Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...September 28, 2009
Hi everyone! I had a great day yesterday at a CERT training seminar in Warren, NJ. I belong to the Office of Emergency Management and sometimes this organization and the fire department conflict. However, I had a free Saturday and thought I could benefit from any type of training offered.

I took a Disaster Triage class, a Communications class which made me feel more comfortable using a radio, a brush up on using extinguishers, and a search and rescue seminar with dogs. The extinguisher class was held at the Warren County Fire Academy. Why was this so great? Because we don't get to practice just using extinguishers, and the last time I used one was when I played with an old one at one of my listings and before that at the Morris County Fire Academy.

Today I was at the firehouse and I cleaned trophy cases for about an hour. I am on the committee and we have our inspection night in a few weeks. I have never seen so many trophies in one place. It's funny you walk by them every day but when you clean the cases you are forced to actually read them. Someone's child was there with me and he even started to read them. Makes me think that maybe we are supposed to clean the cases just to read the trophies. LOL

Next week we are doing a hose relay at the Sussex County Parade. I am not doing the relay because I suck at it, but I am planning to ride the truck and wear my Class A uniform to the parade. Marching? Uhuh. I don't think I can think that fast. You know - left, right, left, left, yada yada.