You know, the ones who run into burning buildings to save the family dog and emerge from the flames, Fido in hand, as the roof comes crashing down behind them -- those guys? While many have heroic, shining moments, the actual everyday life of firefighters that doesn't make the headlines often goes overlooked -- but is no less important.
It all starts at 8 a.m. with the changing of the guard.
On in 24-hour shifts, Vacaville firefighters arrive at their home away from home bright and early to relieve those working the previous shift.
And on a recent Thursday at the corner of Nut Tree Road and Ulatis Drive in Vacaville, it was no different as Capt. Phil Sanner, Ryan Purnell, Grant Tokiwa, Stewart Balderama and Clark Guglielmoni arrived to kick off "B Shift" at Station 72.
Gathered around the table, the day usually begins with morning muster, with the crew going over the game plan for the day -- it's a regular ritual that can include everything from safety inspections at local schools or businesses to cleaning the bathroom, washing the windows or buying aluminum foil. After all, they have to do their own shopping.
With firefighters spending an estimated 33 percent of their lives on the job and at the station, it really becomes "a family," according to Purnell, and they are quick to learn each other's habits and quirks.
After the day is mapped out, the crew begins its daily series of checks.
Hoses of all sizes, the brakes on the engine, bags of medical equipment, the epinephrine in each bag, it's all got to be checked. Each person is responsible for a specific aspect, with the engineer seeing to the truck or engine and the paramedic tending to medical supplies to ensure everything is ready to go for whatever emergency they might encounter.
After inspections are complete, the crew usually tries to squeeze in a trip to the gym -- something they are also required to pay for out of their own pocket and that Sanner insists has significantly cut down on city expenses stemming from workers comp injuries.
Armed with radios, they march into their respective gyms which are determined by proximity to whatever station they are working from. However, according to Purnell, they are usually lucky if they can fit in their allotted one-hour workout before receiving a call.
The second a call does come, they drop what they are doing and are out the door and on the way -- usually in less than a minute and less than 90 seconds in the middle of the night.
From lift assists for a fallen senior citizen to drug overdoses, traffic accidents and everything in between, every day offers something different.
"We never know what's next," Sanner said. "Electrician, plumber, psychologist, social worker -- it keeps it interesting."
Purnell agreed noting, "It's always a learning process. You learn something new every day."
Shifts usually include a drill of some kind, with the captain coming up with a scenario of ladders and hose lays to be executed. As soon as the drill is completed, they have the task of returning the maze of hoses to their carefully folded piles atop the engine.
At some point, a trip to the grocery store is inevitable and each member chips in around $10 at the beginning of the shift to be put toward buying food for lunch, dinner and breakfast the following morning.
The adventure usually begins the second they pull into the parking lot; for those who normally find parking a Honda a stressful ordeal, try doing it in a fire engine.
Once this is completed, the trick becomes getting through the store -- and checkout line -- before the next call comes.
Purnell said it isn't at all unusual for a firefighter to have a cart full of groceries and then have the radio summon them to some kind of emergency, leaving the fully-stocked cart behind. Fortunately, he added, the fire department has an arrangement with local merchants and in such situations, they take the cart to the refrigerated area in the back and save it for them until they return.
"This city's great," he said. "They take good care of us and in return we like to take good care of them."
Care for the city and those in it is a common theme for those in the Vacaville Fire Department.
"I think the best part and for me the thing I get out of it is the impact we have on peoples' lives," Sanner said. "And it's usually a positive impact. I think that's the more rewarding part."
"It's not always about the headline-making fires. It's the things we do day in and day out. Night in and night out," Sanner said.
2011年9月18日星期日
Cal runs up 63 points on Presbyterian
On the occasion of his record-setting 75th victory as Cal's football coach, Jeff Tedford got a ceremonial plaque and a bucket of ice water dumped on his head.
That the record win came at the expense of hapless Presbyterian College on Saturday at AT&T Park by a count of 63-12 was beside the point. In the third game of his 10th season in Berkeley, Tedford surpassed Andy Smith's victory total of 74, an achievement that reduced the normally stoic coach almost to tears minutes after the game.
