firefighters....

[Doof]

nice nice, what station do you want to be at? if any inparticular

[BLACKDOG]

nice nice, what station do you want to be at? if any inparticular

Well, its really hard to say.  The way the run it here in Reno, after we get out of the academy, we spend 8 more months on probation, and during that time, we're assigned to 4 different stations, for 2 months each.  That'll give us some time to get familiar with the crews, the dept, and the different rigs.  at each station, we'll be assigned to either an engine, a truck, a brush truck, and another vehicle (one of the first three)  so at the end of the time, we'll have spent 2 months on a truck, 2 on an engine, 2 on a brush truck, and 2 on whatever they assign us to. 

After probation, we'll be put in a "floater pool"  which means we'll be assigned to a shift, and when we're supposed to go to work, we call in and get our assignment for the shift.  We'll probably do that for at least a year, up to 3, and then we'll have enough seniority to get into a station. 

Reno has 18 stations right now (another in the works)  The outlying ones are not nearly as busy as downtown, so I'm really hoping I get on some busy stations for the first few years of my careers.  After that, I'll be able to bid to the busier ones.   Station 1 would be awesome, between the rescue and the engine that they run out of their, they average something like 24 calls a day.  A firefighter that came in to our class was there on a day that they got 49 calls between the two rigs 

[Doof]

damn that sounds like a doozy

so i talked to my teacher today about emt, AA and the academy...he said that if i get my AA i will have a leg up on the other cadets deu to the fact that i already know the stuff that is being gone over. i will not be taking classes. the way our academy is ran it is seperate from the other fire classes. they do their own thing as in they jump around on and dont stick to one subject for to long. the EMT section is what gets most cadets kicked out if they dont already have their EMT or any experience with that class. because it is SO much information in a short amount of time, and half of the important stuff you have to teach yourself. so it would be wise to take my EMT next semseter if i can as well as the wildland class that will get me a 32 hour cert...not the 67. the 67 is covered in the academy as well as a ton of other certs that i would have to either work up to a few years to get checked off if i didnt go the academy route, and to be honest, id rather pay the 2500 or however much it is for 18 weeks of review then i would 2 years of volunteer and going to trainings to get my 67 and all other certs checked off. so for me its gunna be AA and then academy. im also going to be sending in an application to about 12 stations on the lasson modock district for next summer, so that is a better chance of me landing a job next season. and the close stations im going to drop off in person, but the ones near the oregon border i might just mail in, or just take a drive to all 12 and stop in oregon for a day or two at uncles house and visit...not sure but i will be printing out 12 apps and 12 cover letters and 12 resumes so thats a lot of to cover...hopefull i will have it all the paper work done in the next few weeks so when NOV 1st rolls around i can take a lil drive and do my thing and try to get a job

[BLACKDOG]

I gotcha.  So its basically just a cert academy? 

Nice planning on the EMT.  Its a tough class, and you've really got to stay on it

[Doof]

when it comes down to it yea....my mom said she would help me with the EMT as well, she has been an nurse for like 32 years or some and has done everything from ambulance, to burn unit, to the air ambulance (before they had copters) and managerial stuff...its crazy how much she knows about the nursing world

im stoked on it all, and im looking forward to the EMT but im not, since it is pure memory


o well ill get through it

[Doof]

will being short have an affect on landing ajob?  today i got a tour of station 42 here in chico and the guy giving the tour was at least 6'5...he was a big mother and im just a little 5-10 shrimp...will height hold me back?

[BLACKDOG]

will being short have an affect on landing ajob?  today i got a tour of station 42 here in chico and the guy giving the tour was at least 6'5...he was a big mother and im just a little 5-10 shrimp...will height hold me back?

  won't hurt at all.  they need little guys to stick up in attics during overhaul to make sure the fire hasn't spread

I think the average height in our class is probably right around 6',  realistically, its probably lower than that, I would just skew the results being 6'6" myself.  We've definitely got some guys shorter than 5'10" and both of the girls in our class are.

[Doof]

nothing like confined space....

thats good news then

[Rocksurfer]

  won't hurt at all.  they need little guys to stick up in attics during overhaul to make sure the fire hasn't spread

That is a good use for the little people. 

[BLACKDOG]

That is a good use for the little people. 

