Vault: Do Firehouse Groupies Exist?

Summary

The Bert Show – Vault Episode: Do Firehouse Groupies Exist?

Date: January 30, 2026
Podcast Host: Pionaire Podcasting / The Bert Show cast (Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy & others)

---

Episode Overview

This episode brings back the popular "Atlanta Snopes" segment, where the cast investigates urban legends and local rumors. The topic of the day: the existence of "firehouse groupies"—people (specifically women) who hang around fire stations hoping to date firefighters. The cast reads listener emails, discusses the plausibility of the phenomenon, and takes calls from people with first-hand knowledge. The conversation branches into similar behavior in other professions and shares stories that are funny, validating, and a little surprising.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introducing "Atlanta Snopes" (00:01–00:50)

• Purpose: The hosts use "Snopes.com" to fact-check urban legends and now apply a local spin with Atlanta Snopes.
• Explanation: They debunk or validate rumors circulating in Atlanta, relying on listener input.

2. The Listener Email: Firehouse Groupies (00:51–02:14)

• The Claim: Some fire stations experience trouble with groupies—primarily women—who show up hoping to "nab a firefighter."
• Consequences: Firefighter wives are reportedly upset, leading to counties cracking down on unannounced visitors, especially female ones.
• Hosts’ Reaction: Amused and intrigued, they wonder about the validity and prevalence of this claim.
• Questions Raised:
  • A) Are firehouse groupies real?
  • B) Are stations implementing stricter visitor policies because of this?
  • C) Does this happen in other professions?

3. The Joke About "Groupies" in Other Professions (02:15–02:36)

• Hosts joke about how odd it would be for other professions (like accountants) to have groupies waiting outside the office.

  “It's laughable if you think of any other profession... groupies hanging out outside the door, out of the office.” – [C, 02:15]

• The cast acknowledges that the camaraderie and extended shifts in firehouses may create a unique environment for this behavior.

4. Confirmations from Callers: It's Real (03:19–04:26)

• Lisa, an EMS worker, confirms the existence of firehouse groupies:

  “There is firehouse groupies.” – Lisa [E, 03:22]

• Description of groupies:

  • Usually friends/girlfriends invited by firefighters.
  • Hang out, watch TV, socialize at the firehouse.
  • Visits often occur after work hours (5–6 PM) to avoid getting the firefighters in trouble.

  “They actually wait until everybody else goes home... That’s whenever the girls can come over and the guys not get in trouble.” – Lisa [E, 04:07]

5. Expansion: Other Professions & Stereotypes (04:26–06:22)

• Crystal, fiancée of an officer at a split fire/police station:

  • Confirms women come by targeting firemen (“cookies and crap”), usually undeterred by relationship status.
  • Notes that cops are jealous (“they all hate... firefighters anyway”).

  “...sometimes show up with cookies and crap, and he's here complaining that they don't show up to cops. I'm like, hello, you put a ring on my finger.” – Crystal [F, 04:33]

• Susan dated a fireman in California; admits to actively seeking out fire stations under the pretense of being lost:

  “...I would go to different fire stations and pretend I was lost because I was trying to find a specific one... That happens all the time.” – Susan [G, 05:07]

• Online groups exist for "badge bunnies" who are interested in police officers and firefighters.

  “They’ve got Yahoo groups, message boards, the best stations to stop by.” – [D, 05:45]

6. Terminology: "Badge Chasers" and "Badge Bunnies" (05:58–06:17)

• Badge Chasers/Badge Bunnies: Terms for people who seek romantic relationships specifically with police or firefighters.

  “...they are called badge chasers.” – Crystal [F, 06:04]
  “Badge bunnies that only... will go out with either firemen or policemen.” – [B, 06:12]

7. Official Stance: Policies and Repercussions (06:17–06:52)

• The group concludes the myth is, in fact, true.

• Many counties are implementing policies to restrict unannounced visitors, especially due to complaints from firefighters’ spouses.

