Day 126 - We all headed back to Amnicola Highway...20 of us from clinicals, and 9 from the halls. We moved back into our old classroom. More people required more room. It was the beginning of the burn week, so we all knew we would soon head to the house....but first we had some work to do...push-ups...and what for? A cadet forget their turnout gear....25 push ups later, we packed up and headed to the burn house.
Once at the house, we divided up into groups and started getting the house ready...remove shingles here, knock a hole in the wall there. The threat of rain shortened the afternoon, and we ended the day tarping the roof.
Day 127 - More of the same as we headed over to the burn house. We had to finish removing the shingles and tar paper, pick up the garbage, and other assorted chores. We also went through the house with no visibility (wax paper in the facepiece works great). My group went in a few times, each time completing the task....
Day 128 - Control ed burns started the day. We had groups set up in a rotating drills....Entry group, search group, Re-Hab, Medical, Staging, RIT, and PPV. My group started in the Entry group...While the controlled burns were nothing more than pallet fires, it was hot...the weather was hot...Hamilton County sent out a Rehab truck full of drinks and light snacks. There was also a Medic truck - just in case. We ended the day with roof catching on fire, and almost loosing the house. My group had to do some overhall in the attic...lots of insulation that was not removed....
Day 129 - More of the same drills, different groups....I learned two major things that day...check the door before opening it, and spray the ceiling first....
We had a short lecture on entering the front door on your knees...We ended the day ready to burn the house down....
Day 130 - The live burn - What an experience...We started the day cutting holes in the house. We also removed a large tree, blocking the view of the house. After the crowd gathered, the house went up. We waited a few minutes and took a picture. I was put in a group that approached the house and sprayed water on it (for the video). We then had to protect the fire truck. IT WAS HOT!!! The truck, the air, the FIRE!!
Click to See the Live Burn Video
After lunch, we soaked it down with water. Chief soaked us down with the deck gun. No complaints...the water felt great.
We also recieved our station assignments. Mine was Station 14 in St. Elmo!!
A great way to end the week!! We did lose one more cadet. We started with 32, and we cut 4 to 28.
Day 131 - We headed back to the training center for the last week of the academy. No one was sure what we would be doing. We did however know, that we had to take a EMT practical exam. We prepared three classroms, and by lunch everyone had taken the EMT practical. I got airway managememt and had no problem passing it. In face, all of us passed the exam. We spent the rest of the day getting paperwork done from our clinical week. We also practice graduation marching in the gym. We left looking forward to the end of the week.
Day 132 - We spent most of the day practicing in the gym. We set the gym up, practiced marching in and sitiing down. We tried to shoot the remaining shots for the video, but half of us were missing parts of our class A uniforms. Lunch was provided by the union.
Day 133 - We met at the training center and by 8:00, we were short one cadet. Seems he slept late. We were all punished with 25 pushups. Second to last day, and still doing pushups. We headed over to the church, practiced, and headed to lunch at Logan's. Another free lunch, curtousy of another orgranization. Five of us also made a pit stop at my house for a few songs of rock band. We headed back to the training center to wrap up the video and finaly get a complete set of Class A's. We also completed the rest of our clinical paperwork and gear sheets. All of us were ready for the last day.
Day 134 - The LAST day. We all met at the training center and then headed over to the church. My car was leaking a little oil, so it was a smoked filled trip to the church.
Once there we watched the video:
Click to see the 2009-01 Academy Video
We did a couple of more run throughs with the Chief, and sent home early afternoon. I took my oil spilling car to the shop, and $75 later, had it fixed. Around 4:00 I headed up to the church, for the last time as a recruit.
At Six, the graduation started. By 7, 28 of us became sworn firefighters of the Chattanooga Fire Department. We all celebrated in our own ways. I ate dinner with my family and enjoyed a night with them. It was a great way to wrap up the graduation.
Thus ends the academy journey...but as this one ends a new one begins. 6 months now turns to 25+ years!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Day 120, 121, 122, 123, 124 & 125 - A Week ends A Week Begins
Day 120 - The last day of Academy Classroom. We started the day with dress out drills.
For me and a few other, it was just getting our gear out. Because we had already done the drill (done on Wednesday) we watched the others go through it. After that, we prepared for our Practice Practical. A few folks went before lunch. The rest of us waited in the gym.
Lunch was at an all you can eat sushi bar. It was good, but something I probably will NOT do again.
