My next adventure began two days after I arrived home from Annapolis, Maryland.  The next stop: The New York State Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls, a place I will forever remember.

After reviewing my activities list for the summer already, I realized I would not be able to take a normal, average Fire Fighter 1 class that includes months of classes at different fire departments locally.  So, when given the opportunity months before the beginning of summer, I decided I would apply for a chance to take the FF1 class in Montour Falls, which I was accepted into much to the happiness of my department.  This class would include hours and hours of online class work and then two whole weeks of hands-on work at the Fire Science Academy.

Arriving at the Academy on that early Sunday morning in June, I understood how important it was for me to make it through this class.  This place was a place that held so much history for great fire fighters in New York State.  Its memorial on the ground level holds testament to that, holding the names of fallen fire fighters dating back into the early 1900s.

I found the key to my room in a bin holding name tags and proceeded to carry my suitcase up the stairs to the second floor where I’d be staying along with my roommate for the next week.  This time was the last relaxed time I would have all that week and the next week after that.  I said goodbye to my parents who had dropped me off, brought my gear into the gear locker and started meeting my fellow classmates.  Next was orientation and right off the bat the beginning of class.

Classes for the first week were all the lessons we would need to use for the most anticipated week of classes the week after: live burn week.  These classes included everything from knot-tying to search and rescue and everything in between.  We would have classes from 8 in the morning to 5:30 at night and have the rest of the day to study and get sleep.  I was able to tour the park nearby with the younger guys in my class a couple evenings and got to know them while hiking the falls.

We had a week off for the 4^th of July and then it was back to work again, this time, practicing our skills in fire situations.  The days were tough and the summer heat was almost too much some days but through it all, the friendships made were as true as the lessons we learned in those weeks.

I wish I could explain more how appreciative I am to have gotten the opportunity to attend the FF1 Class where I did but to me, it will always draw me to a loss of words.  I still talk to my friends from the class and I’ll always have the memories of the people I got to work with, especially my Company, Bandits.

If there are any questions please let me know.  As always, Life’s a trip, so travel it!