Hiatus

I'm not quitting or shutting this blog down. I just have too many stressful things going on right now to be able to scrounge up the muse or the subject for an entry.

I can't go into detail without revealing too much about myself or my department.

Just have a lil faith that I will be back once my life isn't too much for me to feel I can manage. Please keep my sanity in your prayers. I need all the help I can get right now.


~Firelady

I received this from my dad, and I had to share. The whole thing is sub-titled, in case you can't follow along easily.

Well, I'm not too bruised or battered, but I've definately learned some things lately. I recently completed a version of defensive tactics.

Very, very good class overall. I've been attacked or been on a scene that went bad multiple times. Sadly, I can't say PD was there, or that they actually stepped in to help us fire/ems guys every time. At least now I have a better idea and some basic training to help me get out of that situation next time it happens.

When it boils down to it, I'm going home at the end of my shift. Just because I don't carry a gun doesn't mean nobody will attack me. I'm just another uniform.

I say this happened a long time ago, when in all actuality, it was maybe 5 years ago.

I was riding backwards on the engine, enjoying a day of being tailboard. We were sent to a house fire in our 2nd due. I don't remember fine details, but I do remember being inside with the nozzle at some point. Much of the fire was out, but there was still a lot to be had in the walls.

I vaguely remember throwing a ladder on the C side on a balcony. There was a crew stuck there that'd run out of air. They came down the ladder before I headed up it with a hoseline in tow.

I ended up in a bedroom on the 2nd story, A side. My driver was right beside me, digging into the sheetrock with his hook, then leaning in to direct me with the nozzle. I think it was the first fire I went into, much less had some nozzle time, since the academy.

I don't know where the Captain was at that moment in time, but I preferred the driver's company more anyways. I remember being content just having the knob and my new friend there showing me what the hell I was really supposed to be doing. After all, real fire is nothing like the pallets and hay you see in the academy. You actually have to hunt for it sometimes, and there's no such thing as "pretend it's bigger, the crew before you put too much water on it."

My friend still works that area of the department. I moved to a different area not long after this fire. A different Captain was moved into that station that I just horribly clashed with personality-wise. I don't regret the move either. I've learned so much more than I think I would have if I'd stayed. Around the time I transferred, my true mentor retired, my friend was transferred, I hated the captain, and it just didn't feel like home anymore.

There's not much chance I'll be transferred from my current station right now and that's a-ok by me.

Some things are proven time and time again. The following is my new favorite quote.

"The difference between genious and stupid, is that there's no limit on stupid." -unknown

I haven't had anything really interesting lately. The calls I've run have been your average, boring, sick person and/or buttaches.

I did respond to an apartment fire a couple of weeks ago. We took care of shutting off the gas supplies, then sat around watching for weakness in the firewall. It was a hell of a fire overall, but it was a primarily defensive operation. 2 aerials were set up and put in service. Once the majority of the fire was out, crews took handlines into the safer areas to start overhaul.

We were released from the scene shortly before shift change. I'm sure the other shift just loved getting to roll and reload all that hose.

Range day-rifle side

I love going to this range. It's owned by a county police department and the range masters/firearm instructors are always nice to us.

I sometimes throw a few shots at the targets on the 200 line, but all looked pretty old so I stayed at 100 today. It's been a while since I had a good range day, so it took me a few minutes to get myself situated.

Decent groupings at 100 the size of my palm. Definately not my best day, but I'll take it. A bad day shooting always beats a great day working. I got bored with paper (as usual) so I turned my focus to the spent shotgun shells I'd set up at the bottom of the berm. Only thing that beats those is golfball hunting. Chasing those downrange is just plain fun, especially when they fly into the air after being hit.

For those wondering, I have a bone stock RRA with removable carry handle and mamba sling. I'm saving for a red dot scope, preferrably one that takes aa or aaa batteries. Also wanting the flashlight that does steady-on or high intensity rapid strobe, can't remember the details on that one cause it's 1am right now. Otherwise, I'm content with my bare bones rifle.