Last night's class covered PPE (personal protective equipment, aka "turnout gear"), starting off with a bit of lecture, then getting practical. We brought our gear with us, and got a chance both to perform a gear inspection and go through donning our full gear.
The requirement is to be able to don full gear in less than 1 minute. On calls, I've been pretty sure I've met that, but in class realized that I wasn't putting everything on. I haven't been wearing both my hood and my turnout gloves, which is fine for now as I'm not doing any interior work. Plus, on real calls, you're pretty interested in getting on the apparatus, and gloves and hood can go on once you're loaded up.
Anyway, in class, I missed the 60-second requirement the first time, but got it on the 2nd. You do get to have your gear laid out however will be most efficient, and the 2nd time around, I did a better job of preparing before the clock started.
After donning our gear, we got to board the engine and get strapped in. Folks were joking about why they put seatbelts in apparatus, but the official position is: wear them. In fact, there's a seatbelt poster hanging at our station showing an engine that wrecked and rolled over, and the FFs on board had their seatbelts on. So next time I'm in the station, gotta find where the belts are on Squad.
Then, about 15 minutes before the end of class, our pagers went off. I'd thought we were too far from the station for us to bother responding, but the folks I was with grabbed their gear and ran, so I did too. Usually that wouldn't have been a problem, except I needed to leave right after class to go pick my family up from the airport, so I got a bit uptight. Making it worse was the fact that we didn't go back to the station, (where I could have opted out, got in my car, and headed on), but we drove straight to the call. Fortunately (for the homeowner and for me), we got released shortly after arriving (it was something at a nearby trailer park; we were mutual aid, and weren't needed), and I got to the airport in plenty of time to get my fam back.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Assisting Mutual Aid Company
3:30am this morning, pager went off, "Standby in Station". The page was for engine 1, which I don't get to ride yet, but I went anyway to see what it was about. Maybe 6-8 of us made it in, and sat around talking. "Standby" means be in station, ready to run if they need us; in this case, "they" were an adjacent mutual aid comapny, at a dwelling fire.
4:00am, they call County (via radio), requests Squad for additional manpower. So we dress and respond in non-emergency mode (i.e. no sirens, no running red lights, etc). As we arrived, everything had been put out, and we were there to help with cleanup of the dwelling.
Not only do we put the fire out, but we also need to make sure that it doesn't start back up again, and we need to make at least an initial determination as to what started the fire. That process (overhaul) means pulling out anything exposed to the (now-extinguished) fire and making sure that everything else is cool enough to not re-ignite. That takes work, which is what they wanted help with. We had a couple of guys in airpacks go inside to assist, while I and others setup lights outside, then once it was deemed safe to remove the airpacks, we went inside to help ferry out bins of ash and other debris.
An ambulance was there as a precaution; apparently the residents got out safely and were uninjured. They also had water available for all of us workers, and while it wasn't that hot out, and even though we took off our turnout coats fairly soon after arriving, I was still working, walking up and down both stairs and an inclined driveway, and was still in helmet and bunker pants, so I was sweating a good bit, and the water was welcome.
I could see the practical side of safety. While all the firefighting had finished before we arrived, lots of people were going up and down both interior and exterior stairs that were shared between people, charged hoselines and electrical cables. It really pays to be attentive to surroundings, as even if you're accustomed to the environment normally (which we weren't, never having been there before), it's not normal conditions now.
An air unit was dispatched to the scene. Presumably among other many things, an air unit will recharge airpacks, and a few of us were tasked with making sure all of our airpacks were charged and put back on Squad.
We also helped bring equipment back out to the primary company's engines as they finished with it, and did some light clean-up in the residence with a Shop-Vac, then packed up and returned to station, getting back around 5:20am, and back home around 5:30am. My 2nd call.
4:00am, they call County (via radio), requests Squad for additional manpower. So we dress and respond in non-emergency mode (i.e. no sirens, no running red lights, etc). As we arrived, everything had been put out, and we were there to help with cleanup of the dwelling.
