https://youtu.be/_BzgnF8DhvU
Obligatory Furlough Post
9 months ago
Monday, April 3, 2017
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Monday, January 12, 2015
Anybody out there?
It's certainly been a while, hasn't it?
While I can't say I miss sitting down to try and write out stories to share, I do miss reading all the other blogs I've followed over the years. It's kind of amazing, looking around now, seeing who has gone silent, taken a hiatus, or made it big. I'll be continuing to play catch-up over the next few weeks and apologize if some of you start seeing my comments on older posts.
Me?
I just lost the muse. I'm not really certain if I'll ever get it back. I love sharing the stories from work but having to filter everything for the sake of anonymity gets tiring. I'd love to just be myself and tell a story as it is, link directly to media articles and pictures, things like that. I just, can't.
I will, however, post this update. A lot has happened in the past couple of years. I've been on a few transfer lists, once to balance staffing for specialty units, once to improve my personal situation, and once for staffing drivers. I'm finally at a station where I'm happy. We don't have quite the call volume I'd prefer but my crew is phenomenal. It only took 10+ years to find a crew that doesn't care about my gender. I'm not giving that up until they make me. We laugh every single shift, sometimes until we hurt from it.
There have been some minor changes in my personal life, mostly new hobbies. I still have my horse and he's doing fantastic. We'll hopefully be doing a lot of trail riding this summer/fall. I have 2 amazing cats that keep me amused during the day and curl up on the bed at night. I've been camping (I can't wait to go more often once it warms up). I've gone full retard for a certain MMO I always swore I'd never play.
I've been through a lot that I can't share here without giving myself away. Just know that even though I've been through a lot of stress and hardship, I'm trying to keep my chin up through it all. It's certainly not easy but I'm doing my best. I have 1 close friend that has been my rock the past few years and I don't know what I'd do without them.
I'm still out there, how about you?
While I can't say I miss sitting down to try and write out stories to share, I do miss reading all the other blogs I've followed over the years. It's kind of amazing, looking around now, seeing who has gone silent, taken a hiatus, or made it big. I'll be continuing to play catch-up over the next few weeks and apologize if some of you start seeing my comments on older posts.
Me?
I just lost the muse. I'm not really certain if I'll ever get it back. I love sharing the stories from work but having to filter everything for the sake of anonymity gets tiring. I'd love to just be myself and tell a story as it is, link directly to media articles and pictures, things like that. I just, can't.
I will, however, post this update. A lot has happened in the past couple of years. I've been on a few transfer lists, once to balance staffing for specialty units, once to improve my personal situation, and once for staffing drivers. I'm finally at a station where I'm happy. We don't have quite the call volume I'd prefer but my crew is phenomenal. It only took 10+ years to find a crew that doesn't care about my gender. I'm not giving that up until they make me. We laugh every single shift, sometimes until we hurt from it.
There have been some minor changes in my personal life, mostly new hobbies. I still have my horse and he's doing fantastic. We'll hopefully be doing a lot of trail riding this summer/fall. I have 2 amazing cats that keep me amused during the day and curl up on the bed at night. I've been camping (I can't wait to go more often once it warms up). I've gone full retard for a certain MMO I always swore I'd never play.
I've been through a lot that I can't share here without giving myself away. Just know that even though I've been through a lot of stress and hardship, I'm trying to keep my chin up through it all. It's certainly not easy but I'm doing my best. I have 1 close friend that has been my rock the past few years and I don't know what I'd do without them.
I'm still out there, how about you?
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Still alive
Things have been interesting the past few months. I can't say I'm happy with everything, but I am surviving.
The calls at work have ranged from average, to news-worthy. I've been running everything from the daily BS, to large fires, to shootings, to officer-involved incidents. Nothing is sacred. Not for the fine folks that call 911 for non-emergent reasons.
I'm still enjoying my station assignment. With the exception of the one person I've posted about already (see my post about losing respect) I really enjoy the company of my guys. We mesh very well, we work together very well. We just happen to have a leader that doesn't listen to us.
There are so many calls I want to share but fear losing my anonymity or my cool. Mom always said to keep my mouth shut if I didn't have anything nice to say. Lately, I have to stand by that bit of advice more and more.
Have I mentioned that I hate having to censor myself?
