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The Continuing Chronicles of the FNG (irl): The Rookie Turnout Throwdown
Also known as “Mel’s Big Humiliating Day”.
We had an OSHA refresher class at my department today. We had great attendance and two other departments were also invited.
The morning started out innocently enough; we covered our SOP’s and the newly mandated Rehab Standard, then moved on to Blood borne pathogens, and finished up the chalk and talk portion with an overview of PPE and SCBA’s.
The OFPC officer then announced that we would be heading out to the apparatus bay to practice donning and doffing our turnouts and to get a little more hands-on with the SCBA’s.
Someone in my department then piped up from the back of the crowd…”Hey, let’s have a little contest with donning the turnouts” (mental note to self---find that guy…and kill him) …and I started to sweat. I can get everything on in the proper order, that’s not an issue. However, SPEED is still a major sticking point for me.
We all pull all of our gear out and place it on the ground in front of us. Then I see the Asst. Chief from my department and the Chief from one of the visiting departments in some sort of confab with the OFPC officer and all three are grinning and looking at me and two fellow newbies. “This can only end badly” I thought to myself.
The visiting Chief then spoke the dreaded words…..
“Folks, we’ve decided to shake things up a little bit. Since our hosts have three new recruits, and our department has three new recruits, we’re going to have a Rookie vs. Rookie Turnout Contest. We’ll be timing them for proper attire, individual best time, and overall team time”.
They cleared the floor like it was some sort of twisted American Bandstand spotlight dance contest, and lined us up facing each other. The firefighter I was facing looked like he was 15…..and he grinned at me as if to say….”Sayonara Sister, I’m going to bury you”. I began chanting (in my head, I was already going to look like an idiot, no need to look like I was Looney-tunes on top of it) “boots, pants, suspenders, hood, coat, helmet, gloves….no problem….boots, pants, suspenders, hood, coat, helmet, gloves….I’m screwed….boots, pants……”.
A hush fell over the assembled crowd….the OFPC officer stood in the middle between the two lines, and started a 10 second countdown to begin.
Boots, no problem……Pants (and snaps), no problem……..suspenders up and hood on….I’m cooking now and still on par with my teenaged nemesis across the way……..coat…..damn it…..my hands are shaking and I’m having trouble with the snaps…….I start sweating profusely……..AARGHHH…..I lined up the snaps wrong………damn it……..The Junior Mint is almost done…….then I start hearing “done!”….”done!”…….crap…….ok, got the snaps straightened out….now I have to hook the clips……..please God, I’ll be a nicer person if you just get me out of this without making a complete ass out of myself…….FINALLY, the clips are hooked, helmet on, dragging on the gloves as my team yells “done” almost as one, but I’m pretty sure I was dead last. The Rookie Throwdown turned out to be a Rookie SMACKdown. At least I had my gear on right.
If there’s one thing that’s more certain than death and taxes, it’s that I’m going to be marching myself down to my department to practice those damned snaps until I can do it in my sleep and in nano-seconds. In the dark. Blindfolded. With gloves on. I did pick up one small tip…..grab that hood and jam it on while you’re down there grabbing your pants and suspenders.
I suppose in fairness, and in a feeble attempt to save face, that I mention that our visiting department’s turnout coats feature zippers and Velcro, not a row of snaps and a row of clips. My theory is that if I can shave my time down with snaps and clips, when it comes time to add the SCBA, I should do significantly better time-wise. Right? Right?????
Until next time…stay safe.
We had an OSHA refresher class at my department today. We had great attendance and two other departments were also invited.
The morning started out innocently enough; we covered our SOP’s and the newly mandated Rehab Standard, then moved on to Blood borne pathogens, and finished up the chalk and talk portion with an overview of PPE and SCBA’s.
The OFPC officer then announced that we would be heading out to the apparatus bay to practice donning and doffing our turnouts and to get a little more hands-on with the SCBA’s.
Someone in my department then piped up from the back of the crowd…”Hey, let’s have a little contest with donning the turnouts” (mental note to self---find that guy…and kill him) …and I started to sweat. I can get everything on in the proper order, that’s not an issue. However, SPEED is still a major sticking point for me.
We all pull all of our gear out and place it on the ground in front of us. Then I see the Asst. Chief from my department and the Chief from one of the visiting departments in some sort of confab with the OFPC officer and all three are grinning and looking at me and two fellow newbies. “This can only end badly” I thought to myself.
The visiting Chief then spoke the dreaded words…..
“Folks, we’ve decided to shake things up a little bit. Since our hosts have three new recruits, and our department has three new recruits, we’re going to have a Rookie vs. Rookie Turnout Contest. We’ll be timing them for proper attire, individual best time, and overall team time”.
They cleared the floor like it was some sort of twisted American Bandstand spotlight dance contest, and lined us up facing each other. The firefighter I was facing looked like he was 15…..and he grinned at me as if to say….”Sayonara Sister, I’m going to bury you”. I began chanting (in my head, I was already going to look like an idiot, no need to look like I was Looney-tunes on top of it) “boots, pants, suspenders, hood, coat, helmet, gloves….no problem….boots, pants, suspenders, hood, coat, helmet, gloves….I’m screwed….boots, pants……”.
A hush fell over the assembled crowd….the OFPC officer stood in the middle between the two lines, and started a 10 second countdown to begin.
