Mr. Firefighter

Salt Lake City's fire recruit academy was tough.  And that's putting it mildly.

When Marshall was hired, it was all contingent on passing their 14 week academy.  We knew it would be hard.  We knew it would take a lot time, involve a lot of stress, and be the major focus in our home.

But we had done hard things before.  I mean, when Marshall did paramedic school, he was told that it was too hard to do the course and to continue to work.  But we're the Andrews.  We eat hard things for breakfast.  So Marshall did full time paramedic school and (more than) full time work at the same time.  And he did them both well!

So when we went to SLC's little scare-you-all-to-death orientation, we left feeling like "Well maybe it's a big adjust for some people.  But we're the Andrews, and we're good at this sacrificing/time management/big stress stuff."

Holy cow.  Did we learn a lot about ourselves.

SLC's academy were the single hardest four months of my life.  It was harder in every way than we had imagined- physically, academically, the complete lack of time, stress, all of it.

Marshall not only had to do hard workouts- he had to do them until he was puking while still running.  He was injured one day- needing staples in his head- but finished his tower runs with blood running down his shirt first.  He lost a massive amount of weight.  He was sore in places he didn't even know he had muscles.

Academically, they had tests each week on the classroom and book work.  Anything under an 80 percent was a fail, and fail more than once and you were at risk of being cut from the class.  Marshall is very strong academically, and he had to study constantly.  Many nights were spent with me quizzing him on the fill in the blank sections- sections that had to be completed verbatim, even if the diction or grammar was poor as written by the instructor.

Marshall was rarely let out of academy early, and was more often kept late.  He'd get home close to 7pm, and then we'd have to wash, dry, and press all of his uniform for the next morning- in between spending a few minutes with the kids, getting the kids in bed, studying, eating, studying some more, and trying to unwind.  Every night there were boots to polish.

I quickly took on any role that Marshall absolutely didn't have to do.  Laundry? Me.  Ironing? Me. Boot polishing? Me.  Making breakfast and lunches? Me.  Yep, I got up with him every morning at 5am to make him breakfast, pack his lunch, and see him off.  I spent most of those 4 months scraping boot black from under my nails.  Did I mention that I continued to work my job, keep 2 children alive, and get mostly through growing the 3rd one?

And even with the perpetual quest for perfection, there were still areas that were criticized.  Boots not shiny enough.  Tiny strings hanging from a shirt or button.  An out-of-place wrinkle.

Guys were cut from the program.  Some quit, not able to handle the stress or treatment from the instructors.  Others fired for poor academic or physical performance.

I know what it feels like to be worried absolutely to the point of physical illness.  What it is like to stretch and reach and pray and do all that you can possibly do and still worry constantly that it's not enough.  To know that any day he could come home and say that it was his last.

But guess what?
He made it.

After 4 long months he was done.  I have never been more relieved, and more proud.

 

Graduation was 9/23/2011.  Marshall's family all came, and it was really special that they were able to come out and support him. 

My paramedic!

We got to tour the training tower and facility after the graduation ceremony. It was really cool to get to see all of the areas where he trained, and handle all of the equipment. 

Kiernan, of course, made him a fantastic cake!  The inside was made of Blue Mountain Dew- Marshall's favorite drink that he didn't get to have the whole time he was in academy.  

Now that it's all over- it was totally worth it.  We love Salt Lake City fire!  Marshall works with some really great guys, and he really loves the job.  He has a schedule you just can't beat.  He works for 48 hours straight, and then is home for 4 days in a row.  This will allow me to continue working in the job I love too!

And it's also really comforting to know that he was so well trained, and so were all the people around him.  I feel confident in his training and his safety because only the best finished academy.  Turns out some of the more crazy things they do in academy- like crawling through rolls of wire in the pitch black while wearing full gear- is pretty useful in the job place.  Just a couple weeks ago, Marshall had to jump a fence to put out a fire while wearing full gear and carrying a hose.

So now, for posterity, that has been recorded.
Up next: Our 3rd child has lived past the week of his birth, I promise!

SLC Fire 2011

So, I don't blog when I'm stressed.  I start posting about things in everyday life, but this big stress follows me around and creeps into my posts.  So I just take a break.  Like when I first found out I was pregnant with Wes, and took a 4 month blogging break.  I just can't keep secrets, or keep my emotions to myself.  So I have to take a break entirely.

Heaven knows the people I've harassed on the phone for the last 2 months know that.  I think every conversation has started with "Ugh...:::whine:::...I have no patience...when are we going to knoooow?....why can't they just tell us he's hiiiiiiired??"

So today's the day!!!  The day I've been waiting to blog for 2 months, and the day our family has been waiting for for like, 5 years. 

Marshall has been hired by Salt Lake City Fire Department!!!!!!

So sit down, pull up a chair, get comfy, and let me tell you a story about why I think my husband is completely amazing.

A little over 5 years ago, in December 2005, Marshall was finishing up his semester at BYU.  He was studying psychology.  When we got married, he knew he wanted to become a therapist.  The plan was easy: finish a BS in psych, go to grad school, and then become rich.  Easy right?