  “It’s caused so much problems that a lot of counties are cracking down on any kind of firefighter having unannounced visitors, especially women. So it’s true. It’s absolutely true.” – [B, 06:45]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On groupies showing up at the station:

• “They're prey. Little groupies to go prey on.” – [D, 02:36]

On groupie motivation:

• “And they're fit and they're in uniform and all that stuff. I mean, they save the day. I mean, come on. Of course they have groupies.” – [D, 03:10]

On impersonating a lost traveler to meet firefighters:

• “I would go to different fire stations and pretend I was lost... That happens all the time.” – Susan [G, 05:07]

On jealousies between police and firefighters:

• “...he's here complaining that they don't show up to cops. I'm like, hello, you put a ring on my finger.” – Crystal [F, 04:33]

On badge bunnies having online communities:

• “I bet badge bunnies do have a Yahoo group.” – [D, 06:19]

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:01–00:50 – Introduction to Atlanta Snopes and urban legends.
• 00:51–02:14 – The origins of the firehouse groupie myth and email.
• 02:15–02:36 – Speculation and jokes about groupies in other professions.
• 03:19–04:26 – Lisa confirms firehouse groupies exist; describes typical groupie behavior.
• 04:26–05:04 – Crystal calls, sharing stories about groupies at split fire/police stations.
• 05:06–05:51 – Susan’s story of actively seeking out a fireman; role of groupies online.
• 05:58–06:22 – Discussion on "badge chasers" and "badge bunnies."
• 06:22–06:52 – Concluding that the myth is validated; discussion of counties implementing rules.

---

Final Takeaway

Firehouse groupies do exist—the phenomenon is widely acknowledged by both professionals and those who have tried to date firefighters. The combination of culture, long shifts, and public visibility makes firehouses a curiosity magnet for admirers. The episode blends humor, authentic stories, and social commentary while confirming this urban legend through multiple firsthand accounts.

---

For anyone unfamiliar with the phenomenon or just curious about weird but true modern folklore, this episode entertainingly verifies that firehouse groupies are more than just a rumor—they’re a documented reality that even led to new station policies.

Transcript

[Host (Birch)]

The Birch show.

[Jeff]

I got an email or we got an email yesterday, and I thought it would be a good time to bring back Atlanta Snopes.

[Wendy]

Okay.

[Jeff]

If you've never been on Snopes, the.

[Host (Birch)]

Church at the bottom of Lake Lanier's is gonna be another one of those, right?

[Jeff]

For those that don't know what Snopes.com.

[Host (Birch)]

Is, Jeff, it's the website where you debunk all the urban legends. So, you know, it's a. There's always the story that if you dial a certain code from your cell phone, you'll be charged a ton of money. Or if you get in your car and there's something stuck to the back window, you have to be careful because that means somebody's hiding behind your car and they're gonna get you when you go to remove it. And all these war. Any forwarded email, go to. Before you forward it on to someone else, go to Snopes and type in a few keywords and make sure it's legit. Cause 9 out of 10 of them are not. So don't buy any oil from a certain gas company on this date. Oil prices are dropped by $2 a gallon.

[Jeff]

It takes myths. And they just. They either legitimize them or they say, no, it's completely fake. Right? So we decided to do Atlanta Snopes, where there are rumors or there are different myths about Atlanta that are going on that we talk about. And you guys call up and you can either confirm or deny them. I'm asking you guys to either tell us if this is true in the firefighting world or not. Says, hey, Bert, as a firefighter's wife, I just wanted to tell you to be really careful about how you find this fireman so that you don't actually get him into trouble at work. A lot of counties are having trouble with firehouse groupies. There's your key. Firehouse groupies who show up at stations and hang out trying to nab a firefighter. Firefighter, whether they are single or not. Now, you haven't done this yet, Wendy, but you sure would be open to that.

[Lisa]

Definitely.

[Wendy]

I'll make some cookies.

[Lisa]

I don't know how to cook, but I'll learn.

[Jeff]

So the wives of these firefighters got all upset because they felt that their husbands should be getting paid to work, not flirt with girls. This has caused so much trouble that a lot of counties are really cracking down on firefighters having unannounced visitors at stations, especially female ones.

[Wendy]

That is funny.

[Jeff]

So I wanna know if this is true or not. A Is there really such thing as firehouse groupies? And B, is it just known in the firehouse that you're not allowed to have unannounced visitors at the stations, especially females, because the wives have created quite a stink about it?

[Wendy]

And C, does this translate into any other profession? I mean, maybe cops, but anything else? Could you imag any groupie? It's laughable if you think of any other profession. And so there's groupies hanging out outside the door, out of the office.

[Jeff]

You'd be a firehouse groupie?

[Lisa]

Well, no, I want a groupie to bring me food. That'd be awesome.

[Jeff]

You have that. He's called Adam.

[Lisa]

But it does make sense at the firehouse. Cause those guys are there for 24 hour shifts and they're there and they're cooking and they're hanging out or whatever. They're like sitting there. They're prey. Little groupies to go prey on.

