Where firefighters come to talk training

What will your nickname be?

I wrote this quite some time ago for our Municipal Districts Recruitment Drive, I just stumbled across it and it brought a smile to my face. I am a Captain now and can only hope that I can lead as I was once led. I thought this would be a fitting start to my foray into blogging on Fire Engineering. Hope you enjoy...........

The First Call

It’s 2:00 in the morning your fast asleep when suddenly the peaceful silence is broken by your radio “Foothills Station respond to your hall vehicle crash car vs. moose, patient trapped”

As you stumble out of bed your legs still haven’t caught up with your brain. You body says sleep your brain is drilling through your department procedures and your gut is hoping you remember your training.

As you walk to your car you realize you have 2 different shoes on and your shirts backwards. No time to change; now your mind shifts to how your fellow firefighters at the hall are never going to let this go. You think about how five years ago a firefighter told the chief to go North when he meant South and has had to live with the nickname “compass” ever since.

As you arrive at the hall you are relieved to see some of the senior firefighters gearing up. You jump into your boots and pull up your bunker pants. As the updates on the radio file in you notice your hands shaking and you adrenalin starting to flow.

You put your helmet on and then you feel the calming hand of a senior firefighter on your shoulder. You slow down and that’s when you realize you are a part of something so much bigger than yourself. You are a firefighter.

My name is Chad Sartison and I have been a Foothills Firefighter for seven years.