After lunch, the rest of us waited to be called up to the room. Dill and I (which is not surprise...he and I have had a few adventures throughout this academy together - Jewelery, Ladder Rescue, carries, runs) headed up for our turn, I pulled IV and nailed every part. Dill also did well....
The rest of the day was spent waiting for the rest of the folks to go. Finally, it was time to go...Academy Classroom complete....
Day 121 - Clinical Week begins. Monday I had my very first clinical. I slept horrible that morning. I kept waking up every 20 minutes. I think some of it was nerves. I didn't want to be late. Most of it was (however) caused by a sick bug.
I left the house around 6:15 and headed over to the Medic Hall. Once there I observed and helped set-up and check off the truck. As soon as that was completed, we got our first call. Chest Pain. We headed over to the location (lights and sirens of course) and once we got the patient loaded up in the ambulance, the medic put me to work. I started an INT (I did get blood all over the place, but I did get the IV started). I checked a blood sugar, and about the time I wrapped that I up...we were pulling in to the hospital. A quick change of the sheet, and we were heading back to "quarters".
No sooner had we closed the doors to the ambulance, when another call came in. This one was altered mental status. I checked a blood sugar in route to the hospital. I also saw the use of the stair chair. I also ran into my first responding fire company. I missed the chance to get an IV stick on this patient. We changed the sheet and I briefly talked with another cadet working his hospital shift. Soon enough, we were heading back to the station.
And at the station we stayed until late afternoon. In the meantime we washed the truck, watched a little t.v.,and ran some errands.
Call number three happened right after we were cancelled off of another. We were sent to a shoe store downtown. There we picked up a gentleman who was fine physically, but mentally not all there. He was very nice and very complementary. We transported him to the hospital.
We then headed to dinner at Fire Station 13. There we received our fourth call. A gentleman had fallen out of his wheel chair 1 week prior to the call. Now his knee had swollen up, and he could no longer move on his own. We transported him to the hospital.
After another cancellation, we filled the ambulance up with gas and headed back to Medic 11. I parted ways with the medics and headed for home. It was a great learning experience.....
Day 122 - It was Tuesday and lucky for me...I had the day off...and finally I slept...
Day 123 - Wednesday - The morning started early. I had to be at station location at 6am. I arrived at six, to find the lounge locked. It wasn't until 6:45 that I was told that the shift change was at seven. I met with the medic and the emt, and we headed over to East Ridge to wash the truck. Sounds simple enough, but this company was very particular about the ambulance washing. It took about 2 hours (including drive time). We got back around 10, and there we waited until 4:15...our 1st call. This ambulance company does nothing but transfers. So we transfered one patient to another hospital. On the way back, the ambulance was stopped by a homeless man. This gentleman was in a great deal of pain. From the looks of his arm...it may have been broken. Even though it was not their protocol to pick up folks off the street and take them to the hospital, we transported him.
After that, we returned to the station...and I headed home.
Day 124 - Thursday sent me to Medic 7. I got there just before seven. We spent the first two hours of the shift observing the cardiac cath lab at a local hospital. Very interesting. We returned to the hall, just to go out on our 1st call. A man fell off of a scaffolding. We packaged him up, and headed to the hospital. I started another IV in the ambulance...that was stick number two. We them grabbed a bite to eat, and headed back to the hall. Before we could close the door...in came call number 2. This was for a wreck on Shalloford and Gunbarrel. It was interesting flying down Gunbarrel in the back of an ambulance with lights and sirens going. We packaged this patient up, got her in the ambulance. There I got stick number 3.
We then ran a few other calls....a patient at a doctors office, who did not want to go to the hospital, but the doctor forced him against his will (we didn't transport him) and a guy who called 911 just for an ambulance ride (he didn't get his ride). We ended the day responding to a call that involved a robbery, wreck involving a cop car, and a tazing. Never did I think I would be standing in the middle of Interstate 75 (all lanes blocked) transporting a cop to the hospital.
We returned to the station and I went home. A busy day, though not a ton of calls.
Day 125 - Friday---the end of clinical week. I had a 7:00am call time to the ER. Not a ton went on, though I did get IV stick 4 and 5. One was on a young pregnant girl...who unfortunately cried when I stuck her. I only had a four hour shift, so around 11, I left. And with that...Clinical week ended. Next up...live burn!
For me and a few other, it was just getting our gear out. Because we had already done the drill (done on Wednesday) we watched the others go through it. After that, we prepared for our Practice Practical. A few folks went before lunch. The rest of us waited in the gym.
