My day as a firefighter
This past Friday I got to live a childhood dream of mine and become a firefighter. The Calgary Fire Department gave 24 lucky people the chance to attend their 2007 Boot Camp. At the end of the day I was so tired I could barely walk but I was able to gain more of an appreciation for what the men and women in the Fire Department do. But let’s begin at the start.
The day began with all of us breaking into four groups: Platoons A, B, C, and D. I got the honour of being with my “B” teammates for the whole day. After a brief pep talk from our drill sergeant we were on our way to burning it up at the training centre.
First up was vehicle extrication. I have seen firefighters do this operation many times at the scene of a collision trying to get victims out of cars or trucks but never imagined I’d get a chance to take part.
It was amazing just to see the jaws of life at work, let alone actually hold them in my hands and help rip the roof off a car or tear apart a door. In about ten minutes my team had all the windows shattered, the windshield sawed off, the roof and both doors lying on the pavement, and the whole dashboard lifted about a foot higher than it should be. Of course being a man, ripping things apart and twisting metal using hydraulic machinery is always a good time.
Next up, fire suppression. We had to drive a fire truck (yes, they let a reckless reporter like myself drive a vehicle worth much more than my home) through an obstacle course then bring it to a screeching halt and set it up so we can put out a fire…represented by pylons.
Driving the fire truck wasn’t easy but I think I did well. The course was outlined with small pylons (which represented children) and big pylons (which represented adults) and the object was not to hit any. I ran over eight children and no adults. That was nothing compared to the worst fire truck driver out of the bunch, who drove over 32 people.
When I got to hold the fire hose I realized I wasn’t using a little piece of rubber to water my posies. The pressure wasn’t easy to contain and it truly is a three man (or woman) job to keep it in control. I put the fire out (knocked the pylons over) rather quickly and was pleased with my hose handling…don’t take that the wrong way.
After a hearty lunch we were on our way to our next challenge, search and rescue. For this we had to strap on an oxygen tank and put on a mask…only to have it covered with a blindfold. The “blackout” condition was to show us trainees how firefighters feel when running into a house filled with smoke to the point of zero visibility.
In this exercise reality struck me like a baseball bat to the face. Losing your sense of sight and being forced to find a body in a home you’ve never stepped into before isn’t easy. We had to rely on communication with our teammates and follow a procedure we had learned just minutes before to simulate the urgency of a live fire situation we had our instructors yelling at us to hurry but also letting us know when we’ve done something wrong.
The whole scenario fills you with confusion, frustration, and panic. Did we find the victim? No. We were only able to search the living room and kitchen before our instructors told us it was time to get out. To think that these firefighters are able to run into situations like that and save peoples lives amazes me.
The final team event was high-angle rescue. Basically we got the opportunity to repel off the side of a four storey building. That was the most fun I have had since bungee jumping. What was even more incredible was our trip back up to the top of the fire tower for our second trip down. The CFD decided the appropriate mode of transportation was for us to use the ladder on the back of a fire truck.
My favourite part of the day was the fiery finish to Boot Camp 2007. The instructors took us into the fire tower and basically started a massive bonfire in the corner of the room, which was no bigger than a living room.
The room filled with thick black smoke in the matter of seconds and before the smoke could even cover the ceiling, the fire alarm was beeping loudly. To prove a point, they took the battery out to show you what happens when you neglect your fire alarms.
Within a minute I couldn’t see a thing because of the smoke, and the fire was raging with flames attacking the ceiling. The temperature was rising quickly and the beads of sweat began to appear. They ventilated the room slightly by opening the two doors but it didn’t feel any cooler as the smoke dissipated.
To prove yet another point the instructor sprayed a bit of water onto the fire. Although the fire went down the temperature continued to rise. Steam now began to fill the room and I felt like I was boiling in this cement box.
Then we got to see what is called a thermal layer. This is when the temperature close to the floor is cooler than the temperature closer to the ceiling and divided by what looked like a thing thick layer of black smoke. I later learned that the room we were in became as hot as 500 degrees Fahrenheit and the fact my clothes were soaking wet at the end of the demonstration, I could believe it. We were basically turkeys basting in a concrete oven…gravy anyone?
They also showed us the fire alarm that was in the room with us. It was completely melted and yet came nowhere near the fire. Kind of makes you want to go home and test the batteries in your alarm.
The point of the day was not just for a bunch of corporate sponsors and media personalities to live out a childhood dream…but to educate. The stress and physical demands of a firefighter are incredible. These people put their lives on the line everyday and while doing it face situations like blackout conditions, intense heat, heavy equipment, and more stress and pressure than any politician in the legislature or House of Commons.
I know most of us appreciate what any emergency worker does for our society, but experiencing their day first hand really puts it in perspective. You gain an appreciation you probably didn’t think you could ever have. They do so much for us yet I feel we could be giving more back, even if it is just a wave and a smile.
I guess at the end of the day my suggestion to you is this: The next time you get a chance, hug a firefighter!