Hoffman Citizens Fire Academy graduate writes about experience
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Hoffman Estates Citizens Fire Academy. When I had initially read the brief description of the class, which included climbing a 100-foot ladder, using the “Jaws of Life” and have I ever dreamed about leading a fire company into a burning building? Well to tell you the truth I never thought about doing any of those things before, as these were all things out of my comfort zone, but I thought I would give it a try. The description also talked about learning home safety, CPR as well as learning the history of the Hoffman Estates Fire Department, so I said “Where do I sign up.”
Over the course of the 10-week program, technically we had the opportunity to do all the things mentioned above and more, but the description failed to describe all the humbling moments that occurred which compelled me to share my story and try to express some of those moments.
The first night of class we were greeted by Lt. Tony Butler who coordinated the class. As people strolled in, it was an unexpected mix of people from young to retired age, leaning more toward the retired age. I was curious why there wouldn’t be more attendees who were thinking about making fire fighting their career, by the initial class description I would have thought the class would be perfect for that.
I had never been in a fire house before, and I was excited to be there. We started in the classroom learning about the history of the Hoffman Estates Fire Department and some basics like the hours of a shift, etc. However, the most exciting was at the end of class when we were able to tour the station and finally end up in the apparatus bay where the vehicles were parked. I remember thinking the trucks are so clean, I wanted to reach out and just touch one of the trucks but I didn’t dare, in my mind these were sacred and I didn’t dare touch one.
Our next class happened to fall on Sept. 11. We deviated from the class plan slightly that night and watched a compelling video about first responders at the World Trade Center. This was the first of many humbling experiences that the class offered. You couldn’t help but think the fire fighters working in this station right now would do the exact same thing as the first responders did on 9/11. It was a moving class, which set the tone for the rest of the sessions.
One of our classes we learned all about the different apparatus. My group started with the ambulance and at the end when we were almost done, it had to leave to go on a call. This was reality; this ambulance wasn’t just here for us to learn about, it and the fire fighters aboard had a job to do. When it finally returned not more than 10 minutes later it was called out again. You couldn’t help but think where was it going? Who needed their help? But you knew if anyone could help it would be them.
Our first field trip was for auto extrication at station 22, led by Lt. Rich Wellhausen. It was a cool evening and we had to wear our turn out gear which is bulky, heavy and warm, very warm. We had a big group of fire fighters that night to help with the class. As I looked around I took a moment and smiled, there was no question who were the students with their ill-fitting turn out gear from the real fire fighters who were confidently moving about. What normally can be done by the fire fighters in minutes in a real situation took the class more than two hours to dissemble a car down to a convertible. It was amazing to watch the fire fighters methodically break down the car piece by piece and to think all the while in a real situation there is a scared person inside and minutes, I am sure can feel like a lifetime. They explained in a real situation, if possible, they send a firefighter inside the car to sit with the person who is in distress and that firefighter’s only job is to “keep them calm.” Another humbling moment which resonated with me for the rest of the class, because I knew the instructors would help make me feel calm in any activity that might otherwise make me feel anxious.
The instructors of the Citizens Fire Academy were outstanding. They were all subject matter experts and I have never met a more patient, helpful and nicer group of people in my life. From the instructor Lt. Don Richter who taught us CPR to the firefighter who helped me feel calm as we repelled down the inside of the water tower. No question was ever too small, or too simple to ask, they happily answered every one. Even if you had to ask more than once they always gave you the time and attention needed.
But it was the last two classes that stood out the most for me. The second to the last class we learned all about hoses and ladders. Our group was the first to go outside to learn about how the water flows from the hydrant through the truck. I was fascinated by all the dials on the truck; it looked like a cockpit of an airplane. When you think that most of the time there are only two fire fighters on a truck, it is staggering to think how much needs to be done before they even get one drop of water on a fire. It was just one more humbling experience thinking about how much these fire fighters do for us that most people have no idea about. I know for myself before taking this class I used to think fire fighters just hooked up a hose and turned it on, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Our last class would be the live fire exercise, the part of the class description that stated, “Have you ever dreamed about leading a fire company into a burning building?” We were broken into three groups and the instructor for our group was Firefighter Jason Loeb. Everyone in the class was so excited for this night, but I started the evening in trepidation and sadness because this meant the class had come to an end.
We get to Carol Stream where the exercise took place and our group would be the first to go in the building as we started one of three rotations: Squad (the first in) the hose and then ladders. The exercise is designed to give us a glimpse of what the fire fighters go through every time they go to a fire.
This exercise was the most humbling experience of the entire class because I realized the exercise we went through is nothing like what fire fighters go though. We knew the layout of the room before we started the exercise, we knew where the dummy would need to be saved and it was a bale of hay and barrel that was burning, not an entire room. We had the luxury of knowing all these things ahead of time but fire fighters have to deal with the unknown every time they go into a burning building, and yet they go in. I can’t imagine the courage it takes to do that. It took all my concentration to just breathe and climb stair by stair while the weight of the air pack and sledgehammer I was carrying made it difficult to even move.
I am extremely fortunate that I had the opportunity to participate in the Hoffman Estates Citizens Fire academy. I have an even greater respect for what our fire fighters do for us. When chatting with Firefighter Jason Loeb at the end of our last class trying to express my gratitude, he said, “We appreciate those attending the Citizens Fire Academy because they are our mouthpiece to the community about the services that the village’s public servants offer and the amount of training they go through to make sure they are ready to respond at all times for those they serve.”
I can promise you this, I will be that mouthpiece, I will tell more people, I will get the word out, I will volunteer, and I will do what I can to help. As it is the least I can do to express my gratitude for all you do every time you go out on a call.
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