The Probie's first duty tour...

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

July 3rd was the first official tour of duty for my new Probationary Firefighter. She arrived at the station at 5:30, and I told her where she would be riding, what bunkroom was hers, about the group and how we work together, etc. etc. etc.

At 6:05 PM, Engine 2 and the Rescue were toned out for a reported motor vehicle accident on Interstate 495 Southbound, North of 290. Multiple calls were received reporting a rollver with entrapment. Since that section of I 495 is right on the Marlborough/Hudson/Northborough and Berlin city and town lines, units from all 4 FD's were dispatched. Engine 2 requested Engine 1's response, so 5 minutes into the tour, the Probie caught her first offical incident. 4 pumpers, three rescues, three ambulances and Boston MedFlight responded ( LifeFlight was unavailable)

One person was trapped in the vehicle (a 2002 Ford Expedition), the roof was removed, the steering wheel pulled and the doors popped off for access. There were 4 other "walking wounded" that were treated at the scene. Marlborough and Hudson FD personnel handled patient care and extrication while Berlin covereds the LZ on the southbound lane after the State Police shut the highway down.

It took about 35 minutes to extricate the patient from the SUV, All went by ground transport to UMass Medical Center in Worcester (MedFlight kicked up some debris from rotor wash on landing and cracked one of the windscrrens.. they could fly, but due to safety protocols not with a patient aboard.. I can imagine what a windscreen for a Eurocopter Dauphin costs! )

The Probie did good! That was our only call for the tour, but she got a little of everything on that one call!

[johnson8]

Sounds like a pretty hectic call. I haven't had any good wrecks yet, but I am still a probie myself.

[Mycareer]

No Such thing as a good wreck

[PK5343]

Captain Gonzo,

That seems like a great first tour for a probie. We just got 2 new probie's in our company. The kids first night tour was pretty standard; a couple of ems runs, couple of automatic alarms some CO detectors and maybe a rubbish fire. He did get a free steak dinner because one of the brothers just hit 10 years.

His second night they ran around a little before midnight, but nothing exciting. Again, he got a free steak dinner becuase the brother just hit 10 years (2 tours 2 free steak dinners, not bad right?). He then "rested his eyes" all night, only one run after midnight. At 8:57am (the tour ends at 9am), they were first due to a fire in a tenement, numerous calls, reports of people trapped. As soon as they turned the corner the brothers knew they were going to work. In fact the second due truck, responding from 15 blocks away almost gave the 10-75, but decided not to jump the first due companies. The proby had the nozzle and put out 3 rooms of fire. Poor kid, he has 20 years left and no where to go but down. The other new proby arrived at the station at 7:00am (for his first tour) but nobody wanted to take up, so he had to watch the companies turn out for the job.
PK