Drinking From A Fire Hose: 5 Essential Tools To Not Get Soaked

Learning the hard way is never easy.

Imagine, your gut is telling you to stand still and don’t move. Your heart is pounding so loud you can’t hear the Fire Captain screaming at you. Sweat is dripping down your back and your legs are shaking from the heavy bunker gear you are wearing. Your mind is telling to give up, just stop and go home. It’s not worth it.

But what if it is worth it? What if people are depending on you? What do you do?

You answer the call! You don’t give in! You don’t go home! And, you Never, Ever Give up.

Let me tell you, it isn’t easy! Starting a fire fighter career as an almost 40-year old mother of two little girls against young aspiring 20-year olds taught me a few things. Like, answering a neighbors 911 emergency and making their worst day or night better outweighs all the pain and heartache. Or, the sheer idea of walking into a friend’s home after a frantic 911 call knowing their loved one has passed away is tough, but you can do it. Out of all the lessons, I’d say the best part is definitely knowing the community volunteer fire department, you helped start is comforting families, friends, and neighbors during the most heart wrenching calls.

Spending countless hours, days, and weekends learning, studying, and practicing to earn the bugles on my shirt corner and serving my community that needed a fire department was worth more than I ever imagined; I wouldn’t change a thing! Against all odds, I could do it! I can do it! And, so can you!

Keep trying, Fail Forward, Be Passionate, Make a Difference. Listen to that gut feeling and Never, Ever Give Up.

Author Brita Horn is a Fire Chief in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Many know her as a willing servant, a High Energy Fireball, and a Trail Blazer for women.

Brita lives on the family cattle ranch with her husband Gary, where they raised their two daughters, Abigail and Izabel. Currently, Hero the Basset Hound and twin brother barn cats Batman and Robin stick closest to the homestead. Before penning this book, Brita championed various careers: elected county treasurer, county planning commission, safety officer, cost controller/analyst and even a bartender for the White House. But her all-time favorite to-do is making homemade pies for family and friends.