Lunch was at an all you can eat sushi bar. It was good, but something I probably will NOT do again.
After lunch, the rest of us waited to be called up to the room. Dill and I (which is not surprise...he and I have had a few adventures throughout this academy together - Jewelery, Ladder Rescue, carries, runs) headed up for our turn, I pulled IV and nailed every part. Dill also did well....
The rest of the day was spent waiting for the rest of the folks to go. Finally, it was time to go...Academy Classroom complete....
Day 121 - Clinical Week begins. Monday I had my very first clinical. I slept horrible that morning. I kept waking up every 20 minutes. I think some of it was nerves. I didn't want to be late. Most of it was (however) caused by a sick bug.
I left the house around 6:15 and headed over to the Medic Hall. Once there I observed and helped set-up and check off the truck. As soon as that was completed, we got our first call. Chest Pain. We headed over to the location (lights and sirens of course) and once we got the patient loaded up in the ambulance, the medic put me to work. I started an INT (I did get blood all over the place, but I did get the IV started). I checked a blood sugar, and about the time I wrapped that I up...we were pulling in to the hospital. A quick change of the sheet, and we were heading back to "quarters".
No sooner had we closed the doors to the ambulance, when another call came in. This one was altered mental status. I checked a blood sugar in route to the hospital. I also saw the use of the stair chair. I also ran into my first responding fire company. I missed the chance to get an IV stick on this patient. We changed the sheet and I briefly talked with another cadet working his hospital shift. Soon enough, we were heading back to the station.
And at the station we stayed until late afternoon. In the meantime we washed the truck, watched a little t.v.,and ran some errands.
Call number three happened right after we were cancelled off of another. We were sent to a shoe store downtown. There we picked up a gentleman who was fine physically, but mentally not all there. He was very nice and very complementary. We transported him to the hospital.
We then headed to dinner at Fire Station 13. There we received our fourth call. A gentleman had fallen out of his wheel chair 1 week prior to the call. Now his knee had swollen up, and he could no longer move on his own. We transported him to the hospital.
After another cancellation, we filled the ambulance up with gas and headed back to Medic 11. I parted ways with the medics and headed for home. It was a great learning experience.....
Day 122 - It was Tuesday and lucky for me...I had the day off...and finally I slept...
Day 123 - Wednesday - The morning started early. I had to be at station location at 6am. I arrived at six, to find the lounge locked. It wasn't until 6:45 that I was told that the shift change was at seven. I met with the medic and the emt, and we headed over to East Ridge to wash the truck. Sounds simple enough, but this company was very particular about the ambulance washing. It took about 2 hours (including drive time). We got back around 10, and there we waited until 4:15...our 1st call. This ambulance company does nothing but transfers. So we transfered one patient to another hospital. On the way back, the ambulance was stopped by a homeless man. This gentleman was in a great deal of pain. From the looks of his arm...it may have been broken. Even though it was not their protocol to pick up folks off the street and take them to the hospital, we transported him.
After that, we returned to the station...and I headed home.
Day 124 - Thursday sent me to Medic 7. I got there just before seven. We spent the first two hours of the shift observing the cardiac cath lab at a local hospital. Very interesting. We returned to the hall, just to go out on our 1st call. A man fell off of a scaffolding. We packaged him up, and headed to the hospital. I started another IV in the ambulance...that was stick number two. We them grabbed a bite to eat, and headed back to the hall. Before we could close the door...in came call number 2. This was for a wreck on Shalloford and Gunbarrel. It was interesting flying down Gunbarrel in the back of an ambulance with lights and sirens going. We packaged this patient up, got her in the ambulance. There I got stick number 3.
We then ran a few other calls....a patient at a doctors office, who did not want to go to the hospital, but the doctor forced him against his will (we didn't transport him) and a guy who called 911 just for an ambulance ride (he didn't get his ride). We ended the day responding to a call that involved a robbery, wreck involving a cop car, and a tazing. Never did I think I would be standing in the middle of Interstate 75 (all lanes blocked) transporting a cop to the hospital.
We returned to the station and I went home. A busy day, though not a ton of calls.
Day 125 - Friday---the end of clinical week. I had a 7:00am call time to the ER. Not a ton went on, though I did get IV stick 4 and 5. One was on a young pregnant girl...who unfortunately cried when I stuck her. I only had a four hour shift, so around 11, I left. And with that...Clinical week ended. Next up...live burn!
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