Firefighters Can Take The Heat

A past-life career as a firefighter has left some indelible images in my memory and

, now in retirement, I'm known to sometimes reminisce. Most of the memories are good and I have no doubt that fortune led me to work with some of the best people there are. Most firefighters are a uniquely capable breed and are good to have around when an emergency arises.

On that particular fire department we employed the use of fifty or more vehicles and some of these rigs carried a price tag upwards of a million dollars. Equipment sold to the fire service comes at a premium and "made in China" wasn't an option for a loyal union shop like ours. Firefighters are brothers in arms. We took care of each other and we maintained our equipment as though our life depended on it. Sometimes it did.

At the beginning of each shift-change, after roll call, each rig had to be checked to make sure everything was onboard. This was facilitated with the use of a check sheet that had every item listed according to its proper location on the vehicle. Everything from the slip joint pliers in the toolbox to the band aids in the first aid kit were itemized and required a daily check in that day's box on the list.

Training was normally figured into just about every shift and there was always lots to train on. Fire crews are expected to respond to a wide variety of emergency situations and to be prepared for any eventuality. Much of the training dealt with emergency medical procedures, since EMS is such a big part of the job these days.

My favorite drills were the actual hands-on operations. Bringing out the 'Jaws of Life' for a mock-MVA (motor vehicle accident), cutting the steering wheel off with the hydraulic cable cutter or the door with the 12,000 pound cutting shears was always a rush. No one can say the job wasn't fun at times.

I retired relatively young (45) but was glad to have put my time into such a worthy organization. Every person we helped along the way, whether a victim of a fire or someone suffering a stroke or heart attack, is etched in my mind. It was a good way to spend a career.

Becoming a professional firefighter isn't an easy process. The field is HIGHLY competitive. Those who make the cut are a different breed and I'm proud to count myself as one of them.

by: Bob Proctor

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