Nevertheless, I'm alive, I'm doing ok, and I'm still reading other blogs occasionally.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
As usual, I've been neglecting this blog. I've been neglecting talking about work in general to be honest.
There have been more changes in my department, and in my own station. Most have been for the better.
We now have a cohort of mine from the academy, and I'm seriously pleased with this turn of events in every way but 1. He has a little seniority on me and I've been rolled a small step back down the seniority ladder in-house. I'm still driving almost every shift, just not always on my first rig of choice.
We've run some very interesting calls that I'm afraid writing about will give away who I am/where I work/etc. These calls weren't exactly newsworthy, but they were the talk around the houses.
Most of my ambulance shifts I'm paired with a medic that prefers to tech all the calls, so I don't have much I can report on there either.
There have been more changes in my department, and in my own station. Most have been for the better.
We now have a cohort of mine from the academy, and I'm seriously pleased with this turn of events in every way but 1. He has a little seniority on me and I've been rolled a small step back down the seniority ladder in-house. I'm still driving almost every shift, just not always on my first rig of choice.
We've run some very interesting calls that I'm afraid writing about will give away who I am/where I work/etc. These calls weren't exactly newsworthy, but they were the talk around the houses.
Most of my ambulance shifts I'm paired with a medic that prefers to tech all the calls, so I don't have much I can report on there either.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Trust your fellow man
Trust is a strange beast. It can be earned over time, demanded in extreme moments, and it's hard to build. And yet trust is fragile.
The job of a firefighter, EMT, or Medic comes with a heavy dose of trust. You have to trust the guys around you to not only know what the right thing to do is, but to actually do it. It doesn't matter if you're pulling a line into a raging house fire or guiding the guys carrying the stairchair. You have to trust them to be there and not lead you astray.
Trust can be shattered easily, and like a precious piece of china, it's never quite the same once it's been broken.
By design or necessity, we have to trust our leaders, have faith in them, respect the rank (if not the person as well).
Recently, my leader shattered my trust completely. It was a simple act, so simple it seems quite stupid. I'd fueled the truck and he was helping me get turned around. It was dusk and he was using what I call "flapping fingers" instead of a proper hand signal. I made it known that I couldn't see his signals clearly.
In front of the station, he used the same flapping fingers gesture and backed me into a curb before blaming me in front of the whole crew. The trust was shattered right then and there.
I've been on the fence about this captain since he was moved here. He's recently promoted and has done so many things in his short time here that I truly question many of his actions daily. It's as if he can't draw the line between leader and friend. We have too many rookies here to have another friend. We need him to be a leader, a strong leader who can lead by example. We don't need another buddy who never removes his bluetooth and doesn't even notice when the tailboard man has wandered off.
Then again, what do I know? I should have just stopped the truck until he could use the proper signals. Next time, I will. Until then, I'll be damned if I'm going to buy curb cream for hitting a curb I couldn't see while my backer wasn't using the proper signals and never motioned for me to stop.
It will take a long time for me to ever trust him on a personal level again. The first building block of that trust would be owning up to the improper hand signals or apologizing for a callout in front of the whole crew. Captain or not, I'm not holding my breath for either of those.
Yes, it may seem petty to some. I'm still a girl, I'm supposed to be complicated to figure out. Welcome to the mind and thought process of Firelady.
The job of a firefighter, EMT, or Medic comes with a heavy dose of trust. You have to trust the guys around you to not only know what the right thing to do is, but to actually do it. It doesn't matter if you're pulling a line into a raging house fire or guiding the guys carrying the stairchair. You have to trust them to be there and not lead you astray.
Trust can be shattered easily, and like a precious piece of china, it's never quite the same once it's been broken.
By design or necessity, we have to trust our leaders, have faith in them, respect the rank (if not the person as well).
Recently, my leader shattered my trust completely. It was a simple act, so simple it seems quite stupid. I'd fueled the truck and he was helping me get turned around. It was dusk and he was using what I call "flapping fingers" instead of a proper hand signal. I made it known that I couldn't see his signals clearly.
In front of the station, he used the same flapping fingers gesture and backed me into a curb before blaming me in front of the whole crew. The trust was shattered right then and there.
