Saturday, August 13, 2005
STATE CONVENTION 2
Matt, Curtis and I ventured to Bennington today for the annual VSFA Convention Sports events.
I did my usual job as SCBA Endurance official. Had a lot of fun.
We didn't send a team this year. Good thing.
Saved the team from having their head handed to them.
Unbelievable.
St. Albans Town won 5 first place trophies. There are six events. Sixteen teams.
Shrewsbury won Water Polo. Town won everything else.
Congratulations, guys. And girls. There were 3 ladies teams. Five events. Clean sweep for Town again.
There were a couple of teams that did SCBA in just over 2 minutes.
Town comes over and blasts a 1 minute 45 second run.
Waterbury Town pulled out a 1:58, but no one got closer.
Short course. Very tight. Town was just flat out fast.
Very tired. Rest tomorrow. And open the museum.
Friday, August 12, 2005
STATE CONVENTION
Heading down to Bennington Saturday for the Vermont State Firefighters Association Convention Sports Events, aka, muster.
I hope I get to be SCBA Endurance official again. I have been the last two years. Again, we are not sending a team,
otherwise, I'd already be down there. I will let you know how things turned out.
Margie is using my camera for another event, so any photos I take with the 35mm will not get posted until later in the
week.
Today's picture was taken last month when I was Burlington for the day.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
FINAL EVENT
Bucket Brigade is always the final event at the Franklin County Field Days and today's shots of the event wraps up the
pictures of the department at the games.
I hope you all have enjoyed them. I heard some family members were printing out pictures of loved ones on the team. That's
great.
It certainly was a great day. This weekend is the Vermont State Firefighters Convention in Bennington. We are not sending
a team this year. Instead we are gearing up for next year when the convention comes to St. Albans.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
SCBA ENDURANCE PART 2
I was going to do this earlier but I laid on the couch to watch the Red Sox bat in the eighth against Texas. The score
had been 7-5, Sox. At the end of the inning it was 16-5, Sox. Everything went to hell in a handbasket for Texas. I almost
felt sorry for them. Almost.
The State SCBA run has been modified to be more like an actual search and rescue. Basically all the stuff is the same,
the course is the same. Only it is now 4 people involved. They go 2, then 2. The first two do all the same things, get dressed,
chop the log, then they go through a makeshift door, crawling, dragging a hose, then knocking down a target. At that point,
the other two come through and join the first two. The first two have been going through the cones to get the dummy. The second
two catch up and help drag the dummy and the hose back through the door. As you can see in today's picture, Ivan is on his
feet, dragging the dummy. At States, as soon as you are through the door, you are on your knees, and you have to stay there
until you come back out the door.
It is the most grueling event. It might only last 2-4 minutes, but the guys are exhausted when they get done. There are
always teammates right there when the guys get done, getting the facemask off, getting the airpack off, getting the firecoat
off.
The shot of Kyle handing Ivan some water is a cute shot, but if you click on it to enlarge it, you can see Ivan looks
a little brainfried.
Some bucket brigade pictures tomorrow.
Tuesday, August 9, 2005
SCBA ENDURANCE PART 1
Today is the first of two days of SCBA Endurance pictures.
This event is truly endurance as firefighters have to don an air pack, and do a drill as though they were fighting a
fire. The run they do at Field Days is how they used to do it at States. States is now different and uses four people instead
of two.
In the two person drill, the whistle blows, and the guys put on the airpack, facemask, helmet and gloves. One goes first,
chops a block 15 times (to simulate chopping a door to enter a building), grabs a hose, crawls 75 feet, turns the hose on,
knocks down a target, drops the hose, stands up, goes through some cones, picks up a dummy-75-150 lbs., drags the dummy through
the cones, drops the dummy, picks up the hose, walks back-carrying the hose, then tags his partner, who does the same thing
but puts the dummy back.
Can I breathe now?
This is one of our stronger events. Justin Hayes, Raph Lineham, Matt Gillilan, and now Ivan Patry have brought home
many a trophy in Endurance.
The State event has changed and I will discuss that tomorrow.
Monday, August 8, 2005
PORTABLE PUMP
You do notice David Toof, along with Jeremy Zeno, carrying the pump. David is still covered in baby powder.
