In at the deep end!
October 5, 2010, 6:53 pm
Sometimes I think I don't know when to keep my mouth shut!
Speaking to the Fire Chief a while ago, the subject of Fire Prevention Officer came up, and how it needed some different skills - like teaching - and I was teaching for a few years - so I fit the bill.
Well I agreed to give it a go last Saturday morning, I was handed a huge manual, lots of reading material and several DVDs, then I was told Monday starts National Fire Prevention Week - AAAAAAGGGHHH! So much to do and no time to prepare. Fortunately for me, Pat, our Safety Officer came to the rescue and helped out by using her vast experience, she's a star!
On Monday morning we were to make a presentation to the school. 3 Separate classes with half an hour each to talk about Smoke Detectors and Home Escape Plans. Pat did the presentation, Steve talked about Smoke detectors and had the kids crawling out of the class rooms, they all had great fun, including Steve. Next John made a game out of using a Home Escape Plan, again the kids were all enjoying finding the safest way out of the house. Finally Pat had all the kids rolling around practicing 'Stop, Drop and Roll' to put out any fire on burning clothes.
One of the kids will win a new bicycle, one will win 'Fire Chief For the Day' and one class will win 'Pizza with the Fire Fighters'. Friday is the activity day, where Fire Fighter Sarah will set up an obstacle course for the kids to complete and they will get to spray water with the fire hose connected to the fire truck. Should be fun!
Looks like I'll be busy for a while, lots of studying to do for the Firefighter 1 tests, First Responder tests and now keeping on top of the Fire Prevention stuff too.
Stay safe - and don't forget to test those smoke detectors!
Gone Fishing! - Oh no, not yet, there's a fire to put out first!
August 18, 2010, 1:54 am
The last few days have been really warm with temperatures up around 32ºC. Normally that wouldn't be an issue because we're on the coast and there's usually a breeze off the sea, but not recently, it just got hotter and hotter.
I've been busy with a project for the Fire Department, photographing the Fire Engines and Rescue Trucks as well as the Fire Halls. It's been a nightmare removing all of the power lines from the images, and all of the shadows as well! It's a job that needed doing and to hire a Pro would just take money from the Firefighting budget, so I was happy to help.
In the bit of spare time that I've had, I tried my hand at Salmon Fishing, not too successfully yet. Everybody else seems to be catching Pinks, Spring and Sockeye, but they are mainly going out on boats to catch them out in the Strait, I'm just standing on the wharf along with a few other land lubbers. I've just bought a new lure to try, everybody seems to be using pink lures, so I bought a pink one. Looking forward to testing it.
Just finished my dinner today (they call it supper over here for some odd reason!), washed the pots and was about to put the remains of the huge chicken breast in the fridge for tomorrows lunch, when the pager went off. The call was for a bush fire at the junction, that's where the petrol station is, so we had to get there quick to get the fire under control. It's been hot and dry for almost 2 months now, so any bush fire can soon develop into a wild fire.
Just 4 of us made it to the Fire Hall, Jim got there 1st, followed by me, then the Chief and Tyler rolled up and got out of his truck with just a pair of pants on - he was in the shower when the page went out - imagine the panic!
All suitably dressed in full turn-out gear, we jumped into Engine 4 and headed off down the road with all lights flashing and sirens screaming away. It's quite an amazing feeling to be sat high up in a Fire Engine with all the light s and sirens going. It appears that not everybody appreciates what we need to do though.
On the valley road we came up behind a VW camper on a long straight, either the driver was as high as a kite or just didn't give a damn. He wasn't going to pull over until the very last moment, by then we were fast approaching a bend, it took all of the Chief's skill to haul the Fire Engine with 400 gallons of water onboard around the VW and safely round the bend. The comments from the driving seat were not repeatable. I now know exactly what the Chief thinks of American tourists now.
When we finally arrived at the scene, Mero and Becky were already there with Engine 3, they had a problem with the pump so just used a fire extinguisher to calm things down till we arrived. I got the job of hosing down the area. First we sprayed a load of foam into the bushes, then blasted the grass with loads of water. I had to go down into the trees and bushes to get at everything, when I came out of the ditch I was covered in foam, so Mero turned the hose on me, now my turnout gear is clean!
It appears the fire was started by a motorist driving with a flat tyre (oops, sorry 'tire' - think Canadian). He eventually wore it down to the rim, then the wheel started sparking, that was enough to start a fire in the grass at the side of the road, that's how dry it is!
Well at least we managed OK and avoided a wild fire. I learnt how to use a Fire Hose Nozzle properly, they have different spray patterns and 2 separate jets and controls. When the hose is full of water at 150 psi it weighs some and then there's the pressure. Kind of fun though!
That was our first fire since I joined and I'm learning new things each time we go out, the problem is, every situation is unique so it will take quite a bit of time and experience to learn even the basics, ah well, back to reading the 2" thick manual.
Fishing will have to wait till tomorrow.
In the Pool...
August 5, 2010, 1:15 pm
Yesterday we had a First Responders practice in the local swimming pool. We were practicing rescuing patients with spinal injuries from water. Apparently this can happen anywhere, not just in the swimming pools, like at the wharf or in one of the many lakes nearby.
The training was a really good insight in what to expect, we covered several different scenarios and tried out some different techniques. The pool staff, lifeguards and Ambulance were also involved. Everybody takes these training sessions seriously, so that really helps all the new members to learn what's required in a very safe environment.
I'm starting to realise just how much commitment the Volunteer Firefighters put in and can see the strong argument for them having some compensations if not direct payment. We have to train to the same level as the paid Firefighters, maybe at a slower pace, but the job is still just as dangerous.
The only concession we currently get is free access to the Kelsey Recreational Centre to help maintain physical fitness.
Tonight is Fire Practice again, although I doubt we'll be lighting any fires, even to practice with! There's over 400 wild fires in BC at the moment, we don't need any more.
Whales...
July 29, 2010, 19:41 pm
My Mum & Dad are staying here with us for a while. We decided to on a whale watching trip from Telegraph Cove. We went out with Stubbs Island Whale Watching Tours and had a great time.
The water was calm despite the high winds we'd been having lately. We left the dock and headed out into the Blackfish Sound. The first whale we saw was a Grey Whale, they are quite rare in these waters, so we felt honoured to see one. Having said that, we only saw a small bart of the whale's back and very small dorsal fin.
Next we saw a couple of Minke Whales from a distance, they soon disappeared. We were also taken to see an Eagles nest with 2 fledgling chicks. Again that's quite unusual, when 2 chicks are hatched, only the strongest usually survives, so the parents had a lot of work to raise 2 healthy chicks, they stood over a foot tall when we saw them.
The trip was supposed to be 3.5 hours long, so we headed back towards Telegraph Cove, and came across 2 Humpback Whales, they were feeding low down in the water, so they kept swimming round, surfacing and occasionally showing their tail flukes. That was amazing to see close up.
The captain then heard about another Humpback feeding on krill, so we headed over tho where it was, that was an incredible sight, the whale would come to the surface with it's huge mouth open and just scoop up thousands of the small fish in one go. The krill are only about an inch or so long.
There was a group of 6 Kayaks nearby and the Humpback Whale surfaced right next to them, one guy certainly managed to get a fantastic picture of it's tail fluke.
We'd been out on the water for about 4.5 hours so sadly we had to head off for the dock, but it was $100 well spent. Really looking forward to the next trip now, I'll probably take Angie on a Grizzly Bear watching trip in September, they are fantastic to watch when they are fishing for Salmon.
Stay Safe.