I've been on the fence about this captain since he was moved here. He's recently promoted and has done so many things in his short time here that I truly question many of his actions daily. It's as if he can't draw the line between leader and friend. We have too many rookies here to have another friend. We need him to be a leader, a strong leader who can lead by example. We don't need another buddy who never removes his bluetooth and doesn't even notice when the tailboard man has wandered off.
Then again, what do I know? I should have just stopped the truck until he could use the proper signals. Next time, I will. Until then, I'll be damned if I'm going to buy curb cream for hitting a curb I couldn't see while my backer wasn't using the proper signals and never motioned for me to stop.
It will take a long time for me to ever trust him on a personal level again. The first building block of that trust would be owning up to the improper hand signals or apologizing for a callout in front of the whole crew. Captain or not, I'm not holding my breath for either of those.
Yes, it may seem petty to some. I'm still a girl, I'm supposed to be complicated to figure out. Welcome to the mind and thought process of Firelady.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Life has been nothing short of crazy the last few months.
Home life has been hectic. I've gone through some changes that were years overdue. As much as I wanted some of these changes, I wasn't truely ready for them. I'm embracing them all the same and making the best of my situation.
Things are looking up, overall. I still have my house and my pets, there's still food in the kitchen, and my level of happiness is finally on the rise now that my stress is levelling out/going down.
I've started a new business endeavor. It's something I can do on my days off and at a somewhat leisurely pace. It's enough to help cover my expenses and put a little play money in my pocket as well.
Work has been a challenge mentally. Not because of the calls, but because of a couple of conversations I've had. It's given me a lot to think about and I hope the other persons involved have been trying to reassess their actions and motives in the past as well. I'm not happy with the way things were handled or said, but I've also spoken my piece, it's time I to try to heal and get over it. No, I'm not in any kind of trouble, no worries.
Our call volume has been crazy. Things always get busier in the summer, but not quite like this. We've been getting our teeth kicked in every shift it seems. There's no easy solution the department will accept. There's not even a tough decision they'll take. We just take our beatings and eat, potty, or sleep at every opportunity.
I suppose that's it for now, I haven't had the muse for a "normal" post for quite some time now. I'm still around though, I won't be shutting this blog down. I'm hopeful the break will do me some good, actually.
Home life has been hectic. I've gone through some changes that were years overdue. As much as I wanted some of these changes, I wasn't truely ready for them. I'm embracing them all the same and making the best of my situation.
Things are looking up, overall. I still have my house and my pets, there's still food in the kitchen, and my level of happiness is finally on the rise now that my stress is levelling out/going down.
I've started a new business endeavor. It's something I can do on my days off and at a somewhat leisurely pace. It's enough to help cover my expenses and put a little play money in my pocket as well.
Work has been a challenge mentally. Not because of the calls, but because of a couple of conversations I've had. It's given me a lot to think about and I hope the other persons involved have been trying to reassess their actions and motives in the past as well. I'm not happy with the way things were handled or said, but I've also spoken my piece, it's time I to try to heal and get over it. No, I'm not in any kind of trouble, no worries.
Our call volume has been crazy. Things always get busier in the summer, but not quite like this. We've been getting our teeth kicked in every shift it seems. There's no easy solution the department will accept. There's not even a tough decision they'll take. We just take our beatings and eat, potty, or sleep at every opportunity.
I suppose that's it for now, I haven't had the muse for a "normal" post for quite some time now. I'm still around though, I won't be shutting this blog down. I'm hopeful the break will do me some good, actually.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Ladder Lessons
Every firefighter gets ribbed about having to pull a cat out of a tree. It's like cops and donuts. It doesn't matter if it never happens, you will always be teased about it by friends.
We learn in the academy about how to carry ladders, raise ladders, set a proper climbing angle, have 3 rungs over the edge, etc.
We pulled 14' roof ladders off wall hooks and set them up many times. We carried various sizes of ladders all over the property, some that require 6 guys to carry. In the field, you learn to navigate houses with attic ladders. without making too big of a mess hopefully.
I never really imagined I'd have to pull a guy off of a house. Well, not when he had a ladder in place and buddies on the ground to heel the ladder.
A group of guys come to clean/pressure wash the gutters. Their ladder reached a whopping 4 inches above the eave. The guy stuck on the roof felt like he was sliding and was too scared to try for the ladder.
