FIRE COLLEGE WEEKEND

FIRE COLLEGE. OH.MY.GOSH.

I honestly have never been happier in my entire life than when I was in Tuscaloosa with my department. I can not explain it. I just felt smile-y (If that's something you can feel) all of the time. The entire weekend.

I was on a campus with hundreds of fire fighters. HUNDREDS. What more could you want out of life? Hundreds of people who think just like me and who want to help people and who are a thousand times more experienced than I could ever imagine. It's crazy. I never wanted to leave.

When Matt was driving us to the first morning of 8 a.m. classes, I was SOO nervous. I was worried about being the only beginner and not being able to answer and of the questions and being judged because I was a girl and being the only one from my department in there and not making friends. I AM a beginner, nothing can change that, and I was easily one of the youngest and smallest in the class, but everyone was so friendly and willing to help you in any way they could. I realized the people you work with in your department are not your only brothers. The WHOLE fire fighter community as a whole is like one big family. Even if you don't know eachother. I didn't know anyone in that class going in, but coming out, I had so many new friends from departments all over Alabama.

The first day was just strictly in the classroom learning the different methods, strategies, techniques, and just different stuff about the new technologies they are putting cars now a days that could be potentially destructive to you or the patient you are trying to get out of the entrapped car. I love our instructor. His name was Tommy MacPherson from Brindlee Mountain. He was fantastic! He told the best stories and was just very personable, nice, and definitely knew what he was doing. I learned so much just from the lecture presentation part.

The second day was when we got to go out and do the hands on part. We had SIX cars that we got to play on and cut up! We had almost 35 people in our class, so he split us up into two teams. Even though I am inexperienced about a lot of stuff, I knew, even with the very little training that I had of extrication, that I knew more than a lot of the people in that class. Some of them had never even held the tools you use. The guy that was the designated leader of that class would say "Who wants to do this?" and a lot of the time nobody would step up, so I would! I think I did more than most of the guys that day! On one of our breaks, one of the guys said that it looked like I had quite a bit of experience in that field, and I said no not at all! I just had fabulous teachers and great practice in training! I felt so accomplished, even though my arms are pretty sore today. I LOVED IT. Haha, another plus to being one of the only girls there was you get your lunch paid for :)

All of the guys in my group were great. I could have not have asked for a better group of new people to take that class with. I can not wait to go back next time!

I AM SO HAPPY