In the field: Shift 5

It was your typical day at the fire station. You get a few calls that require you to get dressed, you get down the road and then get put back into service. That went on for quite some time.

Around 1:30, a buddy of mine (from my recruit class) came by to check out the station. I gave him the grand tour and then we spent some time chatting for a while. I had to use the restroom, but figured I would just go when he left (the conversation couldn't go on forever). *BEEP BEEP BEEP*....we get a call for a brush fire. He took off and I got dressed and jumped in the engine. We got on scene and the fire was small enough that the other unit was able to take care of it. We turned the corner and then started to head back to the station. We IMMEDIATELY get another call for a brush fire. We report to the scene to discover a fire that was about 500 feet behind some houses and down a hill with limited access.

We pulled 400 feet of hose and laid it down the hill. We then connected our 200 feet of forestry hose to it and worked from there. While putting out the fire, we discovered some aerosol cans, lighters, and fireworks. It appears that some kids were having fun when the lit the place up. We were on scene for about an hour and a half putting out the fire and then cleaning up. When we got back to the station I finally had the opportunity to go to use the restroom. Flowing water for an hour and a half while having to go to the bathroom is not fun!!

There is a moral here in all of this that applies to everyone (not just a firefighter):

When you have to do something as simple as use the restroom, don't put it off. You never know what will come up and keep you from doing it.