I became a volunteer firefighter.
This was my husband’s thing to start with. He’s been telling me since he came home from deployment that he wanted to find the volunteer firefighter program here in Kingsland once we’d moved and see if he could qualify. As you all probably know he was on a submarine for many years and this is our first (and probably only) shore command. Everyone on the sub has more than one job, handling the main duties on their daily schedule and pitching in on occasional but necessary jobs. Like handling fires when the happen. Alex happily volunteered and learned everything there is to learn about fighting fires on a submarine and was really pleased about it. He had a lot of fun with it and wanted to do more. As soon as we got here he got online and figured out where to go to talk to someone about the program and fill out the application. He went to the first night of training, while I stayed home and played video games, and when he came home we talked about it for a bit. He mentioned, sort of in passing, that they did support personnel training at the same time and that it might be something I would enjoy. I decided to go check it out.
I thought that would be all I would do. In the support class I could learn how to operate some of the equipment, use the defibrillator, even drive the truck. And it’s something Alex and I could share outside of the house, which is important to us. That’s pretty sweet right? What else could I want? Everyone was so nice, helpful, and encouraging to me and started asking me why I didn’t just go ahead and take the test. I should at least try. They were sure I could do it. So that’s how last night I found myself with an oxygen tank strapped to my back running up stairs, carrying hoses, and dragging a 165 pound dummy to safety.
It was one of the most physically challenging things I’ve ever done, and I did it in four minutes and forty seconds. It was the slowest time of the night, but it was still well under the required limit. Not to mention I was the only women surrounded by grown men (only three of which weren’t professionals) and, honestly, I think I could have done better. Everyone encouraged me. Everyone cheered for me. When I finished the test and took the helmet off, breathing hard and exhausted, Alex was right there to help me get the tank off, beaming and bubbling over with pride. It was a little surreal.
I did it. I’m qualified. I can still hardly believe it. And I'm thrilled.
