Extrication training with Colfax Fire

With only four hours of sleep I was dragging this morning, but I planned on having fun today. I drove to the fire department and got my turn outs. Then I drove to Ben's Body and saw Carl and Matt. I told Carl about my ShortBus trip and gave him a sample of my Elvis impersonation. He got a big kick out of that.

People started to arrive close to ten o'clock AM. A van showed up with WSU and Pullman firefighters in it. Wakeman, Sturm, and a few other guys. They came over and said hello to me. It was good to see them. I had not seen them in a while.

We walked over to some cars and had a chance to look at them. Everyone was briefed on what we were going to be doing. Jeff and I worked at a sub-compact hatch-back car. We had a victim inside and had people extricate the person without cutting the car. So they had to get into the car and hold c-spine. Then transfer them out on to the board.

After watching different groups do their thing we would give them ideas, pointers, and things they need to improve. We did this for a few hours and then took a lunch break. I grabbed some Subway and went back to the training ground.

In the afternoon session we decided that cars would be cut to get people out. I was put in this sub-compact coffin on wheels car. It took everything I had to get into the car wearing my full turnouts and whatnot. I was being a patients who was not easy to get along with. I was getting mad at the firefighters for cutting my car. They tried to clam me down.

Wakeman was holding my c-spine when I asked him his name because he owed me a new car. He then smiled and did a quick twist of my head like he was breaking my neck. I started to laugh. Then as they pulled me out of the car I would scream and yell really loud. At first they stopped because they did not know what was wrong. Jamie was laughing really hard.

They finally got me out of the car and I stopped screaming. She then asked if I could be a patient for the finals coming up in March. She said I am a good patient. I told her I would.

We did a few more scenarios before calling it a day. I helped to clean up the mess before heading to the fire station. Tim had a bunch of pictures that we all looked at. Then everyone started to leave. I stayed at the station and watch a movie but I was so tired I kept dozing off. Finally I hit a second wind and made it through the movie. I went home a little while after the movie was over.

I got into watching some TV for a few hours. I pretty much rested on the couch watching TV. Because I was so tired I went to be around eleven-thirty. Just as I was in the transition zone between sleep and being awake the phone rang. It was about midnight and Pete was telling me about a situation in Pullman that was going on. He said they will call if they get more information where they will need me to respond. After hanging up I was fast asleep.