Back at the station, where the beginning of my “first” was just getting started, we had finished dinner and was finally taking a load off after a day of pack tests, station cleaning, equipment maintenance and other typical station duties. The radio started blaring and station after station was getting called to a fire on Cordelia Road. I couldn’t believe we hadn’t been called to it! Cordelia is not a big city and we’re one of the CFD’s two stations.

Finally, just when I was starting to wonder if we’d be a part of it, we became a part of it.  I’m still fairly new to the Cordelia FD, but I’m not the official “new guy” now that Jimmy Alvarez came on board three weeks ago.  He and I were pretty excited as it was both of our first fires.  We were led by company officer, Engineer Billy Untalan and more experienced firefighter, Anthony Capella.

What amazed me the most was that as Alvarez and I stood there with our Polaski and McCloud, expecting to begin digging and shoveling every hotspot we saw, Engineer Untalan turned to us as we stood at the edge of a burning and smoking creek looking down at the flaming grass and litter, and told us to take the nozzle. I was thrilled, and took it before Jimmy got a chance.

There weren’t any gigantic, blazing, out of control fires to put out, but there were a good number of smaller ones and plenty of glowing embers everywhere.  Some of the trees even had branches of burning leaves and these were of course a lot of fun to shoot down.  I sprayed water at everything I could adjusting my nozzle at times for better reach or for a wider, wetter spray for soaking closer fires.

The interesting thing was the obvious odor of man-made items burning.  The ravine that this fire happened in was two things among other: 1) A home to the homeless as there were a number of chairs, tents and sleeping bags set up in particular area, and 2) an unofficial junkyard.   The local homeless who inhabited this brushland, probably had no hesitation about using it as a trashcan as well as sleeping quarters.   Also, I imagine that even members of the general public used this conveniently inconspicuous area as an easy way to throw out large unneeded items.  It was night so it was hard to see exactly what was down there, but there seemed to be plenty of old bottles, a bicycle, some old crates, plywood and possibly some old carpet.  One of the lessons I learned on this fire, was ALWAYS have a working flashlight on hand, and preferably attached to your helmet or turnouts.

Inhaling the smoke from this burning litter was horrible.  It smells like poison.  All I could think of was my Capt. McCumber who taught my Fire 101 class and how he frequently told us that most firefighters die within a few years of retirement from cancers usually brought on by the gases of burning chemicals.  Suddenly his words were so true.  I tried to not breath it in, but when you’re working hard and the smoke is everywhere, there’s just no escaping it.

If you’re wondering why I wasn’t wearing breathing apparatus, it’s because you don’t wear your SCBA on wildland fires.

Getting back to the story, I was spraying everything glowing or burning that I could see when suddenly there was an explosion just down the slope where I was standing. It was bright, white and violent, and I knew immediately that it was probably magnesium or a similar flammable metal. I wasn’t sure if there was a specific protocol to be followed, like using a class D extinguishing agent, so I focused the stream on other hot spots while Alvarez notified Engineer Untulan.

Billy came over, took the nozzle shot a bit of water on it, and sure enough it popped with white light.  He then surprised me by completely dousing it, obviously causing some serious chemical reactions, and eventually leading to a brilliant explosion of white light.  After that, it fizzled out pretty quickly.  It is worth noting that there was nobody else around and the metal itself (I still don’t know exactly what it was) was a pretty safe distance down this slope and ahead of us.

At this point Jimmy took over the nozzle and I began….

Q. Who do you feel has been one of the most influential people in the fire industry within the last decade and why?

A. Retired Fire Chief Alan V. Brunacini of the Phoenix Fire Department –The PFD are on the leading edge of many new policies, procedures and modern technologies. They have a unique take on modern leadership and span of control and Alan had a lot to do with that.  Also, former State Fire Marshall, Ronnie Coleman.  He’s been doing fire service accreditation around the state and that’s making big differences in the quality of service being offered.  Agencies are reviewed using a set of criteria which verify that departments are doing what they’re supposed to be doing.  This helps raise the bar in terms of their service to the community and being accredited gives departments ammunition in the fight for funding.

