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Firefighter Intern: Day 32 and 33
Oct. 11th, 2018 03:51 pm‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.’ - Franklin D. Roosevelt
Today the focus was on Fire Prevention, and we spent most of the day with three different grades at the local elementary school running the kids through the county EDITH (Evacuation Drill In The Home) prop, a small house-on-a-trailer that we can add smoke to and the kids can practice using an escape ladder and safely evacuating the home. My duties were making sure that the kids were able to get down the evacuation ladder safely, and suiting up in my turnouts and SCBA while the kids watched, and letting them see what a Firefighter looks and sounds like, so they won't be scared of us and hide when we are breaking into their home to rescue them. *smile*
In the afternoon, we were medical standby for the high school girls volleyball team, a pretty uneventful event. I got some house chores done and started the study process for my EMT A&P quiz.
We went to bed early, and I slept hard - until about 5 am, when we were toned out to a medical call for a gentleman with recent hip surgery who fell, and I went along to help with the lifting and the gear. I got some practice with the step chair, a special narrow wheelchair that we use for going down stairs and narrow places. Instead of driving Medic 481 Code 1, my usual duty - now sometimes I get to sit in the back and observe, and follow the patient in and listen to our paramedics give the report to the hospital staff instead of cleaning the gurney.
More studying got done, and then in the afternoon, we helped with a patient assist of community member and a former firefighter and paramedic for the station before he retired, who had just had prostate surgery and needed some help getting up the stairs into his home. Always glad to provide that, especially for someone like him.
We were headed out to the local high school football game for medical support after a quick dinner, when we were toned out to a deer-versus-car traffic accident, but we were quickly cleared after it was determined that everyone was okay. We went to the game and we were thinking we were just going to watch - and then there we are kneeling down on the 40-yard line, cutting off football pants and transporting a football player with a knee injury. It was severe enough that the paramedics took Medic 481 and I stayed behind with the Utility 482 and the Duty Officer.
After the game, we went back to the fire station and went to bed. No calls, and we slept well.
Today the focus was on Fire Prevention, and we spent most of the day with three different grades at the local elementary school running the kids through the county EDITH (Evacuation Drill In The Home) prop, a small house-on-a-trailer that we can add smoke to and the kids can practice using an escape ladder and safely evacuating the home. My duties were making sure that the kids were able to get down the evacuation ladder safely, and suiting up in my turnouts and SCBA while the kids watched, and letting them see what a Firefighter looks and sounds like, so they won't be scared of us and hide when we are breaking into their home to rescue them. *smile*
In the afternoon, we were medical standby for the high school girls volleyball team, a pretty uneventful event. I got some house chores done and started the study process for my EMT A&P quiz.
We went to bed early, and I slept hard - until about 5 am, when we were toned out to a medical call for a gentleman with recent hip surgery who fell, and I went along to help with the lifting and the gear. I got some practice with the step chair, a special narrow wheelchair that we use for going down stairs and narrow places. Instead of driving Medic 481 Code 1, my usual duty - now sometimes I get to sit in the back and observe, and follow the patient in and listen to our paramedics give the report to the hospital staff instead of cleaning the gurney.
More studying got done, and then in the afternoon, we helped with a patient assist of community member and a former firefighter and paramedic for the station before he retired, who had just had prostate surgery and needed some help getting up the stairs into his home. Always glad to provide that, especially for someone like him.
We were headed out to the local high school football game for medical support after a quick dinner, when we were toned out to a deer-versus-car traffic accident, but we were quickly cleared after it was determined that everyone was okay. We went to the game and we were thinking we were just going to watch - and then there we are kneeling down on the 40-yard line, cutting off football pants and transporting a football player with a knee injury. It was severe enough that the paramedics took Medic 481 and I stayed behind with the Utility 482 and the Duty Officer.
After the game, we went back to the fire station and went to bed. No calls, and we slept well.
