The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
The Continuing Chronicles of the FNG(irl): The Swearing In
It was a little daunting for me at first, because I was being sworn in at the monthly business meeting, and other than the chief, didn't really know too many others, and the room (apparatus bay) was PACKED to the rafters with the members.
Here's what I can tell you about my department....everyone is named Frank, Bill or Ernie. I figure I have a 35% chance of getting it right. Oh, and I'm old enough to be my Lieutenant's mother. They also take their Sunshine Fund 50/50 raffle very seriously. :) I made a crack about robbing the pot and got the glare of death from the guy going around the room with it. Lesson learned.
They conducted the business meeting first (the entire meeting was held in the bay due to the department being used as a voting location), which was completely incomprehensible because of the background racket. I sat with the other new recruits and couple of seasoned ex-officers.... they certainly do like their beer in that neck of the woods.....
Finally we were called up to be officially brought into the department...we were handed a sheet of paper with the oath, and the first sentence read..."I, (state your name) do solemnly swear...." and I stifled a giggle, because all I could think about was Animal House. Then the other female recruit leaned over and said quietly, as order was being called, "I'll give you a dollar if you say it" ....and I nearly lost it.
Next stop was dinner (thank god, my stomach had been growling for more than an hour, and it was becoming amplified enough to be heard over the din---one banana and a couple of slices of turkey do not a full day's meal make)....and then.....turnout gear.
The first pair of pants were made for a ten year old. I couldn't get them over my KNEES, never mind my hips. Pair number 2: I could have stood in the one pant leg and had room for a compatriot in there. What were these? Fire Police pants? Pair number 3....NOW we're getting somewhere....except for the huge rip up the backside. I thought I was getting a breeze from somewhere.... Pair number 4, I'm starting to perspire...Hallelujah!! They're older than dirt, but they fit.
The jacket: first try.....my hands were somewhere around where the elbows should be.....next?........the matching jacket to the 10 year old's pants........but then a brand new jacket that fit perfectly appeared from nowhere and I was in business.....until it came time for the boots. I explained that I had a pair given to me by a friend (thanks Siren) but this declaration was met with dismissal....."No, no, no....we'll find you a pair, don't you worry about it" .....mmmmmkkkkkk......Five pairs of boots later and we've managed to nail down the fact that I need a 6 or 6.5 in a man's boot....which of course they don't have. I could have taken a bath and stretched out in the pair they tried to give me.
Gloves and hood? Easy stuff comparitively speaking.
Then while my new recruit friends went galloping off to the bar, I made nice with the Captain and got a working tour of all the apparatus, including compartments and equipment...plus a dry run through donning and doffing gear. I've been accused of many things, but I've never been accused of being stupid. I'm going to be on that guy like a remora on a shark until I get up to speed.
Thus outfitted with a pager and radio....I went home and played fire dork; set out my clothes...made sure it was all easy-on, easy-off....set up my radio, set up my pager...tried to settle down (to no avial)...then kept obsessively checking said pager and radio to make sure they were working....
Stay tuned...for now, I'm off like a prom dress.
Add a Comment
-
Comment by Mary Ellen Shea on February 10, 2008 at 9:30am
-
I think I smell a blog post for you.....or is that the mimeo'd paper?
Remember when your teacher in grade school handed out dittos....first thing everyone did was pick it up and smell it.....
1.) you're overdue for a blog piece
2.) you're WAY overdue for an amusing blog piece
3.) Dontcha think it's time for a new pic Mr. Conrad?
-
Comment by Tiger Schmittendorf on February 10, 2008 at 12:18am
-
Hi everyone -
My name is Tiger and I'm a blownut volunteer firefighter.
I kept a log of EVERY single call I went on for the first year and a half I was in the fire company, complete with details and weekly/monthly/quarterly call stats.
Stats for EMS calls vs. fire calls, stats since I joined as a junior, then stats since I became a senior firefighter 3 months later, then stats from the day I got my EMT cert...
Oh yeah, it's hilarious. You should read some of the narratives. They're pretty freakin' funny.
The log was kept on forms I typed (with a typewriter) and my brother copied on a ditto machine at school.
You read that right - a ditto machine. The kind of copier that was hand-cranked and only copied in one color: blue.
I still have the log, perhaps I'll share some excerpts here just to demonstrate what a blownut I am.
They say that admitting you have a problem is the first step in any good 12-step program.
There, I admit it. I have a problem.
Congratulations to Mel on getting a problem of her own. Keep up the good work FNGirl.
And a word of advice, keep a log. It'll make for funny memories later in life when you have to take your teeth out to laugh.
-
-
It's a plectron.....yes, you read that correctly. The one they gave me had about two inches of dust sitting on it.
The pager is a motorola--which emits an alarm when the battery is running low, which I DIDN'T know--so as I was coming home from the gym the alarm sounded, and because I AM the FNG, I was halfway to the station before I realized that I wasn't hearing any chatter on it....
Glad I realized that before I made an even bigger ass of myself.
:)
-
Comment by Joe Stoltz on February 7, 2008 at 9:51pm
-
Excellent, Mel. We'll want to know all of the details of the FIRST CALL, particularly the first NIGHT CALL. What kind of pager and radio did you get? Are you still checking them out every 10 minutes (LOL) to make sure they're working?
Did they make you draw the 50/50 ticket out of the hat/jar/box? I hope you didn't pick your OWN ticket, like I did when I was the FNG. Very embarrasing.
-
-
Way to go Probie. Way to go.
Remember what I've always said: "Don't ever let any one - or any thing prevent you from being the firefighter YOU want to be."
Nice job Kid!
-
Comment by LadyChaplain on February 7, 2008 at 12:14pm
-
Haha i <3 your stories Mel. I can vicariously live probie week through you now, and gosh does it feel good haha.
Reading this blog brought up another one of those embarassing Kenzi stories... I'll fill you in later if my mother lets me live that long.
-
Comment by Paul Montpetit on February 7, 2008 at 11:03am
-
Cogratulations...welcome to the melee....Stay safe...Be careful....I'm off to Montour Falls for classes for a couple of weeks....looking forward to it...that place is amazing...again...congrats...Off Like panty hose on a hot summers night.....LOL Paul
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
You need to be a member of My Firefighter Nation to add comments!
Join My Firefighter Nation