Not only do we put the fire out, but we also need to make sure that it doesn't start back up again, and we need to make at least an initial determination as to what started the fire. That process (overhaul) means pulling out anything exposed to the (now-extinguished) fire and making sure that everything else is cool enough to not re-ignite. That takes work, which is what they wanted help with. We had a couple of guys in airpacks go inside to assist, while I and others setup lights outside, then once it was deemed safe to remove the airpacks, we went inside to help ferry out bins of ash and other debris.
An ambulance was there as a precaution; apparently the residents got out safely and were uninjured. They also had water available for all of us workers, and while it wasn't that hot out, and even though we took off our turnout coats fairly soon after arriving, I was still working, walking up and down both stairs and an inclined driveway, and was still in helmet and bunker pants, so I was sweating a good bit, and the water was welcome.
I could see the practical side of safety. While all the firefighting had finished before we arrived, lots of people were going up and down both interior and exterior stairs that were shared between people, charged hoselines and electrical cables. It really pays to be attentive to surroundings, as even if you're accustomed to the environment normally (which we weren't, never having been there before), it's not normal conditions now.
An air unit was dispatched to the scene. Presumably among other many things, an air unit will recharge airpacks, and a few of us were tasked with making sure all of our airpacks were charged and put back on Squad.
We also helped bring equipment back out to the primary company's engines as they finished with it, and did some light clean-up in the residence with a Shop-Vac, then packed up and returned to station, getting back around 5:20am, and back home around 5:30am. My 2nd call.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Essentials, 2nd Night
Tonight we finished up the section on safety, and went over Chain of Command. Pretty straightforward stuff: "span of control" says that everybody reports to someone, and nobody has too many people reporting to them (5 is ideal, 3-7 is okay). We talked about how larger paid departments work, with a larger chain of command.
In between lectures, we got to see the host station testing their 5" lines. They put a draft into a pond, and laid what must've been 2000' of 5" up the hill, around the pavilion and back down to the engine. Then they drained it and put it all away. They had a very interesting looking appliance on the end of the line; several connections (w/valve handles) to allow them to split off smaller lines or continue on to another 5". I assume I'll learn more about those in the next class (Fireground Support), which our instructor intends to start up as soon as this one's over.
Toward the end of the class, we watched a history video that was fairly interesting, going from colonial times up to the MGM Grand fire in 1980. I remember hearing about that one on the news; I would have been 13 at the time. It struck me that nobody else at my table was even alive when that happened (all of my fellow station classmates are 16 or 17). (Yeah, I'm getting old.)
Next week's class will be on donning our gear and boarding the engine properly, and hazmat; the week following will be review and the test.
In between lectures, we got to see the host station testing their 5" lines. They put a draft into a pond, and laid what must've been 2000' of 5" up the hill, around the pavilion and back down to the engine. Then they drained it and put it all away. They had a very interesting looking appliance on the end of the line; several connections (w/valve handles) to allow them to split off smaller lines or continue on to another 5". I assume I'll learn more about those in the next class (Fireground Support), which our instructor intends to start up as soon as this one's over.
Toward the end of the class, we watched a history video that was fairly interesting, going from colonial times up to the MGM Grand fire in 1980. I remember hearing about that one on the news; I would have been 13 at the time. It struck me that nobody else at my table was even alive when that happened (all of my fellow station classmates are 16 or 17). (Yeah, I'm getting old.)
Next week's class will be on donning our gear and boarding the engine properly, and hazmat; the week following will be review and the test.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Two Non-Calls in 8 Hours
Last night, after finishing work, I poked around a bit, then noticed it getting dark early. Glanced outside to see it getting stormy, and checked online to see severe weather warnings posted for us. Went up to Subway, grabbed dinner, then headed for the station, just in case. Three others showed up, it blew around for 10 mins or so, let fall 2-3 drops of rain, then cleared off for blue skies and a beautiful night. You just never know.
