The Life of a Fire Fighter

Journal #638---The Exodus

Date: April, 02nd, 2008


I'm online at the local library, God does provide. Can't get onto MySpace, but oh well. I'll have my Bestfriend check it for me.

Moved in to my new place...across the parking lot from my old place!

God has provided for food, heat (when my furenance is broken) and strong Christian friends to Bible Study with...I have two Bible Studies tonight, back-to-back!

I am single now. My ex sent me two messages on Myspace, but since I can't get online to Myspace, I can't read them. She's probably just sent me a book of reasons why she is always right and I'm always wrong. Since she doesn't have enough guts to call me, I'm not going to waste my time reading them, or at least hurry to them to read them.

God Willing, I'll be able to get back to my online gaming with the Jedi Outcasts here at TFN. Other then that, I started training a few days ago to re-test for that Fire Department. Ran to the Library here today, 0.9 miles from my house. Plan on running to the gym, across the street and down a block.

Its just good to be back with God. Amen!


Edit: Opps, had to edit the date. Had boht April and March in there.

 

Journal #639---The Exodus

Date: April, 03rd, 2008


I ran to the library again today, this time I started a bit more ways up the hill, hoping it would capture that extra 0.1 for a full mile; I think it would. Its always that second and third work-outs when doing anything that are the hardest. My mind was rebelling against the idea of running and wanted to be lazy and just go to the gym (since I didn't go to the gym yesterday), but the Holy Spirit was telling me the truth of what to do.

When I run to the Library, I always go online to do my TFN stuff, then I run over to the perfect Bible Study area: a Christian Coffee Shop. Its like Star Bucks (although its not a Star Bucks coffee shop) and Christ all wrapped into one, not to mention books, t-shirts, key-chains, etc.

I should be in Alby this weekend with my buddy. No Fire Service relation, although I know that topic will come up. His family is paying for my fuel, food, everything! Blessed be God!


EDIT: Opps, had o fix the date there, had April and March in there.

 

Journal #640---The Exodus

Date: April, 09th, 2008


Went down to the Alby area this weekend, saying hi to some of the Fire Fighters on shift with my buddy who works there; trying to put a face to the name when I retest and reniforce my desire to work for that Fire Department.

Been super busy this week, already almost working thirty hours or more in three days. I need the money (since God answered my prayers on it a few hours, praise and honor be to God forever and ever, Amen!), since I went to the Doctors on Monday and ended up spending over four hundred dollars, since my health insurance wanted 1500 dollars down to just start covering for the Doctor visit. I'm paying in payments, but the Good Lord is already working on the money too. God IS God.

Other then that, its been hard trying to find time to go to the gym the last few days, but God is working in that area too today.

Bought the Hitman Trilogy for PS2 on Monday; even though I'm short on money, I think it was a wise investment of 32 dollars for three games, and a series that is suppose to be really good (I haven't played it before).

Okay, onto the exciting news. I was promoted to Captain at my local Volunteer Fire House on Saturday! They wanted to promote me to a Line Captain position, but I turned down the offer (for lack of experience and certifications) and instead I am a Training Captain, in charge of Structural Fire Fighting training. I'll take the Line Captain promotion when the time is right, but the Fire Department made it clear, or the Assistant Chief who promoted me at least, that he wants me in a Line Officer position to gain experience and to help the Fire Department. This opens up more possabilities in the Fire Service now. My first assigment was politics. Dealing wih government officals over the phone is like pulling teeth from an awake lion, not to mention all the red tape. Although I am making progress on my first assigment as an officer, if very slow progress.

Oh, and in other news on 'What God did today,' the Big Man Upstairs has also secured a way for me to recert my State of Colorado EMT-Basic certification! Glory be to God!

 

jason if you liked the movie hitman then you probly like the games

-Donovan

 

Yeah, the first game is pretty cool. I'm stuck on this one level though.

Journal #641---The Exodus

Date: April, 17th, 2008

Okay, yesterday was a double blow day. First of all, I learn that I wasn't even called for an interview for my old Fire Department Jackson 105 Fire Protection District, who is hiring part-time. I spent three years there and poured my blood and soul into that place and they didn't even have the respect to call me. I guess when you move out of state, you find who your true family and friends are. I was pretty butt sore over it yesterday, but I'm over it now. Its God Will, let His Will be done, not mine. There 's something greater for me coming.

