CMColfax, I'm baaaaack...

[Guest]

Well, for those of you who know me, I have been MIA for a long time.

In January, I got hired by the Henrico County, VA Division of Fire.

Recruit School started in March and was 22 weeks and I was really focussed on that, so I did not even keep up with reading the board. But it worked! I graduated 5th in my class of 30 and got assigned to an excellent Station (but more on that in a later post).

Now that I have been out in my station for a coupla months, I have realized that I completely lost touch with the service and community which motivated me to pursue this as a career.

So... I'm back! At least to read... and keep up with y'all.

Good luck and Stay Safe!

-cmc-

[Guest]

As of 2100hrs Monday, August 8, 2005 I am officially a Professional Firefighter with the Henrico County, VA Division of Fire (IAFF Local 1568)!

After 22 weeks of Recruit School, graduation was cool and I was issued Badge #570 which I will carry for the rest of my career!

Wednesday, August 10, 2005 was my first day at my Station.

I am assigned to Station 10, we run an Engine and a Truck.

Station 10 is also historically the busiest in the Division; running over 2800 calls a year on average.

Henrico runs with minimum staffing on every apparatus so it is usually just me, another Firefighter and our Lieutenant on Engine 10.

We work 24-hr shifts on a 7/21 rotating schedule, for a total of 10 days a month.

The shift starts and ends at 0700 and the rotation works like this:

Tu - Th - Sa

Mo - Fr

Su - Wd

Things have been going well, I am getting used to the rhythm of the days and life in the Station. Working 24-hour shifts and having the day of the week not matter is a bit of a change for someone who spent as much time as I did in the Monday - to - Friday world.

I am truly enjoying it though, it amazes me that I am getting paid to do something that I get so much enjoyment out of; something that I was willing to do for FREE!

Getting here has been a long road, a lot of traveling, and a lot of times it was hard to believe that I was actually going to get hired but I just kept telling myself that once I made up my mind to do this I was going succeed!

My advice to anyone on here who is trying to pursue Fire/EMS as a career is simply to keep at it. It took me two years to get hired somewhere. There were 1000 people who took the initial Written Exam for Henrico and they hired 30 of us.

-cmc-

[ajsbear 11]

We are all PROFESSIONALS, the difference is some are career (paid) and some are volunteer.

[Guest]

We are all PROFESSIONALS, the difference is some are career (paid) and some are volunteer.

←

Easy there killer.

Believe me, I know that.

And it was the experience I got as a VOLUNTEER that motivated me to pursue a paid/career position.

That is why it amazes me that they pay me to do this! I, like most of y'all on here, did it for FREE!

Don't turn this into a "Paid vs. Vollie" debate, it is a way to re-connect with many of the people I worked with in Westchester.

I miss y'all and am proud to be a Volunteer FF!

-cmc-

[turk182 37]

Congrats!!!!!

What is with 22 weeks of probie school, It was only 12 weeks in NY when I went( believe it still is)?

[Guest]

Congrats!!!!!

What is with 22 weeks of probie school, It was only 12 weeks in NY when I went( believe it still is)?

←

4 weeks of it was VA EMT-B. Yes, you read that correctly, we did the entire EMT-B curriculum in 4 weeks. For some reason, VA does not recognize any other state's EMT certification so we ALL had to take the class. Not that re-learning is ever a bad thing...

I am going to get my NREMT Cert next year to keep myself active in NY (my NY expires in 2006).

Henrico County is a Pro Board accredited training department so all of my Certificates are NPQS/NBFSPQ.

FFI / FFII / Haz Mat Ops / NIMS / EVOC Class 3 / DPO / Rope I Cetrtificates as well as LP Gas / AVET / Confined Space & Trench Rescue Awareness.

We are also VA Dept of Forestry Wildland FF certified.

I am trying to post up some pics of E10 / T10 but my Verizon site is being uncooperative and the board keeps telling me that the pics are too big.

-cmc-

Edited October 23, 2005 by cmcolfax

[Guest]

-cmc-

[JohnnyOV 2]

-cmc-

←

who makes that engine?Ive never seen that style before. Oh and Congrats on the Job!!

[CAM502 6]

What an ugly fire engine!! Hey why isn't it red...lol

[BFD1054 1,552]

EMSJunkie...that would be a Pierce Quantum engine.

cmcolfax....Congrats on getting on the job, sounds like you really love it (and who wouldn't)!

[Guest]

Yup...

All of Henrico County's front line Engine's are Pierce Quantum's.

All with 1500gpm single stage Waterous pumps.

They are all also very similarly equipped with regard to hose.

1000' 5"

800-1000' 3"

400' 2 1/2"

All the crosslays are 1 3/4"

200'

200'

300'

The apparatus are on 10 year replacement cycles, so the oldest Quantum's we have are 1996-1997 vintage.

E10 is a 97.

All of the front line Trucks are Pierce Lance's with 100' Tower Ladders.

Curently Truck 12 & 22 are the newest, with Truck 10 slated to be replaced next year.

The County has 20 Engines, 5 Trucks and 2 Heavy Squads.

Division of Fire

As for the color, officially it is called "Lime Yellow".

I have to admit... being from Westchester, Lime Green Fire Trucks and Tan/Gold Turnout Gear is a little odd... I like my black SHFD Gear and Red Engine!!

We leave the apparatus outside on the ramps as much as possible... hopeing they will ripen.

-cmc-

Edited October 27, 2005 by cmcolfax

[calhobs 110]

4 weeks of it was VA EMT-B. Yes, you read that correctly, we did the entire EMT-B curriculum in 4 weeks.

HA brag when you do the whole course in 10 days like in TOP

[Guest]

Chuck, you know as well as I that the lighter-coloured gear is less attractive to heat, and when you visit Westchester you'll be telling EVERYONE how much better it is.

[JohnnyOV 2]

hey, im from yorktown, I know what it means to have lime green trucks as well I just tell people they havent ripened yet