We asked radio for an aerial to be en route, then grabbed the roof ladder and tried to see what we could do. We managed to get the roof ladder set, and I'm still surprised the guy didn't kiss the ground when he made it down.
The aerial was cancelled and we left.
Lessons they should have learned:
Tall houses need tall ladders
If you can't see the top of the ladder from the roof, you shouldn't have gotten off the ladder in the first place.
Nice, new, wooden patios are pretty...and get very slippery when water and gutter junk are added.
Slippery patios means someone needs to make sure the ladder doesn't slide.
If you think you're sliding off the roof, straddle the ridge. Especially if it's level.
Yes, they make female firefighters (they even let me drive the big red trucks). I saw that funny glance.
We learn in the academy about how to carry ladders, raise ladders, set a proper climbing angle, have 3 rungs over the edge, etc.
We pulled 14' roof ladders off wall hooks and set them up many times. We carried various sizes of ladders all over the property, some that require 6 guys to carry. In the field, you learn to navigate houses with attic ladders. without making too big of a mess hopefully.
I never really imagined I'd have to pull a guy off of a house. Well, not when he had a ladder in place and buddies on the ground to heel the ladder.
A group of guys come to clean/pressure wash the gutters. Their ladder reached a whopping 4 inches above the eave. The guy stuck on the roof felt like he was sliding and was too scared to try for the ladder.
We asked radio for an aerial to be en route, then grabbed the roof ladder and tried to see what we could do. We managed to get the roof ladder set, and I'm still surprised the guy didn't kiss the ground when he made it down.
The aerial was cancelled and we left.
Lessons they should have learned:
Tall houses need tall ladders
If you can't see the top of the ladder from the roof, you shouldn't have gotten off the ladder in the first place.
Nice, new, wooden patios are pretty...and get very slippery when water and gutter junk are added.
Slippery patios means someone needs to make sure the ladder doesn't slide.
If you think you're sliding off the roof, straddle the ridge. Especially if it's level.
Yes, they make female firefighters (they even let me drive the big red trucks). I saw that funny glance.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Family Funnies
Many times on a call, the patient or a family member does something to engrain themselves into our memories for some time. Lately, this has been happening more often.
Frequent fliers can be some of the best for this since you see them so often and become familiar. Knowing their address when dispatch calls it out, knowing what medical problems they actually have versus what they tell you. This can be especially fun if the patient is a known seeker.
Sadly, there's just no way to write out what was said and be able to properly convey the way it was said. It's just nowhere near as funny without the proper pronounciation, emphasis, and accent.
Frequent fliers can be some of the best for this since you see them so often and become familiar. Knowing their address when dispatch calls it out, knowing what medical problems they actually have versus what they tell you. This can be especially fun if the patient is a known seeker.
Sadly, there's just no way to write out what was said and be able to properly convey the way it was said. It's just nowhere near as funny without the proper pronounciation, emphasis, and accent.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Old folks
No, I don't mean seniors. I mean really old folks, in their 90's and up.
Old people calls generally fall into a couple of categories.
~Just want someone to talk to
~Are actually sick
~Family called
We had the pleasure of meeting a much older gentleman who's daughter thought he was having a stroke. Fortunately, there was nothing going on medically that was out of the norm for this gentleman. The whole call had us giggling while talking to the gentleman, his daughter shared our humor as well.
EMT: Sir, how many fingers am I holding up?
Old Guy: Yep
EMT: (Louder) How many fingers?
OG: Yep
Daughter: His cataracts are pretty bad.
EMT: So would he normally see how many?
Daughter: No
EMT: Oh.
Everything we asked him, we got a "Yep" in response. Everyone was giggling, even the old man at some point.
These are the old folks I love the most. They may not have a damn clue what's going on, but they manage to make you smile. They don't want anything, they just aren't ready to give up living just yet.
Old people calls generally fall into a couple of categories.
~Just want someone to talk to
~Are actually sick
~Family called
We had the pleasure of meeting a much older gentleman who's daughter thought he was having a stroke. Fortunately, there was nothing going on medically that was out of the norm for this gentleman. The whole call had us giggling while talking to the gentleman, his daughter shared our humor as well.