"It has a lot to do with all the players and coaches over the last nine years and three games," said Tedford, his eyes red and his voice catching with emotion. "That's who really deserves the credit, all the players who played the game over the years. ... Every player, every coach, every (graduate assistant), every equipment manager, everyone who was a part of this."
Now that he has the record out of the way, Tedford can devote all his attention to a rugged slate of nine Pac-12 games, starting Saturday at Washington followed by back-to-back Thursday games against Oregon (in Eugene) and USC (at AT&T).
That's going from the ridiculous to the sublime in a week's time.
"I think it was really important that as a team, as players, we wanted to knock these three games out," safety Sean Cattouse said of the Bears' 3-0 start. "From here on out, it's going to be a dogfight every week. We're really looking forward to it."
The Bears got most of their starters out of the game after halftime of a "home" game, leading 42-12 as they were. Their next opponent, Washington, absorbed a 51-38 defeat on the road against No. 11 Nebraska.
"We definitely have some get-back with them," wide receiver Keenan Allen said, referring to the Huskies' last-second win at Memorial Stadium last year that ended Cal's season. "We've still got a lot of work to do. We made a lot of mistakes, dumb stuff we shouldn't do."
Like being flagged 10 times for penalties totaling 94 yards, making it 26 penalties in three games.
Like dropping two passes in the first half, bringing the total to 12 in three games.
Like having a punt blocked, as Bryan Anger did in the second quarter when Justin Bethel broke through the middle to snuff the ball and return it 15 yards into the end zone.
Like throwing a pick-six, as quarterback Zach Maynard did during a busy second quarter when the Blue Hose's only competent player, that man Bethel, intercepted a pass intended for Michael Calvin and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown.
"We need to work on some stuff, like penalties," said Maynard, who played the first half and hit on 15 of 25 passes for 215 yards and touchdowns to wide receiver Marvin Jones (51 yards), backup tight end Spencer Hagan (16) and Allen (21). "We had a lot of mental errors. It's ridiculous."
Errors notwithstanding, this was Cal's easiest game in years as Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) Presbyterian had nothing to offer besides an amusing nickname. The Blue Hose were limited to 48 yards in total offense on 46 plays. The Bears amassed 581 yards.
Though this dumb game offered little in the way of preparation for the Bears, at least they got to rest their starters in the second half for the real games to come.
"We all know what's in store when we get to conference play," Tedford said. "Every week, it's going to be tough. Every opponent in the Pac-12 is competitive. We didn't play well enough today."
The Bears played well enough to give their coach victory No. 75 and bring him to the verge of tears.
That the record win came at the expense of hapless Presbyterian College on Saturday at AT&T Park by a count of 63-12 was beside the point. In the third game of his 10th season in Berkeley, Tedford surpassed Andy Smith's victory total of 74, an achievement that reduced the normally stoic coach almost to tears minutes after the game.
"It has a lot to do with all the players and coaches over the last nine years and three games," said Tedford, his eyes red and his voice catching with emotion. "That's who really deserves the credit, all the players who played the game over the years. ... Every player, every coach, every (graduate assistant), every equipment manager, everyone who was a part of this."
Now that he has the record out of the way, Tedford can devote all his attention to a rugged slate of nine Pac-12 games, starting Saturday at Washington followed by back-to-back Thursday games against Oregon (in Eugene) and USC (at AT&T).
That's going from the ridiculous to the sublime in a week's time.
"I think it was really important that as a team, as players, we wanted to knock these three games out," safety Sean Cattouse said of the Bears' 3-0 start. "From here on out, it's going to be a dogfight every week. We're really looking forward to it."
The Bears got most of their starters out of the game after halftime of a "home" game, leading 42-12 as they were. Their next opponent, Washington, absorbed a 51-38 defeat on the road against No. 11 Nebraska.
"We definitely have some get-back with them," wide receiver Keenan Allen said, referring to the Huskies' last-second win at Memorial Stadium last year that ended Cal's season. "We've still got a lot of work to do. We made a lot of mistakes, dumb stuff we shouldn't do."
