A Day in Their Boots

Each and every day, hundreds of men and women who work for the Alameda County Fire Department put on their firefighter turnouts and get to work. They go about their jobs — saving lives, saving homes and saving all of us from having to go through an emergency alone.

But if you've ever wondered what it feels like to "walk a mile" in their boots, two local Patch editors can now tell you the answer. 

I had the opportunity to join Kris Vera-Phillips, editor of Newark Patch, at Fire Ops 101 on Saturday. And what an experience we had.

We suited up, extinguished a fire, used a saw to vent a roof, broke a car window, crawled our way through a burning building and used the Jaws of Life. That was before noon.

Our experience with Fire Ops began by getting into the right clothing. Equipped with complete turnout gear — suspender pants, lined protective coat, boots, gloves, helmet and goggles — we attempted to look the part. And looking the part meant extra weight. At any given time a firefighter can be wearing 50 or more extra pounds of gear.

The class was broken up into five stations and the nearly 20 participants were placed into teams, or engines. Media and local government officials were invited to attend the daylong event. Vice Mayor Kevin Hart and Councilman Eric Swalwell from Dublin participated, as well as council members Ana Apodaca and  Al Nagy (an observer), from Newark. Capt. Jess Anderson was our guide for the day.

A firefighter air pack, a self-contained breathing apparatus called "SCBA," was attached to our backs. The device includes a hose and mouthpiece and allows firefighters to breathe oxygen in a fire.  

With full oxygen tanks, we grabbed a fire hose and entered a burning building. We crawled through the structure until we spotted the roaring flames and each sprayed water on the source of the fire. In theory, it sounds simple, right? Wrong.

Upon entering a building enclosure filled with smoke, you're completely disoriented and in the dark. You're also on your knees and trying to keep as low as possible to avoid the heat. You have to rely on all of your senses far more than you could imagine. Of course, we also could rely on the firefighters who stayed with us every step of the way, providing support and instruction.

Keep in mind the 55 firefighters who helped at Fire Ops 101 on Saturday did so on a volunteer basis.

Our next stop involved once again suiting up with oxygen tanks and entering a smoke-filled area. Complete darkness surrounded us and we were instructed to lie on our stomachs and crawl below hanging wires. The situation was too claustrophobic for some participants and they had to back out.The key in this situation was using a thermal imaging camera.

The camera allows firefighters to see what the naked eye cannot, especially in a situation in which darkness surrounds you. With the camera, we crawled under wires, through a tunnel and located a "victim" needing to be rescued.

We then headed over the the auto extrication area. Since an estimated 80 percent (if not more) of all the calls firefighters respond to are for medical reasons, having the right equipment can mean the difference between life and death.

Presented with a car and a "dummy" in the driver's seat, we were given tools to prop up the car and pop all of the tires so that the car would not move. A tiny tool enables firefighters to break car windows and get to the victim quickly. We used the Jaws of Life to pry off the front door and start to take the car apart.

It was intense and this was only a staged situation. But it makes you realize that these men and women have to think quickly when they arrive on the scene of a car accident and that acting as a team is essential.

Our next stop was the EMS area. Here we carried a 40-pound victim down flights of stairs, learned what it takes to perform CPR in the field (thanks to firefighter/medic Paul Mahar and his crew) and provide medical attention. It was also at this time that we met a very special friend.

Nelson, an 8-year-old yellow lab, is part of the search-and-rescue team and works alongside firefighter Alex Mengell. Nelson came from the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, a nonprofit that covers professional training costs with donations.

Nelson showed off his search skills by locating a person hiding in the corner behind a piece of wood. Without even seeing her, he started barking repeatedly. Nelson's keen nose gives him the ability to find the "missing scent" in a room, meaning that he can find someone who might be trapped. 

At this point in our day, we headed to ventilation training. This is where we put in ear plugs, pulled down our goggles and used a chainsaw to create ventilation in a piece of wood. 

From fighting fire with the help of oxygen tanks and crawling through dark spaces to using the Jaws of Life and helping rescue a victim, Saturday was an amazing experience.  

Sixty seconds. That's how much time firefighters have to get on the truck and head out. What they're heading to is a different scenario every time.

Indeed, we did "walk a mile" in their boots Saturday.  But one day couldn't begin to show us the amount of work it takes to be a firefighter.

The next time you see a firefighter, thank them. What they do on a day-to-day basis is physically and mentally challenging; a role that certainly isn't for everyone. Spend a day in their boots and I guarantee that your appreciation will be magnified tenfold.

We would like to extend a very special thank you to all of the men and women involved in putting together Fire Ops 101. Thank you for your time, your instruction and most of all, for loving your job enough to show us what you do.