After 5 weeks on the job of boring work in the shop all day I finally experienced what it's like to be a true wild land firefighter.
Friday morning the fire up at the sand dunes (Medano Fire) finally crept over the Sangres and on to our district. We went up and were assigned to some structural protection for a lodge way up in the mountains. We worked on that most of the day moving excess fuel away from the house and cutting some nearby trees out of the way. Once we were done with that for the next 2 days we didn't do much but drive around and become familiar with the roads that were around. The fire was still over some ridges some 7 miles away from where we were. So it wasn't very exciting. As Monday morning came, we found we were to be relieved due to a type 2 team coming in to help (basically just a more experienced squad). And they didn't need us anymore.
So we drove back to Canon that morning and were at the station no longer then 3 hours before our whole station got called up to the Royal Gorge where 3 separate fires had started all at once. As we drove up there the smoke was billowing high and the fire was beginning to crank at high speed due to high winds.
We ended up working about a 36 hour shift stopping at 2am for 3 hours of iffy sleep. It was the most intense work i've been involved with in my life. Mostly what we did was structural protection which included cutting down excess fuels around houses and dragging it off a safe distance.
The first house we did this too ended up burning a while after and it really got to me. Just being the last resort between someones home burning was a very crazy and sad thing. And when I heard it burned I just lost it, broke down and wanted to quit my job so bad. I did my best to pull it together but it was a tough day, and my best friend in critical condition during this time didn't help either.
But I began to realize through all of this somehow that I really like to help people in whatever way possible, and whatever they're going through. It might not always be the best help, and i've definitely gotten myself in some sticky situations, but I mean good. And after thinking about it alot that day, I think God may be calling me to serve in someway. I don't know how or when but it's kind of exciting to finally realize that. I never have felt before like I have been called to missions before, and im still not quite sure but it seems like things are coming together more nowadays in that direction. We'll see how it goes!
Friday morning the fire up at the sand dunes (Medano Fire) finally crept over the Sangres and on to our district. We went up and were assigned to some structural protection for a lodge way up in the mountains. We worked on that most of the day moving excess fuel away from the house and cutting some nearby trees out of the way. Once we were done with that for the next 2 days we didn't do much but drive around and become familiar with the roads that were around. The fire was still over some ridges some 7 miles away from where we were. So it wasn't very exciting. As Monday morning came, we found we were to be relieved due to a type 2 team coming in to help (basically just a more experienced squad). And they didn't need us anymore.
So we drove back to Canon that morning and were at the station no longer then 3 hours before our whole station got called up to the Royal Gorge where 3 separate fires had started all at once. As we drove up there the smoke was billowing high and the fire was beginning to crank at high speed due to high winds.
We ended up working about a 36 hour shift stopping at 2am for 3 hours of iffy sleep. It was the most intense work i've been involved with in my life. Mostly what we did was structural protection which included cutting down excess fuels around houses and dragging it off a safe distance.
The first house we did this too ended up burning a while after and it really got to me. Just being the last resort between someones home burning was a very crazy and sad thing. And when I heard it burned I just lost it, broke down and wanted to quit my job so bad. I did my best to pull it together but it was a tough day, and my best friend in critical condition during this time didn't help either.
But I began to realize through all of this somehow that I really like to help people in whatever way possible, and whatever they're going through. It might not always be the best help, and i've definitely gotten myself in some sticky situations, but I mean good. And after thinking about it alot that day, I think God may be calling me to serve in someway. I don't know how or when but it's kind of exciting to finally realize that. I never have felt before like I have been called to missions before, and im still not quite sure but it seems like things are coming together more nowadays in that direction. We'll see how it goes!
So even though things seems to suck alot lately through work and people I work with making it even harder. I know that's what life is all about and im trying to just get through it and on to the next thing.
That's all I got--
