Freezer Meals

Last night I went to a freezer meal night at someone's house whom we go to church with. I made 22 meals for only $56.00! It was actually 11 meals that go in 9"x13" pans, but since we don't eat that much in one meal, I split each meal into 2-8"x8" pans. The meals vary from Mexican lasagna to twice baked potatoes to chicken divan to white chicken chili. I am really excited to try all these new recipes!

VRT Graduation

This past Wednesday night Jeff graduated from the Volunteer Recruit Training that he has been going through for the last six weeks. I am very proud of him for all that he has accomplished becoming a Volunteer Firefighter and an EMT. I am also very happy to have him home now on Wednesday nights and Saturdays- it has been a very long 16 weeks (10 weeks for EMT classes and 6 for the VRT). All the guys from District 9.



Sitting on Chief Ladd's antique engine.

Congratulations Jeffery!

The next six posts are all pictures from the Volunteer Recruit Training. I only included pictures from one of the first Wednesday nights, I didn't figure anyone wanted to look at pictures of Jeff just sitting around over and over. So most of the pictures are from the Saturdays. Enjoy!

VRT Saturday April 18th

Unfortunately Jeff was sent home from the last burn day due to the stomach flu, the Chief wouldn't let him burn. It was picture day also and he wanted to at least show off his "brothers" from Delta company that he spent the last six weeks with.

Delta Company

Region 9 2009-01 Recruit Class.



Here is a cool picture of fire.

VRT Saturday April 11th

This Saturday was really busy. There was the search and rescue practical, roof (vertical) ventilation, car fires, hydraulic ventilation, and fire attack.

In this picture if you look close you can see water coming out of the window. This is called hydraulic ventilation. By setting their hose stream t a flow pattern and aiming it at the open window, the water will actually pull the smoke out the window and thus increase visibility in the room. Jeff said the room was probably around 800 degrees with before the ventilation. This is engine 92

Getting ready for search and rescue with Delta Company.

Outside the raining tower after the search and rescue.

Preparing to advance on the roof for vertical ventilation.

On the roof.

Delta company looks on while the instructor shows them how. Also in the left of the picture is the TRT team (Tactical Response Team), they were practicing repelling down the other side.

A better picture of hydraulic ventilation.

Lt. Dean shows Jeff and his partner Dan how to properly attack a car fire.

Time to prop open the hood to hose down the engine compartment. Dan uses his halogen bar to prop open the hood while Jeff protects him with the water.

VRT Saturday April 4th

Ladder day. These guys are extending a short extension ladder.

Jeff is acting as the butt man and it is his responsibility to hold the ladder steady and tie the halyard (rope) in a clove hitch with a half hitch safety. He said it was a pain in the butt.

A view from the top of the training tower.

Butting another ladder.

It takes three guys to raise the 35' extension ladder.

The butt man rides again!

VRT Saturdy March 28th

Hose day.

In this photo the company is laying out a hose line, up the stairs into the training tower, preparing to make entry.

After they had laid the hose down, they had to break it all down and re-stack it in the engine, in what is called the minute man lay. They had to do this all six times, once for each member of the company.

Jeff is practicing nozzle technique with two guys from his company Dan and Daniel (Hotmail). They called him hotmail because his last name was Malhot, and it was a way to distinguish the Dan's.

Jeff and Michael loading the large diameter hose.

On top of the engine by the deck gun, learning about the 5" hose, used to connect the hydrant to the pumper.

At the end of the day they had a make or break competition, where they had four rolls of hose. They had to roll them all out, connect them all, knock over the cones at both ends, break the hose down and re-stack it. Jeff's company came in second place.

VRT Saturday March 21st

The first Saturday of activities. The new recruits learned how to don(put on) and doff (take off) their SCBA's (self contained breath apparatus)

Forming line with our companies. (Jeff's company was Delta Company)

The picture below is the training tower.

Foster a resident at station 91 gives Jeff and another member of Delta company Corey Walsh some tips about their SCBA's

Preparing to go into the burn tower for the first time. (The confidence burn)

Delta company advances into the burning structure.

VRT Wednesday March 18th

Sitting in the fire behavior class. This was a typical Wednesday night. Jeff's instructor was Chief Bleeker. He is the chief arson investigator for Fire District 9. Ironically he was also Jeff's dad's commanding officer in the Air National Guard. Jeff says this was a great class, learning all about how fire reacts in different situations like back draft, flash over, rollover, ghosting, etc...