My purpose, defined.

During the drill last night (phsaw.. drill shrmill.. it was check-the-equipment and clean-the-apparatus-bay day! Very necessary work though), I had a long talk with the president of the Fire Company. In it, I told him what my goals were as far as contributing to the department.

1. I want to become THE expert when it comes to pre-planning for emergencies and training firefighters on how to properly respond to calls that involve disabled people and the elderly.

2. I want to become a resource when it comes to vehicle extrication. I figure this is where I can contribute most in terms of operations. In a vehicle extrication, I have a fairly good view of the entire staging area.

Additionally, vehicle extrications are not fast-paced activities. There's an almost slow motion ballet going one during an extrication, with the portable compressors and the slow movements of the extrication tools. Every firefighter has a buddy and the slower pace means my communication efforts with other firefighters will be clearer and less impeded by the natural adrenaline rush that comes with structural fires.

3. My role at structural fires will be limited to manpower assistance (helping with tools and SCBA packs), running hoses, etc.. These limitations are completely voluntary. I don't want to put myself or any other firefighter in increased danger because of my hearing loss.

In return, the department president asked me to do the following:

1. Develop standard operating guidelines for safely evacuating disabled/elderly people. For example, a paraplegic poses very unique concerns from a rescuer's perspective: carrying them using the outdated "Fireman's Carry" poses a risk of severely damaging lungs or exacerbating the existing injury.

2. Promote the message that deaf/disabled people CAN contribute to their communities by joining their local volunteer fire/EMS/police departments. The roles they play may not be as varied as those available to an able-bodied person but the work is just as honorable. Getting a hose to the right place makes sure the firefighters can do their work. Making sure the computer system is up and running to receive dispatches makes sure the ambulance can get to its destination without delay.

3. Teach the firefighters the gospel truth (my words) on how non-verbal communication is the best way to communicate in a noisy environment. People have a habit of just raising their voice if it's noisy. You can save time by gesturing and getting your point across.

That's it for now. I hav emore later.