So I went home, walked the dog, read a bit, and went to bed. I'd seen on the radar a line of showers coming toward us, but it wasn't going to hit 'til midnight, and I was tired, so I turned in. Sure enough, a little after midnight, thunder and lightning. I fought the urge to hop up and get dressed, and just listened to it all, and drifted back to sleep.
About 2 minutes later, pager goes off. You get tones, then a pause, then the dispatcher comes on and gives the address and type of the incident, and lists what apparatus is being dispatched. This time, she calls out the address, says it's a dwelling fire (I think; I was half asleep), then says "disregard tones, will handle". Harumph. I get undressed, go back to bed, and lay there for an hour or so, all keyed up.
So now I'm short on sleep, but thanks to working at home this week and an understanding boss, I decide to sleep in. Well, 8am, pager goes off again, waking me up again. Automatic fire alarm at the middle school. I roll out of bed, dress, get to the station. I'm curious as to whether enough folks show up for a day call to run Squad. Engine 1 responds, and another driver arrives, sees me waiting by the Squad, and decides to respond in it. So I climb aboard. Two or three other guys are getting suited up, and heading over. And the call comes over the radio to recall. I wait around for E1 to return, then head home.
All part of the job. (But I'm still waiting for my 2nd call...)
So I went home, walked the dog, read a bit, and went to bed. I'd seen on the radar a line of showers coming toward us, but it wasn't going to hit 'til midnight, and I was tired, so I turned in. Sure enough, a little after midnight, thunder and lightning. I fought the urge to hop up and get dressed, and just listened to it all, and drifted back to sleep.
About 2 minutes later, pager goes off. You get tones, then a pause, then the dispatcher comes on and gives the address and type of the incident, and lists what apparatus is being dispatched. This time, she calls out the address, says it's a dwelling fire (I think; I was half asleep), then says "disregard tones,
So now I'm short on sleep, but thanks to working at home this week and an understanding boss, I decide to sleep in. Well, 8am, pager goes off again, waking me up again. Automatic fire alarm at the middle school. I roll out of bed, dress, get to the station. I'm curious as to whether enough folks show up for a day call to run Squad. Engine 1 responds, and another driver arrives, sees me waiting by the Squad, and decides to respond in it. So I climb aboard. Two or three other guys are getting suited up, and heading over. And the call comes over the radio to recall. I wait around for E1 to return, then head home.
All part of the job. (But I'm still waiting for my 2nd call...)
Sunday, June 15, 2008
A Family Tradition
I called my dad today to wish him a happy Father's Day, and we talked for an hour or so. Among other things, we talked about my recent fire service training, and it turns out that as a teenager, he had been a volunteer firefighter as well, as had his father.
Dad spent part of his growing up years in Rexford, NY, where, according to him, "everybody was a volunteer. The siren went off, and you knew from the sound what part of town the fire was in, and everybody went to help. The gear was kept on one of the trucks, and you put it on when you got there, depending on what the situation was." His dad served at the same time period, often on the same calls, depending on whether he had the car with him, or whether it was at home with dad's mom.
He said training back then was light compared to what it sounds like I'm going through (especially considering the almost-1000-page Essentials manual I told him about).
He told me of a couple of incidents: one at a grocery store, where the #10 cans were exploding from the heat and shooting out into the crowd of onlookers, and where the barber next door had moved his chairs out into the parking lot, and it looked like he was offering haircuts to the bystanders. Another one involved a lumber yard, where they arrived to find it too far gone to do anything, and let it burn.
This was something I never knew about my dad, but then again, mom didn't know either, so I don't feel too bad :).
So whaddya know, it's a family tradition!
Dad spent part of his growing up years in Rexford, NY, where, according to him, "everybody was a volunteer. The siren went off, and you knew from the sound what part of town the fire was in, and everybody went to help. The gear was kept on one of the trucks, and you put it on when you got there, depending on what the situation was." His dad served at the same time period, often on the same calls, depending on whether he had the car with him, or whether it was at home with dad's mom.
