fightin fires, possibly kickin tires as well (new pics 7-7)

[vanilla_gorilla]

just joined up with the towns volunteer fire department here in Somerville, NJ
any other smoke eaters out there?

[B607]

You are either a totally brave individual willing to jeopardize your own safety to help others in need... or, you're just young and crazy! Either way, I salute you and your spirit of volunteerism. Best of luck to you and stay safe! Gary

[Korporal]

Close, I was an EMT for a few years in northeastern Mass with a private company. I'm guessing this is your first job as an emergency worker so I'll drop some advice. It's a job (kind of as a volunteer), and the goal is to come home every day about the same as you left. You're the most important person on scene. Followed by your squad. Followed by other responders. Followed by whoever needs help. If you try to be a hero, you won't last. When you have a hard day, hug your family. And the pace isn't what you see on TV.

There's lots of downtime, which is forced bonding of sorts. You end up knowing the people you work with better than some of your family. I've been to weddings where the only other time I saw the person was at work. A bit weird introducing myself as the groom's partner!

[vanilla_gorilla]

thanks for the advice guys, dont worry ill keep my head down and keep my wits about me

[hotfoot]

I worked last summer as a DNR Wildland Firefighter out of Shelton, WA. Plan on doing it again next summer. Through that job I worked with a lot of local volunteer firefighters as we all work together on wildland fires, just after the fun initial attack part they leave and stick us with mop up and paperwork! I did learn that all types of firefighting seem to be 90% downtime, and maybe 10% of the time it's really hard, but rewarding, work.

[vanilla_gorilla]

just went to my first drill. we got a brand new engine with a state of the art foam system that uses compressed air. i got to soak a building and paint it white with bubbles, but that thing has a nasty kick on it like a giant powerwasher

[vanilla_gorilla]

picture time

heres our new engine (grey roof) next to the older one we are replacing


here i am learning the nozzle


playing with the compressed air foam system


i made a mess


clean up


the foam freezes just like snow its weird

[vanilla_gorilla]

heres some pics from our Memorial Day Parade

our newly restored '55 Mack engine 5


our new 2009 KME engine 3





i got to blast the siren and the airhorn and whip candy at people, good times

[cman]

Good on you for volunteering. Nice pics of the training and engines.

[vanilla_gorilla]

Thanks cman. i only have a week left in fire academy. I started in january, it really went by fast.
I havent been involved very long and it was really cool to be in the parade and hear literally hundreds of "Thank yous" and cheers from the crowd.
Its a good feeling to do something positive for the community, and I am proud to serve.

[Gold Street Customs]

Your appreciated, thank you

[vanilla_gorilla]

thanks!

[vanilla_gorilla]

I passed the NJ State firefighter exam wiht an 84%
on paper i am now official, the ceremony is later on in the month
we also had our 175th anniversary parade the other weekend which had over 100 pieces of apparatus from 35 departments,
ill have lots of cool pics to post

[bighit]

Retired police officer out of Piscataway. I carried some old guy out of a fire one night. I was asked if I wanted a medal, but I told them I wanted a chest to pin it to. There is nothing like that smell of things burning in a house that are not ment to be burning. You never forget it.

Car fires are my favorite. One time I saw a power line burn a truck to the ground in seconds and melt the frame and curb like it was butter.

[vanilla_gorilla]

my dad told me they used to train without the masks and SCBA's i dunno how, you absolutley cannot breathe in that heat.
we did a flashover simulator, we sat in a room that they let burn and it got up to well over 1700 degrees F, it was intense