In a message dated 04/26/2000 9:34:51 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< Yep, Betty you sound just like a firefighter.  My fought them for 20+ years
 in a small town.  I loved visiting my Dad where he worked.  Big trucks are
 always way cool.  Trained to be a firefighter in the Navy.  Love controlled
 burns, too fun, big wrenches, water, sexy uniforms...

What town -- where was your Dad?  I visited a number of small town fire
departments on the East Coast during the Eighties and was always treated
well.  The fire house in Jonesbourough Tennessee was a very special visit.
These guys did their best to show me how professional they were, and I was
impressed too.  Their apparatus was well cared for, their uniforms were
professional looking, the fire house was clean, and they treated me like a
sister -- as it should be with a visiting fireman.  They invited me to stay
for dinner and I did.  They were humble too, not cocky.  I fell in love with
all of them immediately.

When they came to the National Fire Academy for Tennessee weekend (a NFA
training thing -- they have state weekend training sessions) I drove up and
met them for a beer and pool.  They were so jazzed that I did that, but it
was only an hour's drive -- no big deal for me.  I'll never forget those
guys.

I know what you are saying -- I have a truck thing too.  I think I'm one of
those women with extra testosterone or something (just a joke).  I don't have
a mustache though, just a thing for trucks and GI Joe's.

I took a real interest in shipboard firefighting a few years ago.  I have a
special place in my heart for defend-in-place strategy.  The nozzles I saw on
a ship I toured in SD (USS Elliot -- guided missile cruiser) made a major
impression on me.  They were so massive they made my deck gun look like a
water pistol!  It took away every bit of my manhood.  Wait...that didn't come
out right, did it?

I didn't understand something though Beth.  Were you saying that you trained
in the Navy or your Dad?  If it was you, where did you train?  The reason I'm
asking is that when I visited Miramar in the eighties, I got a tour of their
training facility and met the firefighters. I was very impressed with their
level of professionalism and they had a training maze that was great too, I
remember that.

I was also impressed with the professionalism I found in Air Force fire
departments.  I'm sure that had to do with the fact that they were
combination military and civilian.  I am just used to a strict chain of
command structure, and that's certainly a hallmark of the military.  It
belongs in the fire service too.  I mean the leadership style has to be
autocratic on the fireground, maybe not outside of a fire call though.

Man, the old fireman in me is really kicking in.  I'd better quit posting
about this before people start dropping off the list.  I just don't get this
chance too often.  WAIT!  I had a friend who was a firefighter and had CP.
Now, it's a CP-related post.  Whew!  I feel much better about this.

Come to think of it, I've known of two guys in the fire service who have CP.
One is my friend in Maryland, and the other guy is in PA someplace.  They did
a story about him in Fire House Magazine a number of years ago.  Now this is
for sure a CP-related post.

Okay, I'm shutting up now -- promise.