate information must be known about it. This helps us form an idea of what the profession is truly like, rather than what is commonly understood about it.

These are just three questions I've come up with. I hope to refine these whilst exploring more options for interview topics as we solidify a time and date for the story day. I'm absolutely loving my experience in this program.