He said training back then was light compared to what it sounds like I'm going through (especially considering the almost-1000-page Essentials manual I told him about).
He told me of a couple of incidents: one at a grocery store, where the #10 cans were exploding from the heat and shooting out into the crowd of onlookers, and where the barber next door had moved his chairs out into the parking lot, and it looked like he was offering haircuts to the bystanders. Another one involved a lumber yard, where they arrived to find it too far gone to do anything, and let it burn.
This was something I never knew about my dad, but then again, mom didn't know either, so I don't feel too bad :).
So whaddya know, it's a family tradition!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Essentials, 1st Night (and a call)
Went to the fire company after work, and rode up with four other FFs for the first night of the Essentials class. (Actually, the official name of the class is Introduction to the Fire Service.) It's the 16-hr first of four classes that end up being 160+ hours of instruction, with the later classes being much more hands-on than this first.
The instructor (whose name I forget) is pretty likable and seemed quite knowledgeable, and I'm thinking I'll like the class. We got materials: 1 course book and 1 workbook, both of which are pretty thick, and will be used for all four classes. We went through about an hour of history, and a couple hours of safety. Apparently it's easy to be unsafe when you're in a hurry; most on-scene injuries happen at the beginning (when you're rushing around and not sure what's where) and at the end (when you're not paying as much attention and/or fatigued from the call). Also of interest, fully half of FF deaths are from heart attacks, many preventable simply by not over-exerting while being in full gear.
Anyway, after class I went home, went to bed, then got paged at 4am. Got to the station, but while Squad got dispatched, it didn't go out, (perhaps just because of no driver?), so I sat around for a few minutes, just to be sure, then went back home. Apparently it was a truck fire that was easily contained. Again, had I not been new and hence not allowed on the engines, I would have easily made either engine out. So I guess I'm still waiting for my 2nd call.
The instructor (whose name I forget) is pretty likable and seemed quite knowledgeable, and I'm thinking I'll like the class. We got materials: 1 course book and 1 workbook, both of which are pretty thick, and will be used for all four classes. We went through about an hour of history, and a couple hours of safety. Apparently it's easy to be unsafe when you're in a hurry; most on-scene injuries happen at the beginning (when you're rushing around and not sure what's where) and at the end (when you're not paying as much attention and/or fatigued from the call). Also of interest, fully half of FF deaths are from heart attacks, many preventable simply by not over-exerting while being in full gear.
Anyway, after class I went home, went to bed, then got paged at 4am. Got to the station, but while Squad got dispatched, it didn't go out, (perhaps just because of no driver?), so I sat around for a few minutes, just to be sure, then went back home. Apparently it was a truck fire that was easily contained. Again, had I not been new and hence not allowed on the engines, I would have easily made either engine out. So I guess I'm still waiting for my 2nd call.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Training Night 6/10
Well, last night was to be the first night of the Essentials class, but it got postponed, so I went to our training night.
Actually, a little after 6pm, the sky got dark and lightning started flashing, so I started watching the radar (via the NWS website), then opened up WebCAD, and was just amazed. Usually, there are 10-15 active medical calls, and one or two active fire calls; last night there were maybe 7-8 medical and twice that for fire. So I headed down to the station at 6:30pm, and I was one of the last few to arrive. Fortunately, the storm largely passed south of us, and we didn't get called out.
While waiting to see what would happen, a captain gave me a tour of the compartments on the squad vehicle. There are five on each side, (six if you count the one on the bottom), each containing various pieces of equipment for use in various types of calls. There are also items inside, on both sides of the crew seats. After going through them all, he let me know that I can feel free to go through things on my own, and that he will show me around the engines another night. I then spent a while going around making sure I'd at least be able to remember the general contents of each compartment without having to open each one.
After seeing that we probably weren't going to be called out for the storms, we then went into the training room, and had Chief go over a few items, after which we did a gear inspection, and got issued reflective vests to be used either over or in place of our bunker coats, as appropriate for the call.