EMT: Sir, how many fingers am I holding up?
Old Guy: Yep
EMT: (Louder) How many fingers?
OG: Yep
Daughter: His cataracts are pretty bad.
EMT: So would he normally see how many?
Daughter: No
EMT: Oh.
Everything we asked him, we got a "Yep" in response. Everyone was giggling, even the old man at some point.
These are the old folks I love the most. They may not have a damn clue what's going on, but they manage to make you smile. They don't want anything, they just aren't ready to give up living just yet.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Just a little longer
Just hang tight a little bit longer folks, I should be bringing this thing back to life soon. I'm still dealing with my own demons, but I'll learn my fate in a week. I miss blogging. I miss being able to share some of my experiences.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
As is my norm lately, when things seem to be looking up I get another kick in the shins. Either an illness or a step backwards in other ways. This time it's illness. There's nothing that can ruin your day as good as waking up feeling like crap.
I swear I'll get back to normal posting some day. Time to take another dose of meds and try desperately to sleep.
I swear I'll get back to normal posting some day. Time to take another dose of meds and try desperately to sleep.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Help out the Colorado's Fourmile Canyon Wildfire victims
I make it a point to keep ads and other things off this journal, but not this time. There's an artist who does some awesome work and has donated her time and effort to do something good.
I'm not gonna make you folks read my version of her info, so let me copy/paste.
Click here to be taken to the order page
I created this special sticker design to help the displaced families (animal and human alike) who are victims of Colorado's Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. You will receive this unique, vibrant and durable sticker in the mail for your five dollar donation. 50% of the proceeds will be donated the the Boulder Humane Society to help the displaced pets, and 50% will go to Northern Colorado Red Cross to help displaced families and individuals.
I'm going to put down the money to order these 2" stickers from printsess.com so that all proceeds go to fire relief. With your donation we can help the mountain communities effected rebuild from the ashes!
Each sticker will be 2" tall and only $5. The design is beautiful. I was able to catch the tail-end of watching her stream it's creation online and I'm very impressed.
So, please help spread the word. A link-back, a repost, anything is appreciated to help her sell out so we can raise more money to help the victims of this fire.
I'm not gonna make you folks read my version of her info, so let me copy/paste.
Click here to be taken to the order page
I created this special sticker design to help the displaced families (animal and human alike) who are victims of Colorado's Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. You will receive this unique, vibrant and durable sticker in the mail for your five dollar donation. 50% of the proceeds will be donated the the Boulder Humane Society to help the displaced pets, and 50% will go to Northern Colorado Red Cross to help displaced families and individuals.
I'm going to put down the money to order these 2" stickers from printsess.com so that all proceeds go to fire relief. With your donation we can help the mountain communities effected rebuild from the ashes!
Each sticker will be 2" tall and only $5. The design is beautiful. I was able to catch the tail-end of watching her stream it's creation online and I'm very impressed.
So, please help spread the word. A link-back, a repost, anything is appreciated to help her sell out so we can raise more money to help the victims of this fire.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
When good ponies go bad
Just found this news story from Orlando. Their video doesn't want to imbed properly, so have a link and a copy-paste. Go check out the video though, it's pretty good.
Stuffed Pony Blown Up By Bomb Squad - Orlando News Story - WESH Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Members of the Orange County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad blew up a 2-foot-high stuffed pony on Tuesday.
Neighbors said the placement of the stuffed toy made it appear suspicious to them.
The toy was found in a cul-de-sac next to a park near Waterbridge Elementary.
"It just looked like it was placed in a really suspicious place," resident Scott Kilwein said.
"We're right by the school, and kids walk right be here every day," resident Earline Murray said.
Deputies cordoned off the neighborhood, and a robot was sent it to examine the stuffed animal. Meanwhile, residents like Kilwein were stuck in their homes as their imaginations ran wild.
"Once you see that it's a stuffed animal, your mind starts racing with all kinds of ... crazy stuff in the world," Kilwein said.
Beyond the neighborhood, the blast startled drivers on Central Florida Parkway.
"The explosion was quite tremendous. Several people squealed tires," Witness Ronni Taylor said.
Authorities said the toy is called a Furreal Pony and requires batteries and wiring to give it lifelike sounds and movement.
