A Grateful Firefighter says...Good bye!

1993 EMT 2 - just prior to Paramedic School

 My LAST SHIFT...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 year career in the Fire Service...

Wow…it’s THE DAY! No way man…no way! How can this be? How is it possible…that my career is coming to an end? Tomorrow I awake…no longer a firefighter. Well…guess I’ll always be a firefighter, but unlikely that I will ever perform this function again. Kind of surreal…You know?

On my 'Yamahaug' Yeah baby!

For those of you who have been reading some, maybe all of my blogs these past (my last) 50 shifts, I hope it’s been a good ride. I know that it has been for me. To me it’s like when you’re reading the obits (something you’ll do more to as you get older) and a person only has a paragraph. I think, how sad! There is so much more to a person, to their life than just one measly paragraph. A career…such an amazing part of the whole of life… I could continue past these 50 blogs to tell of more of the significant aspects of this career of mine, but I think as this career ends, so these blogs. 

I love under water baby:)

As I sign off, what do I say, how do I conclude? Perhaps it is how I hope that I will be remembered. I’ve told the story of how I received one of my nick-names, ‘Vick’. I could tell about ‘Ricky D’ or ‘Lick’ or ‘Willy’ or ‘Georgia Peach’. Perhaps for years when the guys tell a story about this old dude who use to work here that they will use one of these names in the story. And I hope that behind the name comes a memory of a man of integrity. A man who left a mark as being humble, gentle…patient. Thanks for being part of my career. So now I’m off to…what? It will be moment by moment.

40th Anniversary Climb of Silliman Pass

I can not say THANKS enough to all of you. It’s an hour and a half until the party celebration and then dinner tonight at Stanford’s. So…here we go…20 Hours to go!

And I can not say THANKS enough to my Lord. For His direction…for His protection…I am so very grateful for all that You’ve given. Might I honor You in whatever comes my way.

Thanks! Good-bye!

NEED YOU NOW by: PLUMB
Well, everybody's got a story to tell
And everybody's got a wound to be healed
I want to believe there's beauty here
So, I guess you're tired of holding on
I can't let go, I can't move on
I want to believe there's meaning here

Chorus:
How many times have you heard me cry out
"God please take this"?
How many times have you given me strength to
Just keep breathing?
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.

Standing on a road I didn't plan
Wondering how I got to where I am
I'm trying to hear that still small voice
I'm trying to hear above the noise

Chorus
 

ReFirement Time baby!

 36 Hours Remaining...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 year career in the Fire Service…

ReFirement…Sharon Ely Pearson wrote in April of 2011 a post called ‘Refirement vs. Retirement’. Or there’s Lynda Smith of the ‘Refirement Network’… “A business involved in helping organizations and Baby Boomers to understand the opportunities and challenges that the future holds”. The ‘ReFire Don’t ReTire’ website says, “It’s time to create and live your bucket list”. But the question is what does ReFire or ReFirement mean to this guy?

First the word…I may have ‘coined’ the term ReFire myself. It is a word…a concept that I began using more than ten years ago, which appears to be before others that are using it. Did they steal it from me? I say huummm. That may be worth somethingJ OK, aside from the silliness.

No matter…As I began to consider what retirement would look like, or as I considered what that concept meant to our Creator…I just could not come to grip of our American retirement ideology. How does this guy, who started as a ‘fire’ fighter some 36 years ago… Now ReFire for what lies ahead? And how does the Creator of this soul, of this personality, of this body, mind and spirit ReFire for the next moment of time? What does it look like? How will He use me? I desire a life of Simplicity…of Flexibility…and of Availability…to be used for the moment…whatever, however or wherever the moment may be.

So…into ReFirement I go not knowing what lies ahead, but with the hope of being available to any person, any situation, any moment of time. Here we go! 

'Cross Turrets'

59 Hours Remaining...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire Service...

Three…two…one…discharge! That’s the countdown to an event that we are privileged to be part of. It’s what we call ‘Cross Turrets’ and it has become just one of the ways that we offer ‘customer service’ at Portland Airport Fire and Rescue. When a pilot is flying into Portland as their ‘last fight’ we will take two of our Crash Trucks and position them on either side of a Taxiway. Prior to the aircraft arriving to our position we will give the countdown turning on our emergency lights and begin discharging water in a ‘cross turrets’ fashion. It is quite the cool site to watch, and even more so if the conditions are right in order to have a rainbow. What a way to send off a Captain who has given his or her service to our airways for so many years. 

 

Most often after the aircraft has taxied past our trucks and we’ve shut down our turrets we head back to the barn. At times though we are invited or requested to join the airline and their crew at the gate. It is inevitable that the pilot, the crew, the passengers, bystanders and the airline give a hearty thanks for our participation…Just a simple thing that means a lot. And to know that we’ve been even a small part in saying thanks to someone else for their service. It’s what we do! 

