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Recruit Class 360: congratulations, and good luck! (w/pictures)

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Happy New Year! Yes, I haven’t put up a new post since last year, but there were several factors that led to this:

  1. I wanted to leave the Nikon Festival instructions up for a while, so visitors could make sure to see them (be sure to vote if you haven’t already, and tell your friends/coworkers about it!);
  2. I’ve been keeping busy by helping a recently-graduated recruit class with photography;
  3. I wanted to finish processing all the photos before I posted any of them here.

Anyways, most of that is boring stuff you don’t care about. Let’s get to the pictures!

Some context: Recruit Class 360 invited me along on a special tour (i.e. not the one that the general public gets) tour of the Capitol Building, so the first four photos are a few shots from our chilly winter trek to downtown D.C. They also took one of their official class photos there.

They liked my work, so they asked me to come along to their graduation on December 31st, in which public speaker and Pro Football Hall-of-Famer John Riggins was the guest of honor—the remaining photos are some of my favorite frames from the ceremony.

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Mayor Adrian Fenty stopped by to deliver his remarks, and then shook the hand of each member of 360.

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Mr. Riggins was given a ceremonial helmet, signed by the recruits from 360, as well as a new pair of boots for working around his farm.

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This last frame is my personal favorite from the entire day. Mr. Riggins’ daughter was present at the ceremony with him, and I caught her just as she was trying on Dad’s new helmet.

The full sets of both the Capitol Tour and the Graduation are available through my other site, RaisingLaddersPhotography; there, you’ll find all of these pictures and more, plus all the “hold your certificate and grin at the camera” shots that are inevitable at any ceremony. They’re cheesy but necessary—tell your mother to buy a few!

Just a quick note: All of my photos are my exclusive property, and should not be used, printed, or displayed without my express permission… *ahem*  Engine 6 / Truck 4, I’m looking at you! (source). I’d be more than happy to agree to the use of my photos, I just want to know if you’re doing it.

All the best to the new Probationers from Recruit Class 360; one of them is coming to E26 on the shift after me, so I’ll be seeing him more than a few times; to the rest of you, thank you for the wonderful opportunities to be a part of your graduation. Take care, and good luck!

/RL

Posted by on January 4, 2010 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, News, Uncategorized

The Raising Ladders video made it the final round!

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Yes, it’s true… out of well over a thousand videos, mine was selected as one of the final fifty contenders.

I’m very grateful to FireCritic (as well as Captain Wines of Roanoke City Engine 9, who originally passed it on to FireCritic) for plugging my video on his site; all that remains until the contest is over is for everyone to vote on it. Audience participation is held in high regard, so please help me out and give my video a ratings boost!

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Posted by on December 23, 2009 • Filed under: DCFD, Fire Photography, News, Videos

Engine 26 is (almost) famous… again!

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Damn, first we’re in a (most excellent) short film, and now a TV show! Well, almost.

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Thursday evening, a film crew came by the firehouse to shoot a segment for Extreme Forensics, a show on the Discovery Channel. The subject matter was D.C. area arsonist, Thomas A. Sweatt, who started a wave of fires several years ago in Maryland and the District. One of the 37 fires he admitted to was a two-alarm in June of 2003, in which an 86-year-old woman lost her life.

Extreme Forensics, realizing that E-26 had responded to that particular location on Evarts St, NE, showed up and asked if some of the guys who were actually on that fire could re-create a bit of the action—you know, run to the engine, put on boots, jump in, pull out with the lights and sirens going.

Wait a minute. Does some of that scene sound familiar to you?

(Yeah, the guys were a lot more amenable to following their directions than mine… damn this red tag! Hey, I got it done under more extreme circumstances. There were more than a few “creative directions” that ended up on my cutting room floor…)

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I can only assume from watching those forensic shows that the footage will be either heavily vignetted/put in black-and-white (so the audience knows it happened in the past); slowed by about 50% (to add dramatic tension); and given an over-the-top voiceover by a man with a pleasing baritone voice.

It won’t air until next year, but supposedly the production company will provide us with a copy of the episode.

What’s next?

Posted by on December 19, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, Fire Photography, Fires

You know you’re a probationer when:

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• You’re telling your friends where to meet up later that night, but directions to the bar include “it’s right near the hydrant on the southwest corner,” or “…it’ll be in the twelve-hundred-block of  Connecticut Ave.”

• “Yes, sir” has entered your everyday lexicon, even at home.

• Directions to your house have ended with the phrase “…to box.”*

• When a late-night phone call suddenly wakes you up, your legs swing out of bed and you fumble around in the dark for your boots. Oh wait… yep, I’m in my apartment. Dammit.

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• When responding to even the simplest of questions, one must fight off the urge to recite what particular article, section, and sub-section the answer comes from in the Department Order Book.

• You have become very, very good at washing dishes.

• Between your name tag, Probationer tag, and your collar brass, various items get snagged or ripped off your uniform all the time. Thus, wearing any collared shirt at home has become an exercise in absent-mindedly touching your clothing to make sure everything is pinned on properly—and then realizing that you’re an idiot.

• While you’re running errands, the distinct ring of a multi-line phone system causes you to look around and think for a split second that you have to go answer it. You soon realize you’re in bank, or an office, or a restaurant.

• Similarly, you have an unexplainable urge to answer your cell phone within two rings.

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Note: The phrase “…to box” is a reference to the information book in the firehouse. If you flip it open and look up a certain box number in our response area, the directions read something like this:

Box 1234: Left on Smith Street, right on Jones Avenue, right on Davis Terrace to box.

Posted by on November 9, 2009 • Filed under: DCFD, Fire Photography, Firehouse Life, Probation

National Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial – Live Streaming Feed!