Q. Who has been your biggest influence and why?

A. Alan Brunacini – He’s not enamored with tech and he’s a big proponent of safety.  He won’t let firefighters take risks over property, especially when it’s only going to be torn down a few days later anyway.  He always asks the question “What are we risking here?”  Life risks are taken only for life saves.

Q. What changes do you see (or imagine) coming to the fire service within the span of the 21st century?

A. The core mission will remain the same, but expansion in the medical field would be good.  The scope of practice for the paramedic is what it is, but bringing in more advanced techniques and a broader reach with drugs could be beneficial.  One potential change I hope doesn’t happen is the idea that more and more will be done at the Fire station itself.  Getting stitches at the ER takes forever; it might start being done at the Fire House.

I think we’ll need to prove our public value and worth through accreditation. Take our budget (which pushes $50 million dollars a year) and consider if that much money was even at fire risk over the course of the year. What is it really worth to go in, stop a fire, and save a house which is going to end up being torn down and rebuilt anyway?

Q. What do think the biggest “hole” in firefighter equipment is today?

A. We struggle in getting all people in the fire service to understand the value we need to provide to the public. We need to understand how important public value is.  The big budget and these fire engines need to “enhance” the value of living in the city in which we live. “I think the fire service believes its own press-clippings.  Also, we still kill people (firefighters) for no good reason. We need to recognize what’s worth the life risks we’re taking.

Q. In regards to fire prevention, what changes need to come, and where have we seen recent success?

A. Residential sprinkler ordinances have been a huge success.  Problem is, the building industry fights us at every turn.  Also, we need to ban wood-shake roofs.  We need to have the insurance industry come down on people who do not take proper fire prevention precautions.  I see homes all the time that are un-savable, but could easily be modified for fire prevention.

We are seeing success in hazard and weed abatement.  Between The “cedar fire” in San Diego county and the “Witch Fire” (2003 and 2007)…. they set up the reverse 911 system which did a tremendous job getting people out of the way of those fires, and ultimately saved a lot of lives.

Q. Are you familiar with any of the following emerging technologies?* (*See The Future Of Firefighting post)

A. I’m not a big fan of “technology” because I view it as a huge cash cow for businesses trying to invent the next big hit.  I find we always go “back to basics” for which they have training programs of the same name.  We are seeing certain additives to water which are allowing us to improve the effectiveness of our “basic” firefighting practices.  The more technology there is, the more room there is for it to break down.  I’m a big fan of simple & reliable.  I see more and more information systems like PASS and air status systems which help, though I still do pretty well with my clip board.

Q. Do you see the governments’ financial problems affecting the future of firefighter salaries and retirement packages?

A. I do.  It’s tough because you’re dealing with negotiated union contracts which are fairly safe.  Still, there are a lot of public entities who are reliant on the government having money to pay them.  I think we’ll see a tiered system in the future.  Something’s gotta give.

Specifically, this post will highlight four emerging technologies. One is a new version of an old idea. Two are closer to reality than we might have imagined, though still have many years of development ahead of them.. The last one (some pretty slick engines) already being used in limited practice, but may never actually see American soil.

Fit-5 Fire Extinguishing Grenade

Often times the best ideas are the simplest. A new device called the FIT-5 highlights that notion, at least in its use. Though the science behind the FIT-5 is not as simple as dousing a fire with water, its concept is just as simple. During a fire, the fire itself becomes its own sustained heat source. Water removes this piece of the fire tetrahedron (oxygen, fuel, a heat source, and a chemical chain reaction). In the case of the FIT-5, it’s the oxygen that is removed from the equation. ARA Safety who manufactures the FIT-5 says “the device can fully extinguish a class B (fuel-based) fire in a room 2,100 cubic feet (60 cubic meters) or less and reduce fire temperatures from 1,000 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (540 to 150 degrees Celsius) in less than 10 seconds. The FIT-5 is also designed to control class A (ordinary combustibles) fires enough so that firefighters can douse them with water.”

