 |
| 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!
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
3 comments:
Congratulations Rick! It was great reading this blog.
Congratulations Rick! What a monumental day it must have been last week.
Fantastic blog!
All the best,
Jeff
Thanks Jeff! Driving away from the station that last morning...the guys placed our two largest rigs on either side of our driveway. Lined next to them were our Engine, Rescue and Chief's rig. They then stood outside of their rigs saluting while the two big rigs did lights, siren and cross turrets. I paused under the cross turrets for about 5 seconds and then drove away. Yeah...that was a cool send off.
Climb hard and fast (as you always do...congrats yourself at the Strat) in a couple weeks at the Big Climb. Wish I could be there. Hope to sign up real early for next year. Maybe the Aon in 2014. Take care, Rick
Post a Comment