Cross Turrets is not the end...rather it is the beginning of something new. As Brandon Heath's song says... "He's not finished with me yet". And, "I'm not here for nothing, He's up to something". Looking forward to that...something!

I salute the men and women that I've had the privilege to work with....

82 Hours Remaining Rick's ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire Service...

Duane…my brother in Christ and dear friend

Kenny…who puts us in stitches

Randy…in your prime, the best Lieutenant

Gula…the best officer our department has had

Mitch…a good medic, most diligent employee

Tracy…thanks for being a good partner and LT

Rob…early struggle, afterward excellent pursuit

Big Al…first Paramedic Coordinator and best ping pong player

Little Al…always a good friend – Go Dodgers! Go Ducks!

Zoo, Fish and John C…thanks for some B Time!

JT…ya all be good now ya hear. Paramedic down!

John…thanks for joining me in Stairclimb adventures!

Paramedic Partners…RSI someone for me:)

Big A…dry humor, gentle spirit

Karyn…put into her hands and – she’ll get it done!

Bruce…can fabricate a story like none other:)

Byron…sure glad you were at the helm that day:)

Pete…how about another great tour?

Obie…sure you don’t want to play Pickleball?

Stone…don’t think that you’ll ever regularly beat Justin…

Weber…always the heart for excellent patient care

Ron…I finally took a complete tennis match from you

Prior to PAF&R…

Dave Dodson…more than a ‘best man’

Duane Foy…a southern gentleman, brother in Christ

JB…little man Byers

Mike Harte…great smile and big heart!

Roy Ingram…couple weeks at Chanute, and now Reunited!

 

911 Hero performed by Michael Israel in New York

 

Can You Say...'Pickleball Champion'

Right now...105 Hours Remaining...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire Service...

Obie...thinking...I can beat this guy!

On ‘Shift 9’ I mentioned volleyball as one of my favorite PT time activities. Today’s activity…Pickleball. You say…Pickle what? You read it right… ‘Pickleball’! A game that was created back in the 60’s has become a craze around the country, especially Florida which has one location with over 100 courts. But it has also been a craze around the FD for the past 6 years or so.

 

Just ask Obie…oh wait, he doesn’t play anymore. Perhaps he’ll be able to start again this coming season. It was more than 3 years ago when Obie got on the PA to announce “Pickleball at 3:30”…(a pause)… then he says, “except for Rick!” Not that I would ever say that he’s a sore loser or anything :) it’s just that he doesn’t like losing. And losing is all he was able to do when he played this 20+ year OLD dude. Well…to be fair to him…actually no one has ever beat this dude in singles. Poor young boys…they just couldn’t handle "The Old Man's" stuff :) They came close a couple times. Ole John C (then 23 years old) had me down 9 to zero this past summer. The game is played to 11, so…I had to put the after burners on and get down to business to save my reputation. And oh … as well, I did switch from my right, to my stronger  - left hand. Sorry John :(

The court…a 20 by 44 foot area of pavement which is about 1/3 of a Tennis court. It is played with a hard paddle like that of a ping pong paddle, but the size of a racket ball racket. The net is a bit lower than that of Tennis. And…well…it can be loads of fun. OK, so maybe it’s more fun for this guy with…skillllllsssss. I’m just saying :) 

SCUBA...The Refirement Years???

6 SHIFTS Remaining...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire Service...

After today I have 120 hours of work (five shifts) remaining at the ole Fire House. Very surreal for sure...

Today's blog...Actually I am playing hooky today from work as I took the day off to go SCUBA diving for the weekend. I've been in the midst (for the past month) of obtaining my 'Rescue Diver' certification. This weekend was putting all the classroom and 'confined' water dives together. So...why do I place it unto my 'Fire ReFlection' blog? Maybe it will become a key component into the ReFirement years. Maybe? We'll see...

The weekend took place up at 'Hood Canal' which is off the Puget Sound, NW of Olympia, Washington. There were five of us in the class and then another class of four taking the Advance Diver Cert. The certifications for PADI (the largest dive cert company) goes from Open Water, to Advance Open Water, then the Rescue Diver and followed by the last recreation dive certification of 'Master Diver' or begin up the professional ranks of 'Dive Master'. I am highly considering completing my Dive Master this coming May. Again...maybe!

Under water at Crater Lake...pretty cool!

All that said, I love diving! But...I must also say...this weekend being my first in a dry suit was bit of a challenge and time consuming to put all the necessary gear on. Staying dry and fairly warm, especially in 42 degree water...think that I'll stick with the dry suit.

Hope you enjoy Audio Adrenaline's 'Ocean Floor'. Test your Spanish at the same time:)