Features Blogs Dispatches
Dispatches

Oct. 23, 2012, Midland, Ont. – Holy moly, it’s been a loooong time since I’ve written a blog! What a crazy, busy summer it was – the season had me temporarily drafted to the Planning Department from September to December and us selling our house and moving last weekend. I finally feel like I’m starting to catch my breath.

Our move has us both within a four to five minute drive to our respective fire halls, which is awesome, however, temporary. Our house sold so fast that we’ll be renting until we find something that we want to buy.

Sunday morning, significant other and I were watching TV and having our morning cup of coffee when (one of our) pagers went off. Once I realized that it was my pager, I tried to scramble out of bed, but both of our black labs were on the bed with us and the larger of the two (who is 90+ pounds and was lying on top of me) wasn’t having any part of me moving.

I struggled with trying to get out from underneath the dog, and get myself untangled from the blankets and eventually ended up stumbling out of bed. I grabbed some clothes and got dressed as fast as I could. It had been a long time since I’d had to jump out of bed and get dressed for a call and I laughed at how not smooth I was with the whole thing.

I managed to get myself dressed, threw on a ball cap and out the door I went. After a Dukes of Hazzard type take-off (not really, I’m more of a Driving Miss Daisy kind of driver), I put the green light on and headed up the highway. Funny thing . . . there was no one on the highway at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning, so the green light wasn’t necessary. It was the first time I’d used it since I bought it in May at the OAFC tradeshow, and it was only on for a few seconds. What a let down.

Long story short, I made the second truck no problem. (Man, how I’ve missed living that close to the hall!) It was a minor MVC that we had responded to and we were back in the hall within an hour or so.

Best part, besides making the truck, was going for breakfast afterwards with a couple of the guys. It’s something that we always used to do after early morning calls back in the day and it’s one of the things I love about the fire department. The camaraderie, the hanging out after a call, the down time with the guys (and girls, who are all just considered one of the guys.)

I had to laugh when my buddy hesitated when I asked if he wanted to go for breakfast. His reply, “Uh, I’m not really presentable. I haven’t showered or anything.” I said, “Jimmy, look at me.” Sweatpants and (typical of volunteer firefighters) a fire department t-shirt. And, I’d been wearing a baseball cap. Enough said.

Went for breakfast, had a good chat and good food, and then parted company and carried on with our day.

Ahh, the life of a volunteer.

Jennifer Mabee is a volunteer with the Township of Georgian Bay Fire Department in Ontario. She began her fire career with the Township of Georgian Bay in 1997 and became the department's fire prevention officer in 2000 and a captain in 2003. She was a fire inspector with the City of Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services before taking time off to focus on family, and is excited to be back at it. E-mail her at jhook0312@yahoo.ca.