Lazy Sunday

Today is Sunday. That means most people at stations throughout our department are enjoying an easy day. If your station has an ambulance, you order supplies for it. Otherwise you have no weekly duties on Sunday. It's the day of rest.

We decided to do a little training. It started with one guy saying "you know, it's been a while since I did any refreshing on my knots" and evolved from there. We all stood around the kitchen practicing various knots. Then the training escalated to an all day, multi company drill. A nearby station sent two trucks over to train with our four crew members, and we set up a hose evolution in the bay. There were two hose lines- the first one was lengthy and one had to find the nozzle, then find your way out of the building. At each tool or piece of equipment you came to, you had to tie the appropriate knot for hoisting that tool, complete with safety knot. Blindfolded (face piece covered so you couldn't see). In full gear. Breathing air, wet gloves, hoses spraying you, etc. It was quite challenging but honestly very realistic.

The second drill was removing a downed firefighter. The dummy weighs between 180-200 pounds, and without an air pack on is pretty difficult to tie a rope to without having it slip off. We had to be blind, in full gear of course with air and water and soggy wet gloves, water shooting up your pants leg and down your boot. Droplets spraying through your hood and filling your ears. We had to find the nozzle, find our downed firefighter, and get him out. The floor was flooded and slick, but it was possible.

And if you didn't get your knot right, your rope slipped off and got hung under a nearby hose and the dummy stopped moving, you could try pushing him. "Try" being the key word. This doesn't work so well. OK, this doesn't work at all, but I give him an A for effort! (Poor rookie!)

Sometimes the guy trying to get the dummy out crossed paths with the one trying the knots. This poses an interesting challenge, but they figure it out. Neither can let their body come completely off their hose line- it's the only sure fire way out!


I did the dummy drag twice. I wasn't happy with how I did the first time- my knot slipped off and I had to stop and re-tie it. The second time I did much better and had him out in record time. I think I sweat about ten pounds off of me today, but it was a lot of fun. It was a good challenge and I am ready to go again! I love training like this- obstacle courses!

Of course, when not going through the course the guys entertained themselves reviewing their knots to make....... a swing?