Trivia Questions (Answers @ end)
- Who said, “Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow’s troubles; it takes away today’s peace.”?
- In what movie did we hear, “You go… We go.”?
- In what song did we hear the following:
You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
Too much love drives a man insane
You broke my will, but what a thrill
Goodness gracious…
I was (and still am) a Navy veteran… a proud Navy veteran.
I spent 4 years in the Navy (’73-77) as an Aviation Boatswains Mate-Handler. Most of that time was as a Crash firefighter. I had two duty stations (three, if you count the shipyards): NAS Agana, Guam and USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63).
Photo credit: John Williams, via Bob Conchola
After my discharge in July 1977, I was confident, a bit cocky, and felt like I could do almost anything. I took a job as a civilian firefighter with the City of Gainesville, Florida—my hometown. It was a natural progression from the Navy.
I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do when I grew up. I had joined the Navy after flunking out of college (Florida State University); that was the best decision I’d made (that is, joining the Navy… NOT flunking out of college), and it helped lay the path for my future. When I got back to Gainesville, I joined the fire department, and I started back to college (Santa Fe Community College) full time. One day on, two days off… just right for going back to school.
I’d spent 2½ years on the flight deck of Kitty Hawk (CV-63) in V-1 Division. I’d faced fires; I’d faced crashes; I’d faced death… more than once. And here I was now, working as a firefighter, making a whopping $9,600 a year. That’s up from about $6,500 a year I earned while an ABH2 (E-5) when I left the Navy. Of course, I had room & board back then.
I was living high on the hog.
The Adrenaline High
The adrenaline rush was still there, albeit a slight difference.
While working on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, the adrenaline rush is almost always constant. Aircraft launching, then aircraft recovery, then start the cycle all over again. Aircraft move all over the 4 acres of flight deck, almost all the time. This goes on all day and most of the night.
The city fire department is a little different. You’re not constantly on the move, like we were on the flight deck. However, when a call first comes in and you learn the type of emergency (car crash/fire, house fire, business), then the adrenaline kicks in, especially when you’re riding on the tailgate of the firetruck, sirens blasting, cars moving to the side to let the first responders get through.
Yeah, I can still feel it.
Still a Rookie Firefighter
I’d been at the fire department for several months… still considered a rookie. Even though I’d been on many calls (1-2 per day), I’d yet to fight a house fire. That wouldn’t happen until after I’d been there for six months, but that’s another story for another time.
We had school kids visit the #1 Fire Station on downtown Main Street several times and I’d always watch from a distance.
Their eyes lit up as the firefighter showed them the fire truck. A few lucky ones got to sit in the driver’s seat and blow the horn or sound the siren. All the other kids would hold their hands over their ears with scrunched faces, it was so loud.
But the kids would always clap and yell for more.
Then came the time when they’d gather around the fire pole as the firefighter explained we slept upstairs (Station #1 was the only Gainesville fire station with a second floor). When the alarm went off in the middle of the night, the firefighters would wake up, jump into their boots and trousers, and two by two (we had two fire poles), they’d slide down the pole.
The kids loved it, as two or three men (we didn’t have female firefighters back then) slid down the pole and ran to the fire trucks. They would always clap and yell for more.
Elementary School Field Trips
I remember taking field tips when I was in elementary school in the 60s. I never recall going to the fire department, though.
However, the most memorable trip was to the University of Florida College of Agriculture. I was probably in third grade, a tow-headed blond little boy with a buzz cut. We were all excited, riding the school bus to the college, where the students and professor(s) showed us what a cow’s stomach looked like.
They’d somehow figured out a way to put a glass covered porthole on the side of the cow so you could observe how they digest their food. That’s utterly (pun intended) disgusting… now. Back then, at eight years old, it was freaking awesome!
My Turn to Present
Now, it was my turn to lead the presentation. Heck, I was a seasoned rookie, meaning there were a couple of newer rookies that joined the department after me.
I gathered the kids around and showed them the fire truck while a couple of other firefighters let them climb into the cab. They were stoked, and I was gaining confidence.
Then we gathered around the fire pole, and I suggested they move back a bit. After I explained where the firefighters slept and, on signal, three firefighters slid down the pole. The kids were clapping and yelling for more.
“I got this. I’m a natural,” I told myself.
However…
How to Make 30 Kids Cry
The next thing we’d normally do is to go up the stairs.
“Hey kids. Do you want to go upstairs to see where the firefighters live?”
There was hesitation. I looked at Donnie, one of the drivers. He shrugged. I asked the kids again, “Do you want to see where the firefighters live?”
I bent over to the young boy closest to me. I saw a tear in his eye. “Are you alright?”
“No!!!!!”
Let me pause here for a moment to explain the domino affect theory.
One falls, followed by another, followed by another, until all 30 of these little kids started bawling out loud.
Needless to say, I was beside myself.
Was it something I’d done? Was it something I’d said? I know I’d showered that morning, so it wasn’t “that.”
I’d seen other firefighters do the same lecture the exact same way, and the kids never hesitated.
Stifling a Laugh
I looked around… every.single.firefighter within sight held their hand over their mouth, trying hard to keep from laughing out loud. They didn’t want to further traumatize these young children. Several others came around the corner, wanting to know what all the fuss was about.
And here I was, a 22-year-old firefighter turning three shades of red from sheer embarrassment.
Thank God, Butch Povey and Jimmy Durden—our two “C-shift” firefighter/paramedics—were there to help the teachers console the kids. I don’t know what they did, but the kids calmed down.
Winding Down
That was one thing that stuck with me for my entire 2½ year stint with the Gainesville Fire Department. Let me rephrase that… no one ever let me forget that incident.
On the bright side, I never had to lead the school kid presentation again… ever.
I will tell you this. When I graduated from Santa Fe Community College to attend UF Engineering school full time, I quit the fire department. I needed to focus on my studies. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering, worked a few years in the industry, then began a successful 25-year career as a legal technology consultant.
During those years, I made over 350 presentations around the country, sometimes addressing hundreds of legal professionals.
But, fortunately for me, none of the presentations were to elementary school children.
Until we meet again,
Andy
Andy Adkins is a US Navy veteran (’73-77) and the author of several books, including Three Years, Eleven Months, and 29 Days… But Who’s Counting? His first novel, NEVER FORGET, is available free for download (PDF, eBook format). Adkins also writes a weekly blog, “A Veteran’s Journey.”
Answers
- Randy Armstrong
- Backdraft (1991), Lt. Steven McCaffrey (Kurt Russell).
- Great Balls of Fire (1957), Jerry Lee Lewis; written by Otis Blackwell, Jack Hammer.
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