Yesterday I saw a film produced by the National Fire Academy on fire safety for firefighters. We were told if it made us uncomfortable we could leave the room. However, no one did.

I thought of the calls and drills I've been on during the last seven months and how my captain and assistant captain go over safety with us all the time. "Put your goggles down," or "Wear your gloves!" are things I will now never ever forget. I even appreciate how I used the belt on a ladder drill. And I'm not even touching on equipment checks, things I know our First Lieutenant does on a regular basis.

We are also told what tools we should always carry - not only a flashlight, but rope, door jams, cutting tools, etc. Now I can fully understand why.

PS Tieing knots...enough to make a grown woman wish she had been a girl scout.