As explained by Larry Greenmier of Scientific American “the FIT-5 releases a wispy cloud of potassium carbonate, a flame retardant that suppresses combustion and disrupts fire at the molecular level.”

The FIT-5 has it’s limitations of course. While it’s a great tool, it’s not ideal for fires in wide open spaces and like traditional fire extinguishers, it won’t last that long before it runs out of extinguishing agent. Still, it has some very convincing uses including being an agent of egress when fire is blocking an exit. Also, in cases where it may not be able to extinguish a fire altogether, it can buy firefighters additional time by offering at-the-moment suppression of a flame area or by delaying flashover in cases where water may not yet be available.

Another exciting and useful technology working its way toward completion is the TRX’s Firefighter Sentinel System. This is essentially a tracking system that works like GPS, except on a much smaller basis. Rather than road maps for the country, and a dot to show where your car is, the TRX system creates maps of buildings and structures and dots showing where firefighters are. PASS devices are great tools for finding downed firefighters, but if you’re not within earshot or the building is large, it may not be enough.

FF with TRX tracking- Communications Module shown on top. Tracking Module show on bottom.

The Sentinel system works by having firefighters wear a small tracking beacon/ communication unit on their gear. A signal is sent from this unit to a base station where their exact location and movement can be tracked. If they are in a structure for which floorplans are available, directing them or finding them (if downed) is very easy. If there is no existing floorplan, the devices create one based upon the movement of firefighters throughout the structure.

In an interview with Firehouse.com, Steven T. Edwards of the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute said “This represents the future of firefighter safety. You look at the firefighter fatalities throughout the country and there are trends,” he said. “(Firefighters) are disoriented; they come into an area of the building where they get away from their crew and the hose line where no one knows where they’re at… You might have a few minutes to attempt a rescue, and to have that location and direct a rescue team to that specific location is a huge step forward.”

While the Sentinel tracking system isn’t quite ready yet, it’s much closer to implementation than our next future technology. Get ready to delve into sci-fi land as we discuss Robotic Exoskeletons.

BLEEX Lower Extremity Exoskeleton

Straight out of the Terminator movies, exoskeletons are just what you’d think: “Robotic …human performance augmentation systems worn by humans to enhance mechanical strength and power.”  Among a number of well-funded private companies, the University of Berkeley Robotics Laboratory has been making significant progress is the development of exoskeletons.  They’ve already completed their first “Bleex 1″ (Berkeley lower extremity exoskeleton) and are working on the second version.

The most significant benefit of a robotic exoskeleton for firefighters would be the ability for them to climb many flights of stairs with multiple times the weight (in hose, gear or even rescues), without fatiguing.

The challenge faced in making this sort of technology realistic for fire fighting is to make the designs lightweight, efficient, reliable and of course safe. In addition they’re going to need to be affordable and have gone through extensive testing before cities would be willing to dish out the money required to buy these fantasy-like machines.

Many of these challenges are being attacked in the construction of the BLEEX 2. The focuses for improvement for this version include a lighter and quieter hybrid engine, and extended range, flexibility, and agility of the system. I believe it may be decades, or even a full century before we see exoskeletons perfected, but that at some point they will be put to use in reality. Firefighting, combat, and construction are just a few realistic places this unique technology could make history.

Learn more about Exoskeletons in this article by Scientific American.

The final future technology we’re going to consider is one that is the stuff of little boys’ dreams – yes, the big red machines. There are a number of truck and engine manufacturers in the U.S. and around the world, but one of the worlds largest is the Austrian company, Rosenbauer. Though their apparatus are seen primarily in other countries, I believe it’s likely that within the 21st century, we’ll see trucks like theirs being built by American manufacturers.

