Someone stop the merry go round! I wanna get off!
Since last Tuesday I have worked over 100 hrs.
24 Tuesday
12 Overtime Wednesday (then slept at the Station because...)
24 Thursday
24 Overtime Saturday
24 Overtime Monday
Our fire department hadn't hired anyone since 2008 even though we experienced retirements, resignations (to take other FD jobs elsewhere) and even a death from Lukemia. The result of this has been a steady stream of overtime. While this has been great for the checkbook it has been playing havoc on everyone in the department. Finally this past December we hired 5 lateral FF's and today another 5 laterals started their career with us. Still 10 new employees still don't fit the bill as we estimate we are down over 25 people. It will slowly get better. I'll know when I start to hear guys/gals complaining that they haven't worked overtime lately and now have to live on what they make!
On another note... the rest of the country has been getting slammed with a really tough winter. Here in the Pacific Northwest we have been largely unscathed... until this week of course. There has been over 50 inches of snow in the mountains this past weekend! That makes for avalanche problems, and snow removal problems in the passes. Down here in the lowlands has just been several inches of rain! (At least I don't have to shovel rain out of the driveway!)
Well... after that epic week I now have to work my regular cycle of one on one off. That will be Wednesday and Friday this week. So today... is a day of rest and relaxation. Then back at it.