Portable pump was the event after Midnight Alarm
I have to look at the trophies, but I don't remember winning portable pump anywhere.
When you consider the pump we used to use........
It was old, but by God, it did the job. Both on the fire ground and at the musters. At states, the winning time is always
under 15 seconds.
We would be happy with a 16 or 17.
At the State muster in St. Johnsbury in 2000, we were a hit.
Before teams would do a run, they would always start the pump, let it run a minute to warm up, then shut it down. The
guys went out and fired it up, and open the throttle wide open. BA-WAAAAAAAAAAAA.
They then cut the throttle back. And man, did it backfire.
KA-POW KA-POW KA-POW.
Spectators and firefighters along the fence began cheering. "AW-RIGHT!" YEAH!" "THAT SOUNDS LIKE MY HARLEY!"
Seriously, it did. It was loud and noisy and the backfire would shatter windows.
Tomorrow, SCBA Endurance.
Sunday, August 7, 2005
THE BABY POWDER KIDS
Eight teams.
Six events.
We were the only team to place in every event.
They were the talk of Midnight Alarm. "I think I oughta buy stock in baby powder. Look at Fairfax!", Keith Ploof, the
announcer joked.
I didn't get a shot of it but as the guys were running down the field, there was this white cloud following them. The
team uses baby powder for Midnight Alarm so as to slide into their gear quicker. It works. Course, it stayed on them for the
rest of the day.
The team was great. So happy with the results. The effort they put in was outstanding. Tom Crucitti turning on the hydrant,
sprinting down the field, then sliding in to make the tag so they can open the nozzle and knock down the target. Ivan Patry
getting Justin Hayes ready to be the first one out in SCBA Endurance. Everybody gave it their all.
For four people, this is their first muster season. For two, it is their second year. Great job, everyone.
We went to Teddy Bear aiming for a win and finished second. We went to Field Days hoping to survive and came out the
top team, coming home with six trophies. Four teams won three.
Congratulations to Phillipsburg, QUE for winning the Hib Pudvah Sportsmanship trophy. Hib is a longtime Highgate fireman(former
chief), and used to run the Field Days Muster. I was at the VSFA Banquet in St. Johnbury in 2000 when Hib was named Senior
Firefighter of the Year. His whole family was there. Only time I saw Hib speechless.
Results:
Dry Hose Coupling
1. Bakersfield 16.06 sec.
2. Phillipsburg 18.08
3. Fairfax 18.09 (1/100th/sec. slower)
Wet Hose Coupling
1. St. Albans Town Cadets 20.02 sec.
2. Fairfield
21.59
3. Fairfax 21.69
(1/10th/sec. slower)
Midnight Alarm
1. Fairfax 43.43 sec.
2. STAT Cadets 49.72
3. Phillipsburg 50.47
Portable Pump
1. Fairfax 17.69 sec.
2. Bakersfield 18.99
3. STAT Cadets 19.50
SCBA Endurance
1. Fairfax 3 min. 38.31 sec.
2. Fairfield 4:13.37
3. Highgate 4:41.81
Bucket Brigade
1. Phillipsburg 48.40 sec.
2. Fairfield 49.15
3. Fairfax 50.28
Clarenceville, QUE and East Fairfield participated and worked hard.
Fairfax Team members in photo above:
(L-R)
Back Row- Jeremy Zeno, Mike Cain
Middle row- Justin Hayes, Ivan Patry, Jamie Latimer, Marc Bessette, Kyle Williams
Front Row- Tom Crucitti, David Toof, Ryan Zeno, Chief Jim Fields
Yes, that's bottles of baby powder next to the trophies.
Chief was an official at the games for the second year in a row. Did a wonderful job.
Check back daily for more pictures.
FRANKLIN COUNTY FIELD DAYS MUSTER UPDATE
Saturday Aug.7 11:12pm-
Sunday is the Franklin County Field Days Muster. Any trophy we bring home will be a victory........
Sooo......how did you do?
Six events.
Six trophies.
Three third place trophies.
Three FIRST PLACE trophies.
The Kids Are Alright.
Third place- Dry Hose, Wet Hose, Bucket Brigade
First place- Midnight Alarm, Portable Pump, SCBA Endurance
Monday morning-full stats and the first of a few days of pictures from the muster.
