“Uh… he’s the
Assistant Chief of Services, right?”
We all knew the
answer was wrong, yet we sat silent and uncomfortable in the hot classroom. It
was unsettling, like watching someone screw up the $250,000 question on Who
Wants to Be a Millionaire.
A slow grin
crept across Sgt. Paulson’s face as he stared back at Carl. He never broke eye
contact; one arm eventually uncrossed itself and pointed in the general direction
of the Tower.
Thirty-three
voices sighed inwardly in relief; a thirty-fourth was audible, even over the
sound of his boots slapping pavement.
The first
official week of fire school started today, and so far it has lived up to the
reputation that preceded it.
“This kind of
screwing around won’t fly when we get to fire school.”
“When we start
fire, I better not see any more of that shit.”
True, we’ve
been stuck in EMS wonderland as of late, awaiting certifications and tests and
all sorts of things completely unrelated to actual fire suppression. We were
warned countless times not to become complacent, that soon discipline would
fall hard and swift upon any recruit unlucky enough to be in the way.
It's all true.
(Just F.Y.I., don't ever get caught sitting on a table; these deceptively heavy and awkward pieces of furniture will accompany you on your lap around the facility.)
From today
onward, we are to stand straighter and yell louder. We are to run faster and
push harder. This is the entire reason 994 is here, and it is not to be taken lightly. The attitude of
the entire facility has turned a one-eighty, and that means it’s time for real fire school.
I foresee a Tower run becoming commonplace in response to even the slightest infraction. I see
flashcards worn thin with worry, tucked next to notebooks filled with the rushed chickenscratch that is lecture notes. (Oh, and lest we forget: more sweat-stained PT gear and institutional-sized bottles of Advil.)
Like
I mentioned in an earlier post; this is the show, and you’ve got to prove
yourself here. The pace is
going to pick up very quickly, and it’s time to see if 994 can keep up.
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