Fire Drill

I've been a volunteer firefighter for a little over a year now.  First at my old place up in the mountains, and for the last 9 or so months at my suburban department.  The old department had a few women and I fit in immediately, but in the new department I'm the only girl.  I'm an engineer by trade, so am used to being the only woman in a group of men, and I'm too stubborn to give up or quit.  We're slowly getting used to each other, the men and I.

Firefighter training last fall was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.  I'm used to surviving by my mind and wits, but the first time I had to breathe from the air tank I was afraid like I can't describe.  And then they added the part where I had to crawl on my hands and knees through a smoky maze ... in the dark.  It's so physical.  Like I've never experienced before.  Hauling hose, cutting cars open to get people out.  It's amazing and scary.  And really, really neat.

We had a structure fire 2 weeks ago and I was on the second truck.  The job of the second truck is search and rescue, so I (we) put on our air packs and our masks and got ready to jump out and go into the house as soon as we got there.  The fire had just been put out, so we went around the smoky house opening windows.  It was my first time inside a house for a real fire.  It was kindof a rush.  I'd practiced so many times at drill that I knew how to do all the stuff.

Anyway - Monday nights are fire drill nights.  Tonight we took an engine and a ladder out for a drive and practiced moving water through the ladder guns.  The captain (sshh, but I sortof have a crush on him) picked me, ME to go up with him in the bucket.  We extended the ladder out all the way and I got to drive the bucket!!  (Kinda like the picture below, borrowed from the internets, but our ladder was extended ALL the way, out and up, and it was dark. And, did I say, I got to drive the bucket???)

Then after drill, they feed us.  Tonight it was pizza.  I had 2 small square pieces for ~350 calories.  I'd left a bunch of free calories, so eating the pizza didn't mess anything up.  That's what I like! Being able to eat a little of what everyone is eating and still be within plan.

Even though it was extremely cool, what we did, it doesn't come close to a workout, so I'm glad that I did a DVD in the morning. I think I'll do Jillian Michaels tomorrow morning.  If I ever get to sleep.  I'm SO amped!