Columbia Burn Day

Alright guys, we are getting so close!  Last week we had our "Columbia Burn Day" which consist of setting the scene for a true fire situation.  Each company was assigned to either fire attack, second due engine, ladder company, rescue and rehab.  We rode on the engines and trucks to the "scene" and went to work!  The adrineline was pumping as we sat in the truck and waited on "the call".  As we took care of our responsiblilities everything went by so quickly and then we would clean up and go on to the next.  At the time it didn't seem to take much energy, but I was soooo sore the next day!  It was really neat to put everything together and see what all is actually happening on scene.  In just 3 and 1/2 short weeks we will be on the floor getting it done!  Can't wait!  Fire Fighter I test is Monday and Fire Fighter II test the following Thursday.  After that we have rescue the rescuer and then our timed skills test for the city....then graduation!!

Halfway!!

What a busy couple of weeks we have had!  Sorry that I have not written and kept you guys up to date!  Lets start where we left off....Ladders.  Ladders was a tough week as you read in the last blog and I didn't think I would ever make it through but I did!  Since ladders, we have learned about our hoses, the different hose streams we should use, how to pull the hose off the truck which is more complicated than it sounds and we have actually put out fires!  It was very exciting to go into the burn building and put out fires.  I find myself starring at the fire mesmerized before actually putting it out.  It is such a neat feeling to be standing, crawling actually, in a room with fire blazing in front of you! 

Last week we took our OSHA test which was both a written test and physical skills test.  We lost one classmate on skills and one on the written test.  I was kind of sad to see them go.  Eventhough everyone is to the point we are all getting on each others nerves you don't want to see anyone not succeed when we have all worked so hard.  I actually made the top grade in the class along with two other of my classmates!  go me!  I was so excited since you all know that I am not the most brilliant person!  I have made a committment to be the best I can be, and I will continue to work towards that goal! 

This past week was HazMat and I didn't do as well as I would have liked on that test but we must move on!  Monday we get to go to the junk yard and cut up cars.  Should be an exciting day!  This is something that our Rescue squad usually does but we sometimes get to assist.  I would love to be on a rescue truck one day but it will take lots of training and knowledge to get there.  Just another goal for George!! 

Blood, Sweat and Tears...and Bruises!

Week four is complete and "challenging" just can't explain what this week presented to each of us!  Ladders was the topic and blood, sweat and tears was the result.  Going into this week I wanted to be a "trucky". This is one who rides on the ladder truck and as you may guess is incharge of putting up ladders, venting the roof, rescues as well as a million other jobs!  Ladders proved to be a little more than I could ever imagine! 

We started the week with just learning how to lift the ladders properly using our legs because they are way heavier than one could imagine.  We worked with both 24 foot and 35 foot ladders.  These are tall enough to reach the 3rd and 4th floor of a building.  After learning to lift the ladder properly, it was time to put them on the building and climb them.  This is where the SWEAT came in.  Moving ladders around and throwing them up on the building takes lots of muscle, which I thought I had...but not so much.  Then time to climb...

Climbing was going well until Captain Holloway decided to push me off the ladder!!  Ok, just kidding he didn't push me, but I freaked out and jumped...cylinder pack and all.  I thought I was on the like the 5th rung but turns out I was only on the 2nd according to Thompson!  We were working on rescues where the victim becomes unconcious and I was totally freaked out and a little scared (don't tell anyone...i shed a TEAR or two).  After jumping off the ladder, I was sure he wasn't going to make me try and rescue one of my classmates...but he did.  I went up to that third story window, and I did it thanks to the confidence Captain Holloway had in me.  We did the rescue the next day and no problem.  I brought that victim down like a pro!  ok, maybe like a pro-bie!  :) 

After week four, I am covered in bruises and suffered yet another bloody nose...who knew firefighting would be so fun??  Oh wait, we haven't even seen any fire yet!!  We started working with hoses today so the fire is coming soon! 






Check your Batteries!!

Lots of lessons learned this week!!  One thing to know is that you have to be good with confined spaces and crawling around to be a firefighter!   I told you all about the maze this week already and how it was fun but scary at the same time.  I don't think I really told you a whole lot about our SCBA.  This is our breathing apparatus and is made up of a harness and a cylinder with a regulator that hooks into your face piece.  On Thursday, they threw a fun little drill in where we had wax paper in our face pieces as a blindfold.  We had to crawl through a tube and then they led us to a SCBA that we had to put together, turn on, put on our backs, hook up to air and then crawl to the pass device.  The pass device produces a ringing when a firefighter is immobile for 30 secs, is mounted on the SCBA and can help you locate an injured firefighter.  The hardest part was doing this while wearing our firefighter gloves! 

Friday they took this drill one step farther and we had to switch packs while in the maze.  This time the pack was all put together but we had to take ours off and put the new one on while still hooked up to the air in the first one.  Once you had all the straps connected and turned on the air, you had to take in a deep breath and then unhook the old regulator and hook up the new one while holding your breath.   It really only takes a second or so to do this but it can be scary if you over think.  So that was our fun challenge for the week.  If you have ever been backpacking, the SCBA feels similar to the weight and size of a pack with all the straps and such.

