On Saturday, January 6, I got to go to the Firehouse with my dad for community service. If you are wondering why I was at the Firehouse doing community service, it was because I am making my Confirmation this year. My dad was already at work around 7:00 a.m., but I didn't have to be there until 8:30a.m.
When I got there at around 8:45 a.m., and yes I was late, I had to say good- morning and Happy New Year to all the guys. My uncle worked the night before, so he was still there when I got there and he kept saying that I had to mop the floor! Luckily, I didn't get stuck doing that job. I got to do other things that I actually enjoyed doing.
The first thing that my dad and I did, was we had to check that all the emergency and non-emergency lights around the whole truck were working. My dad would turn on all of the lights, then we would both walk around to see if any of the lights were out, that were supposed to be on. While we were doing this, my dad's friend, F.F. Peter Escobedo came over, and said, "You are supposed to look official, so why aren't you wearing a F.D.shirt?" (Meaning a fire department shirt). Then I said, "I don't have one!" Then he said, "Well I might have an extra shirt somewhere, I'll go look." I said okay, but my dad said he didn't have to worry about it, but he went and looked anyway. When we finished checking all of the lights, there were quite a few out!
The next thing that my dad and I did was the Inventory. When my dad and I did the Inventory, he had a clip board with a packet on it. The packet contained lists of what was in each compartment of Ladder- 13 (the fire truck my dad drives). I read the list to my dad, and he checked to see if everything was there that I read. There are a total of 11 compartments around the truck. There is 1 large compartment underneath the aerial, and in the cab where the Officer and the Firefighters sit, there are several more compartments. When we were about done checking to make sure that everything was in each compartment, F.F. Peter Escobedo gave me his fire department sweatshirt. It was a little big, but I didn't care.
When we finished checking all the compartments, we had to wait a few minutes before we could pull the truck outside on the street, because there was a car in the spot where we had to put the truck. When that person left, I went in the passenger seat, and my dad in the drivers seat. Once we parked the truck, we had to pull the jacks out (four of them, two on each side), which are used to stabilize the truck when you go to aerial operations.
Once the jacks were out and pinned, my dad and F.F. Peter Escobedo and I climbed up the back steps on the side of the truck, to where the aerial controls are to raise, lower,extended,retract and rotate left to right. F.F. Peter Escobedo, with my dads permission, let me work the controls for the aerial. The first thing I did on the controls, was I raised the aerial up out of the bed, on a 70 degree angle and extended the aerial about 65 feet. My dad told me to always look up at what you are doing, but I had a little trouble doing that because the sun was in my eyes! After I extended the aerial, F.F. Peter Escobedo asked me if I wanted to climb up, and I said yes! I started climbing up, and F.F. Peter Escobedo was right behind me to make sure my hands and feet were in the right climbing position, so I wouldn't interfere with the cables and pulleys. At about 30 feet or so, my dad told me to start coming down. Before I listened to him and came down, I went up a few more feet. I ended up climbing up a total of 35 feet!
Once I came down, it was time to put everything away. Meaning, I had to lower the aerial back into its bed, and put the jacks away. Then, once that was done, I went in the passenger seat, my dad in the drivers seat, and F.F. Peter Escobedo stopped the traffic so my dad could back the fire truck back into the firehouse.
When that was done, we didn't have anything else to do, except the paperwork that my dad had to fill out. While he was doing that, two things happened. First, Lt. Chick (his nickname) came in to give a refresher course on the Epi-pen to everyone. Second, while Lt. Chick was waiting for the engine to come back, a call came in for the truck. We had to go on a CALL, and I was able to go with them in the fire truck. I was so excited, my dad had to remind me to put my seat belt on. When we were about halfway to the call, we got a call saying that we were not needed and we could turn around and go back! When we got back, all the firefighters were getting lunch before the class. Once everyone was back, Lt. Chick started the class. Unfortunately, my mom came in the middle of the class to pick me up, so I had to leave!
I can't wait to go back, and I actually will be, since I need to have 35 hours of community service.
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