Sunday, May 2, 2010

Fire Explorer Academy



Well, I was able to finish breaking in my boots yesterday at the 7th annual Fire Explorer Academy! I've been a Fire Explorer for 5 months now, so this was my first time being able to participate in an event like this and I had a blast! It was a great opportunity to learn new things, get more experience, and meet more explorers from other departments. I'm already looking forward to next year's Academy!


Altogether, the event lasted about as long as the sun lasted. I got there at 7:30am and didn't leave until about 8:00pm. Among the day's activities were: ventilation, EMS scenario, search and rescue drills, feeling the heat in the burn trailer, extinguishing car fires, and fighting the fire dragon. We also did a "Make and Break" competition, and a "Bucket Brigade" competition at midday, which gave us the chance to cool down a bit! It wasn't too hot out - in fact, God blessed us with a really nice breeze - but after being in turnouts on and off for several hours, some cold water dumped on my head felt really nice!

The entire day was just another glimpse into the hard work that it takes to do some of the tasks firefighters do, but also the reward of the hard work if you don't give up. I'm definitely not the strongest, or the best at everything, but it's nice to be a part of a team and see improvement in the areas that I'm not very good at yet. I'm still not 100% sure if firefighting is the thing for me, but it's something I'm very interested in, and I want to learn more about it. I'm still praying about it and sort of just getting my feet wet for now. Being an Explorer is definitely helping me get a more "inside" view and I'm hoping to stay in the program until I'm too old (I'm pretty sure cut-off age is 20 or 21, so I've got a few years left).


I wish I had some more pictures to put on here, but I didn't get a chance to take any. A few of the moms took some, though, so hopefully next meeting I'll be able to get a CD and possibly put some more up.


Countdown to Africa: 42 days


Outside Temp: 81°F (It's super windy and we're having major dust flying through! Not my favorite weather today)

Verse of the Day:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
John 13:34-35

4 comments:

  1. Wow! Sounds exciting! And rather frightening, from the standpoint of fire. I love fire, but fear it as well.

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  2. I can't say that fire really scares me, but when I was sitting there in the burn building feeling it get hotter and hotter...especially after the steam conversion from the bit of water out of the hose...it started to feel like my hands, knees, and arms were burning, and that made me get a little antsy. I knew I wasn't really burning, but it wasn't the greatest feeling, and the air coming out of my pak got so hot too. Good experience, though. I went in a second time after that, but don't think I want to do it right away again...got my fill for a little while.

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  3. *shiver* I'm not entirely sure I could have done that. I would have gotten increasingly claustrophobic.

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  4. It was a strange experience.

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