Stuffed Pony Blown Up By Bomb Squad - Orlando News Story - WESH Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Members of the Orange County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad blew up a 2-foot-high stuffed pony on Tuesday.
Neighbors said the placement of the stuffed toy made it appear suspicious to them.
The toy was found in a cul-de-sac next to a park near Waterbridge Elementary.
"It just looked like it was placed in a really suspicious place," resident Scott Kilwein said.
"We're right by the school, and kids walk right be here every day," resident Earline Murray said.
Deputies cordoned off the neighborhood, and a robot was sent it to examine the stuffed animal. Meanwhile, residents like Kilwein were stuck in their homes as their imaginations ran wild.
"Once you see that it's a stuffed animal, your mind starts racing with all kinds of ... crazy stuff in the world," Kilwein said.
Beyond the neighborhood, the blast startled drivers on Central Florida Parkway.
"The explosion was quite tremendous. Several people squealed tires," Witness Ronni Taylor said.
Authorities said the toy is called a Furreal Pony and requires batteries and wiring to give it lifelike sounds and movement.
Monday, August 23, 2010
A bit of burnout
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. I've had a fair bit of time to sit back and assess where I'm at in life, compared to where I want to be. Sure, I've got some really neat things going for me. I also am strapped pretty tightly because of those luxuries, I have been for quite a while.
As I sit back and ponder my career, I'm not sure if I'm actually happy anymore. I love being a firefighter and an EMT, don't get me wrong, I'm just not sure if my department is the right one for me anymore.
There have been a lot of changes going on. I knew they were coming, I even joined others in wishing for some of them. I'm just not so sure anymore. Morale is still tanked. There's just as much distrust among the ranks as before, except now, we have even more evidence against those we feel are incapable of their duties (or number and arrangement of bugles). Don't even get me started on how the powers that be have really screwed things up around here.
I've been thinking more and more about jumping ship to another department. I have no clue where I'd go. The worst part would be starting over, being *the* rookie again, no longer able to drive, unfamiliar with the territory/crew/equipment. I just don't know what I want.
I do know I need to do something to rejuvinate my love for going to work. I used to have trouble sleeping the night before shift because of excitement. Now, I still have trouble sleeping, but it's not excitement that keeps me awake. This is a large part of why I've fallen so quiet with my posting. I just don't get excited about work, and it's so hard to share stories and experiences when your attitude is crushed.
Any guys/gals out there willing to offer any advice? I'd love to hear it. I'm in a real funk right now.
As I sit back and ponder my career, I'm not sure if I'm actually happy anymore. I love being a firefighter and an EMT, don't get me wrong, I'm just not sure if my department is the right one for me anymore.
There have been a lot of changes going on. I knew they were coming, I even joined others in wishing for some of them. I'm just not so sure anymore. Morale is still tanked. There's just as much distrust among the ranks as before, except now, we have even more evidence against those we feel are incapable of their duties (or number and arrangement of bugles). Don't even get me started on how the powers that be have really screwed things up around here.
I've been thinking more and more about jumping ship to another department. I have no clue where I'd go. The worst part would be starting over, being *the* rookie again, no longer able to drive, unfamiliar with the territory/crew/equipment. I just don't know what I want.
I do know I need to do something to rejuvinate my love for going to work. I used to have trouble sleeping the night before shift because of excitement. Now, I still have trouble sleeping, but it's not excitement that keeps me awake. This is a large part of why I've fallen so quiet with my posting. I just don't get excited about work, and it's so hard to share stories and experiences when your attitude is crushed.
Any guys/gals out there willing to offer any advice? I'd love to hear it. I'm in a real funk right now.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Trudging along
My personal life is still stressful, work is still irritating me more often than not. I'm feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place. I just don't have the muse or subject for any interesting posts lately.
If anyone has any fire-related questions, feel free to hit me up. Anything from why we park our trucks the way we do, to what's ___ call like, to station life.
If anyone has any fire-related questions, feel free to hit me up. Anything from why we park our trucks the way we do, to what's ___ call like, to station life.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Respect
Well, it's been over a month since I went on semi-hiatus. I've been reading everyone's blogs about once a week, vs, every other day.
