Graduation
I can't believe it's true. I'm finally a real live firefighter!!!
I got to the fire station around 1815. There were already a few other recruits there helping to set up chairs, bring out the flags, and get the computer set up for the slide show. Our instructors ushered us all into the training room to talk about the ceremony.
Seeing as we all love diagrams, and my instructor is especially proficient at drawing them (this one's for you Aleisha :) ). She showed us how we were to walk in and where we would sit, etc. The recruits from the other department got their badges....we weren't quite so lucky. No badges for us tonight. There weren't enough to go around. So, basically we still looked like recruits, only now we had a button up shirt. Oh well.
We lined up in reverse alphabetical order (as if normal alphabetical order isn't hard enough). I felt like I was lining up for recess in kindergarten. After a few quick words from the Chief we were on our way out into the bay-where our graduation was being held.
The ceremony was like any other; a prayer from one of our Captains and the pledge of allegiance; words of wisdom from our instructors, the chief, etc., and then they called us each up individually to receive our certificates. After that we watched a slide show from the class-pictures from trainings and stuff. It was pretty good; the end of the slide show was pictures of us individually. They were basically a bunch of mug shots because they felt it necessary to take these right after we completed our Mod C & Hazmat classroom exam.
After the ceremony we all mingled with family and friends. My mom, and two of my close friends went out for drinks and appetizers at TGI Friday's. Good times-right? Yeah, until you hear what my mom put us through (one of my friends graduated with me). She said she was going to the restroom. In reality she was talking to the host and waiter-telling them that we were new graduates from the fire academy ("new firefighters") and would like them to announce it to the restaurant. Let's just say it was a little embarrassing...but we got a lot of claps and cheers- and congratulations as people passed our table.
I got some spiffy graduation presents. I got a really nice figurine from my mom-it has a female firefighter with a little girl and her doll. I also got a fire truck and ambulance-both of which have horns, sirens, play music and talk ("ETA 3 minutes..." "Let's roll..."). They also can move. They have enough power with the push of one button to cross my entire kitchen floor and make it to the carpeted hallway-I'm impressed. I also got a "firefighter kit." It had a bunch of cool stuff; a fake axe, radio, whistle, fire extinguisher, etc. Good times. Maybe I'll bring that axe to my first fire. You know what they tell you in the academy, "Never get off the apparatus without at least one tool in your hands." I don't think my officers would be too impressed. But it might be worth the laughs (so long as it wasn't a real fire).
Tomorrow will be my first official day as a firefighter (as far as my fire department is concerned). I still have to get my state results to be completely official, but I'm allowed to go on engine calls now. Yeah!!!
I got to the fire station around 1815. There were already a few other recruits there helping to set up chairs, bring out the flags, and get the computer set up for the slide show. Our instructors ushered us all into the training room to talk about the ceremony.
Seeing as we all love diagrams, and my instructor is especially proficient at drawing them (this one's for you Aleisha :) ). She showed us how we were to walk in and where we would sit, etc. The recruits from the other department got their badges....we weren't quite so lucky. No badges for us tonight. There weren't enough to go around. So, basically we still looked like recruits, only now we had a button up shirt. Oh well.
We lined up in reverse alphabetical order (as if normal alphabetical order isn't hard enough). I felt like I was lining up for recess in kindergarten. After a few quick words from the Chief we were on our way out into the bay-where our graduation was being held.
The ceremony was like any other; a prayer from one of our Captains and the pledge of allegiance; words of wisdom from our instructors, the chief, etc., and then they called us each up individually to receive our certificates. After that we watched a slide show from the class-pictures from trainings and stuff. It was pretty good; the end of the slide show was pictures of us individually. They were basically a bunch of mug shots because they felt it necessary to take these right after we completed our Mod C & Hazmat classroom exam.
After the ceremony we all mingled with family and friends. My mom, and two of my close friends went out for drinks and appetizers at TGI Friday's. Good times-right? Yeah, until you hear what my mom put us through (one of my friends graduated with me). She said she was going to the restroom. In reality she was talking to the host and waiter-telling them that we were new graduates from the fire academy ("new firefighters") and would like them to announce it to the restaurant. Let's just say it was a little embarrassing...but we got a lot of claps and cheers- and congratulations as people passed our table.
I got some spiffy graduation presents. I got a really nice figurine from my mom-it has a female firefighter with a little girl and her doll. I also got a fire truck and ambulance-both of which have horns, sirens, play music and talk ("ETA 3 minutes..." "Let's roll..."). They also can move. They have enough power with the push of one button to cross my entire kitchen floor and make it to the carpeted hallway-I'm impressed. I also got a "firefighter kit." It had a bunch of cool stuff; a fake axe, radio, whistle, fire extinguisher, etc. Good times. Maybe I'll bring that axe to my first fire. You know what they tell you in the academy, "Never get off the apparatus without at least one tool in your hands." I don't think my officers would be too impressed. But it might be worth the laughs (so long as it wasn't a real fire).
Tomorrow will be my first official day as a firefighter (as far as my fire department is concerned). I still have to get my state results to be completely official, but I'm allowed to go on engine calls now. Yeah!!!
posted by Ambulance Girl at 19:57
2 Comments:
GREAT JOB. bravo brovo *Standing ovation* bravo
Congrats! You've worked hard for it, it's got to feel awesome to be there!
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