In addition to the maze, we learned about search and rescue this week.  This is where checking your batteries comes in to play.  I found that it is not easy to search a smoke filled house in the dark for surviving victims.  The concept seems easy but have you ever blind folded yourself and tried to crawl through your house with your 50 pound monkey on your back making sure to stay oriented while searching every square foot?  Not so easy!!  So my challenge to you is check the batteries in your smoke detector so that you will never have the experience.  I can only imagine a bunch of firefighters coming through your home in the middle of the night breathing through air packs would make the situation that much scarier!  Not to mention there was no heat during this drill just smoke machines! 

If you are reading this right now, it probably means that you are a special person in my life and you care about me and how school is going.  This means I probably care about you too, so I challenge each of you right now to get up from in front of your computer at this very moment and go check your smoke detectors.   :)   <3  

The Maze!

Week three and things are getting physical...PHYSICAL (sing it).  Friday I told you guys that we were introduced to all of gear and our SCBA (breathing apparatus) and ran the tower a few times to get a feel for everything.  Well, Yesterday we ran JOSET in our gear and were introduced to the MAZE!  We are just finding all kinds of new friends out there at the training grounds.

The maze was kind of fun and kind of scary too.  Remember when you were a kid and you made tents in the living room out of chairs and blankets and crawled around under there.  It was kind of like that only take away the snacks, flashlight and your parents in the next room.  Now add a 50 pound monkey on your back and people "encouraging you sternly" to get through.  Yesterday wasn't so bad except my helmet fell off once and Sky (an instructor) helped me put it back on...Today my helmet fell off again but this time my cylinder was halfway off along with my boot, and I had my teammates behind me freaking me and themselves out trying to get past me.  We finally all calmed down with the help of Fender (one of our other instructors) and we all got through.  whew!!!

There were a few that didn't make it through today because they freaked out a little.  There is this little tiny tube in the beginning that you have to squeeze your way through and that plays a little mind game with you.  I have faith that they will make it though tomorrow!!

Gotta go study!!  I only made a 79 on my pop quiz today and that is just not going to put me at the top of my class academically!!!   Study Study!!

Challenging Day!

What a Friday!!  I woke up thinking TGIF and headed off to school.  It is the last day of week 2 and so far everything has gone my way.  I am growing closer to my classmates and getting stronger each day.  This day, January 4th, 2011 was a little harder than all the rest put together.  I wasn't mentally prepared for the day and had to have a little gut check. 

To begin, I woke up a little sore all over.  I have been sleeping on the heating pad the last two nights because my back is feeling a little out of sorts but ok none the less.  After my morning bootcamp, i get in the car headed to "The Bluff"  (recruit school is off of Bluff road).   It is raining and a little cold (38 degrees).  I really didn't mind the cold because I knew I would warm up but the rain bothered me a little.  It is my morning to do JOSET and I just wasn't mentally prepared to do it in the cold rain.  I got through it but it wasn't fun although some of my classmates were pumped up and made me giggle a little.  :)

Next was by far the most miserable I have been in some time.  It was cold and raining and the agenda was to become familiar with our gear.  So...we get in a big circle in the parking lot and lay out our gear.  Did I mention it was cold and rainy??  So anyway, we have to get in (Don) and get out of (Doff) our gear as quickly as possible.  We do this about 4 or 5 times and then take a break.  By this time it is twice as heavy as normal and we can't feel our fingers.  We do it a few more times and then off to lunch!

When we return from lunch, we are then introduced to our SCBA  (self contained breathing apparatus).   By this time the rain has pretty much stopped but it is still cold and our gear is still wet.  We Don and Doff our gear several times and then they throw in a surprise for us.  We hit the training tower and up we go!  5 flights up and 5 flights down...5 flights up and 5 flights down...5 flights up and 5 flights down...thankfully we are all out of air in our SCBA by this time and we stop!!!  It was actually kind of nice to warm up but it was really weird doing it with our gear and SCBA on.   Add a 50 pound vest and run 15 flights of stairs breathing compressed air!!  That about sums up our Friday!!  Time to get mentally tough!!!

Love JOSET!

My class and I are now a week and a half onto our 14 week training. We are beginning to learn what is expected and how to work together as a team. This morning Captain Veal had to change up our groups a little since we lost 3 of our buddies last week. In result of this, I ran JOSET yesterday and today.

Before we go any further let me tell you a little about JOSET. It stands for Job Oriented Skills Endurance Training and it will kick your butt! I found in life that the harder you work at something the better you get and even if no one is watching they will notice in the end. With that being said I was extremely sore from yesterday and even sleep with my heating pad on my back last night, but came in and pushed harder today. I finally got the hose pack to the fourth floor of the tower for the first time today! This was huge compared to not getting it off the first floor last week!

I've also made all A's so far which those of you who know me really well, know that can only be done when I actually focus in on something! I am focused and loving the challenge thus far! Thank you all for you encouragement! I plan to continue to push myself to my limits and finish at the top of this class!