I thought I'd provide an update on the fire department happenings. I was sworn on to Louisville F.D. in December and assigned shifts starting in January. Academy begins next Friday, but we been quite busy with shifts, classes, miscellaneous training, etc. The busy schedule is only about to get more busy!
My very first shift I arrived to a call for mutual aid on a wildland-urban interface fire in Boulder. Basically that means there is a wildland fire and residential and city structures are endangered. I was ordered on the truck and told I was the luckiest probie ever to get this as my first call. I soon found out why as 3,300 acres were burning and hundreds of homes needed protection. Pretty much the dream call for the year, much more a probie's first call ever. "Probie" by the way is the name given to all first year firefighters. It's short for probationary. Picture below was taken from a few miles away. The fire was incredible with 100mph wind gusts, rapidly moving flames and some pretty intense structure fires at our staging area. We fortunately protected a house that was spared the drama but witnessed amazing fire behavior. And I finally have the cactus needles out of my skin from all the wind.
I have been very pleased with the environment of the department. We have an incredible volunteer/reserve crew and I am surrounded by a ton of experienced, passionate and professional firefighters. LFD spares no expense in training, gear, facilities and safety and for that I am very thankful. Considering I work in Louisville and love the city, it is a blessing to be able to serve in this manner.
I've been training hard physically and have seen some nice benefit to that, although I have to say I hate running still and probably always will. It's a necessary evil. I usually do my runs with full bunker gear, heat shroud and helmet so its pretty effortless to get a hard sweat going real fast and adds a lot of weight. In the pics below, I am training with not only the bunker gear, but also a 50lb weighted vest. So, I now know what it feels like to train as a 300 pounder.
I am excited and eager to start academy and complete my certifications by end of fall. I am sure I'll have more stories to share down the road. Jan and the kiddos have been wonderful in the transition and adjustment to a hectic schedule with a full-time job and all the training hours at the station. I am blessed to have my family for sure!