Rosenbauer Apparatus

Rosenbauer’s vehicles are more than just slick-looking futuristic machines. Advantages include compact body dimensions, decreased body weight, streamlined roll-up doors without the need for additional step-boards, premium stowage systems and tons more.

I could list multiple pages of highlights and feature, but that’s all available in their website.  In the end, the sum of their design means that firefighters will be able to get to fires faster and fight them more efficiently. Access to equipment and tools will be faster and often with less effort and risk of injury.

In conclusion, it is definitely a very exciting time to be in the fire industry.  I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into the future of firefighting.   Comment below and let me know your thoughts!

One of the most tragic aspects of this fire was the fact that the audience was made up primarily of women and children, as the show they had gone to see “Mr. Bluebeard” was a Wednesday matinee playing during the holiday season. The theater was actually not supposed to be open and ready by then, but in an effort to take advantage of the holiday and sell more tickets, construction of the theater was rushed, leaving some of it incomplete. In addition, on that particular Monday afternoon, the theater had about 2,000 customers. Its occupancy limit was 1,724.

1. Gravestone of a victim

It was well into the second act that the fire started. A spark from a malfunctioning light ignited a drop curtain and the fire started. It spread quickly catching fire to drapery, decorations, and thousands of square feet of canvas scenery flats. Roof vents intended to handle smoke and heat had been sealed off, preventing the heat, smoke and gases from escaping – a result of the hurried construction. A fire curtain was supposed to lowered, but as luck would have it, the stage hand trained in its operation was out sick and his replacement was not prepared to manage it.

Despite the orchestra continuing to play, some of the actors found egress through a backstage door. This was good for them, but terrible for those patrons still up in the balconies. When the door opened, a huge influx of fresh air was pulled into the theater blowing the flames from the stage, right over the orchestra as well as a large portion of the audience, heat and smoke rising to the balconies.

2. The scene when the fire began is highlighted by the star symbol on the left.

Two stage hands had tried hopelessly to the insufficient extinguishing tools available, but the fire was growing too big, too fast. The thousands of audience members began scrambling to escape, but due to the over-packed crowd there was no way for them to escape the small main doorway. Fire exits existed, but were either hidden by curtains, poorly marked (if marked at all), and in some cases, locked, to keep unpaid patron out. The theater employees were untrained and unprepared for a disaster such as this.

3. Officials measuring the exit where hundreds were killed and burned. Many of the exits opened inward, or were simply locked.

Finally, the flames grew so great that nobody could escape. Those who tried, had to crawl over the bodies of the dead or dying. Still, many were trapped by metal fencing used to separate the cheaper seating from the more expensive. A few jumped from windows, and some of them lived, for their fall was cushioned by the victims who came before them. A few more escaped by a variety of means, but almost half of the people in attendance that day, perished.

This was one of our countries most significant fires, but it didn’t end with only the loss of life. As a result of this tragedy, Chicago shut down all of its theaters until they underwent inspection and any needed renovations to ensure their fire safety.

The rest of America soon followed in those footsteps implementing new laws, regulations and codes regarding fire safety. They did this based on a number of lessons learned from the catastrophe that was the Iroquois Theater Fire (ITF).

4. Charred and darkened remains of the theater.

First, it was determined that all exits need to be clearly marked, unobstructed and easily operated. The Iroquois Theater had actually used a European style lock called a bascule lock, which Americans were unfamiliar with.

In addition, locked gates blocked the descending stairs exiting the balcony sections. Another thing to come about as a result of the fire was the crash bar, also known as a panic bar.

At the time, automatic sprinklers were a fairly new thing. If the Iroquois Theater had installed them, it can be reasoned that this tragedy never would have happened. Consequently, theater stages must now be protected by sprinklers.

Draperies and curtains need to be fire resistive. These were the primary reason that growth stage of the ITF happened so fast. Between the draperies, curtains, decorations and wood, the theater has such a tremendous fuel load, the fire grew out of control very quickly. Fire resistive materials would have slowed or even halted this growth.