After getting set with that, I headed on home, looking forward to Thursday night.
Actually, a little after 6pm, the sky got dark and lightning started flashing, so I started watching the radar (via the NWS website), then opened up WebCAD, and was just amazed. Usually, there are 10-15 active medical calls, and one or two active fire calls; last night there were maybe 7-8 medical and twice that for fire. So I headed down to the station at 6:30pm, and I was one of the last few to arrive. Fortunately, the storm largely passed south of us, and we didn't get called out.
While waiting to see what would happen, a captain gave me a tour of the compartments on the squad vehicle. There are five on each side, (six if you count the one on the bottom), each containing various pieces of equipment for use in various types of calls. There are also items inside, on both sides of the crew seats. After going through them all, he let me know that I can feel free to go through things on my own, and that he will show me around the engines another night. I then spent a while going around making sure I'd at least be able to remember the general contents of each compartment without having to open each one.
After seeing that we probably weren't going to be called out for the storms, we then went into the training room, and had Chief go over a few items, after which we did a gear inspection, and got issued reflective vests to be used either over or in place of our bunker coats, as appropriate for the call.
After getting set with that, I headed on home, looking forward to Thursday night.
Friday, June 6, 2008
My First Call
Of course, it's Murphy's Law. As soon as I get my pager (Tue night), no calls come in for days. Mind you, no calls mean a peaceful district, but I've still been wondering when I get to go out.
Well, 3am this morning, the pager goes off. An "investigation" at a nearby convenience store. The shock of jumping out of bed had my heart pumping more than anything else, but I got quickly dressed and was out the door. By the time I got to my car, I was mostly calmed down, and drove (quickly but safely!) to the station. The store was actually closer to my house than the station, but you go to the station and suit up first.
I was maybe 4th or 5th out of a total of 12-15 FFs who responded. Had I been qualified, I would have easily made the 1st engine out, but I rode the squad as instructed, with the driver and one other guy. (The call was for both engines and the squad.) I didn't time it, but I'm fairly certain I had my gear on in less than 60 secs, (which is one of the things to get checked off for training).
By the time the squad was ready to go, the chief(s) were already on-scene, and had determined that we didn't need engine 2, and squad was instructed to come in non-emergency (which means no sirens for me this call).
Turns out, an oven got turned on with some paper in it, and was generating some smoke. We put a large fan at the back door, propped open the front, and ventilated; the chiefs then checked things out to make sure all was well. Then we rode back to the station, signed the call book, and went home. I was back in bed by 4am.
Of course, when I say "we" above, I simply watched as others did the doing. Completely expected.
A neat, uneventful first call.
Well, 3am this morning, the pager goes off. An "investigation" at a nearby convenience store. The shock of jumping out of bed had my heart pumping more than anything else, but I got quickly dressed and was out the door. By the time I got to my car, I was mostly calmed down, and drove (quickly but safely!) to the station. The store was actually closer to my house than the station, but you go to the station and suit up first.
I was maybe 4th or 5th out of a total of 12-15 FFs who responded. Had I been qualified, I would have easily made the 1st engine out, but I rode the squad as instructed, with the driver and one other guy. (The call was for both engines and the squad.) I didn't time it, but I'm fairly certain I had my gear on in less than 60 secs, (which is one of the things to get checked off for training).
By the time the squad was ready to go, the chief(s) were already on-scene, and had determined that we didn't need engine 2, and squad was instructed to come in non-emergency (which means no sirens for me this call).
Turns out, an oven got turned on with some paper in it, and was generating some smoke. We put a large fan at the back door, propped open the front, and ventilated; the chiefs then checked things out to make sure all was well. Then we rode back to the station, signed the call book, and went home. I was back in bed by 4am.
Of course, when I say "we" above, I simply watched as others did the doing. Completely expected.
A neat, uneventful first call.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
I'm a Firefighter!