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For anyone who is unable to physically attend the memorial ceremonies in Emmitsburg, MD this weekend, Firehouse.com is offering live streaming coverage of both the candlelit vigil Saturday night and the ceremony on Sunday. 

More information is available at the link above, or at STATter911.

Posted by on October 2, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Department Current Affairs, Fire Photography

Random thoughts from last tour.

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Don't stick your head too far out the window to look at stuff when driving around—while wagon drivers are quite adept at avoiding obstacles, tree branches don't really count.

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Chicken gravy is a rather unprofessional thing to find splattered on your pants as you pull up to a medical call. It's even worse to reach in your pocket for gloves and find an actual piece of chicken.

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When you encounter someone who clearly blows you off/ignores you when you make an effort to introduce yourself (simply because you're a rookie), the very next person you meet will give you hell for not introducing yourself.

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Corrollary to the above: You can't win—but try anyways.

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It's great fun to look through a Fire Department yearbook (if that's what it is; it's a similar layout) from thirteen years ago and look up your current instructors/officers/chiefs. There's some wonderful history to be found… and some excellent mid-nineties haircuts.*

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If you sleep late in the bunkroom after you've been relieved, you may or may not be awakened by an air horn and a strip of firecrackers thrown in the door like a SWAT-team's flashbang grenades. I, uh… heard about that happening once. In a magazine. Yeah, it was in a magazine.

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I wasn't aware that they sell pink tank tops with "FLIRTY SEXY SPOILED GIRL" written in glitter… in XXL sizes.


/RL


*It's not mine, so I'm trying to grab a few snapshots. Trust me, I want the pictures, too.
Posted by on September 22, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Photography, Firehouse Life

We’re everywhere…

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The list goes on and on. Every time I look online, there's a new product/service/business offered from, inspired by, or aimed at firefighters. It's always interesting to find something new and read the "About" page to see how this particular product came about; if there's one thing firefighters are good at, it's telling stories!

Most, if not all, of the products share a few common traits.

1) A percentage of the profits go to charitable organizations (burn foundations, etc.)
2) The products are usually lauded as "time-tested;" the idea is that if something can withstand the rigors of a firehouse and the critique of the old-school guys, it has to be good.
3) They stemmed from firemen who have genuine interests in a particular field, like cooking or fitness—not a snake oil salesman looking to make a quick buck off of something like the Pet Rock.

I recently acquired a bottle of Three Alarm Cellars wine, and it was delicious. The artwork on the label (a 1945 Diamond T Fire Engine) is all hand-drawn by a Captain of the Sonoma Fire Department in California.

Any readers have any great stuff that's created/inspired by firefighters that I didn't mention? Leave it in the comments!

Posted by on September 16, 2009 • Filed under: Fire Photography, Firehouse Life

The Farm: a brief introduction.

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"Weren't you guys trying to grow something out here a while back?"

The wagon driver turned from the engine's pump panel and rubbed a thoughtful hand on his chin.

"Yeah, we had tried growing corn out back of the firehouse… don't think it worked, though."

As he turned back to the engine, I couldn't seem to restrain the incredulous smile that played at my lips.

Where in the hell did they assign me?

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Several shifts back, I received orders from on high that I was to report to my permanent assignment. So, I said goodbye to Southeast D.C. and ventured northward to a station colloquially known as "The Farm."


(And yes, that is in fact Foghorn Leghorn on the patch.)

Engine 26 is located in Northeast Washington, in a neighborhood called Brentwood. I can't speak much for the area—since I'm still just barely learning how to get around—but it seems like a pretty standard layout; some nice stuff, some ghetto stuff, and a whole bunch of high-potential-to-burn-to-the-ground stuff.

I'm never certain what to expect in a new house, so I try to keep quiet and let more senior firefighters (read: everyone who's not me) be the first to say anything; in the case of certain guys, they're the first to say everything. Much to my relief, the crew has proved to be significantly more pleasant than I expected. In addition to Engine 26, "The Farm" is also the quarters of Truck 15. All together, the two crews have been acting as very helpful resources for the wonderful chunk of my life known as my probationary period. 

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Luckily, the guys at E15 were nice enough to give me a heads up about being a "probie," so I had no trouble falling into the "hey rookie, make the coffee, answer the phones, put the flag up" routine. 

Now, I just have to weather the probationary questions and official tests—two of which will be administered by the First Battalion Chief. 


Monthly tests… learning the local alarm area… remembering EMS protocols (why did I become a paramedic again?)… completing computerized trip sheets… cleaning up… 

Some days my head spins. Everyone says that this little whirlwind will all be over soon; I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I do know this: it's one hell of a way to keep busy. 

Study hard, rookie. Study hard.

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Posted by on September 9, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Photography

Honoring our brothers in Buffalo.

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The walkway at the National Fallen Firefighter's Memorial. It's paved with inscriptions about our nation's bravest, donated by their loved ones. The post I wrote many months ago still rings true, and I feel a twinge in my heart when I think about how much this memorial site means to so many people.

This weekend, I was at the Academy for a two-day training class. While I was there, I found out that the three recruit classes currently at the school all traveled up to Buffalo, NY to honor the two firefighters who died in a structure fire last Monday. I'm not sure when they arrived back home, but I wanted to offer some recognition for their display of support and brotherhood. 


You never know when or where a tragedy like this will strike, but it's good to know that fellow comrades across the nation are willing to help. 

A heartfelt thank-you is in order to Recruit Classes 359, 360, and 361; may the two fallen firefighters of the Buffalo Fire Department rest in peace, and may their families be taken care of in their time of need.

Incidentally, the city of Buffalo pushed back their annual Wing Festival in their honor; the festival was now slated to begin today, and donations at the event will go to aiding the families of Lt. Charles "Chip" McCarthy and Firefighter Jonathan Croom. 

