Posted this on the Premium Lounge and figured I would share it with the rest of you guys.
Well, as some of you possibly know, I've joined my local volunteer fire department (which accounts for my recent absence from the board) and today I went on my first call which happened to be an actual fire.
If its one thing a fire fighter does not enjoy responding to, its a structure fire. To make matters worse, it was that of a fellow fire fighter. I got home from school and was on my way to work to get my pay check when the alarm went off. I raced back and went right to the scene which was down the street from the firehouse. The mood completely changed when I found out that the house was that of one of the officers of the department. Since I am a new member and have not yet completed "Essentials" (the fire fighting course), I was not allowed to go into the building. I was outside basically doing "proby" work... running empty air tanks down to be filled, cleaning up the gear that is thrown down from men coming outside. Thankfully nobody was hurt and although the house is pretty much gutted, its still standing.
I learned a lot today... 2 main things. I experienced my first structure fire... something I will remember forever and I learned quite a few things. The second thing is that I truly found out what its like to be a fire fighter and what its like to have these guys as your brothers. Responding to a fire at the house of one of your "brothers" is very tough and emotional, and this experience taught me more than any classroom or book could ever teach me.
So I'm exhausted and I'm going to bed. My clothes stink and even after a 20 minute shower, I can still smell smoke on me. Again, everybody is alright and back at the firehouse, we started a collection for the fire fighter and in about 3 hours just under $800 was collected.
Well, as some of you possibly know, I've joined my local volunteer fire department (which accounts for my recent absence from the board) and today I went on my first call which happened to be an actual fire.
If its one thing a fire fighter does not enjoy responding to, its a structure fire. To make matters worse, it was that of a fellow fire fighter. I got home from school and was on my way to work to get my pay check when the alarm went off. I raced back and went right to the scene which was down the street from the firehouse. The mood completely changed when I found out that the house was that of one of the officers of the department. Since I am a new member and have not yet completed "Essentials" (the fire fighting course), I was not allowed to go into the building. I was outside basically doing "proby" work... running empty air tanks down to be filled, cleaning up the gear that is thrown down from men coming outside. Thankfully nobody was hurt and although the house is pretty much gutted, its still standing.
I learned a lot today... 2 main things. I experienced my first structure fire... something I will remember forever and I learned quite a few things. The second thing is that I truly found out what its like to be a fire fighter and what its like to have these guys as your brothers. Responding to a fire at the house of one of your "brothers" is very tough and emotional, and this experience taught me more than any classroom or book could ever teach me.
So I'm exhausted and I'm going to bed. My clothes stink and even after a 20 minute shower, I can still smell smoke on me. Again, everybody is alright and back at the firehouse, we started a collection for the fire fighter and in about 3 hours just under $800 was collected.
). It is completely volunteer and yet we have one of the best ratings in the state. My husband has been through alot of fire training yet refuses to join. He runs out of fires; not into them. I guess it doesn't help that he spent 14 days in a burn unit with chemical burns.