And then I learned that my first ever mentor in the Fire Service, the man that really helped me get started in the Fire Service, moved out of state to go teach at another college and didn't even tell me.

Man, yesterday was a rough day.

 

Journal #642---The Exodus

Date: April, 30th, 2008


Saturday one of our Fire Fighters went down during training. There was a slight confusion as to the anture of the mayday call, since the Assistant Chief thought it was part of the training; even though it was a training, a RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) went in. It was me and another Fire Fighter who went in. About half way through the building, the true nature of the mayday, this not being part of training, but a true emergency, was relayed to the RIT via radio. Me and my partner produceed to the downed Fire Fighter and the Chief, who was conducting a Primary Search as part of training.

I went evry quickly from RIT to EMT once I got outside the building, since I was only one of two EMT's on scene. Although the Fire Fighter was not serious hurt, just over-heated due to a lack of hydragation, we all learned a very important lesson Saturday. He ended up getting treatment.

Other then that, sometimes it sucks being an officer. I ran into that Saturday. Although I saw where the Assistant Chief (my Dad of all people) was going with his tactics regarding Primary Searches and I agreed with the intent behind it, I completely disagreed with how we deployed the tactics. We didn't have the hose length or man-power to support the tactics involved (which was my argument), although on the flip side (where my Dad was coming from), we didn't have the man-power to support my tactics. Although Nation-wide, each Fire Department used different tactics regarding Primary Searches, each Department must adopt to their resources. And although I disagreed with the tactics employed, I have to admit that considering our man-power resources we would have on a structure fire, I could see and agree with the tactics employed in the training.

Other then that, I had a talk with one of my now very close Christian buddies. And despite the money problems still, I can feel God again like I did before I left for Raton back in June, which I haven't felt Him in that way since I left Colorado.

 

Jason, I'm glad to hear that things are going well for you and that you are still keeping up with your online journal here. Keep up the AWESOME work!

God Bless, brutha!

 

Thanks! Its been hard. I'm testing again for another Fire Department in July, the same one I tested for and didn't get on this last time. If I don't get on a second time, I will most likely be moving back to Denver, baring a job a course. Man, trying to get credit card debt down is like trying to convence Donovan to go to the gym...its a never ending battle.

 

dude! in may/june i will be doing push-ups and sit-ups and running aroung the block but i am no going to pay money for just doing that! GOT IT?!?

-Donovan

 

Good luck, dude! Keep trying.

 

Thanks...weather that's to me or Donovan.

Donovan, I'm just giving you crap.

 

atleast i dont waste money on something that you can do for free.

-Donovan

 

I did some of that 'free' stuff today at the local football field. Feel good, but dang bro, I wanted to throw up during it.

 

If you throw up i will come down there and kill you for puking good wasted money on food!

-Donovan

 

Journal #643---The Exodus

Date: May, 24th, 2008


Its been slow this last month for me at the Fire Department. Last training I ad to tkae off because of Mother's Day and this training was canceled due to the Memorial Day Weekend. I'm still working out the whole Fire Fighter One Certification Program for the Fire Department and trying to get a Live Burn and Fire Fighter One written test set up for two to three of our Fire Fighters, who already went through a Fire Academy and need to re-test.

Now, for me, I have one year and seven months to recertify my Fire Fighter One and I haven't done any training since I joined Raton Fire and Emergency Services and since left. But, there might be a way to get a lot of training in before I test again for another Fire Department in July and I'm in the process of recertifing my State of Colorado EMT-Basic still.

In short, I've been dealing with tons of red tape and not making any realy progress, at least in my eyes. God probably sees this from a different point of view though.

 

Journal #644---The Exodus

Date: May, 31st, 2008


My Dad has resigned from the Fire House over some issues he had with the Fire Chief. My Dad was the Assistant Chief. I couldn't make it to the Fire House today due to gas prices. I notified the Fire Chief, he understands. I'm still a member of the Fire Department, working on stuff with the State of Colorado for the Fire Department.

