Well it's official I'm in the fire department and I'm beggining my on the job training. I've been going to weekly meetings, running around the fire house in full 80 pound gear, checking packs, filling up from the hydrant, and learning the ropes. I was happily welcomed to the 40+ team of volunteer firegfighters, I recieve a pager and full gear this coming Monday, after that I can go on call outs and help with exterior fire fighting and rescue missions. I've also been dropping by during my free time to help them with any maintenance on the engines, talk to the other firefighters or just volunteering my time to them in anyway they need it. I feel honored and slightly intimidated being surrounded by such decorated and talented men and women, some of whom helped during 9/11, but they are all very welcoming and encouraging. They've warned me that the going will get tough at times and that I will see things that I wont ever forget, but at the end of the day we have a duty to protect property and life. I know that I have to start at the bottom, so for now I'm happy cleaning the engines and checking packs, but I've been told that I've done incredibly well, on my first night alone I manged to assemble the full pack after watching the others do it just once. The Capt. and Lou. have said that they have full faith in my ability to become a strong firefighter. I look forward to working along side the brave men and women of Ladder 59.