Creative Habit - Post Two

These recent documentations are from a few slower times for 2 unit at the station.

New guys come get in their training hours during the day, so the older guys like this Lieutenant and the Captain teach them things and go over their fire books with them. A few have already been cleared to 'shadow', or ride along, on minor calls. Once hired on a department, the probationary period is still three years!

2 Unit, the crew I document, has their own section of board for important monumentals and articles. 

Coffee drinking is a natural occurrence at every firehouse, I have come to realize. 

 The crew often hangs out in the common area around the kitchen, catching up with each other are reading the daily news.

Being firefighters, these men are incredibly handy. The hands above are working on a custom-made chainsaw. It's made of a certain type of metal and certain style of blade to cut through multiple layers of roofing shingles, boards, even nails. It takes great skill to repair links that need replace so not many men know how to do it, but it is a good trade to know - it keeps the department from buying completely new chain each time. 

Yes, they work at office desks too, even.  

There are three fire poles from the second floor directly down into the bay area. They have the doors shown here on the left for protection, making it impossible to accidentally fall. The red button must be pressed 1-3 times for the doors to open for access to the pole.

Being a full-time department, the guys make their own meals. For the next few weeks their regular cook is on vacation so they pick up the job. The calendar on the above right shows which days which trucks have kitchen duty. This works perfect because each unit member is assigned to a specific truck. This keeps the roles fair and equal. 

The guys adore cooking, most of them. This nights meal was chicken in a biscuit!

For the next times I visit with the men I will be continuing talking with them and getting stories. I have realized it takes some time for them to warm up to an outside - it's not like my department back home where the guys have been around me all my life. I am slowly beginning to form connections though! Next visit will also begin the portrait series, and I will be coming in with specific questions to ask each individual.

I also have much more information to type up and explain, once I determine how I would like to present such info.