 

They sure don't want to use people like me, then they have to explain the big holes in the ceiling where there was no fire, after I miss a rafter

[Doof]

lol yeah that would be no bueno

[jimbo74]

5'10" is fine. Little guys Get the Hose And Big Guys Get To Break Stuff

[Doof]

thats fun and all, but i want to stay away from structure as much as possible...having a roof fall in on me doesnt seem to fun....if i have to i will but i would prefer to stick to the sticks and trees

[BLACKDOG]

thats fun and all, but i want to stay away from structure as much as possible...having a roof fall in on me doesnt seem to fun....if i have to i will but i would prefer to stick to the sticks and trees

Nah, you can usually tell before they go down.    Those big snags hurt just as bad as a roof

[Doof]

yeah, but if i get a snag ill just pull my saw around and show the bush whos boss   

[Doof]

off topic but blackdog you gunna make this??
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=38362.30#top

[BLACKDOG]

off topic but blackdog you gunna make this??
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=38362.30#top

  not sure.  I won't know what my schedule is until after I get out of the academy, so we'll see. 

[Doof]

hope you can...i dont want to sound like a 

it would be easier to pick your brain about FF also

[BLACKDOG]

hope you can...i dont want to sound like a 

it would be easier to pick your brain about FF also

I've wanted to make the last 2, but something always came up.  We'll see though, what my schedule turns out to be

feel free to PM me with an questions/thoughts you may have about the fire service, I'm more than happy to help

[Doof]

coo coo   

[Doof]

well this sat i got a meet and greet at susanville station and then driving up the road to alturas for the same thing and hitting bieber on my way home sunday. droppping off 4 resumes and two or three applications.

susanville station get one app and resume
susanville office headquaters gets the same so they have to look at my name four times
alturas gets one app and one resume
bieber just a resume. hopefully get a job there in a few years if things go well 

alturas is the target station to land ajob at though...hopefully it works and this meet and greet is a good one.


just a lil update

[jimbo74]

i'm taking ics-200 right now

[Doof]

whats ics 200?

[BLACKDOG]

whats ics 200?

I'm not sure exactly what class it is, but ICS stands for Incident Command System.  it is the command system used by the fire service.

[Doof]

yea we learned about that today actually... pretty simple but conplicated at the same time. simple to think about but it would be a pregnant dog to be in charge of operatings, or planning or the logistics and what not

[Doof]

hey jimbo where you from or where you taking that class at?

[BLACKDOG]

yea we learned about that today actually... pretty simple but conplicated at the same time. simple to think about but it would be a pregnant dog to be in charge of operatings, or planning or the logistics and what not

You've got it dead on!   It actually works really well, and isn't hard to set up quickly.  Its basically a system of delegating responsibility.  we actually had a class on it not long ago, and the chief that taught it had a great technique for getting the point across.  He gave everyone in the room a whiffle ball with an apparatus title on it (engine 5, truck 3, etc.)  He then picked an IC, and had him come to the front of the room.  Then he gave a scenario (wildland fire) and started calling for apparatus.  The IC had to catch the balls as they were called out, and hold them.  Didn't take long until his hands were full.  The chief then did it again, but assigned 3 division chiefs.  As the balls were thrown to the IC, he could pass them off to the division chief, giving him much better control.    thats just a basic lesson, but it really helps bring it into focus. 

[Doof]

thats a really good idea with the balls

[Doof]

what boots do you guys wear?

my dad wore whites since day one and thats what i think im gunna order next summer if things go good and i land a job. heres a link to the ones i would order if i get the choice

http://www.whitesoutdoor.com/store/product.php?category=Boots&id=701

[BLACKDOG]

what boots do you guys wear?

my dad wore whites since day one and thats what i think im gunna order next summer if things go good and i land a job. heres a link to the ones i would order if i get the choice

http://www.whitesoutdoor.com/store/product.php?category=Boots&id=701

I've got Danners right now.  A lot of people in my class have worn whites, some like them some don't   I really like chippewa boots, its what I wore when I was working construction, but the only chippewa wildland boots I could get in time for my wildland week were brown, and I have to have black.

I like the Danners, but I do wish they were lace to toe, those seem to last longer, and give you better support.