Please see the Buffalo IAFF 232 website for more information on how you can donate money to the fund by check or by buying a BFD memorial t-shirt.

Posted by on September 2, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Department Current Affairs, Fire Photography, Fires/Incidents

Raising Ladders Photography, open for business!

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Phew. Between work and a recent house guest, it's been a little crazy around here. From a writing perspective, the past two shifts have been kind of unremarkable, so I don't have any crazy stories off the top of my head. 

However, enough interest was generated by an earlier post that I've been working a lot to finalize my business ideas, and I know that if I don't post this today, I'll never get past the constant "maybe I can tweak one more thing…" voice that lurks in my head. Check it out, think about it, and let's talk.

JPEG preview below just for a quick look, but lossy upload software from the blog (not my doing) has made it look a bit washed-out. 

Easily printable, high-resolution PDF available for download here:  Download Raising Ladders Photography 2009

Note: as long as your monitor has a properly-calibrated color profile, it should look just fine. I tested the documents with a few different PCs; some were horribly over-saturated, and it makes everything look all wonky. Just another reason why I do all my work exclusively on a Mac, I suppose.

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Posted by on August 27, 2009 • Filed under: Fire Photography, Personal, Raising Ladders Photography

Many thanks to WeLoveDC!

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My interview with WeLoveDC was posted to their website on Wednesday morning. (I'd have gotten around to this earlier, but I was working that day and spent the entirety of Thursday sleeping… it was a long night.)


Lots of credit is due to Katie, the interviewer extraordinaire, and also to Tom for originally picking up Raising Ladders.

And it's not a half-bad self-portrait, if I do say so myself. Clean portraits like this are surprisingly easy to set up, so I'd be happy to do a shoot if any local firefighters are interested; wives and/or girlfriends (haha, kidding) love this kind of stuff. If you're curious, see this post for more information and ideas.

/RL
Posted by on August 14, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Photography, Raising Ladders Photography

Projects.

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On the way back from a call, I often think that there were certain situations/moments that would have lent themselves very nicely to a photographer's presence. It's the potential action shots, mostly; but there are of course some interesting, compelling, and out-right ridiculous moments in this job that would most likely never present themselves the same way again (imagine actually being able to see the scene where the crackhead from a few weeks ago found out I was a rookie and stormed off. Images make any story better!)


I haven't been writing on RL for the past week because I've been working on a way to combine my love of photography with my love of this job; while not as extreme (and highly illegal, in the case of medical calls) as stopping what I'm doing to take pictures of stuff/people while I'm actually working, I'm convinced that there is a way to mix these fields. 

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On my off-days, I've been photographing events around the city (performances, a friend's wedding here or there… you get the idea). I've recently been updating Raising Ladders Photography, and I think it's time to branch out a bit. 

From a photojournalistic point of view, there's quite a few stories to be had within the fire service as a whole. Besides, from knowing a handful of people on this job, everyone loves pictures of themselves. I would get emails from guys in the Academy almost every weekend, asking if I could hurry up and post the pictures of them doing Academy stuff so they can show their friends and family. 

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"What'd you do at work today, honey?"
"Oh, nothing really…"

I'm thinking that I could turn this into a nice little portfolio gig. Whether firefighters want posed shots, candid shots of them drilling or on the scene, or even just technically accurate images of their firehouse/apparatus, I can provide them with that. Additionally, it would allow everyone to enjoy themselves at banquets, graduations, retirement dinners, company barbecues, etc. without having to worry about who's taking pictures of it all (Hint: people REALLY love it when you have a slideshow running somewhere of pictures as you're taking them. Yes, it's possible; it actually works really well for wedding receptions.) 

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Recruit Class 358 around the 9/11 Memorial at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Photographer ride-alongs strike me as the most exciting possibility, because then it's just a fast-paced, "run-and-gun" scenario (thanks to David Hobby of Strobist for the terminology; as a former Baltimore Sun staff photog with an awesome website, he really knows his stuff). 

I suppose the only challenge now is contacting everyone with what I've been working on, and drumming up some business. So, readers, I entreat you: does this sound like something feasible? Leave some comments* if the idea strikes you as interesting, or if you have any suggestions for me!

/RL

* Seriously, what's with the lack of comments? Is everyone just here to shovel their faces with writing and skip out on the check? I know the posts aren't always great, but at least let me know what you think of 'em. Especially ones like this, where I'd really like to hear your input!
Posted by on August 11, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Photography, Raising Ladders Photography

Details.

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A page from The Writer's Block, a cube-shaped book (get it?) 
full of random ideas to jump-start the creative half of your brain. 
I was flipping through it the other day and found this page.

"Paramedic Engine 15 and Ambulance 15, respond for the cardiac arrest…"


Dammit. I haven't even done the run sheet from the last call, I thought as I rose from my chair.

As we pulled up to the outside of a laundromat, a gathering crowd partially obscured our view. As best we could tell, there was one guy on the ground, and other kneeling next to him performing CPR. Sean hopped out and made his way over to the group while I grabbed the ALS bag and the monitor from the rear compartment. 

"Come on, move out of the way… move it!"

As I approached with gear in tow, I could hear a plea for the crowd to give us some space. The bystander who was doing CPR stood up, brushed his pants off, and started fumbling through his pockets for something as Sean did a quick assessment of our patient. 

As if in some surreal form of stereo, I suddenly had information coming from both sides that smashed together in my brain hard enough to stun me for a second.

CPR guy, right channel: "See, I did it right! I got my certifications right here, man!" He produced the fruits of his frantic pocket search, shoving a wallet-worn and very out-of-date American Red Cross CPR card in my face.

Sean, left channel: "Uh, this guy's got a pulse. And a good strong one, at that."

