Re:Wrong! (Score 1)

Well this is Symantecs really but you are right. A Firefighter may tell you he is on call when off duty if he doesn't plan on doing anything that would prevent him from going back to the station to help. On call would be more akin to what firefighters often call a "Duty Officer". This is usually a chief or high ranking official that stays available off duty and can take over if on shift officers are managing a large emergency. They commonly don't get paid until they are activated (at our local departments). Fire management is salary here. Firefighters returning to the station off duty usually comes with some sweet overtime (2 hour minimum, overtime), and is sometimes called an All Call or Callback. Firefighters don't get paid off duty usually. But they do get paid while they are catching some rest at the station while on duty to be "Available" for a call. That's how it is around here from somebody that had a background in it. But yes, in all the analogy of the firefighter is a poor one.