Greed is bad, bad thing. Just as theater management rushed construction for that extra holiday money, they also let it way more people than the building allowed for. This caused major crowding and egress problems when the fire started and it is documented that very many of the people who died that day, were crushed or trampled by other patrons. This led to much stricter enforcement of building occupant load limits.

As mentioned earlier, two employees tried feebly to extinguish the fire. When that effort failed, panic and chaos quickly set in among everybody in the building. If employees had been trained in emergency evacuation procedures, they may have been able to help facilitate an orderly and effective escape.

Ultimately, the incident at the Iroquois Theater was a horrible tragedy that resulted in great improvements in multiple aspects of fire safety including policies, procedures, ordinances and design.

REFERENCES CITED

FPP (2005) Fire Prevention Applications (1st editon) pg. 11
Oaklahoma State University; Stillwater Oaklahoma
“tragedy.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tragedy
“Iroquois Theater Fire.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 28 Mar 2009,

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iroquois_Theater_Fire&oldid=280257619

“Iroquois Theater Fire.” Chicagology (As viewed April 11, 2009)

http://chicagology.com/notorious-chicago/iroquois-theatre/

“The Iroquois Theater Fire.” Eastland Memorial Society (April 11, 2009)

http://www.inficad.com/~ksup/iroquois.html

“A Tragedy Remembered” National Fire Protection Association , NFAP Journal July/August 1995 http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/iroquois.pdf
“Exit Devices: Von Duprin Changes the Face of Commercial Security”; Nov 5, 2008
Article Alley Jenny Schweyer, http://www.articlealley.com/article_683377_15.html
Images
Img. 1 – Flickr (johnmartine63) flickr.com/photos/johnmartine63/476059178/
Img. 2, 3 – Karl J. Sup Collection, Eastland Memorial Society (April 11, 2009)

http://www.inficad.com/~ksup/iroquois0.html

Img. 4 – Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-chicagodays-iroquoisfire-story,0,6395565.story

The purpose of a resume is to say “This is who I am!” in 30-60 seconds.  That’s it!  That’s all you get!  Long winded explanations how you did your job and why you were so great are best saved for the interview.  The resume should highlight the path you’ve taken up until now, you’re educational achievements and any other forms of skills or successes you’ve had.

When writing any kind of resume, but especially a firefighters resume, you want to punctuate the most applicable and relevant items first.  This means just what I said – “first”, as in put them at the top.  If you take a look at my resume you’ll see that while I have no experience directly relevant to firefighting, I am enrolled in the Fire Academy and with the academy I’ll be completing my degree in Fire Technology.  For this reason, I put my education at the top of my resume.

Being that I am 32 (33 in three weeks though), I followed Education with Experience because the Captains and Chiefs reading my resume are going to want to know what I’ve been up to.  This won’t be quite the same for a early to mid-twenties person who’s been going to school.  If that’s you, you might want to consider other skills you may have.  Anything technical or mechanical is highly appreciated by hiring fire departments.

Do you work on cars, know a trade like plumbing or carpentry, or just enjoy fixing things?  Find a way to highlight that and put in a skills section closer to the top of the resume.  You don’t have to make it sound so formal or stuffy.  Just tell them what you do.  Remember, a Hobbies category on your resume is perfectly acceptable, especially if you’re younger!

On my resume I have an Objective statement and a Summary.  Both of these are optional, but a good idea to include if you can fit it.  If you have an objective statement, make sure to customize it specifically for the department you’re applying to.  (i.e. To gain employment as a professional Firefighter with the San Francisco Fire Department).  This means modifying your resume every time you apply somewhere.  On that note, make sure to keep your resumes in a folder of their own and figure out a good way to keep organized.  I almost never delete old resumes, but I maintain an organized and methodical filing system for them.