Um…

(#296 on my list of Things I Wish I Had Said to Bystanders: 

"Well then you, my good sir, did not pay enough attention in class.")

The ambulance was already there, and we scooped the patient up and loaded him into the back. He wasn't breathing enough on his own, so we assisted with ventilations until I could get an IV started. It appeared to be a pretty textbook narcotic overdose, so I grabbed the Narcan* and pushed it into the IV line. 

A moment later: [retch] "What the— where the hell am I?"

"You fell out, man. Looks like you took a little too much tonight, and you stopped breathing."

"That's bull, man. Why y'all lying to me? I'm a gangsta, son."

(#297: "You're right, sir. We must have put all these wires and tubes all over you by accident. Our apologies! Please continue with your recreational activities.")

This went on for a while. Ultimately, he refused all further care from us. We talked him down from just ripping all the stuff off himself, but he still wanted to leave the back of the ambulance as soon as possible. 

As he stepped out, he was heckled by his friends, who by now had formed into a small social gathering that smelled faintly of malt liquor. 

One of his more illustrious acquaintances, upon hearing repeated statements of how "gangsta" our patient thought himself, decided to show that she was considerably more so by pulling a large handful of bright yellow boxer shorts out above the waistline of her pants. 

"You ain't nothin', man. I got Spongebob-mothaf***in'-Squarepants. What you got, huh?!"

This may or may not have been the same person who was initially rubbing loose ice cubes on the patient's genitals shortly before we arrived on scene. (Some people think that the cold shock will wake up an overdose patient, but current trends in "D.C. bystander medicine" are best saved for another post. Two words to remember: dairy products.)

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The first time I flipped through that Writer's Block book, I must have been in middle or high school. I'm sure I saw the above page, but never ended up using it as a story idea. However, I sincerely believe that if I had followed the instructions at the time, it would have sounded nothing like what I've written in this blog to date. 

Imagination and creativity are one thing; documenting reality is entirely another. 

Oftentimes, I find the latter to be way more entertaining. 
Posted by on August 3, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training, Firehouse Life

WeLoveDC.com; publicity for RL!

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Tom Bridge, co-founder and author of WeLoveDC.com came across Raising Ladders the other day, and he liked it so much that he posted a brief write-up in the WLDC daily feed.

WeLoveDC.com is a collective blog written by a diverse population of authors who all have one thing in common: they are all enamored with Washington. Whether about politics (of course), food, culture, technology, or any other topic beneath the tip of the Monument, these authors have got it covered.

I honestly didn't expect such kind words, and for that I'm very grateful. Many thanks to Tom and the entire WLDC team!

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Last night 15 had a typical "no-sleep-due-to-a-call-every-forty-five-minutes" kinda night. I felt like a zombie this morning, which I've concluded is due to walking throughout a run-down four-building complex for an hour, forcing doors to try and turn off a malfunctioning fire alarm. 

Sure, I understand you don't want building occupants messing with the utility closets, which is why you've placed four different damned locks on the two doors that are barricading the one doorway. Okay, fine. We got through 'em anyways. 

Yawn. Let's pretend it's a forcible entry drill, reset the alarm, and get back to the firehouse already. 

Nope. 

3 a.m.: Respond for the "tummyache" (yes, that was actually the complaint).

4 a.m.: "I think there's a bug in my ear." (Actually, it was more like "AHH HOLY MOTHER OF [censored for the children] THERE'S A BUG IN MY EAR GETITOUT GETITOUT GETITOUT!")
Sigh… I don't suppose it'll even be worth it to try and sleep next tour. Friday night in Southeast? Not a chance.

I, however, wouldn't want it any other way. 

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Who knew a vinyl Halloween costume could mean something after so many years?

(I don't think I'll still be able to fit into it, though. I should probably stick to the gear I was issued. It seems… safer.) 
Posted by on July 28, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training, Firehouse Life

A different view of D.C.

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The John H. Glenn Jr., Washington, D.C.'s 70'-long flagship fireboat. 
It was built in 1962 for the FDNY, and was purchased by DCFD in 1977 for one dollar.

All the air inside my drysuit escaped with an audible whoosh as I stretched the rubber neck seal outwards, à la Rodney Dangerfield. I struggled to stay upright in the water as air compressed upward from every limb of the suit, mindful of the multiple warnings to keep District river water out of my mouth ("…you won't leave the bathroom for a few days, kid.")

Once I had finally settled myself, I looked around again to marvel at what I was doing today (and I'm getting paid for this?!)

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Rescue 3 and Engine 15 had put the boats in at Anacostia Park, and we had motored our way over to where the DCFD Fireboat is harbored. Shortly thereafter, I joined a few other guys who were repeatedly dragged over the bow as the crew of RS-3 practiced "saving" us.

I had never seen the city from the Potomac or the Anacostia before, so the views from the water were an interesting perspective. Needless to say, just zooming around was relaxing enough; it was a beautiful day to be on the water, and everybody had a great time while we ran our drill. 

(Nevermind that my suit had a leak in it; I doffed the outfit to find my clothes completely soaked. Thank God I bring an extra uniform to work with me…)

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I took a few neat bridge shots that I thought lent themselves well to black-and-white.

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As far as my recent meeting with the Medical Director goes, it was a very well-structured test of our knowledge up to this point. While the Doc ran us through varying scenarios to assess our medical knowledge, the Assistant Chief of EMS asked us operational questions to see if we had picked up on the nuances of being an engine company paramedic. Apparently we're all satisfactory, because we were released a few hours later with word that we'd have permanent assignments within the next few weeks. For now, we all stay with our current preceptors.
Posted by on July 22, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training

The next hoop.

