At Last

My whole life I have wanted to be a firefighter/paramedic. On the 3rd I took a giant step closer to my goal. For the past year I have been in contact with a town in southern New Hampshire attempting to secure employment with the fire department. Last Thursday I sat for the oral boards, before three lieutenants and a captain. For forty five minutes I was grilled on how I would respond to certain emergencies and what I would do in different situations.
While it was a relaxed atmosphere, no class A uniforms, just sweatshirts and unzipped boots, I was somewhat nervous. Never one for a suit, I opted to wear the shirt my mom got me for Christmas and a pair of khaki pants. I had been in constant contact with the deputy chief for nearly a year, so he had removed himself from the process but the guys on the board were very nice and even laughing and joking with me.
It started fairly simple, the captain asked me to introduce myself and give a brief history of my experience and my life. So I started telling them about how I worked for four years as a firefighter/EMT in Holden. I told them about how for the past six years I have traveled all over New England taking specialized tech rescue classes, diving and salvage courses, I told them about how I dedicated a year of my life to becoming a paramedic. Over the course of my little ramblage they learned that I love to go camping and kayacking, that heaven for me is a full tank of air and murky black waters. They learned I have a bull mastiff named Gus and that I have plans to become a certified sky diver and that I want a Harley.
Next one of the lieutenants threw me a six foot length of rope and told me I had two minutes to tie a figure eight follow through. I almost jumped for joy as this is one of my favorite knots to tie. Not only is it very strong but it looks beautiful when all dressed up and tightened. Within thirty seconds I had the knot twirled into the rope and dressed with two safety hitches and found myself holding it at arms length for inspection like back in the academy.
"Good job." He said simply and lead me to a table covered in various hand tools. Hefting a Halligan tool he asks me what it is and how to use it. Back in Holden I always took the irons, a Halligan and a flathead axe. So I took it from him told the assembled board that it was a Halligan bar and that it could be used for prying, picking, wedging and jamming. I told them that it is usually married with a flat head axe but that law enforcement prefers a sledgehammer as do some specialized rescue units particularly in industrial settings. Somewhat impressed, the officer took his tool back and told me to explain the rest of the table.
Ceiling hook, used for pulling ceilings, brute force is all, jam it through and pull it down just don't dump it on your head. Bambam tool, a pry bar with a free floating weight on the leading end. Instead of using a flat head, you use the weight to seat the tool and fit the working end into wherever you want it. Spanner wrench, adjust couplings and in a pinch a small pry bar....just don't hit it.
After running through the various implements of a trade I have learned, the captain unzipped a small duffel bag and pulled out a baby doll.
"I'm a father, you just arrived on scene and I come running up to you. This baby is pulse less and apenic. Do your thing." I run through a quick round of CPR, BLSing the baby to the ambulance while trying to get a history from the father. I verbalize dropping a tube in the back of the truck. Instead of an IV I tell them that I will use an intra osseous needle in order to secure drug and fluid access through the baby's tibia. The baby is placed on the monitor and I tell them that I will follow PALS protocols and notify the nearest children's center that I am en route with a pedi code.
The rest of the interview moves fairly quickly. They show me a picture of a three story wood frame building with fire blowing out of the bottom floor. I give a mock radio report of the building and conditions. I request police for crowd control.
We discuss building inspections and how I would deal with buisness owners offering me free things despite not passing inspections.
I tell them how a friend of mine is getting me in on a class to be certified in Neonatal Resuscitation by the American College of Pediatrics.(To be chronicled)
Finally its over and the deputy chief meets me at the door, tells me I did a good job and that he looks forward to working with me. I learn that I will be assigned to that very station, cross manning the ambulance and the first due engine for that sector of the town. He tells me that the chief likes my idea of a paramedic level technical rescue team capable of rope, confined space and water/ice operations with the possibility of a dive element. As soon as New Hampshire recognizes my NREMT Paramedic card, he tells me I will be hired.
After I finish up at the fire department I sit for a second interview. This one with the Rockingham County Ambulance Service. A countywide EMS agency that provides EMS for Nashua, Manchester and Candia with paramedic intercept for the numerous Intermediate level towns that pepper the county.
With a firefighter schedule. Two nights, two days, four days off, I will be able to have a second job. Hopefully Rockingham will see fit to take me on but if not I was offered whatever schedule i want at 20 dollars an hour with New England.
Within the next month, paperwork willing, I should be working A-2 and Engine 4 out of Pinardville.