In truth, while your resume speaks volumes about you, and usually is your first impression on an interview panel, resumes are unfortunately not held to the standard that corporations and other business hold them.  This is because firefighting is a government job and the interview process for firefighters is frequently standardized.  This can result in less attention being paid to your resume.  I know this sounds contrary to what I’ve been telling you, but it does not lessen the degree to which having a strong resume can help you.

Your resume is a paper representation of you.  Make it as good as it can be.

Contact me if you have any questions, and be sure to check out the list of fire interview questions!

Just recently I met a 24 year old guy who in the last 5 years has applied to over 150 fire departments, has had about 75 interviews, made it to the chiefs interview with two of those departments and was hired by none.  Like me, he’s got a degree in Fire Technology from Los Medanos College and has his EMT certification.  Unlike me he’s already been through the fire academy, has worked as an ER-Tech, and he’s been on far more ride-alongs and station visits than I have.

He sells memberships at a gym in Brentwood which is where I met him.  He seems to have resigned himself, at this young age to selling gym memberships and anything else where he can make a buck, but he made it clear to me that he’s given up on firefighting.  Nobody will hire him.

He’s young and that may have to do with it.  Fire Departments are often looking for slightly older and more mature candidates, but he didn’t seem immature to me.  I even noticed how many times I had used curse words when it became apparent that he wasn’t using any at all!  He’s a white guy, very well built and about 6 feet tall.  He sure seemed to me to be a guy who knew what the road to firefighting was all about; knew it all too well even, and unfortunately he’s one of the “fallen”.

1.    Why do you want to be a firefighter?
My grandmother never got stuck in a tree, and my cat was never in a car crash requiring rescue with the jaws of life. The reasons I want to be a firefighter are such: After 10 years of dissatisfaction, and feelings of being unfulfilled in the various corporate, computer slave jobs I’ve held, I finally broke myself free from the idea that a degree in business doesn’t mean I have to work in a traditional “business”. I left my career in corporate recruiting in pursuit of an occupation that I felt would leave me feeling great about myself and what I was doing for others at the end of every day. I wanted a career where I would interact more frequently with the public, and provide services that don’t leave me feeling like a paper-pusher merely doing his job. For me, this is Firefighting.

2.    What do you consider your strongest attribute? What do you consider to be your weakest?
I believe my moral character is my strongest attribute. I take pride in being somebody who is dependable, reliable, and does what they say they’re going to do. I am honest and forthright, and I take responsibility for my actions. I know when I’m wrong and I admit it. I believe that’s something easier said than done.
A weakness I have struggled with for many years is organization. I tend to be the “messy room” kind of guy. It’s not something I’m proud of or enjoy and I’ve been working hard and training myself to put anything I use (or wear) away as soon as I’m finished with it. In the past this has been the source of many a frustration. I’ve lost things, been late to appointments, etc… In the past two years I’ve made tremendous progress in overcoming this weakness, and I look forward to conquering it completely.

3.    What is the advantage of working in teams? Why is teamwork so important in the fire service?
There are some obvious and not-so-obvious advantages to working in teams. First, there’s the old adage that “two heads are better than one”, and I believe that to be true. Make it three, or four heads and you’re doing that much better. Problem solving as a team usually happens faster and more effectively when people are working together. In firefighting this benefit is paramount as time is of the essence. A well developed team tends to think and act as one and the result can be stunning. Each member knows their responsibilities and watches out for their teammates as well.
In firefighting there are obviously hard times too. It’s in these times when some of the not-so-obvious advantages become apparent. People who are members of a team, or organized group of close-knit people will recover from traumatic or emotionally difficult situations faster than will somebody who has no or little support.