[Jeff]

There are some women that just like different professions, you know, so I can imagine that, but I can't imagine them being. How are you a firefighter groupie? Like, where do you show up? Like you're monitoring some kind of.

[Wendy]

At the firehouse. I mean, you know where. I mean, everybody knows where the fire. And usually if the doors are open, the trucks are out there. There's sometimes guys just hanging out. So you can, you know, easily strike up a conversation with a firefighter.

[Lisa]

And they're fit and they're in uniform and all that stuff. I mean, they save the day. I mean, come on. Of course they have groupies.

[Jeff]

Hey, Lisa. Hey, good morning.

[EMS Worker]

There is firehouse groupies.

[Jeff]

There are firehouse groupies.

[Lisa]

Are you one of them?

[EMS Worker]

No, I am not. I work in ems, and I've got a lot of friends that work in the fire department, and there are a lot of firehouse groupies.

[Wendy]

Do they just show up? Is it groups of them? I mean, how does that work?

[EMS Worker]

They're usually invited by the firefighters.

[Jeff]

Oh, really?

[Lisa]

So it's like one of them has a girlfriend, and then she brings like a whole bunch of her girlfriends.

[EMS Worker]

Yeah, that's usually how it goes. They just all get in there together and hang out and watch TV at the firehouse or hang out in the bay.

[Jeff]

Really? And is it known now that at the firehouses that unannounced visitors are prohibited, especially female ones?

[EMS Worker]

They actually wait until everybody else goes home, about five or six. That's whenever the girls can come over and the guys not get in trouble.

[Jeff]

Really?

[Crystal]

Very stinky.

[Jeff]

Crystal here on Q100. Good morning.

[Crystal]

Hi. Guys, how are you doing?

[Lisa]

Good.

[Jeff]

All right. We're trying to figure out if this is myth or not. And it sounds like it's not a myth, that it's legit.

[Crystal]

I have to agree. My fiance is an officer, and they have a split station with a fireman. And he was actually telling me that girls would come up there every now and then during a little he giggle and try to get some firemen. And knowing that nine times out of 10, they're not single, they come up there, sometimes show up with cookies and crap, and he's here complaining that they don't show up to cops. I'm like, hello, you put a ring on my finger.

[EMS Worker]

But.

[Crystal]

But I have to admit that I think it's true if cops are complaining and they all hate. Fuck firefighters anyway. It has to be true.

[Wendy]

Firehouses in the geek squad both.

[Jeff]

Susan Q. 100. Good morning.

[Host (Birch)]

Hi.

[Susan]

It's totally. I used to date a fireman in Southern California. And it's totally true.

[EMS Worker]

I don't know about.

[Susan]

I don't know for sure if they're having a crackdown on it, but it is true. And the reason I met him, actually, is because I specifically wanted to date a fireman. And I would go to different fire stations and pretend I was lost because I was trying to find a specific one that I had seen. So I would go, like, I would stop at a. I saw Georgia tags on my car, and I would stop at different fire stations and say, ask for directions until I found the fire. And he told me that that happens all the time.

[Jeff]

So this is the truth. This is no myth. There are really firefighting groupies.

[Lisa]

They've got Yahoo groups, message boards, the best stations to stop by.

[Wendy]

Sure. I mean, that's. I'm sure there is.

[Jeff]

Hey, carla. Hello. Hey.

[Host (Birch)]

Findmyhoseman.com.

[EMS Worker]

Oh, my gosh.

[Crystal]

I just wanted to let y' all know that it does happen to police officers also.

[Wendy]

Okay.

[Crystal]

And they are called badge chasers.

[Jeff]

Badge chasers. Nice. I have heard of badge bunnies before.

[Wendy]

Badge bunnies.

[Jeff]

Badge bunnies that only, like, will go out with either firemen or policemen.

[Crystal]

Yeah.

[Jeff]

All right. So it's true.

[Lisa]

I bet bad bunnies do have a Yahoo group.

[Jeff]

You should Google badge bunnies right now, see what comes up and if it even runs through the filter. But so it's true. And the email said a lot of counties are having trouble with firehouse groupies who show up at stations, just hang out trying to nab a firefighter. Doesn't matter if you're single or not. So the wise of these firefighters got all upset because they felt their husbands should be getting paid to work and not flirt. So it's caused so much problems that a lot of counties are cracking down on any kind of firefighter having unannounced visitors, especially women. So it's true. It's absolutely true.

[Host (Birch)]

The Birch Show.