C Shift Sunday @ Franklin Fire Department

I waited until today to write this (one day late) because other than nap today and train on the forestry truck, I didn't do much today. I got to Franklin Fire Sunday morning then turned around and made a run to Hannafords to get some food for breakfast. On weekends and holidays the shift cooks a big breakfast and everyone chips in to get a ton of food. Call company Lieutenant Junior Davis came and made some breakfast potatoes with alot of garlic. I mentioned to Captain Hicks the garlic gave me a stomach ache. He insisted garlic was very good for you (I didn't protest) and said he would eat a whole spoonful. I laughed and he went to the fridge and ate a whole spoonful. This inspired Greg to eat some whipped cream. We got the dishes done and finished truck checks. Then Greg and I went out in the utility (pick up truck) to test fire alarm boxes in circuit one. Each box is numbered and I called Joni at the station on a portable radio to tell her the number. She would then verify that the box had rung in at the station, I would reset the box then we would go to the next one. While Greg and I were out testing he told me a bunch of funny stories of going to Proctor and being on Andover Rescue. So it was a good time. Then Joni called us on the radio saying they had gotten a phone call to the station reporting a dumpster fire in an apartment complex. I reset the box and Greg and I hopped into our gear we had brought with us in the bed of  the pick up. The tone came and we headed across town to the call. Smoke was visible as we descended from the veterans project area to the center of the city then to the apartment complex. We caught up with the engine 4 and engine 3 and pulled into the complex where a dumpster was involved with fire. On the way over we discussed over the radio, if there could be an exposure (life or property threatened because of close proximity to fire) and how we would handle that. Luckily there wasn't and we used the trash line (line folded in the front bumper) to extinguish it. We cleaned up then finished testing boxes. Joni made American Chop Suey for dinner and we watched Captain Hick's favorite show - Band of Brothers. After dinner it was chore time as usual. I vacuumed then started to mop. I'm not a beginner mopper, in fact I would say from my various work experience I am a intermediate. However I learned I have been doing it the wrong way! Captain Hicks was nice enough to correct me and thus came the climax of my senior project. (Just Kidding!) After chores we got back in the recliners and put on Band of Brothers. Jason, Karen, and Alexa stopped by. Then we got a call for a signal 21 (suicide). These are more common and less traumatic than you would think. It was more of a pyschiatric problem and we transported the patient to the hospital. I was dressing the cot outside of the nurses station and Franklin's tones came over the scanner. I quickly finished and loaded the cot. We met the police for a medical alarm activation. A very old woman thought her garage was invaded. She didn't need medical attention but we had to wait for a family member to come. I got back to the station and collapsed into bed. Three hours later we got toned for a victim of an assualt meet the police. It was at another apartment complex. I was in such a deep sleep that I woke up for second repetition of the address and was close to missing the ambulance. It was frustrating because when we got there we immedieately got released by the police. A couple hours of sleep later and we got a tone for difficulty breathing echo level, I woke up for the whole tone this time. It was a good thing because we are out the door very quickly for echo level calls. This wasn't quite an echo level call but the patient needed transport and I filled out the run sheet while Captain Hick's did patient care, assisting with the EKG too. He showed how the sinus rhythm coorelated to the patients condition. We got back and it was 6, only an hour until shift change so I we sat in the recliners and had coffee and watched the news until we were relieved by D shift. It was a long shift, hence the reason why I took a long nap during the rain today. Back on with B shift tomorrow. Go to www.proctoracademy.org and watch the video on the homepage, Sam Johnson filmed it and I am in it!