{"id":7204,"date":"2024-04-30T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=7204"},"modified":"2024-04-30T07:30:46","modified_gmt":"2024-04-30T11:30:46","slug":"166-the-day-i-accidentally-made-30-kids-cry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/166-the-day-i-accidentally-made-30-kids-cry\/","title":{"rendered":"#166\u2014The Day I “accidentally” Made 30 Kids Cry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Who said, \u201cWorrying doesn\u2019t take away tomorrow\u2019s troubles; it takes away today\u2019s peace.\u201d?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. In what movie did we hear, \u201cYou go\u2026 We go.\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. In what song did we hear the following:
    You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain<\/em>
    Too much love drives a man insane<\/em>
    You broke my will, but what a thrill<\/em>
    Goodness gracious\u2026<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    <\/div>
    Blog #166 (audio)<\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div>
    Published: <\/span>April 29, 2024<\/span><\/div>
    <\/div>Audio by Andy Adkins<\/a><\/div><\/form><\/span>3<\/span> Downloads<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>\n\n\n
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    I was (and still am) a Navy veteran\u2026 a proud Navy veteran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I spent 4 years in the Navy (\u201973-77) as an Aviation Boatswains Mate-Handler<\/a><\/strong>. Most of that time was as a Crash<\/strong> firefighter<\/a>. I had two duty stations (three, if you count the shipyards<\/a>): NAS Agana, Guam<\/a><\/strong> and USS Kitty Hawk<\/em><\/strong> (CV-63)<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"\"
    Oshkosh MB5 Crash Truck on Flight Deck.
    Photo credit: John Williams, via Bob Conchola<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    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<\/strong> with the City of Gainesville, Florida<\/a><\/strong>\u2014my hometown. It was a natural progression from the Navy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    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<\/strong>); that was the best decision I\u2019d made (that is, joining the Navy\u2026 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<\/em> I started back to college (Santa Fe Community College<\/strong>) full time. One day on, two days off\u2026 just right for going back to school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019d spent 2\u00bd years on the flight deck of Kitty Hawk<\/em> (CV-63) in V-1 Division. I\u2019d faced fires; I\u2019d faced crashes; I\u2019d faced death\u2026 more than once. And here I was now, working as a firefighter, making a whopping $9,600 a year. That\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I was living high on the hog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Adrenaline High<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    The adrenaline rush<\/a><\/strong> was still there, albeit a slight difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The city<\/em> fire department is a little different. You\u2019re 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\u2019re riding on the tailgate of the firetruck, sirens blasting, cars moving to the side to let the first responders get through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Yeah, I can still feel it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Still a Rookie Firefighter<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019d been at the fire department for several months\u2026 still considered a rookie. Even though I\u2019d been on many calls (1-2 per day), I\u2019d yet to fight a house fire. That wouldn\u2019t happen until after I\u2019d been there for six months, but that\u2019s another story for another time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We had school kids visit the #1 Fire Station on downtown Main Street several times and I\u2019d always watch from a distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Their eyes lit up as the firefighter showed them the fire truck. A few lucky ones got to sit in the driver\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But the kids would always clap and yell for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Then came the time when they\u2019d 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\u2019d slide down the pole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Fire Station Fire Pole.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The kids loved it, as two or three men (we didn\u2019t have female firefighters back then) slid down the pole and ran to the fire trucks. They would always clap and yell for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Elementary School Field Trips<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    I remember taking field tips when I was in elementary school in the 60s. I never recall going to the fire department, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    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\u2019s stomach looked like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    They\u2019d 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\u2019s utterly (pun intended) disgusting\u2026 now. Back then, at eight years old, it was freaking awesome!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My Turn to Present<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cI got this. I\u2019m a natural,\u201d I told myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to Make 30 Kids Cry<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    The next thing we\u2019d normally <\/em>do is to go up the stairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cHey kids. Do you want to go upstairs to see where the firefighters live?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There was hesitation. I looked at Donnie, one of the drivers. He shrugged. I asked the kids again, \u201cDo you want to see where the firefighters live?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I bent over to the young boy closest to me. I saw a tear in his eye. \u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cNo!!!!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let me pause here for a moment to explain the domino affect theory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    One falls, followed by another, followed by another, until all 30 of these little kids started bawling out loud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Needless to say, I was beside myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Was it something I\u2019d done? Was it something I\u2019d said? I know I\u2019d showered that morning, so it wasn\u2019t \u201cthat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019d seen other firefighters do the same lecture the exact same way, and the kids never<\/em> hesitated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stifling a Laugh<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    I looked around\u2026 every.single.firefighter within sight held their hand over their mouth, trying hard to keep from laughing out loud. They didn\u2019t want to further traumatize these young children. Several others came around the corner, wanting to know what all the fuss was about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And here I was, a 22-year-old firefighter turning three shades of red from sheer embarrassment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Thank God, Butch Povey and Jimmy Durden\u2014our two \u201cC-shift\u201d firefighter\/paramedics\u2014were there to help the teachers console the kids. I don\u2019t know what they did, but the kids calmed down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Winding Down<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    That was one thing that stuck with me for my entire 2\u00bd year stint with the Gainesville Fire Department. Let me rephrase that\u2026 no one ever let me forget that incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On the bright side, I never had to lead the school kid presentation again\u2026 ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I will tell you this. When I graduated from Santa Fe Community College to attend UF Engineering<\/strong> school full time, I quit the fire department. I needed to focus on my studies. I graduated with a Bachelor\u2019s degree in Electronics Engineering, worked a few years in the industry, then began a successful 25-year career as a legal technology consultant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    During those years, I made over 350 presentations around the country, sometimes addressing hundreds of legal professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But, fortunately for me, none<\/em> of the presentations were to elementary school children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Until we meet again,
    Andy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Andy Adkins<\/strong>\u00a0is a US Navy veteran (\u201973-77) and the author of several books, including\u00a0Three Years, Eleven Months, and 29 Days… But Who’s Counting?<\/a><\/strong> His first novel, NEVER FORGET<\/a><\/strong>, is available free for download (PDF, eBook format). Adkins also writes a weekly blog,\u00a0\u201cA Veteran\u2019s Journey.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Answers<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Randy Armstrong<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Backdraft<\/strong> (1991), Lt. Steven McCaffrey (Kurt Russell).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Great Balls of Fire <\/strong>(1957), Jerry Lee Lewis; written by Otis Blackwell, Jack Hammer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Previous blogs mentioned in this post:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n