Like being flagged 10 times for penalties totaling 94 yards, making it 26 penalties in three games.
Like dropping two passes in the first half, bringing the total to 12 in three games.
Like having a punt blocked, as Bryan Anger did in the second quarter when Justin Bethel broke through the middle to snuff the ball and return it 15 yards into the end zone.
Like throwing a pick-six, as quarterback Zach Maynard did during a busy second quarter when the Blue Hose's only competent player, that man Bethel, intercepted a pass intended for Michael Calvin and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown.
"We need to work on some stuff, like penalties," said Maynard, who played the first half and hit on 15 of 25 passes for 215 yards and touchdowns to wide receiver Marvin Jones (51 yards), backup tight end Spencer Hagan (16) and Allen (21). "We had a lot of mental errors. It's ridiculous."
Errors notwithstanding, this was Cal's easiest game in years as Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) Presbyterian had nothing to offer besides an amusing nickname. The Blue Hose were limited to 48 yards in total offense on 46 plays. The Bears amassed 581 yards.
Though this dumb game offered little in the way of preparation for the Bears, at least they got to rest their starters in the second half for the real games to come.
"We all know what's in store when we get to conference play," Tedford said. "Every week, it's going to be tough. Every opponent in the Pac-12 is competitive. We didn't play well enough today."
The Bears played well enough to give their coach victory No. 75 and bring him to the verge of tears.
2011年4月28日星期四
Cold Water Pressure Washer Supports 1500 PSI, 3 GPM
Daimer Industries, Inc.®, a large-scale supplier of cold water pressure washer equipment, is shipping an electric-powered, non-heated system supporting 1500 psi and 3 GPM. Daimer®'s Super Max™ 8700 model features a high size-to-power ratio for ease of use and low cost.
"This cold water pressure washer offers a blend of power, pressure and size that many customers find appealing," announced Matthew Baratta, a commercial pressure washer systems representative for Daimer.com. "These power washers increase worker productivity and carry a modest price tag."
Cold Water Pressure Washer with All the Trimmings
Each Super Max™ 8700 offers pressure levels of no more than 1500 psi and flow rates topping at 3 GPM. As a result, the machines are ideal for use on fragile surfaces.
The unit is powered by a 3 HP NEMA motor with a direct drive pump guaranteed for up to 5 years of use. For enhanced cleaning, the cold water pressure washer supports chemical infusion/injection with a low pressure system.
The cold water pressure washer is mounted on commercial-grade wheels and is sold with 25 feet of hydraulic/high pressure hose. (Other hose sizes are available as options.) The machine also comes with four nozzles, including a blast option. The bundled 3-foot trigger wand includes the company's Quick-On-Off disconnect capability.
Though the unit is designated as a cold water pressure washer, the system supports an optional hot water feature for temperatures approaching 180°F. The commercial pressure washer comes in a housing that measures 19 inches by 31 inches at the base and 26 inches in height.
"This cold water pressure washer offers a blend of power, pressure and size that many customers find appealing," announced Matthew Baratta, a commercial pressure washer systems representative for Daimer.com. "These power washers increase worker productivity and carry a modest price tag."
Cold Water Pressure Washer with All the Trimmings
Each Super Max™ 8700 offers pressure levels of no more than 1500 psi and flow rates topping at 3 GPM. As a result, the machines are ideal for use on fragile surfaces.
The unit is powered by a 3 HP NEMA motor with a direct drive pump guaranteed for up to 5 years of use. For enhanced cleaning, the cold water pressure washer supports chemical infusion/injection with a low pressure system.
The cold water pressure washer is mounted on commercial-grade wheels and is sold with 25 feet of hydraulic/high pressure hose. (Other hose sizes are available as options.) The machine also comes with four nozzles, including a blast option. The bundled 3-foot trigger wand includes the company's Quick-On-Off disconnect capability.
Though the unit is designated as a cold water pressure washer, the system supports an optional hot water feature for temperatures approaching 180°F. The commercial pressure washer comes in a housing that measures 19 inches by 31 inches at the base and 26 inches in height.
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