Well I am now certified in Vehicle Extrication Technician...
Fancy name for knowing how to cut up cars to get trapped occupants out. The
class was a two day class and was supposed to be 8-5 both days. We had a super
cool teacher he decided to do all classroom work on Saturday and leave at 2 and
then do the fun stuff Sunday!
Saturday I was a bit nervous even though I knew a couple
people taking the class I was worried I would have to deal with others who
don't think women should be in the profession. However I was pleasantly
surprised! I got to sit with some of the fire fighters from St. James and well
there wasn't a dull moment. I learned you don't want to leave your phone laying
on the table they like to lock them up so I took the pass code off then the one
guy thought it was fun to play with. I didn't know a iphone could be so
entertaining! We finished up with the classroom work and I stuck around to help
them put the tables and chairs away. I think it surprised a few of them I stuck
around, but the way I looked at it they hosted the class and I was able to
attend I wanted to at least help where I could.
Sunday we started at 8am in full gear which as cool as it
was out I didn't mind. Other than looking like a big banana dork. Anyway the
guy with the camera assured me I wouldn't be in many pictures yes wish I
wouldn't have believed him. Anyway I was able to stay with the St. James group
while the other misc. departments worked in another group. I was glad to feel
accepted and they let me get right in and do it all and several times. The
tools were very heavy but I managed to use them all on my own. There were a
couple times where you had to have someone else help if you were in certain
spots on the car. We decided to do a patient extrication since one of the guys
from another department needed signed off on for fire fighter one class. One of
the St. James firemen is a paramedic and they
were going to have him lead the rescue so I decided to step up and ask if I
could be the EMT in the scenario and he surprisingly said yes! However the
patient was a bigger guy in full gear but I managed to crawl in car with him
and get him on the backboard and strapped down! Plus I got to have that signed
off on my skill book for my EMT class.
We were in full gear for around 5 hours and well even with
it cold out your still covered head to toe in sweat! I stayed and helped them
clean up again. I knew I was going to be sore the next day it was one heck of a
total body workout but well worth it.
It was nice getting to be somewhere a whole weekend and be
myself and be around others who accept me as being a girl in a male dominant
profession. I was able to prove myself to some that doubted my abilities
because I was short and a girl. Had several tell me I did good which made me
feel even better.
But I think the best part was my mom commenting on my Facebook
status this morning she was proud of me for doing it!
No comments:
Post a Comment