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Some good news is being passed around today. I've received word that a handful of us paramedics are being pushed along into the next stage of the DCFD pipeline, starting Monday. There's some meetings, some more paperwork (I'm sure), but it at least it means that we're moving forward. 


Sadly, it means that I may be leaving Engine 15 rather soon. I knew it would happen, but it's just been way too much fun for it to be over this fast. 

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Besides, I got to run at least a couple fires, this one most recently. (For posterity, please note the second sentence in the article. I may not be assigned there, but I can still have pride in my temporary home.)

I mean, it was only a car and a detached garage on fire, but what can I say; it's better than running a medical local. And after all the "food on the stove" and "report of smoke in the area" calls that turn out to be nothing, I remember looking up while running the 400' and being surprised that something was actually on fire.

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I've learned a lot thus far from the guys at E15 and RS3; I think I've still got a few more tours there before I go somewhere else, so I'll try and get the most out of it that I can. 

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Posted by on July 17, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training, Firehouse Life, Fires/Incidents

History.

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"Y'all better be alert! Best pay attention over here!"


The members of Engine 15 and a truck company were standing around the scene of a gas leak; we had just shut the supply off when our attention was drawn to the shirtless man quickly walking up to us. 

"You know why? You know why? Because I'm about to go smoke this rock right here."

He thrust his clenched left hand proudly in the air, pumping his fist like he had just won the lottery.

"…and if I smoke too much, and I need y'all… Imm'a call you on my phone right here."

In mirror image, he reached deep into his pocket and switched his dramatic pose; now wildly brandishing a cell phone with his right arm, he stared and waited for some reaction.

Indifferent to the man's statements (and probably growing bored), one of the guys from the truck company turned to our newfound friend and extended a pudgy finger in my direction.

"Well, I'll tell you what. The man you need to talk to… is right there."

Dammit. 

("Probationary Manual, Chapter Eight: Talking to Excited Crack Heads for the Laughter and Enjoyment of Older Firefighters.")

Mr. Rock Addict began sauntering over to me, when he stopped short. His eyes looked me up and down for only a second, but it was enough to make him spin in place and hightail it back the way he came.

"Naw, f*** that guy. He a rookie… I ain't talkin' to no rookie."

Great. Even the southeast crackheads know I'm the new guy. (Damned red tag…) 

—————

This, of course, is nothing new for the area. Highly entertaining stuff has been happening down here for years. A few tours back, another firefighter and I went looking through the archived logbooks for Engine 15 and Rescue 3, and we were browsing through a book from 1987. They ran a hell of a lot more fires than the department does today… some of the logbook pages were just unreal. A big house fire in the morning, followed by a nasty car wreck, then another working fire, then seeing smoke showing from an apartment and filling out the box on the way back from the previous fire! I suppose the only comfort that today's crews can take is that they ran a whole bunch of medical local calls back then, too; I've included a few of the more interesting excerpts I found.

Medical Local, 1635 hrs / E-15 stood by for medic unit with 1 male who broke his shoot-up needle in his neck, E-15 performed miscellaneous acts.

Medical Local, 2306 hrs / RS-3 obtained a signed release for who knows?

Medical Local, 1258 hrs / E-15 for a man wanting to go to the hospital to get away from the little green people!!!


Seeing as we had access to the entire collection, I had to read about what this house did on my birthday (not that I was anywhere near Anacostia, much less the east coast in general.) So, digging up the proper book, I found:

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We were even able to go all the way back to 1948. Seeing the old script, and the ink bleeding through the fragile pages was like staring back through decades of history. Call it cliche, but there's something slightly poetic and awe-inspiring about having access to a written account of everything that occurred in this firehouse since the Cleveland Indians last won the World Series (yes, that was 1948. They're really just awful.)

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Every call, every announcement, every single thing that happened on that shift, was recorded on paper in the once-prized scrawl of proper penmanship that has fallen into nonexistence today. 

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(It made me wonder about the oldest book in the Department; where is it kept, and whose logbook is it? I'd imagine it's up above Engine 3.) 

Either way, the books haven't changed much. It did, however, serve as a fascinating way to pass the time at the watch desk until the modern-day E-15 had to go run our own medical locals… little green men and all. 

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Posted by on July 9, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training, Firehouse Life

Enjoying the fireworks.

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We pulled up to the building on 12th street and hopped out. Taking a second to scan the street, I saw only a single truck company and Rescue 3 pulling up beside us.

"Uh… aren't we fourth due?"


"Yep. Come on, rook… let's run the 400."

And so in the front door we went. We stretched as much line as we could, eventually heading down to the basement of this typical Southeast apartment building.

I flicked my light on, and panned it slowly across the room. 

"This is too smoky to just be the idiots setting off fireworks inside the building… something's on fire here."

My mentor's voice cut through the haze of smoke, and the outlines of the guys from Engine 15 were visible as we moved through the debris in the basement.

(I stopped for a moment, remembering my old Sergeant telling me to follow the smoke as you see it in the beam of light.)

"Is it over here? The smoke's going that way, so…"

As if on cue, we all moved towards a big pile of wood that was blocking a small hatch. Two of us started tossing doors and hunks of wood out of the way (one of which gave me a pretty good smack in the face), and we were able to open it up after a minute or two.

I'm not 100% on how it happened, but a mattress was smoldering under the first floor. Extinguishing the fire was pretty anticlimactic, but that's how we found ourselves running the last few feet of our 400' hose line into a four-foot-high crawl space littered with old beer cans and trash. 

—————

Was it a rockin' good fire, full of excitement and good stories? Nope. Was it a chance for me to learn something about working on a fire scene? Absolutely. I mean, I'm happy for whatever I can get to do while in the street—I'm still technically assigned to the Training Academy, so I appreciate the time I've spent crashing on E15's couch (figuratively speaking, that is). 

