We started off our day with the usual routine- check the truck, make fun of the new guy, drink about ten cups of coffee (ok, I'm not that bad about it- maybe only three). So we had a public education program at one of the local pre-schools.

No big deal; make the new guy dress up, teach the kids some fire safety, show them the truck, and let them 'flow' a small forestry line. One of my firefighters stayed with me outside and we proceded to show off our tools and cool stuff to about thirty kids. So, I finish showing the tools and neat stuff on our ladder truck and then I crank her up and charge the line. Well, not really 'charge'...I mean come on, they are little kids, can't have them flying all over the parking lot (disclaimer- the firefighter maintained control fo the line at all times, the kids were allowed to help open and close the bale-don't want to panic anyone.).

The demonstration was concluded and the teachers were trying to move their little one's back into the classrooms. This, of course, resulted in about thirty little voices screaming out sixty different questions. It was a bit distracting, so I maybe wasn't paying as much attention to taking the truck out of pump as I should have. I really, really thought that I had taken the truck out of gear before I switched out of pump. Yeah- well, no. I had NOT taken the truck out of gear and proceded to shift out of pump whilst in drive. The truck (being much smarter than her driver- hence the title of today's blog) said 'Oh no you didn't!' and promptly shut down.

Eyes wide, heart racing, and shorts tainted, I reset the truck and crossed my fingers. I was mentally trying to add up how much repairing the pump would cost and how many months I would be working for free to pay for my foul up. Fortunately, the pump wasn't damaged and the truck started right back up.

Moral of the story: no matter how long you have been working on a truck, it can be really easy to screw up royally.