FD Training

WoW, I konw that it's been a couple of weeks since I had my Fire Dept training, but I thought I'd bring you up to speed anyways!

On Friday, Sept 14th, we headed out to Miramichi to participate in the annual Fire Training. It's a blast! Classes start early on Saturday, so that's why we head up early. There's 8 of us from Dieppe that went to the training.

On Saturday Morning, myself, Jean Richard (a casual with Dieppe Fire Dept) and Marc Cormier (a fellow volunteer & Prison Guard) had flashover training.



The quick and easy definition of a flashover is when all the objects in a room ignite at the same time.... It's a little more complicated then that, but you get the drift!

So, we sit through class hosted by HRM Fire Dept and we go through the basics of fire behavior during a flashover.

After the class is when all the fun started! We went into a trailer and watch fire appear out of nowhere. I'm serious.... when the smoke reached a certain temp, the gases in the smoke would ignite (thus the flashover).

We ended up staying approx 20 mins in the trailer.

In the afternoon, we did LAST training (Large Area Search Team) and it was pretty interest. We searched a large Gym for RescueRandy. It was an interesting method of doing a search... we ended up basically being tied to one another.

When we got back to the hall, we noticed that the trucks where already gone... We just guessed that they had a call, but when we checked the fax, we noticed that they had a House Fire. Well, the blood is pumping now!

So, the DC (Deputy Chief) radios the fire scene & they are going crazy for help! Apparently some of the guys had gotten lost in the basement of the house and 1 was taken to hospital. It was a crazy scene!

Well, we ended up going to the scene & helped with overhaul operations - to make sure that the fire was out & what not.

So, all in all, I had a great weekend of training!

The other good news is that Dieppe Fire Department is hiring - 2 Full Time & 2 Casual Firefighters (to replace the 2 casuals that are going to get the full times....)

So, I'm applying & hoping that I get in! Keep your fingers crossed!

Rememberance

Sept 11, 2001

It's a georgeous Tuesday morning & I'm up early because I'm going to the firehall to work on the training house with the Chief (then Deputy Chief). We want to clean it up a little because we are having some training that weekend.

Well, it's now 945 AST and the Chief got a page from his wife. He ignores it; however, he gets another paid only moments later. He tells me that he's going to call her back & I simply keep cleaning. After a short conversation, he comes back to me & says that an aircraft has just crashed into the World Trade Center.

I'm a little confused as to what type of Aircraft this could be, so I ask - Was it a Cesna? Do they know what kind of plane it was?

We quickly finish up (as we where almost done anyways) and head back to the fire hall. Once we get there, we arrive just in time to see the Second Aircraft, United Airlines Flight 175 crash into the South Tower.

Silence

That's all there was for quite a few minutes after the flight 175 crashed into the building. I ended up staying there for another couple of hours (until 1130 or so) and the Chief (at that time - Luc Grandmaison) asked for any of the people to stand by because they where re-routing the
aircrafts still in the air to the nearest airports around; which included Moncton, Halifax and Nfld.

I remember getting home & sending an email to Allison saying that I wasn't going to work today as I was going to be on stand-by at the fire hall because of what was going on. I remember watching the buildings falling into themselves & thinking about the thousands of people that where going to be trapped inside.

I honestly felt helpless. I wanted to be albe to go & do something, but what? What was I going to be able to do?

Well, we got back to the Fire Hall & ended up going to the Airport as the aircrafts where coming in. Well, after sitting on the tarmac for a while, the Airport Fire Chief strongly suggested that we move ourselves & our vehicles to safer distances - as a precaution.

So, we moved to a location accross the street from the Airport - the Church on Champlain St. I remember thinking to myself that I wanted to be home or wherever to watch what's going on - but I quickly realised that I was as much involved as anyone else in North America that day. We all played a role in ensuring the safety of everyone who was landing.

Reflection

A few month earlier, Allison and I were married - July 14th, 2001. Well, for our honeymoon, we went to Disney land via Newark, NJ. We saw New York City from above and saw the WTC Towers. I was amazed at how tall they looked from the sky. I couldn't imagine looking at them form the ground up....

363 FDNY Firefighters where lost that day.

Lets make sure that we never forget!

Movie Review

Allison & I went to the movies last night. We saw Accepted. It was pretty good. I laughed out loud a quite a few scenes. The only thing that I hate about movies like that is that they are so predictable.

I mean, you know exactly what's going to happen and how it ends. I guess it's still nice to live in a dream world.

On another topic - (always makes me think of a simpson's episode) - My Birthday is coming up pretty quick. I can't wait! If you feel the need to donate some money, please feel free.... email me & I'll let you know where to send the money!

It's hard to imagine that I'm going to be 28.... I can certainly tell you that I don't feel 28. I mean, I certainly don't act like a 28yr old..... Ask Allison, she'll tell you that I'm still somewhat imature! LOL

I'm hoping this week will be a busy week. Not only for work, but for the Fire Dept as well. This is my week on call, so I get to answer all of the medical calls that come in...

Well, that's about it for now!

'til the next one......