Life outside of work has been hectic. There's been a lot of different things going on at home that have sent me pinging between overly stressed, and relaxed to the max. I've been more on the stressed side unfortunately. I am determined to make the remainder of this month fun. There are friends coming from out of state, and other things to keep me happy and entertained.
Work has been a strange mixture of boring and crazy. There are some potentially huge changes in the works, but only time will tell. I'm trying to stay as unbiased as I can about most of these changes. I will be affected by the changes, but not as much as many other people will be. It's been an interesting ride so far.
I've somewhat developed a new pet peeve as well. Respect.
I was visiting another station for a few minutes a short time ago. Their brand new rookie was talking smack about waxing my station's floor on a house day. Offerring to help me load their floor buffer into my rig, the works. I tried to be nice, but my patience wore thin and I finally told him since he was so concerned about us having a floor buffer, he looked like a good one. So come on over and run our machine.
Why did he feel the need to pester me about the floors? Why did he think it was ok to talk trash to someone he's never even met before?
Respect is earned, not given...BUT, there is a certain amout you must display. I would never walk up to someone I'd never met and start telling him how dirty the floor of his station was. It's just not the way you should handle something like that. Especially if you don't even actually know it's an issue (I'm pretty sure he's never even visited my station).
There are also a few people about to be promoted. It's amazing to sit back and listen to some of them talk about how they plan to take over their new stations, everyone will do _____, etc.
Why would anyone want to walk into a station and immediately start "blowing his bugles"? Other than a poor reputation preceeding you, that is the fastest way to lose any respect from your new crew.
A few years ago, my station had a new (to us) captain transferred in. On the first shift, he started making major changes. He had never worked with us before and had no idea about how the station normally ran. It pissed a lot of us off. It also took a long time for him to start regaining any real respect from the crew. We all respected that he was the captain, but there wasn't much respect for the person behind the bugles.
It's going to be very interesting to watch. My crew will be changed around and all I hope for is to get equally fun and knowledgeable people that get along as well as we currently do. My biggest fear is to be part of a crew that doesn't get along, doesn't work well together, and don't know the job. My department is getting very young and there's no amount of ego that can make up for the experience the senior guys have.
Life outside of work has been hectic. There's been a lot of different things going on at home that have sent me pinging between overly stressed, and relaxed to the max. I've been more on the stressed side unfortunately. I am determined to make the remainder of this month fun. There are friends coming from out of state, and other things to keep me happy and entertained.
Work has been a strange mixture of boring and crazy. There are some potentially huge changes in the works, but only time will tell. I'm trying to stay as unbiased as I can about most of these changes. I will be affected by the changes, but not as much as many other people will be. It's been an interesting ride so far.
I've somewhat developed a new pet peeve as well. Respect.
I was visiting another station for a few minutes a short time ago. Their brand new rookie was talking smack about waxing my station's floor on a house day. Offerring to help me load their floor buffer into my rig, the works. I tried to be nice, but my patience wore thin and I finally told him since he was so concerned about us having a floor buffer, he looked like a good one. So come on over and run our machine.
Why did he feel the need to pester me about the floors? Why did he think it was ok to talk trash to someone he's never even met before?
Respect is earned, not given...BUT, there is a certain amout you must display. I would never walk up to someone I'd never met and start telling him how dirty the floor of his station was. It's just not the way you should handle something like that. Especially if you don't even actually know it's an issue (I'm pretty sure he's never even visited my station).
There are also a few people about to be promoted. It's amazing to sit back and listen to some of them talk about how they plan to take over their new stations, everyone will do _____, etc.
Why would anyone want to walk into a station and immediately start "blowing his bugles"? Other than a poor reputation preceeding you, that is the fastest way to lose any respect from your new crew.
A few years ago, my station had a new (to us) captain transferred in. On the first shift, he started making major changes. He had never worked with us before and had no idea about how the station normally ran. It pissed a lot of us off. It also took a long time for him to start regaining any real respect from the crew. We all respected that he was the captain, but there wasn't much respect for the person behind the bugles.
It's going to be very interesting to watch. My crew will be changed around and all I hope for is to get equally fun and knowledgeable people that get along as well as we currently do. My biggest fear is to be part of a crew that doesn't get along, doesn't work well together, and don't know the job. My department is getting very young and there's no amount of ego that can make up for the experience the senior guys have.
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