I got some sad news today that my Dad has to put Baily, my German Shepard down. She has been really sick lately and hasn't ate in three days and her hip finally gave out. Ever since Mason died in January, I know Baily has been very lonely. At least she will be with Mason and Duke in Doggy Heavan. It hit me hard this morning, since Duke, Baily, and Mason were the closet friends I had along with Brennan, Donovan, and Jason. They were (the dogs) really all the blood family I had left. Donovan and gang knowns about my family, so I won't get into that here (it's personal), but when my parents weren't there, my dogs always were. What hurts with all three dogs is that when they died, my life was so busy I often ignored them for my own ends. I made that up with Mason and Baily after Duke's death, but both with Mason and Baily, I couldn't even be there for them when they died or be there the last month or two to see them. I haven't seen Baily in a month and she was always my girl and she knew it and acted like it, but I didn't even have the money to go see her today.]

I gotta stop talking about this. I'll start blamming myself for it. I prayed to God and asked Him to be with Baily and I know He will.

 

Journal #645---The Exodus

Date: June, 28th, 2008


Okay, so some interesting things have happened. My Dad has been given his position back as Assistant Chief and the Fire Chief will be/has been (but it will happen) fired from his position. I guess there were some issues that arouse between the Fire Chief operation of the Fire Department after my Dad left until a meeting the Fire Department had last Wednesday.

As for me, that puts me officially back with the Fire Department. When my Dad left, the Fire Chief and I were on rocky terms, not because of my Dad leaving, but in all reality the Fire Chief was not respecting my rank as a Training Captain and not filling me on what was going on. It made being a Captain of any position hard when your Fire Chief doesn't even let you in on training aspects of the Fire Department, the evry reason you are a Training Captain.

Now, some interesting jobs have opened themselves up recently. If there is still a postion with the State of Colorado Forest Service open, I'm going to go apply in my Dad's region as a Forest Fire Fighter for the rest of the summer. All I have to do is Pact Test. I'm getting bored sitting around. My Dad thinks there might still be positions open with the Forest Service in his region in the Southern part of Colorado.

On another job note, there's another job opening in Raton here where I live, it pays over two dollars more, but it's temporay at first with a strong possability of going full time. I've lifted the matter up to God and waiting for Him to act or give me direction in the issue.

Now, yes, beyond all scientific probability, Jason does talk with women. And no its not my Mother. Since probably a few people know her here, I won't say any names. But long story short, she's a geek like me, so she already has brownie points with me. She lives a little far waya from me, oh about four to four and a half hours---more like four and a half hours---but what started as just friends and talking about God has turned into something more. Now, where God wants it to go is up to Him. We're going to try to meet up the Fourth of July weekend when I'm in Denver for family. We've been talking on the phone and shared photos. For me, as a man seeking God's heart and will, I HAVE TO do as God tells me to do. No more of this giving in and comperising (sp?) for the sake of dating someone---if it indeeds goes into dating---because we all know, well maybe just Donovan and a few others, know what happened with the last girlfriend when I didn't stand firm in my Christian faith and gave in a little there and a little there. Next thing I knew, I fell away from God for three months...the worst three months of my life, but the month after falling and getting back to God had to be THE hardest time of my life so far with God, having Him working through all that sin I built up in three months of falling away from Him.

On another note, when I'm down the Foruth of July, I have to leave Saturday night or really early Sunday morning so I can get back to my Dad's cabin in time to see my Aunt Donna who is going to be in town. I haven't seen her in almost three years and she's my favorite Aunt.

Oh and one more thing I forgot (hence the edit here), was that God had me read Deuteronomy 8 today. Very good reading. God always has a word for you and that was my word today. He will probably have more to speak to me through-out the day on the Bible too. Oh, I gave me very first Bible up last week. God was working on me with it and the first time he told me to do I didn't do it, so after feeling convincted, I prayed to bering that person across my path again so I could give her my Bible. And He did. He brought the person across my path and even though God still had to work on me to give the Bibkle up even after he answered my prayer request and even after He told me waht to do, I ended up giving the person my Bible and one of my favorite Christian CD's that she liked when she listened to it. I don't know if I will ever

 

Journal #646---The Exodus

Date: July, 08th, 2008


I'm coming back to Colorado!

