The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
When you were new, what was a mistake that you made that stands out to you to this day?
As many know, I'm new to fire fighting. So as things go I learn by doing, which can lead to mistakes. The worst so far was pinching an EMT's hand with the cot. I still can't apologise enough for that one. So I was wondering what others have done in the way of mistakes that stand out in their minds.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
-
Art, sounds to me that in addition to your many talents you've been blessed with a failing memory, as I've been. I don't recall making any mistakes in my career... unless you think that going into a fire with full PPE and SCBA on (except my helmet) is a mistake... or driving the pumper through the overhead door as it was coming down; or trying to pop the door on a car (unstabilized) and having to chase it downhill with the Jaws; or being missed by inches by a car as I was stretching hose across the road; or closing a hydrant too fast and setting off the waterflow alarm at our neighboring department.
I call these learning experiences, not mistakes. The rest of FFN will have to judge for themselves.
-
Permalink Reply by Kate on
-
Before I finished EMT school, the medic and I were transporting a stabbing victim and he needed 2 NSL bags spiked ASAP. Well we hadn't got to the chapter of spiking bags etc in class but I had seen other guys on my shift do it so many times. So I went to spike the bag for the medic but I forgot to pull the ring out before puting the line connecter in (total rush of adrenaline going) and managed to get it through to get the fluids going. The medic didn't say anything until after the call but he was impressed that I got it all to work!
-
Permalink Reply by Jeff Cole on
-
My first "official" fire as a sworn firefighter was my first screw-up. Anyone who says they haven't, or don't occasionaly make screw-ups probabaly don't leave the station...or have been promoted to Chief. My first real "job" was a one-story strip mall with offices. The middle one was involved, with fire showing out the two show windows, the front door, and out the roof. As the engine approached and then stopped, I hopped oof and immedietly began stretching one of the 1.5" crosslay preconnects. (this was before the switch to 1.75", and LDH supply line). The OIC in the front seat was going to order a reverse-lay with the 2.5" skid-load off the rear. By not waiting for orders, I committed the engine.
So I stretched to the front of the building, and stood there witha limp line and nozzle in my hand of a line too small for the fire. Oh well, the second-due engine will drop from us and go to the hydrant. But as I looked back to figure out where the heck the water was, I saw the pump operator pulling the rest of my line...I never pulled the whole bed of line.
After water, a knock-down of the heavy fire, and the arrival of some of the other companies due on the box, one of the older members was discussing the lay-out of the office next door with the officers. He explained that since it was his lawyers office (he was fimiliar with the lay-out because of an impending divorce) that he knew of a doorway all the way in the back office that led to the original fire office of origin. The plan was to enter this area , which would be exposure "B", and gain access off the rear interior to knock-down the rest of the fire.
Understand this was maybe 1980. So no portable radios, no accountability, and infrequent SCBA use. So this guy turns to me and explained the layout, and hands me the nozzle. The exposure is charged pretty good with smoke. I figure it's time to make an impression, so in I go, with a charged 1.5" line, and no SCBA. I got in about 15' or so, crawling on my stomach, and it got really hot, and drop-ceiling seemed to be falling. I started to get light-headed fast, and turned around and made haste crawling out. When I came out the door coughing up what was left of my lungs, I looked ahead to see the yellow stripe of a pair 3/4 boots standing in front of me. As I stood up, there was Bob, all 6' 7" of him, a rough, crazy ex-Viet Nam vet looking down at me laughing. The BC asked what happened. He then became disturbed, and asked Bob "You let him go in there without a mask, while your standing here in one?"
Flicking his ciggerette to the ground he said sarcastically, "yeah...I was right behind 'em the whole time...the lil' mother-fu*#er will never do it again though, will he?"
Considering that was almost three decades ago, he was right. Never, ever did I make that mistake. Even when those leather-lungs still shunned thier masks, I never forgot.
-
Permalink Reply by Tim Green on
-
I was on a mva call, some drunk kid wrapped his car around a tree. as we were getting ready to extracate him i was hooking up the high pressure hose to the hydrolic pump i had medical gloves on and the connections were slippery. i though i fully connected it but when i turned the pump on the hose broke lose and hydrolic fluid sprayed everywhere all over the medical bags and everything. it wasnt major but it was still bad
-
Permalink Reply by Larry Humphreys on
-
First live burn training, an officer told me to cool down a transformer on an electric pole across the road from the burn. It and the pole were smoking, so I straight streamed it. Fortunately no one was electricuted or hit by falling transformer parts. A very understanding training officer then instructed me in the proper method of cooling an electrically charged object. It was a true learning experience, I hope some day I will have so much patience.
-
Permalink Reply by Stephen Nicholson on
-
I pulled up to a house fire down a narrow entrance road with the rescue truck. Chief radioed me to move it over and make room for the engine to pass beside. I moved it over alright, right into the nicely mowed lawn, which looked dry and hard. It had rained the night before. I sunk the truck 12'' into the lawn, and needed a tow to get it out...
-
Permalink Reply by Gaines Spivey(Smokestack) on
-
We were fighting a small woods-grass fire on the side of the interstate, i was on the nozzle getting tips from one of our senior members when he turned around to retrieve a fire rake. I went to step bake to get a better postion on the flames when i stepped on the hose lost my footing and down i went. Luckly i was able to keep ahold of the nozzle but i wasnt able to get up because of the stream kept hittingmy other arm as i was trying to push myself up. After they could breath again from laughing so hard my Cpt and Sgt came over to help me out. Not onlt do i get ragged on by the FD but also PD who was onscene for traffic control but also some of my family who just happend to be stuck in the backed up traffic.
-
Permalink Reply by Brittany on
-
Well, as someone so kindly dubbed it, I have had a few "opportunity for improvement" areas. Second week of fire school, we're playing monkey-move-up on the 1 3/4" line learning how to move hose inside a building. I'm last on the nozzle, and I hadn't learned a the 3-point stance my instructors had been trying to teach me. I have 3 guys behind me very enthusiastically shagging hose, and just about putting me on my nose. That was all great until I got into the first "fire room." The comedy of errors began as I have the hose and nozzle underneath my left arm, trying to remember what they showed us about controlling the line and right, I have to do an "O" pattern, and... it was about that point that I am watching my nozzle slithering across the floor and out a 3" by 8" drain vent on the side of the building... All I can hear is the instructor's voice saying loudly, "OOOOOHHHHH, that's not good... I've never seen THAT happen before..." It felt like a slow 50 years before I managed to wiggle the now open nozzle shut and back through the hole and complete the exercise. So, now I remember to control the nozzle.
Another one of my outstanding memories is the time on hose & ladder evolution day, I was the hydrant man. I tried both right and left to get the hydrant flushed and opened, and no water came out. I finally gave up. After the evolution was over (dry hose, thankfully), the instructor patiently informed me that "No, it is not always righty-tighty, lefty-loosey." In fact... they have the word OPEN printed on them... with an arrow... I got razzed about that through the rest of class, and when they gave me my Driver/Pump Operator certificate, one of my classmates informed me that it did NOT say Hydrant Hooking!!
As long as I can learn from each mistake... They truly can be opportunities to improve!
Brittany
-
Permalink Reply by Colin on
-
My very first shift I forgot the wheel chocks for the driver twice, got my PASS device run over, and missed a call! I wanted to just quit that very same day! My Assistant Chief sat me down the following morning and talked to me which helped me out greatly in my career. After 6 years I've never missed another call and learned to watch where I put my gear at! Hope everything goes great for you!!
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next ›
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