4.    Give an example of a time in which you were faced with an emergency situation. Explain the circumstances and your actions.
About 9 years ago I was a waiter at an Elephant Bar restaurant in Concord, and I remember during a lunch shift a group of older couples were at one of my tables. At one point as I was passing the table, I noticed everybody there was staring with concern at one of the women seated at the table. She appeared to be choking so I asked if that was what was happening. They said she was and asked if I could help. I remember being shocked that nobody had done anything yet. They just stared at her concerned. I hadn’t been formally trained any kind of emergency care, but I’d seen the Heimlich maneuver done before and had practiced the motion with my roommate. I asked the lady to stand up, got behind her, and performed one thrust. That was all it took. The food flew out and everything went right back to normal.
When it comes to emergency situations, I always remember what my father taught me as a child when we’d go to the beach. In reference to the undertow, he told me not to panic. That if in an emergency I simply stayed calm, I would always be alright.

5.    What are some important traits a firefighter must possess? What is the most important trait a firefighter must possess? Why?
There are many important traits a firefighter must possess, some of which include courage, kindness, honesty, integrity, pride and a strong work ethic. One trait that I believe is of paramount importance is dedication. If you are dedicated to what you do, you’ll never stop learning, improving, and caring. Dedication goes hand in hand with loyalty, pride and a person’s values. If you’re not dedicated to what you’re doing, quit while you’re ahead. I see firefighting as a career requiring dedication to all it’s aspects.

6.     How will you deal with the stresses and strains of being a firefighter?
I have always considered myself to be a strong and level-headed individual. I also have a very strong support system of family and friends. In addition to that, I’m not going into firefighting blind. I understand the dangers involved both to me, and my fellow firefighters, and I understand these dangers are both physical and emotional. There is no perfect way to deal with the stresses I’m likely to encounters, but I won’t be alone and I’ll take them one at a time without internalizing the pain or struggle.

7.    What are the public’s expectations of firefighters in the community aside from dealing with emergency situations?
Firefighters have a variety of roles in their community. As role models for so many kids, firefighters are expected to be warm and friendly, yet also strong and decisive. Though at times they have to move fast and give commanding orders, they’re also expected to be understanding to the powerful emotional struggles the people they’re helping will likely be going through.
Firefighters are also expected to be educators for their community. This is something that I particularly look forward to having the chance to do. Whether it be for an elementary school or a retirement community, I am excited at the prospect of community education.

8.    As a firefighter it is important that you establish and maintain effective working relationships. Describe how you would handle diverse personalities or differences in opinion with other members of your team.
Maybe I’ve been lucky, but personality differences have never been a problem for me. I usually get along quite well with my coworkers, classmates and those around me, but in the cases where there are personality clashes or differences of opinion, I put those disparities aside and focus on the things we can agree on, even if that is only the job we’re both doing. Usually there is a focus bigger than our individual opinions. I would focus on this, but I wouldn’t ignore our personal disagreements. I would acknowledge them and essentially “agree to disagree”. I would respect this other person’s feelings and beliefs and ask that he/she respect mine. I’ve usually found in these rare cases, that with time, we’ll find we have more in common than we initially thought anyway.

9.    What are your hobbies? How do you plan to spend your time off?
A few of my passions which I would (and do) spend much of my time on, are fitness, food, and writing. I’ve always been into working out and fitness and one of the most rewarding aspects of that hobby is the healthy appetite it creates. This works out well as food is another passion of mine. I enjoy cooking (especially for friends or family), and I enjoy eating what I cook even more.
I’m also a member of a Toastmasters club which I originally joined as a creative outlet, but found it to be an extraordinary way to improve my public speaking ability, while making some great new friends and of course, it has fed the creative part of me. I haven’t written much, but Toastmasters has given me a reason (and audience) for which to write short stories, both true and fictional.  (And now for this blog!)
I also enjoy sports, taking trips, dinners with friends, movies, and family.

10.    What would you do if you had a conflict with another firefighter?
I’d like to think that if I had a conflict with another firefighter, we’d be able to talk it out on our own and come to a mutual solution. If this was an impossibility, I’d take it to the attention of my immediate superior and ask for his or her assistance. That is of course, if I didn’t think I’d have a chance at winning in an arm-wrestle.