Firemen start fires.

When I was very young, I saw a picture of children waving at a fire truck. I thought that was strange because I believed firemen were evil doers who burned people's houses down.

Rob

I used to believe that firemen drove around in their fire trucks and started fires. I wondered why.

Albert

I used to believe that firemen started fires as well as put them out. I was walking with my mum one day and we saw a parked fire engine, so I said "are they waiting to start a fire?" My mother then explained.

Megan

When I was maybe 3 or 4 years old, I remember being under the impression that firemen started fires. Someone eventually pointed out my misconception, and told me that the firemen in fact put out the fires. That made me wonder who did start the fires (I guess I assumed arson was the only way a fire could start). After that, I pictured groups of silent, mysterious men in black masks, who would sneak into your house and set it on fire.

Anon

I thought firemen went around burning up people's houses. For years, I went hysterical whenever I saw a firetruck. Those hats and red raincoats were SO scary. How could these people be allowed to go around burning houses down? I figured 'cause they got the biggest trucks and they were too scary for anyone to want to try to stop them.

Roadhog

When I was young, I believed that the job of firemen was to start fires. Every time you saw them they were at a burning building.

Old Geezer

I thought that firetrucks brought the fire to places, because on the news, the trucks were only there when the building was on fire. No one understood why I freaked out when firetrucks showed up at my school for demonstrations.

Jenny

I used to think firemen went around and actually *started* fires, so I could never work out why they were allowed to have all the cool trucks and equipment.

Tim

I used to think the lady behind the cash register at the A & P got to keep all the money in the drawer.

Anon

My sister used to believe that firemen went round starting fires " daddy why do we have firemen if all they do is go round starting fires?"

Sophie

I thought firefighters were really "firefires," and burned houses down insted of putting them out.

Anon

I remember back when I was about four or five, I was afraid of firemen. I thought they came to set your house on fire.

So, one day you can hear the firetruck going down the street. I heard it and screamed! I ran into my room, I think I stayed there for about 40 minutes!

Allison

I used to be scared that firemen would come to our house and burn it down. Hey, whenever there are firemen, there's a fire - see my logic?

Mark

I used to think firefighter was actually firefire (fire-fire.) Because of that, I thought firefighters started fires.

Anon

At the age of 5, after learning just about everything about fire safety, we took a class trip to a fire station. Because of the name, i thought this was a place with fire. We walked in and i did the whole STOP! DROP! ROLL! thing! Then i crawled around the entire fire station!

loulou

I used to believe that flicking lights on and off in a room would still the fire department sent to my house.

Chase