Day in the life of a Kern County firefighter
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — From extinguishing fires to rescuing people, firefighters carry big responsibilities through any circumstance.
They do it all under their heavy equipment, and rising temperatures.
“By the time you have from your helmet to the boots, including the tank, you’re probably right around 50-65 pounds maybe,” said Kern County Fire Captain, Andrew Freeborn.
The first task during training was entering a burning building, fortunately not really on fire, to rescue a baby, which was actually a pillow. With this added weight, it’s not an easy task, luckily, Captain Coleman Souers was there to help.
In real life, it’s a race against the clock for firefighters as they rush to save lives.
“We are required to be fully dressed and ready to go in two minutes from the call time,” said Captain Coleman Soeurs.
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Next up, getting a victim out of a car wreck, using the spreader and the jaws of life. Operating them isn’t as easy as firefighters make it look, with each piece of equipment weighing around 50 pounds. After many tries, switching tools, and help, the door broke.
It was hard and it was heavy to open the door. Now, imagine during a fire or with the whole equipment setup.
“So, when they get a call at 2 a.m., during dinner time, or when they’re in the shower, they’re not unsure of what they’re supposed to do,” said Captain Coleman Soeurs. “Everything is muscle memory. Whether it’s raining or clear skies, the only stress is the stress of helping somebody that needs our help.”
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