Boots, no problem……Pants (and snaps), no problem……..suspenders up and hood on….I’m cooking now and still on par with my teenaged nemesis across the way……..coat…..damn it…..my hands are shaking and I’m having trouble with the snaps…….I start sweating profusely……..AARGHHH…..I lined up the snaps wrong………damn it……..The Junior Mint is almost done…….then I start hearing “done!”….”done!”…….crap…….ok, got the snaps straightened out….now I have to hook the clips……..please God, I’ll be a nicer person if you just get me out of this without making a complete ass out of myself…….FINALLY, the clips are hooked, helmet on, dragging on the gloves as my team yells “done” almost as one, but I’m pretty sure I was dead last. The Rookie Throwdown turned out to be a Rookie SMACKdown. At least I had my gear on right.
If there’s one thing that’s more certain than death and taxes, it’s that I’m going to be marching myself down to my department to practice those damned snaps until I can do it in my sleep and in nano-seconds. In the dark. Blindfolded. With gloves on. I did pick up one small tip…..grab that hood and jam it on while you’re down there grabbing your pants and suspenders.
I suppose in fairness, and in a feeble attempt to save face, that I mention that our visiting department’s turnout coats feature zippers and Velcro, not a row of snaps and a row of clips. My theory is that if I can shave my time down with snaps and clips, when it comes time to add the SCBA, I should do significantly better time-wise. Right? Right?????
Until next time…stay safe.
Add a Comment
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Comment by AL on February 24, 2008 at 1:08am
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Hey practice makes perfect, so practice like its the real deal, doing this will build confidence and character,remember you will soon be flying through all of this training.
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Comment by Firegal77 on February 21, 2008 at 9:58am
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Sorry about all the spelling errors! Guess I got ahead of myself! Must have been sticky keys on the computer! ;o)
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Better late than never....I needed an excuse to get away from writing formulas for covalent and ionic bonds, so thought I would peruse the blogs a bit...
I think most of us go through that moment in rookie training. I will share the order that I go in first.
I always leave the strap of my helmet fully loose(this way it also fits orver the SCBA when you don air too ;)) and buckled. I have my hood inside my bootwith the face portion facing the heel of my boot. This way I can grab it out and straight onto my head with out even glancing at it, and in the same instant I am stepping into my boots. Then the obvious pants up, suspenders on. Then When I put my jacket on I start with the top clips first, that way, not only do they line up, but when you get to the bottom you can simultaneosly pull the neck flap around and secure it. Then comes the helmet(and because the strap is already buckled, I dont figit with it, just grab the loose end and tighten it under my chin. Las are my gloves which I keep attached to the outside of my jacketin a vlecro strap(and when I put them away, I always put them palm to palm so when I unfasteen them I dont have to look to see which is for which hand) This is the best technique for me..I have done this successfully in 38 seconds before(course now I have a new jacket, and it is a pain, so obviously that adds time....I feel for you with snaps and clips(definitely a time eater)
Another guy in my class always kept his bottom 2 clips and snaps done, and threw his coat over his head, he made incredible time....This technique didnt work for me..In fact, I ended up looking crazy with my coat stuck halfway over my baody, and me flailing around trying to slip inside it! (still not sure how he did it gracefully, but he made it in 30 secs!) You might be more agile then I!
Remember too, that the most important thing is to make sure you are doing it properly...If you can make the time, but still have flesh exposed you have missed the most important point of PPE training!
GOOD LUCK!! I'm sure you'll do great! (and in reference to your "the girl that read 4 chapters ahead" any tips in writing formulas for acids or polyatomic ions would be great! ;)
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Comment by Mary Ellen Shea on February 18, 2008 at 11:00pm
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So glad I'm providing the amusement factor on here.
:)
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Comment by Engineco913 on February 18, 2008 at 10:27pm
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speedy dry in fire boots. Creative. Downright wrong. PERFECT!!! I like it.
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thanks for making me even MORE paranoid than I already am.
It's ok.
Sleep is overrated.
;)
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Comment by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on February 17, 2008 at 9:58pm
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And make sure that someone didn't stuff tennis balls in your boots or tied your sleeves in a knot.
Damn merry pranksters!
I admit to nothing!
Art
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thanks Joe--appreciate the tips--
and yes, that was me firing erasers at the back of your head.
:)
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Comment by Joe Stoltz on February 17, 2008 at 9:46pm
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Oh, that was you in the back row?
Well then a few more fine points. First, don your hood as you would be wearing it, then when you put your coat on and fasten the snaps/buckles it won't be all scrunched up under your collar. Make sure your helmet chin strap is loosened up as far as it can go before you start, so that when you put it on you won't have to loosen it first. Oh and turn the cylinder on all the way, not just a turn.
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While I agree with the general consensus of "better to have it on right vs. fast"; that's all well and good, but when it comes time for FF1, it's going to have to be right AND fast, and with SCBA's.
I know, I know, I know.....practice, practice, practice....that's just my type A+ perfectionist personality coming out.
I'm the annoying kid that sat behind you in class and had read four chapters ahead of where we were supposed to be because I hated not knowing what I was doing, and I HATED being unprepared....and not much has changed since grammar school.
Yes, I'm a freak, it's self-admitted.
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