(Used to be) Springwood Colquhouns: Tiring weekend

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Tiring weekend

We have three very tired firefighters in our house tonight. James, Robert and I did the second weekend of our Village Firefighter course. Friday night 7:30 to 10:30/11pm, Saturday 8:30am-5pm and today 7am-5:30pm or so.

Today we went down to a council depot at a place called Kemp's Creek where we did the 'hot fire' day. Instead of just pretending to fight fires, the RFS can use containers and an old car and have really fires to put out. It's exhausting work as we do the drills 2-3 times each, in and out the truck laying hoses, putting out fires and then packing it all up again. We need a lot of practice before we will be ready for assessment at the end of May.

It is a filthy environment at Kemp's Creek. I'm planning to wash our gear at least twice and then run the washing machine empty a couple of times before doing any other washing. There was oil and grease and kerosene and drip torch fuel and gravel and tar and, and, and . . .

Meanwhile Ishbel and Ian have had a quiet weekend just the two of them. Under Ian's guidance Ishbel has made the boys a chocolate cake for their birthday. We have to have it tonight because someone or two is out EVERY night next week until next Sunday!

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