You Want My Job

The large framed instructor at the front of the room grabbed someone's fire/rescue service training manual. He held it up for all to see and asked, "Do you want my job?" We all answered in unison, "Yes sir." His reply was to slap the book loudly with his hand. "Everything you need to know to get my job is right in here. I know this book cover to cover, and if you want my job you'll have to know the same." He threw the book down on the table and told us we had two minutes to get upstairs and in full gear for a day of practical exercises.
We spent the morning relearning our ScottAirPacks, self contained breathing apparatus that firefighters use to survive in the harsh conditions of a burning building or hazardous materials incident. An instructor with a thick mustache told us we were doing horrible and that we had to relearn the basics. Under his tutelage we practiced donning and doffing the gear until we could barely move.
Next we had to learn how to save ourselves incase we get disoriented and lost in a building. Our first priority is to find the hoseline, we follow along it until we come to a coupling. Couplings have lugs on them used for identifying them in this type of situation. We were locked in a dark, cramped stockroom with a hose strewn randomly about the floor. It looped back on itself, went under cans and all sorts of clutter.
Finding a hoseline, especially an uncharged one, while trying to keep a foot against the wall so as not to become further disoriented, is a trying task. You claw at anything that feels remotely like an inch and three quater line. Its time consuming, nerve wracking because you realize that hoseline is your only hope. You try to hold your breath, make that tank on your back last as long as possible.
But finding the hose is only half of the work of the Long Lug Out drill. In order to navigate out of the area, you need to locate a coupling and feel, through your thick firefighting gloves. You need to find the long lugs to know which way is out, then you follow the hose, hopefully to freedom.
The next drill was a victim search, we put on a blacked out face mask and crawled around in a sheet metal trailer with various obstacles thrown in. Our objective was to find a dummy, meant to be a victim. We were given a tool to extend our reach into the middle of the "room".
Sheets of ply wood were set up to represent the confined spaces we could routinely encounter in a building fire.
I scramble around, poking and sweeping with my tool. Having done search drills before, I tucked my tool between my knees when I encounterd what I thought was the victim. An instructor stealithly snuck over and relieved me of my Haligan. I had lost my extra reach and I didn't even have the victim. After realigning myself with the wall, I inch along, kicking out my feet into the center of the "room". My feet thud against something squishy. Jacknifing myself so my feet go back against the wall, I feel the object. Its a dummy! In one motion I drag the body back to the wall and start to finish my round of the building. My arms strain and my lungs burn when my low air bell starts ringing. A deep breath, hold it, move. With low air, you're reduced to basic functions. I shuffle and drag, holding breath and taking little sips of breath to conserve my air. My mask brightens, i push toward the light, dragging my burden.
But thats just two drills, countless more will follow because, I want his job.