Besides, the best "tips and tricks" seem to come from the guys when they're actually working a scene. Sure, they can sit at the watchdesk with me and tell stories, but the stuff they share while we're in the middle of doing something can be infinitely more valuable.

—————

As we crawled out and began gathering up our sections of hose, it was impossible not to notice all the fireworks going off around us. I mean, I expected people to be setting off fireworks on the eve of the greatest pyromaniac holiday of the year, but this many?

Damn near every apartment building around us had something exploding, whistling, flaring, or shooting into the air above it at some point. Courtyards, roofs, steps, middle of the street; not to mention the Nationals Stadium was putting on their own show, so we had quite a spectacle to watch as we racked hose. (I had a slightly better view, because the new guy always climbs up into the hose bed for this process.)

It was Friday night, a little after 11pm, and we still had a long night ahead of us.

I love this city.

—————
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I hope everyone had a happy 4th of July, and I bet the crews on #4 had a good bit of fun.
Posted by on July 6, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training, Firehouse Life, Fires/Incidents

Breaking: Shooting at 14th/Irving, NW.

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Joe McNally, a famous National Geographic photographer, once said:

"If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff."

As opposed to standing, sometimes an opportunity comes along that's just so well-placed in front of you that you can't help but rocket out the door, grabbing your camera and an extra lens on the way out. 


The dispatch: WASHINGTON, DC (DC) *SHOOTING* 14TH X IRVING STS NW. 2 SHOT. SHELL CASINGS IN FRONT OF 5 GUYS. MPD 3RD DIST.

The plan: No, don't go street level… go up! (The street was already blocked off, and I wouldn't be able to see anything through the crowds gathered behind the yellow tape. Time to go bird's-eye view with it!)

All I can say is… thank God for telephoto lenses.

EDIT: The first two images were removed in order to avoid any legal complications stemming from disseminating images of the victims. The captions remain for informational purposes. Yes, I'm aware it loses the impact; but I don't need to get in trouble for a couple of pixels.
Victim 1 was shot six times in the lower extremities, and 
transported via Medic 12 to Washington Hospital Center.


Victim 2 was apparently grazed by a bullet near the Metro entrance, 
and transported to an unknown hospital via Medic 24.

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Oh, Columbia Heights… what would I do without you?
Posted by on June 18, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Department Current Affairs, Fire Photography, Fires/Incidents

Standing by.

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(AP) WASHINGTON – An 88-year-old gunman with a violent and virulently anti-Semitic past opened fire with a rifle inside the crowded U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on Wednesday, fatally wounding a security guard before being shot himself by other officers, authorities said.

Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the gunman was "engaged by security guards immediately after entering the door" with a rifle. "The second he stepped into the building he began firing."

Law enforcement officials said James W. von Brunn, a white supremacist, was under investigation in the shooting and that his car was found near the museum and tested for explosives. The weapon was a .22-caliber rifle, they added. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss the investigation just beginning.

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"What in the hell…?"

For what seemed like the hundredth time, an MPD cruiser went screaming past our classroom window, making as much racket as possible with the siren. 

"So, is there something going on that we should know about?" we wondered out loud. 

As if on cue, Sgt. Paulson threw open the door and announced that because of what had just happened at the Holocaust Museum, the Department was now on a special alert in which nobody who is currently on duty can leave their respective posts (at this time, very little was known about the situation or the perpetrator, and the ever-present possibility of "terrorist incident" loomed eerily overhead). 

He left in a rush, leaving us with more questions than answers.

Oh, well—stuck here again. We turned back to our cardiac rhythm workbooks, the news of the shooting quickly fading from our minds. Suddenly, Sgt. Woodward's voice echoed down the hallway, his quick-stepping self not far behind.

"Three-five-nine! Three-sixty! Go home. All the medics in three-five-eight, get your gear and bring it to the apparatus bay."

We looked at one another, momentarily surprised.

"Engine 34, Engine 35, and Truck 41 are to be placed in service, stand
ing by for the city."

—————

Sure, there were enough instructors and officers at the Training Academy today to fill three pieces of apparatus with seasoned firefighters. But what in the hell did they want with us newbies, and where were they planning on stuffing eight probationers with full gear? 

It was a neat idea, but I had the same thought as when I saw the latest Star Trek movie, and Kirk is appointed Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise at the end of the movie:

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"Uh… wasn't he a cadet in Starfleet Academy, like, a week ago?"

Nevertheless, we ran around for about twenty minutes, scraping together SCBAs, axes, saws, radios, and anything else that would bring our three beloved pieces up to par for a box alarm. PAT tags clipped onto the UDCs, gear laid out beside our respective apparatus, and radios holstered, we were ready to go—I won't even begin to describe how crazy the staffing was on each piece. 

And then… we waited. Always listening to the murmurs from the dispatch channel, we hoped in vain for the call that would never come. Nevertheless, I thought it was cool that we were officially in service, so I grabbed a quick picture in the downtime. This was the first time since I've been at the Academy that E-34, E-35, and T-41 have been ready to respond to an actual box alarm, if need be. 

Hours passed. Four grilled cheese sandwiches and hundreds of bullshit conversations later, we were finally allowed pack up and go home; the alert was lifted, and the Training Academy staff was freed. 

—————

What's that, you say? It's a crap story, because nothing really happened? Well, you're right. However, I relay it simply to drive home the point that this job is completely unpredictable, and any given day might bring something really intense. It's the uncertainty that draws me to the profession, you see—there's not a single day that's the same as any other. 

Regardless of what happens, the paramedics of 358 will continue our time at the Academy, refreshing ourselves on EMS things so that we can eventually be mentored out in the street. We've got a few weeks to go, for sure—but that's certainly no reason why we can't have any fun. 

