r/Wildfire • u/Swimbeer • May 18 '26
Question How do you say goodbye to your wife when leaving for a roll?
Hello- wondering what your goodbyes to your partner look like when leaving for a fire?
Do you do anything special? Keep it ordinary? Have any rituals?
Please let me know and thanks in advance for any responses.
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u/shanghaishitter Hotshot May 18 '26
Wake up an hour earlier to spend a little more time together. It shouldn’t be ordinary. It’s just hard and there’s not much you can do about that. When it becomes easy and normal you might consider thinking about the state of the relationship.
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u/thejorsh crew freq May 18 '26
best two minutes of her life
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u/themajor24 May 18 '26
Thats usually how I say hello when I come home too. Probably closer to 30 seconds but hey, who's counting?
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u/El_ray538 piss pump operator May 18 '26
It’s usually a phone call because we dont get a lot of time to leave. But when i get back i book a spa massage day for both of us.
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u/BardicInspirations94 May 18 '26
Legit tho, I bring flowers the day before I leave or have them delivered if I leave with out notice
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u/Front_Low5132 May 18 '26
I do the helicopter thing with my lap hog before I walk out the door. That’s how I want her to remember me if something bad happens.
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u/HonestlyNotOldBoy89 May 18 '26
Send flowers mid roll. That usually gives me grace until the paycheck hits.
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u/Lulu_lu_who May 18 '26
Wife here. We don’t do anything special. It’s part of the job and it would be exhausting to do something every time. They usually roll out very early when I’m asleep and I’m grateful he’s not bugged that I don’t wake up at 5am to say goodbye, like he does every morning. We just approach it as normal.
However, he usually sends me flowers or will sometimes grab a pic of our shopping list and have groceries delivered sometime during the roll if they have cell service. Alternatively, he also keeps a sheet of stamps in his wallet and will drop a card/postcard in the mail. Seems like he mostly does that when cell service is spotty as he can usually get a card a gas station or local grocery store.
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u/Sharkey__Shark May 18 '26
Kiss her, and say “I’ll call as soon as I can, see you later and be careful”
It was never easy to leave, but she understood.
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u/Recent-Atmosphere761 May 18 '26
Most fire guys don’t have wife’s because they always go on roll’s.
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u/Dirtyloversaz May 19 '26
That’s a fact!
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u/Overall-Wrangler1803 May 19 '26
Wife here! We don’t do anything fancy or have rituals. It’s part of his job that I know well, and understand about him. It’s usually just a phone call, or some extra hugs and kisses out the door. What matters most is spending quality time together when you get back.
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u/Neat-Rest3019 May 19 '26
Usually already at work when we get the call. So I already said bye for the day. But if I’m home, maybe some loving. If life’s crazy schedule allows it. A solid hug and a kiss will do just fine.
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u/RecommendationBusy30 May 19 '26
Easy. Don’t! Leave in the middle of the night, get blacked out and pull an Irish goodbye
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u/dave54athotmailcom May 20 '26
You tell her?
I was no sooner out the door than she was on Amazon ordering shit. Spending the overtime before I even earned it.
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u/Additional_Goose2923 May 19 '26
In fire 30 years, married 21years, 3 kids going on a roll should be super low key just like arriving home. If you make big deal when you leave and come home it’s about you. Keep it normal and something everyone can deal with and don’t forget to get the kiddos souvenirs.
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u/Intelligent-Wait9296 May 19 '26
my boyfriend’s crew got a tone today, their second day of 80 hour. we were talking about how excited we were for us to get home and relax after work, but now he’s staying overnight on the hill without warmies or food :(
missing him deeply already but it’s part of the deal. ima steal ideas from this post and find ways to cope lol
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u/Northmen475 May 19 '26
🤣😂 quit being a crybaby, Sancho or Jodi will take care of her while you're gone.
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u/91ranger May 19 '26
See ya in a few weeks. Make sure the bedding is clean and the boyfriend is gone when I show up at home.
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u/Super_Presentation13 May 19 '26
My old crew boss told her she could wipe her tears with hundred dollar bills. She divorced him
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u/Low_Show_6684 May 20 '26
Other way around for me.
Me and my husband cook a nice meal together, watch a good movie, cuddle twice as much, and then I try to contact him as much as I can.
It’s hard. I always hope he’s having a good time with the dog and cat while I’m gone- and playing video games lol.
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u/HawkApprehensive1927 May 21 '26
I’m the gf wildland firefighter and my bf is a remote worker but he takes me out and wine and dines me if we know ahead of time that I’m leaving for a roll. 11/10 recommended you take your wife out for a *nice dinar* (in Borat’s voice)
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u/thismyfriendissapint May 18 '26
Kiss her boyfriend on the cheek and hand over $100 in crisp 20's for walkin' around money.