Okay, okay, stop the fireworks. This one comes with some catches. I'll be moving just south of Plebeo, which ain't all that bad. What's bad is the fact that because of some paperwork that wasn't completed by my old Volunteer Fire Department, I might lose my Fire Fighter One certification. It comes from the thing that my HazMat Awarenessess paperwork was never filed and properly sent into the State of Colorado by my Fire Chief and the Fire Chief and Training Officer were not on the same page. The Fire Chief thught he sent it in (when he didn't), while the Training Officer was under the assumption to not send it in. So, long story short, because of a lack of communication between the two, I will lose my Fire Fighter One certification in a year if I can't test out of HazMat Awarenessess and or go try to pass HazMat Operatons again (which has 70% to 80% failure rates). I need one of those HazMat certifications to retain my Fire Fighter One certification.

It's funny, because none of this is my falut. The lady up in the State of Colorado office said that this happens quite a bit with certifications being lost and not renewed.

Okay, so on the bright side of things, I have my State of Colorado Emergency Medical Technician-Basic certification renewed, which means I can at least still test for most Career Fire Departments, since that is usually all they require.

Also, I'm thinking about going to Bible College. I got some information last night that Bible Colleges don't look at math and such scores like a liberial college does, which gives me hope.

 

Journal #647---The Exodus

Date: July, 14th, 2008


Last day in Raton, New Mexico. Off to Walsenburg, Colorado. Applied for that Fire Department North of Alby again today. Other then that, I'll be working at the A&W off of Exit 52 in Colorado. I'll need to find the library in Walsenburg so I can get online.

God Bless everyone and you better drop by to see me! I work the night shift!

 

well see if you were back up here you can have internet but no your down there

 

I found the internet you dork!

Your sig about the claymore minds is just wrong...

The one about you giggling is so true though...

 

Journal #648---The Exodus

Date: August, 04th, 2008


Have some wildland fires to update everyone on, but I'm in a bit of a rush. Have a side-wall puncture in my right rear tire, which means they can't fix it. But since I have all-wheel drive, they say they have to replace all four tires---that's Big O Tires saying that.

I don't have five hundred dollares just laying around right now though.

God will find a way. He always does.

 

Journal #649---The Exodus

Date: August, 25th, 2008


Don't remember if I told anyone, but my Fire Department has a new Chief. My Dad was only the Interm Chief for the month of July. Anyways, we're in the process of re-orginizing the Fire Department. On other news, the Fire Chief and I are still trying to locate a HazMat Operations course and I have been put in charge of all trainings. This Saturday was my third training where I was in charge and things seem to be coming together.

On some sad news, my Mom lost her job after 17 years. It was due to corperate politics from what I understand. I haven't been able to get hold of her, but my Grandmom says she's handling it okay, but is still in shock. My Mom might be moving back to PA, which would mean the only place I would have in Denver is my Best-Friends Brennan, Donovan, and Jason---which is perfectly fine with me, since they are family to me and have been the ones who have stuck it through thick and thin. They're my closest buddies---really my only friends---and I love them like brothers.


EDIT: Oh, really quick, I'm currently reading Tempest in the Legacy of the Force series---finally got into the series after being stuck on Bloodlines for almost a year with things happening in my life (Raton, new jobs, etc.).

EDIT 2: Grammer corrections.

 

Journal #650---The Exodus

Date: September 04th, 2008


Its my birthday today. I'm twenty-four years old. The last two years, I've had a thing to look back on my life the last year of my life and see what I have done and compare it to the previous year of my life.

I'll do one of those looking back the last year of my life here probably tomorrow.

Taking the day off of running today. I bought new running shoes last week, there specially designed for trails and I could tell the difference when I was ran on the highway versus the trail a few days ago. I bought them at Sports Authority along with an ankle brace for my left ankle, which has been a problem for years. I can feel the difference with the ankle brace and the support it gives my ankle and it feels really good. The new running shoes are making running fun again because my feet feel secure, not like I'm running in sandles like my old pair of running shoes that just got worn out.


EDIT: On a sad note, my Mom lost her job after 17 years a few weeks ago do to corperate politics. She was the oldest one there, had the most experience, was the longest one there, and was probably making a pretty penny.

 

Happy Birthday Jason!

 

Thanks Nat!