Fire Marshall Brad

Today I had a very unique opportunity to hang out with firefighters from Orange County. This past week has been proclaimed as Emergency Services Week throughout all of California. The Orange County Fire Authority sent out notices that they would be having demonstrations, so being the E.A. in charge of public protection for my boss, I volunteered to go. I wore my usual dress pants, shirt, and shoes. Unfortunately, I found out that I was a little overdressed, as the secretary in our office had signed me up under participant. I put the fire jacket and fire pants over the clothes I was wearing, put on my helmet, goggles, gloves and boots and was taco bell! (That’s Good to Go for those who don't know)



First they all the participants climb the fire ladder into a building. We didn't have the backpacks on, but suits alone were heavy enough, and they don't bend well around the knees so it was a lot tougher than it sounds. After that they took us to the fire room, where they can recreate different types of fires. They showed us a flashpoint or "backdraft" where the whole room becomes engulfed in flames. What were really cool were the department's new infrared cameras. They can see through the thickest smoke to find any thing with heat. It really helps locate people, and fire that is hiding in the walls or ceiling.

The last part of the demonstrations was probably the coolest. We had to take apart cars, as if there were injured people inside. I got to use this thing that you press on any glass to make it shatter. Then they took out the heavy duty weapons, electric metal cutters that use 60,000lbs of pressure, the Jaws of Life, and a rotary saw.



This was really tiring; we cut off the roof of an old Cutlass Supreme. Then we used the Jaws of Life to take off the doors. By this time I was exhausted and sweating through my clothes, yeah I know it’s pretty gross. Overall it was a great day. I never really considered a career in firefighting but I could definitely see why some are appealed to it. Even though I was just doing simulations it was still a pretty cool rush. I did learn that out of 8000 applications, the OCFA only accepts about 60 of them for 2 academy classes, so competition is crazy. After going through all that I had to go back and sit in my office staring at a computer screen.......makes it seem pretty pointless