I have been in Reno for the past week to the fire team meetings. We hold them every year to go over new things that are expected and to meet with the new folks on the team so we at least know the name and face when we get called to an emergency. That way we can start building the team before we get the call out. It is very interesting to me to go to those meetings now. I am the longest term (continuous) member of a team in the nation and have been for about five years. There are people working on teams that have been working longer but they all had a break in service of some kind.
I clearly remember my first meeting. I always sit in the back of the room on the chair closest to the door in any meeting I attend unless it is occupied before I get there. I was sitting there looking around and remember clearly thinking "LOOK AT ALL THESE OLD BASTARDS." A few years ago I remember the same thing and leaning over to my neighbor and telling him the story which I closed by saying "AND NOW I AM ONE OF THEM!"
It sucks to get old but it beats hell out of the alternative.
Some say the world will end with fire.
Others say with ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those that favor fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate,
To say that for destruction ice,
Is also great and would suffice.
Robert Frost
"YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID" - Ron White
"Good things come to those who wait, but, only the things LEFT by those who hustle." - Unknown (at least by me)
"Life is wonderful, without it you are dead." - Hy "Pete" Peterson - Park City and Kenecott Miner
"Don't worry about those people in your past---there is a reason they are not in your present." - Unknown
"Life's tough - it's even tougher if you're stupid." - John Wayne
"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary!" - Vince Lombardi
"If you aren’t living on the edge, you’re probably taking up too much space.” ~ Attributed to Jim Whittaker by Doug ‘Swani’ Swantner, Alaska Smokejumper and Air Attack Base Manager (Ret.)
Others say with ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those that favor fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate,
To say that for destruction ice,
Is also great and would suffice.
Robert Frost
"YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID" - Ron White
"Good things come to those who wait, but, only the things LEFT by those who hustle." - Unknown (at least by me)
"Life is wonderful, without it you are dead." - Hy "Pete" Peterson - Park City and Kenecott Miner
"Don't worry about those people in your past---there is a reason they are not in your present." - Unknown
"Life's tough - it's even tougher if you're stupid." - John Wayne
"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary!" - Vince Lombardi
"If you aren’t living on the edge, you’re probably taking up too much space.” ~ Attributed to Jim Whittaker by Doug ‘Swani’ Swantner, Alaska Smokejumper and Air Attack Base Manager (Ret.)
About Me
- Dee Ice Hole
- I am married and have seven children and twenty grandchildren. I retired January 1, 2010 after working 39+ years for the Forest Service...NEW CHAPTER IN MY LIFE HAS BEGUN!
2 comments:
Isn't it funny how you never think of yourself as being old, though? I still feel like I should be 21-ish. lol
My mind is sure I am still 30-ish. My body just can't do the things it did when I was 50 anymore. I really didn't have any issues with my body refusing to do things until after my 58th birthday. Since then I can no longer pass the rigorous pack test for fire, or for that matter the moderate either. That leaves me unable to do the fireline thing anymore without an escort.
This is the year that I lose all of my line and burn qualifications because I have not participated in three years. I worked hard for the quals - I hate to lose them. Guess I don't hate to lose them bad enough or I would do the work necessary to get in shape and pass the damned test.
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