Most-excellent-yet-unrealistic daydream #2,961: Let's keep the engines and the truck staffed by Academy personnel every day, and we'll do our Fire & EMS mentoring the old-school way.


Image source: http://www.startrekmovie.com

Posted by on June 10, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Department Current Affairs, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training, Firehouse Life, Fires/Incidents

Graduation.

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Nervous energy filled the hallway as our Sergeant addressed us as recruits for one of the last times. Shortly after, we would be driving our vehicles to the facility in Northwest DC where we would officially become probationary firefighters.


The ceremony itself was in the large auditorium of the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Ushered into the lounge next door while family members filed in, all the recruits milled around aimlessly in dress uniforms as we awaited the ceremony.

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With a fanfare of bagpipes and all the pomp and circumstance we could muster, our recruit class marched in and took our seats, turning crisply on our heels as we had done for so many weeks on the drill yard pavement.

It was a whirlwind of speeches, plaques, gifts, medals, and class videos—and suddenly, it was over. Everyone had received their stack of certificates, shook every possible permutation of officers' hands, and walked triumphantly across the stage.

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—————

Perhaps the most moving moment came when we were asked to stand and perform an about-face towards all the friends and loved ones who had supported us through so many mentally grueling and physically trying weeks. 

"Present… arms!"

Thirty-five arms snapped off a crisp salute, our bodies ramrod-straight and eerily still. It may not have said everything, but the reverent silence of that moment spoke volumes about the gratitude and appreciation that we shared for all those around us.

"Order… arms!"

With a quick swish of polyester and the muffled click of a well-executed about-face, we sat down and continued with our ceremony.

—————

Despite all the frustrating bullshit, the needless bravado, the exhausting PT, and the (sometimes agonizing) lectures, I wouldn't trade a second of my time with Recruit Class No. 358 for all the money in the world. Yes, we got on each others' nerves nearly every single day; but we built friendships and brotherhood by going through what can only be classified as a mostly-miserable yet highly rewarding experience. We traveled through hell (for what certainly felt like an eternity), but we at least had a guiding light at the end of it that we reached on Friday, June 5th, 2009. 

Congratulations to each and every member of Recruit Training Class No. 358. Our time together will be missed (some of you more than others), but you'll certainly never be forgotten. The unique personalities that comprised the class had the ability to both drive everyone insane and bring us closer together at the same time—and for that I thank you.

Proudly,
/RL

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Special thanks to: The DCFD Pipes and Drums / Emerald Society, The Armed Forces Retirement Home, our keynote speaker Dr. Burton Clarke of the National Fire Academy, Chief Rubin, Mayor Fenty, and all the instructors and officers who were pr
esent on the stage to welcome us into our careers with The Washington, D.C. Fire & EMS Department. We thank you with all our heart, and look forward to seeing you around the streets of our great city!

—————

Additionally, these photos (and many others, particularly if you know one of the class members) are available at http://raisingladders.smugmug.com. It's a shameless plug, I know; but all proceeds benefit the Firefighters' Burn Foundation, so help out! Keep checking for updates, because I'll be adding more photos AND I'll be lowering the prices. It is for charity, after all. 
Posted by on June 8, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training

The final burn.

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Uh… either we're extremely dehydrated and exhausted, or the headless fireman from the Sleepy Hollow Fire Department is haunting the burn building. Either way, it's probably time for us to go.

—————

"I haven't seen you run the line yet. Switch with him."

Sergeant Paulson turned abruptly as he realized that I was part of the next group to go into the burn building with him. Based on the number of instructors on any given day, each recruit group usually goes into their evolutions with the same one or two instructors. The groups, however, had been switched up today… and so this was the first time Sgt. Paulson was there to babysit us. 

I pulled the crosslay onto my shoulder, shrugging apologetically towards the guy who was supposed to pull the line. As we approached the doorway, we took a spray from above; the previous engine company was flowing water, and a quick torrent of near-boiling dirty water washed over us.

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"Shit. Ah, whatever, I needed to clean my gear anyways." 

We were able to squeeze a quick laugh in before the officer running the command board outside shouted at us to go.

Careening through the doorway, three recruits furiously threw hose all over the entry room in a somewhat organized layout pattern before kneeling to mask up. 

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Just as I clicked my regulator in and reached down to grab the nozzle tucked securely under my knee ("Don't you ever let go of that damn thing!"), I heard a hissing grow louder behind me.  I pulled the bail back just a hair, just enough to let the air out; sure enough, a furious spit of water came roaring out seconds later. 

"Let's go!"

Sergeant Paulson went charging up the stairs, with two of us only steps behind him. The third man stayed briefly at the landing, frantically feeding hose around the corner so that we had enough to make entry and hit the fire.

As soon as my foot hit the top step, I dropped to a three-point crawling position and hugged the nozzle to my chest. With what looked like jet-black ink sloshing around the floor, I made my way to the corner and turned to wait for the rest of my crew. Fortunately (and not particularly suprisingly, either—I had one hell of a great crew today), they had all made it inside the room with me. My attention turned quickly back to the fire, and a nod from the Sergeant was all it took.

Two quick circles of water blasted out in front of me, and the roaring red turned to a dull orange as steam began to mask the pile of pallets. 

There were no windows in the room—nor were we hydraulically venting out a window—so the steam banked down on top of us and brought us to a slightly more hunkered-down position. 

"Back it out!"

Copy that, sir. My calves were feeling particularly toasty as I sat on the floor (I wore shorts under my bunker gear today), and none of us could see shit. Futilely wiping my mask with my glove in an attempt to clear the moisture from the surface, I dragged the nozzle towards what I felt was the last known position of the second man in. Not thirty seconds later, we were dragging hose out and walking down the stairs for the last time. 

