Sorry about not posting in a long while!!

I am very sorry that I have not made a post in a long while. I have just been really busy and I was also out of town for almost 2 weeks. I will make another post right after this one on the latest shift I worked at the 3 house. At the beginning of June, like the first week, I took a 16 hour Intro to Fire and Emergency Services class. The class was very informative and I learned alot!! Thanks to the Instructors of that class!!! Well I am very sorry about not posting but I will get you up to speed now!!

Beau Doss

Another day at Ladder 3!!!!

Yep, You guessed it! We were an Engine Company today! The Ladder was in the shop for Aeriel

Maintenance. We do miss our baby but I really like this truck! We had reserve Engine 10, It has everything I like on a fire truck. All backwards jump seats, Q siren, Deck gun and Air Horn Chains instead of the pedals. I like truck work more than engine work but I don't mind having this truck for a while.Here is a picture of the Deck Gun:

Yeah, now that I have a deck gun, I'm ready for the big one! The day started off with the normal truck and equipment check offs. I got all my turnout gear and extra equipment by my seat ready. I then proceeded to go through every cabinet on the Engine to familiarize myself with the equipment on the truck and where everything is located. I take pride in getting my spot ready on the truck and to make sure everything on the truck is ready because you have to be ready for anything. You never know what is going to happen in the Fire Service. After check offs, we went to our daily housework and some people fixing themselves breakfast. We decided to clean out and re-organize the Fridge and our shifts pantry. I was going through all these different sauces, asking the Lt. if I should toss various items. When I came across a hot sauce, labeled "Hottest Sauce In The World"; I opened it and took a smell of it and it smelt sweet. The Lt. told me to try some and said it wasn't that hot. I, (being the idiot), believed him. I put some on finger and licked it. OH MY GOSH! That was so HOT! I started sweating and my mouth began to numb up, and I was just going nuts! DO NOT EVER TRY THIS! Here is a pic of the bottle: After a little while, we played some Corn Hole, I sucked. Lol. We were about to head to Station 6 for EMS training when we were dispatched to a Commercial Fire Alarm with Water Flow, around 1145 hrs. We arrived on scene shortly and gained access to the Sprinkler room. There turned out to be no water flow and I think the alarm was reset by the alarm company. All units were then put back in service. Units responding were E-10, E-6, T-6, T-2, R-3 and B-1. We then proceeded to Station 6 for our EMS training at 1200 hrs. The training was going over the EMS Unit and getting familiar with where their equipment is located so in case we have to grab something for them then we know where it is at. The training was very helpful and informative. Here is a shot if the rig at training:Afterwards, we stopped for lunch at Jersey Mikes Subs, that was very good. After lunch the rescue went to the store to pick up some stuff for dinner. Later on we played more Corn Hole with competitions against the Truck guys and Rescue guys, the Truck lost both games. I hit the coach and fell asleep reading a book on Truck Company Fire Ground Operations and slept till about 15oo hrs. A little bit later, We were dispatched to a Lift Assist/Welfare Check, we responded non-emergency to an address with the numerical 1556 and it took us forever to find it because of all the confusing townhouse streets and the way they are set up. We arrived at the address that was given to us and the residents at that location said that they didn't call 911 and nobody had fallen. Well then we went back down to look for it in another part, when we passed the Locksmith, that had been dispatched there, to let us in. They had 1553, so, we proceeded back up to that address and shortly after looking in the back door to find the woman on the floor and heard her dog barking because she had asked the 911 operator if we heard a dog. The locksmith let us in and we went in trying to avoid the angry little dausand. We helped her up, checked to see if she was hurt and asked her some questions and talked to her. The Lt. requested an EMS unit at our location and when they arrived we handed it over to them and went back into service. When we were pulling back up to the station, we noticed that our baby, Ladder 3, was back!! Here she is with a fresh coat of wax, shining in the sun!

Ain't she a beaut?! We then took of all the equipment off the Engine and put it back on the Ladder to get her put back into service. After we finished, Steve, Richey, and I played some football out back and got some good exercise in. As we were playing ball, we were dispatched to a MVC with injuries, we ran down the bay, with me screaming "First Call back on Ladder 3!!!!", we responded and the Rescue arrived in scene before us and said we could go back into service because we were not needed. We came back to the station and cooked dinner and cleaned up the kitchen and dishes and my shift ended shortly after that. I do apologize for the really long post tonight. There was alot to cover, as it was a busy day and a fun day. I hope you enjoyed this post and hope you continue to read my blog as I write (I mean type) ha ha.

