Long time No "C"

It has been a long time since our last post and I want to apologize. We have been extremely busy at the Big Show and unable to keep up the blog. Here is a recap of the last couple of cycles.

As you see we keep our trucks clean despite Lt Joe getting upset having to wash the Engine twice. Ask him next time why get gets so mad??

We had a couple Fire in the last couple weeks. The last was over on Templeton only picture taken was during overhaul when Adam had to remove a throw rug from a K-saw that grabbed it when cutting through a floor joist.

This is a snap shop that I copied from a video taken from a person living near the fire on Elm Ave. I was off and missed the chance to take part in fighting this one but from I hear and the video shows C-shift made a quick knock down. The fire is still under investigation. We have a couple new guys at the Big Show so we wanted to do some extrication training. We met with Engine 5 on 11th St. which had arranged a couple cars from Garcia's to practice on. Ist scenario had a car on its roof.

Lynwood learning the use of the Rescue jacks.

Lynwood being showed purchase points when vehicles are overturned.
Lt Hodgen using the cutters.
Brady in action
Lynwood using the spreaders to gain access to pt. compartment
Lynwood working with the spreaders.

Lt. Conners showing a technique for the spreaders.As many know there is a Swine flu story on the news every day. Here is Randy being prepared for Swine flu calls when he was transferred to station 6.
The Big Show chef's have the difficult time of knowing how many to cook for daily, one day there may be 8 and the next there may be 18. Getting our "grub on"
Several times the Big Show is visited or their presence requested. This day the engine was invited to a community picnic in Highland park.
We constantly challenge ourselves with coming up with new strategies and practicing old ones. Today we were given the scenario of getting water to the simulated 5th floor of a structure using our ladder as the means of getting water to that floor. Ladder 1 has a pre made section of 2.5" hose to a gated wye that we connect to the ladder tip.
Preparing the tip to be used as a elevated water way



Setting the Ladder preparing for Ladder OPS.

Climbing the Ladder
Advancing the 2.5" from the ladder into the structure.
Final result water flowing.

Chief Beckner discussing various techniques when advancing hose inside a structure using the Ladder as the waterway.

Next scenario was removing a fallen firefighter from the 4th floor using the stokes basket and Ladder.

Loading the victim onto the Ladder to be taken to the ground

Bringing the victim back down Ladder
Final scenario of the day was vertical ventilation of the structure.

Rigging the Ladder tip for raising tools.

Taking crews to the roof.
After crews get to the roof they may need extra equipment.
Lifting the K-saw

I want to say I am sorry again about the large gap between posts a lot of things have been happening and I wanted everyone to know we are still around. We stay busy between training and running calls and the blog suffered but I will try to do better in the future. Take care, Be safe, and go home the next morning.