The Big Red Ones

These are my toys! Not that I own them, but in that I get to play with them, and take care of them. You'll notice the sign above the bay doors. That's not who I volunteer for. Actually, the vehicles all say, Island County Fire District #3. The District annexed the Langley Department when Langley ran out of money to pay it's fire staff. Out of defference to Langley, who still owns the building, and charges us a rather stiff rent for it, we leave the sign up. However, since we are building a new facility on land we own in Langley, this will only be true for another couple years. As that process takes place, those pictures will be posted as well.

This picture was taken during the second extended blackout of the winter of '06. The first occurred after Thanksgiving, and the second one just ended. Our power at home came back up last night, anfter going down Thursday night last at roughly 8:00 PM. I have been on duty both those weekends as it happened to be. That simply means that I am in the red Chevy there on the driveway. It's a Medical Emergency Response Vehicle, or Merv for short. I have to respond to every call that has the vehicle numner in it. You can barely make out the black plate on the front there, but it says "A32". So any call with A32 means I go, despite the hour. Things were so crazy during the Thanksgiving blackout, which was caused by several inches of snow, that between medical calls I was dispatched by my area commander to check on trees and lines down, and help other crews fix those problems as much as we can.

I meet some really cool people during medical calls. It reminds me how every one is a fascinating story. And even though I learn about those stories in some rather dire circumstances, they are worth the learning.

Anyway, the truck on the right is the primary vehicle for our station, Engine 39. The one on the left is an old timer that still works, but is in reserve in case stuff breaks or all hell breaks loose. It's called the Marion, which was that company that made it, and it sounds comfortable and definitely identifies the one truck.

So those are my big red toys. I am honored to serve this community, and alongside some of the finest people in this business. Thanks for letting me play!

All in a day's Work

This is what I have to live with. It's actually a zoomed view from Langley looking east over the Camano Head, the south end of the Island. It's the sort of thing that makes up my work sites. And the day was rather grey, not sunny and calm.

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

Wasn’t it nice yesterday? It was sunny and warm and calm.

Putting on cedar shingles in the rain. Weaving the outside corners, taking care to shed properly between the old and new. The water runs off the valley right above my hands and from my soaked gloves down my arms.

The gulls are hunkered down somewhere, the hawks too. Maybe the eagles have taken a ride to the higher elevations.

As much white as green is in the agitated water that crashes on the beach.

The wind whips my face, as does the Green Guard I hold in my hand, trying to get it on the wall. I laugh. This is all in a days work.

I watched a Red Tail on the wing take his prey in the ditch by the storage business along the highway, the Marsh Hawk and his mate being antagonized by the crows, and

The Blue Heron hunt along the edge of the rushes.

I understand that this client can be a pill sometimes. So I ask him about his hobby, so evident throughout his house.

His face lights up, and for a few moments we are friends.

We can see Mt. Rainier, the Olympics, and the Cascades that rise behind Everett. We can watch the evolution of winter that paints these gray rocks white, and brings out the talk of snowboards and skis.

A bounty hunter, an artist, a drummer or two, or three. Boaters, skiers, parents, coaches, hunters, fishers, all as colorful as the hats we wear, or don’t. I’m in good company. This too is all in a days work.

There’s a llama on the road, no, two. That guy looks like he could use some help, so I stop. I direct traffic and prevent the creatures from heading toward the highway. Fifteen minutes later I’m on my way.

Sometimes I need to crank on my attitudes as well a twisted joist, and I can tweak my skills a little bit more as much as a precise mitered corner. Every day is so different.

I like what I do, because this is all in a days work.