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Only until we hit the bright light and fresh air of the outside world did we realize that we were really and truly done with our live burns.

We were whipped. All these days had thoroughly exhausted every recruit, as well as all the instructors. They're some hard-asses, there's no doubt about it; but even the best need a break every once in a while. 

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It was a fantastic couple of weeks; it's something I've never even come close to experiencing before, and I wouldn't trade any of my memories or any of these pictures for all the money in the world. 

—————

One more day of housekeeping stuff at the Academy before graduation; and then we are officially no longer recruits. It's an inspiring thought, being this close to graduation; this morning, we were beat to hell, half-asleep, and trading Advil around like cigarettes in prison. However, the second one of the recruits called us together and started screaming some encouragement, we found the energy to bring it together and all bellow in proud unison.

Another lesson I've learned: when you feel like shit, and you're whipped, and you think you just can't go on any further—that's when it's time to gather strength from your brothers, put your man gloves on, and do your fucking job. 

Dig in, baby; it's been a long ride, and we're only just starting. 

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Feeling nostalgic already,
/RL

A special thanks to N.D., who kindly offered to 
do my dirty work today and was in a great position 
to take the majority of the pictures you see here.



Posted by on June 3, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training

Special Post: Raising Ladders Photography now available!

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I'm pleased to announce that a fledgling gallery of the photography you've seen here is now available online at www.raisingladders.smugmug.com! (There's a link on the sidebar to make everything easier.) All images are available for sale through a variety of mediums; all sizes of photo prints, as well as t-shirts, coffee mugs, and many other things (yes, I know—some of them are kind of chintzy). Please let friends, family, fellow volunteer/career firefighters know about it, because right now a large percentage of the proceeds will be donated to the Burn Foundation in the name of our recruit class!

Currently, there's only a few galleries available (including a best-of portfolio), but more will be uploaded as I continue to pursue photography. Ideally, I'd like to let this grow to include D.C. Fire Department special events that I attend, incidents within the city, training exercises/seminars, etc. 

If anyone has any suggestions on how I can improve it and/or expand my scope of available images (including events that could benefit from the presence of a photographer), I'd love to hear them—feel free to email me via raisingladders@gmail.com. 

Many thanks to all my readers,
/RL
Posted by on May 31, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Department Current Affairs, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training

The last week.

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It's been a long week, for sure; but we only have four more days until graduation on Friday.


Attitudes range from exhausted to exasperated, but I think the common theme amongst all of us is one of excitement. You see, 74% of the class received their station assignments for graduation. The remaining nine are paramedics like myself, and thus we have no idea where we're going—we still have to do more EMS stuff before we can join an engine company. 

Let me just say that it was pretty frustrating to sit there and listen to everyone else receive an assignment while I wondered what time they wanted me back at the Academy on Monday morning.

Regardless, I'm glad that everyone knows where they're going, so they can begin learning their areas and getting to know their crew. I wish everyone the best, and I'll probably see a few of them around the city on calls!

This upcoming week should be pretty fast-paced. We've only got three days of burns—Thursday will be spent setting up for graduation—so it's going to be a lot to cram into each day. 
Posted by on May 31, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training

The “Interior Fire Simulation Building,” as MFRI labels it.

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As I sat back on my haunches and double-checked the Velcro on my collar, I heard a familiar whoosh coming up the stairs behind me. A second later, the nozzle struggled to wrest itself from my grip as the hose filled with water. 


I could feel the metal and plastic appliance digging into my side as I made my way up to the landing. I rounded the corner, and any thoughts of heavy gear, tired legs, or the stinging sweat in my eyes were quickly drowned out by the orange glow in front of me.

Thirty degree pattern. (It's mine.) Whip it around. (I want it.) Vent the window. (Get some.) 

I was able to remember the basic principles that had been drilled into my head for weeks; unfortunately, the normal mantra that I usually heard in my psyche was constantly interrupted by my desire to head into the fire. 

Like an off-kilter metronome, every rational "tick" was accompanied by a driven, teeth-gnashing "tock." Fortunately, I kept myself in check enough to not go crashing headlong into everything, and I was able to take my time (somewhat impatiently, I'll admit). 

We knocked down three rooms of fire during my stint at the nozzle. Each time, the fire was tamed quickly in a blast of sparks, and we progressed to the next room. As we were backing out, the first room had "lit off" again, and so needed to be knocked down a second time. My crew crawled into position, and I was told that we could wait a second or two before knocking it down. 

We three recruits stared at the enemy, marveling at the heat and light bouncing all over the room. (It's kind of amazing how much energy a couple of stacks of wood can put out. Can you imagine an entire room full of furniture and shit?)

With a last foosh, I circled a stream of water around the fire and put it out. 

Backing out of those rooms, I found myself slogging through dirty water on my hands and knees as I struggled to drag hose out of the hallway. My joints hurt, my back aches, and my body feels like a mid-rare steak (slow-cooked and sunburnt over 48 hours, of course—and we've still got much work to do). 

As I pulled my helmet and mask off outside, my engine company was gathering around so we could all congratulate each other on what we thought was a job well done. Between the jostling shoulders of my "officer" and my "layout man," I saw the instructor who had gone in with us. He flashed me a quick grin punctuated by a thumbs-up, and I realized that we were rightly celebrating, albeit short-lived.

"Get this fuckin' line back on! Let's go!"

"Ah, shit. Come on, Six. Party's over." We grabbed sections of hoseline and headed towards the wagon.

We were not made a stronger engine company, nor were we made a smarter engine company; but several good performances today had certainly made us a more proud engine company—and pride, it seems, is one of the most important things we can learn here at the Academy.

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Posted by on May 27, 2009 • Filed under: DC Fire, DCFD, DCFEMS, Fire Academy, Fire Photography, Firefighter Training