Beau Doss

Ride-out with Ladder 3 yesterday!!

One of the many great benefits to being a Fire Explorer, Is being able to do ride outs on companys for a shift. The ride out period is usually 0800 hours to 1000 hours but I go into work with my Dad and ride from 0600 hours to 2000 hours, which is a 14 hour shift. You can also shorten that however you need to. I have been doing the Explorer program since 2006 so I have alot of experience. Yesterday, I was on Ladder 3, which for is where I primarily ride at. My Dad is the engineer on this company and I have know the rest of the guys of the crew for a majority of my life. The day started off with the regular truck and equipment check offs, then we went to the store to get stuff for breakfast and dinner. When we returned, breakfast was started and Lt., Kyle, Ryan, and myself played some Beatles Rockband. Breakfast was then served, Sausage gravy and biscuits, bacon, sausage patties, eggs, and hashbrowns. Good eatin! Ladder 3 was rolling 5 deep yesterday and it got a little packed in the back. My favorite place to ride is the seat riding backwards. Here is my gear sitting ready to go on the truck:

I like riding backwards because of the traditon, all of the older Engines and Ladders, etc., had backwards seats. I also like it because there is more room and it is faster to get out too. Anyways, back to the shift, the majority of the day was slow and boring. Rain and storms were starting to make our way but the were smaller than predicted. We were dispatched to an MVA near the entrence of the mall, shortly after we arrived on scene, we discovered that it was only a little fender bender, with one patient complaining of back pain; the Ladder placed themselves back in service while the Rescue stayed behind to assist EMS with patient care. Then we went back to being bored. I managed to finish my book, oh how I love just sitting on the apparatus floor and read a book! We played some more Rockband and later got dinner cooked. For dinner we had Mexican food, Yum! After dinner we just hung around. Oh I forgot, before dinner, we watched the movie "Brotherhood, Life in the FDNY", Good movie, I highly recommend it. So after dinner, I went over the equipment of the Ladder and Rescue. Got to love haligan tools!! That is my favorite tool. That pic is of one off the Ladder and two off the Rescue, the Rescue actually has three of them. Then, We were dispatched to a lift assist at a local assisted living home, went and help an old fella up and then went back in service. Shortly after that, Station 6 was dispatched to an MVA on the interstate and then dispatch changed it to Station 2, we rolled on it. One thing that sucks about being an explorer is that you have to stay in the truck, but oh well. Engine and Rescue 2 arrived right before us and canceled us. Then they got on the radio and said that it was a medical call. Sucks for them. After returning to the 3 house, my shift was over and I headed home. Sorry about the long post, I guess I get that from reading Capt. Wines' blog! Thanks for reading, so long till next time!

KMG 365,

Beau Doss

New to Blogging!

Hey,

I am a Fire Explorer with the Franklin Fire Dept and also a Junior Firefighter with the Lascassas Volunteer Fire Dept; both are in Tennessee. I love the job of firefighting and can't picture myself doing anything else as a career; I grew up around a firefighting family so it is in the blood. I am new to blogging and I wanted to start this blog to share my experiences in this job from an Explorers point of view and also to discuss topics relating to the job. I will also do reviews on products, books,movies,collectibles, etc. of the fire service. I was inspired by Captain Wines of the Roanoke City FD who runs the blog "Wooden Ladders and Iron Firemen", awesome blog. If you have never read his blog than you can visit it at http://http//woodenladdersandironfiremen.blogspot.com/. I give his blog a two thumbs up, I never miss a post! I was also inspired by the crews of RFD Station 9 for their blog at http://http//enginecompany9.blogspot.com/. Again, another, tremendous blog! Good Job boys! I'm gonna go ahead and admit (if you haven't already figured out), I'm a squirrel. :D hahahahaha Lmao!! Anyways, I love the job with all my heart and I don't mind being a squirrel. The name of this blog "The Fire Explorer" is because that's what I am but the second half of it: "Chasing the Dream" came from my dream to be a professional firefighter since like I was very very little. I will sit and day dream about becoming a firefighter, if I were to become a firefighter, my life, would be totally complete. So enough about that, I am hoping this blog will continue to grow. I will post as much as possible, I will defiantly post on days I work shifts in Franklin (which I have one Saturday) and when I run calls or have training with my volley dept. Well, that's it for tonight, got to hit the sack, got school tomorrow.
KMG 365,
Beau Doss