Well, one day during finals week, Marshall came home and told me that he didn't want me to harass him about picking grad schools to apply to anymore.  In fact, he didn't even want to keep studying psychology anymore.  Ummm, okay.  My little newish-wed world was thrown for a loop (if only I knew how much of a loop it'd be!)

Me, being the ever supportive wife: "Well, okay, you can pick a new major.  What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Him, sheepish: "It's dumb.  You won't believe me."
Me, impatient: "Out with it!"
Him: "Well, ever since high school, I wanted to be a firefighter like my wrestling coaches.  A lot of them were firefighters."

So Marsh had a quarter-life crisis, and I encouraged him to do what he needed to.  I honestly half thought it'd be a phase.  I mean, aren't firefighters all big dumb guys who can't get into college, so they just do what they can?  Certainly not the kind of people Marshall would have much in common with....I mean the guy had a scholarship to BYU!

I started googling that night.  Looking back, it now seems silly just how little I knew about something I feel like a complete pro at now.  I remember reading firefighting was really competitive.  Like thousands of applicants for 10-20 positions.  And that you should go to academy yourself before being hired and getting all certified so that you're competitive once you apply.  And, OMG, did you know that firefighters had to be EMTs?

Yeah, like I said, I knew NOTHING.

But luckily, one of the best fire science programs in the US just happened to be located in Provo, so Marshall got all transferred over to UVU and started his prerequisites.  And then, the unexpected happened.  He loved it!  He did a semester and was completely looking forward to the next! 

So we were committed.  Therapist was officially no longer the path our family would take. 

Marshall finished fire academy in April 2007, and the lucky thing was that with all of his generals done at BYU, he magically had 2 associates degrees.  He then did some summers of wildland (just awful!) and started working as an EMT at Gold Cross.  That was our temporary plan while he started interviewing with fire departments.

Ah the hiring process!  A new thing I got to learn all about.  Fire departments have a multi step process to create a list of applicants. 

First step: the written test.  Like mini SAT with some fire based questions thrown in.  But a lot of grass:green, sky:____.  Marsh always passed these easily. 

Next step: the top 100 or so applicants move on to the oral board.  This is an interview in front of a panel of 3 or 4 firefighters who rank you on a scale of 1-5 for each of 5 questions.  Each person gets the same questions, and then you are scored against everyone else answering those same questions. 

Next is a physical agility test.  Here's a link to a typical CPAT examination.  It's pretty intense, but Marshall has done these a million times.  So it's no worry.

After this, the applicants are ranked on a list.  You know, 1 through 100 or whatever.  When the department is prepared to hire a new hire class of candidates, those applicants at the top of the list are called in for a final chief's interview.  Usually the department will invite 2-3 applicants for each position available, so 20 to 30 guys if there are 10 slots open.  You meet with the top 2 or 3 officials at the department, and it's a little less formal than the oral board.  They are just trying to get to know you, and I don't believe they are scoring your answers.  You also do a background check, IQ test, psych profile, uniform fitting, etc, at this stage of the process.  A complete physical and drug screening.

Then come the job offers.  Marshall has made it to the top 20 of hiring lists many times.  But with budget cuts, many places haven't hired in years.  Or hire just a couple guys.  He has made it to the chiefs interview 3 times.  The second time, he was given a conditional job offer as an alternate.  Meaning we went to orientation, met all the higher ups, got all excited, but ultimately they didn't have the budget to take him into the academy, so at the last minute he wasn't able to be hired.  His 3rd chief's interview was this month, with SLC Fire.  And this time, the offer isn't for alternate.  It's the real deal! 

These last 5 years have been rough.  These hiring processes are done just once every 2 years, and each step is like a month apart from the last.  There have been many tears shed, and many times we've wondered if we made the right choice to pursue our dreams instead of the more stable option. 

Today when he finally got that call.....  I just can't explain it.  Tears.  Lots and lots of tears.  Carly keeps asking me why I'm sad, and I have to explain that I am sooo overcome with happiness.  I am happy that it finally happened.  Happy that we stuck with the process.  Happy that Marshall is finally being recognized for his hard work.  Overwhelmed with gratitude.  There are so so many people who never get the call, never get the job offer. 

But mostly, I swell with pride.  How many people do you know who actually follow their dreams?  Who actually do a job that they love, who picked a career wholly based on what they wanted to do day in a day out- not just on salary or obligation?  Not too many people.  I am so proud of the courage that Marshall had to walk away from BYU and pursue his dream, even though it seemed crazy.  SO proud of the example he is setting for our children.  We always tell Carly that she can be whatever she wants to be when she grows up.  Literally anything!  This week, it's a mountain climber and a mommy.  And if that is what she really wants to do, I'll do everything in my power to support her to accomplish that.  There are no ceilings on our dreams.  You pick a goal- a career- even not knowing the first step to get there, and you can achieve it!  With enough persistence and dedication, you can literally be whatever you want to be!  I am so proud of Marshall for setting a clear example for our children that pursuing your dreams is realistic.

So congratulations, my dear husband.  It's been a long road.  But we did it!  And I love you for your courage and dedication.  You are the best husband and father, and you are going to be the best firefighter that Salt Lake City has ever seen!