Well, Sunday was pretty exciting. Our station, plus another station north of town was paged to go to Mtn. Home station 1 and cover the station since all of Mtn Home was out on a fire at Epoxyn. A factory where they make epoxy products. We got the page about 3 pm and Mtn. Home had been paged out about 2:30. The other station took the first run. We mostly hung around the station. I had a little fun when I found the pole and slid down. That thing is scarrier than it looks! Around about 7 a pick up brought some equipment back from the fire so we started taking apart scba's and stuff. I was holding the end of one hose while someone with the other end was getting situated in the bay; I was waiting on them before I walked my end out when a guy from the other dept came up and said, 'I'll take that end.' And took the hose from me. I'll admit that made me pretty mad cuz I felt he did it cuz I was a girl. He wasn't that old of a guy either. So I just stood there. The a page came over for a medical so I took off for the engine. Our dept decided that if we went 2 of our people would take the city's durango and the other two of us would follow in the engine. Next thing I know our other member is getting into the engine also. The same guy who took the hose from me took her seat in the durango. I guess I"m still kinda steamed about it. Anyways we got on scene took care of stuff and returned to station 1. Then came unloading a pickup full of hose rolls and they are filthy. We get down to business unrolling and cleaning equipment as Mtn. Home's personnel starts returning. Mtn. Home offered to let us stay for pizza. I was the only one who took them up on it since I live close by. While we were eating the alarm sounded for a rekindle. I looked at the captain and said, 'Can I come?' he said I could so I got my pants on, found out which engine I was riding in and was working on zipping my coat while desperately trying to stay in the seat as we were going around turns. It was fun though. I didn't get to do too much on the fireground but I was having fun untying tools as they were lowered from the roof. I got to go in on the ground floor and take a look around. It was just like a scene out of 'Ladder 49'. The floor was puddled with water, no lights except for that of the flashlights. Pipes were buckled and bowed, valves broken and steam coming out of them. The fire was mostly on the second and third floors. After breathing in diesel and burnt epoxy for a while though I was getting pretty dizzy. One of the officers and myself went back to the station for some tools and I grabbed my POV so they wouldn't have to worry about giving me a ride back since we were there quite a while. When they got done I thanked the officers for letting me come and we formed a convoy going down the road. They gas up near my house so when I pulled into the turning lane and out of the convoy they gave me two honks on the horn. That to me was a form of acceptance. It meant a lot. Like I belonged and we shared something that night. It was great. I honked back at them. I got home about 11 pm and then spent most of that night coughing. But just reflecting on it makes me smile.