Argentina Team Update #6

Day Five

First thing is first; I forgot to mention that Stephen presented a class on the Thermal Imaging Camera at the end of the day yesterday. It was great and he was able to sprinkle in a lot of knowledge and experience from his 40+ years in the fire service. He was calling himself “Grandpa Firefighter” which got him equal parts giggles and respect from the Recruits. Stephen was able to source and donate two Thermal Cameras for the trip, which is a HUGE gift to the fire department.

Today was the final day of training here in Mar del Plata and it was jam packed. It was also a double Mike day with my (Pollard) testimony and ladder class, followed by nearly two hours of hands-on ladder practice. Then, after a quick break, Rider shared his testimony and gave his class on forcible entry and cribbing. The Recruits ended up being in their gear for most of the day, working hard during all the drills. They finished the day practicing on the forcible entry prop that Rider and Segundo had been working so diligently on for the last few days. All the welds held tight and the prop worked awesome!

At the conclusion, we gave each of the Recruits a team shirt which they snatched up almost as soon as I said “go.” Chris did a great job figuring out how to design and order team shirts prior to leaving.

We still need to debrief, but I am so thankful I got to be a part of this team. The training was top quality. The Recruits stayed engaged for the duration and received instruction well. On top of all that, we were able to donate thousands of dollars worth of equipment, construct some training aides, and fix their fire truck. I am so glad we all answered the call, took a step out in faith, and pressed ahead into the unknown.

Tonight, we are going back for an “early” dinner at 9:00. I am writing this update at 7:00 because as soon as I make it back to the room, I’m going to pass out. Fun work, but hard work.