Calendar shoot....

I was asked to be in a firefighter calendar, where all proceeds go to Shriners Hospital. So how could I say no!? Photo shoot is in a couple days, Stay tuned for the updates, I just might never live this one down....But hey, I've always idolized pin-up girls, its my 15 minute pin-up fame!!

Scavenger Hunt SWAK

One fine Saturday, we all gathered at the station to set up for a holiday event. I walked up to the bay, and immediately, all the guys were pointing at me, and laughing and saying "Mindi will!!" uh oh... talk a bout a set up. It was for some sort of a scavenger hunt. They were to get a kiss from a firefighter, so of course they set me up for it! As we sat around waiting for everyone to get situated, 2 more groups came. Now, I'm always for putting on make up and saying "all firegirls are pretty," this day, we'd have hours of work ahead in the hot sun, so there was not a stitch of make up on. I posed for numerous pics kissing the cheeks of the young and old alike. If I get my hands on any, I'll post them, but to the spouses of those fellas I kissed for the scavenger hunt, I apologize. Not thinking they're too worried though, I looked quite scary that morning :) Hope my teams won!! MUAH!!

Drive Thru

Recently, I had been up at the University of Utah, helping with an advanced burn lecture, where nurses, and flight paramedics were tested on how to treat and transport critically burned patients to the nearest burn center. I was to represent the "electrical burn" I was moulaged, to have both arms from the elbows to my fingertips, severely burned after an electrical accident. They dippied my hands in wax, several times, and I had to hold them in a "clenched" position to represent the extent of my injuries. On both wrists, were black burned holes, to represent entrance/exit wounds, from the electrical current. I sat for the next 3 hours, with waxed, clenched hands to test the flight medics and nurses, and learned SO much!
My niece and I met up, and decided to go get something to eat after both our busy days. We went to a fast food restaraunt, in a different city than I work in,made an order, and they had us pull into "lane 2." We were chatting, laughing, and talking about our days. I kept rolling the window up and down to hand my money, etc. I left it down for a second, and continued to talk with her and look ahead. I heard a small, sweet voice, "Excuse me!?" I started looking around, thinking I hadn't paid enough, or something like it, to notice a sweet, roughly 10 year old boy, in the car next to me smiling... "Hi, YES?" I said. "Are you a firefighter?" he asked. "Yes I am, where have you seen me?" He said, "Your sticker, on your car..." I started to laugh, and said "OH! ha ha, yes!!, Do you want to be a firefighter too someday?" He said, "My dad does, he's in Paramedic school right now." Just then his mom rolled her window down and said, "yes, he knows you, he's in the UVU program." So I smiled and said how great it was, and that it is a great program, She then asked, "don't you work for LifeFlight also?" I said, "No, I wish, only really good paramedics do!!" We laughed. I then waved at the boy, told him I loved his haircut and to come see me at the station sometime. He responded by saying he had been there and sat in our tiller, and I told him how much I loved working in the tiller. We said our farewells and left.
I thought a lot about him that night, about how sweet, polite, and how he was fascinated with what I do for a job. It was nice to feel a little guy was so proud of his dad, and new my job, and recognized me in such a random place. I reminded me, of how I am always being watched when I wear the uniform, or drive with the sticker on my car, our fire plates etc. He made my week, and was a great beam of sunshine for me that day. I love waht I do, for the very reason, someone like him wanted to talk to me in a drive thru.
(pictures to come....)

Priceless...

A drawing made of me, by my littlest biggest fan, Shey. I love it! I can't wait to frame it :)

Jazzy Man

Great day at work today. Beach volleyball, small fire, and getting to work with a fun crew. I think I laughed so hard I have a six pack (I wish)... My partner and I were assigned to cook lunch. After we all had our workout, and a volleyball game, we headed to the grocery store to shop for the goods. As we finished up, I noticed an older man following me in a jazzy. He kind of crashed into an aisle, and smiled at me as he said the controls are sensitive :) He then said, "Can I ask you a question?" I replied, "Certainly sir.." He stared off for a bit and I waited in anticipation... what was he going to ask? for my number? A question protesting the fire department? If I'd help him shop? My mind was swirling..... he finally said.. "Do you follow the ambulance?" To which confused me a bit... I was in the ambulance that day, but in the grocery store I had my fire pants on, so he assumed I was just a firefighter, as most people don't understand we do BOTH jobs these days.  After I figured it out... I answered, "Yes, we do, I am working there today in fact." He then proceeded to tell me of a call that he thought it was me, helping him, and said he looked up to see a "beautiful blonde angel" assisting him. I bit my bottom lip so I wouldn't cry, because I'm tough right?? He then went on to say, he wanted to talk to me, and express his thanks for us helping him. He said he may need help again sometime, I told him I'd be there and to call me anytime, and that he has my number...911