I went to the fire hall last night around 7pm, hung around and chatted with folks for a bit, then had one of the captains come over and inform me that first Tue is the monthly business meeting, for members only. The good news, he said, was that they'd be voting on my application, and that he should be able to give me a call by 9pm and let me know, and then maybe I could get my gear and pager and get started next week.
So I went home, played with my kids, and went out to walk the dog before it started raining. When I walked in the door, Diane said "they'd like you to come back down to the fire hall". I pretty much floated out to my car, and went back, at which point the captain was there at the back door, and told me that I'd been accepted!
Yes, folks, I'm now a firefighter!
Actually, I'm a probationary firefighter, or probie. I'll be on probation for the next 6 months, and will be expected to do a good bit of training during that time before becoming a full FF. For my first few calls, I'll be asked to ride in the squad vehicle (rather than on an engine), until I understand what's what.
They gave me a pager (a Minitor II, in case you were wondering), and showed me how it works. There's a setting to receive just our dispatches, a setting to receive all fire and ambulance dispatches for the county, and a setting to receive fireground transmissions (which at the beginning of a call, will likely be the chief arriving on-scene and giving information to County and our arriving apparatus as to what's occurring).
They gave me a "training manual", which is largely a checklist of things I'll be expected to learn in the first few months. I'll be using that at the station, mostly, while I'm going over equipment and such, to know at least some of the right questions to ask, and for me and them to assess my progress.
The first training course that I need to take during my first 18 months is Essentials of Firefighting, which, by sheer luck, is starting next week at a neighboring company, and I was told that there's room for me to go. So I'll actually miss our training night for the next few weeks as I attend that.
I got my turnout gear last night as well: pants, coat, boots, 2 pair of gloves (one fireproof, one lighter weight for non-fire/clean-up work), Nomex hood (fire resistant, to wear under my helmet) and helmet. Got a flashlight as well. Got shown how to store the gear on the rack, and got given my own space on the rack, complete with name tag.
So now I'm ready to run calls. When the pager goes off, I drive (safely, obeying traffic laws) to the station, get my gear on, head for the squad vehicle, and follow instructions given to me by pretty much anyone else.
I'm a firefighter!
So I went home, played with my kids, and went out to walk the dog before it started raining. When I walked in the door, Diane said "they'd like you to come back down to the fire hall". I pretty much floated out to my car, and went back, at which point the captain was there at the back door, and told me that I'd been accepted!
Yes, folks, I'm now a firefighter!
Actually, I'm a probationary firefighter, or probie. I'll be on probation for the next 6 months, and will be expected to do a good bit of training during that time before becoming a full FF. For my first few calls, I'll be asked to ride in the squad vehicle (rather than on an engine), until I understand what's what.
They gave me a pager (a Minitor II, in case you were wondering), and showed me how it works. There's a setting to receive just our dispatches, a setting to receive all fire and ambulance dispatches for the county, and a setting to receive fireground transmissions (which at the beginning of a call, will likely be the chief arriving on-scene and giving information to County and our arriving apparatus as to what's occurring).
They gave me a "training manual", which is largely a checklist of things I'll be expected to learn in the first few months. I'll be using that at the station, mostly, while I'm going over equipment and such, to know at least some of the right questions to ask, and for me and them to assess my progress.
The first training course that I need to take during my first 18 months is Essentials of Firefighting, which, by sheer luck, is starting next week at a neighboring company, and I was told that there's room for me to go. So I'll actually miss our training night for the next few weeks as I attend that.
I got my turnout gear last night as well: pants, coat, boots, 2 pair of gloves (one fireproof, one lighter weight for non-fire/clean-up work), Nomex hood (fire resistant, to wear under my helmet) and helmet. Got a flashlight as well. Got shown how to store the gear on the rack, and got given my own space on the rack, complete with name tag.
So now I'm ready to run calls. When the pager goes off, I drive (safely, obeying traffic laws) to the station, get my gear on, head for the squad vehicle, and follow instructions given to me by pretty much anyone else.
I'm a firefighter!
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