Scott is getting promoted! I never knew there was a specific promotion process in the fire department. I just assumed everyone was a fire fighter and the most experienced fire fighter was the captain. Nope. It is a little more involved than that. (And, I probably won't explain it correctly.)
When hired by the fire department, all new hires complete initial training in the fire academy. Some also take a paramedic course that is in addition to the basic medic training received in the academy. After 2 years as a fire fighter, you have the option to test for driver. The test results generate a promotion list that has to be exhausted during the fiscal year. If you make the list but are not promoted, you start all over again with a new test the following year.
Turn over in personnel in the fire department does not occur often. If it does, it is due to new hires either moving to another city or deciding fire fighting isn't what they thought it would be. Or, senior department members will retire. However, even that doesn't happen often because Temple isn't a huge city.
Scott had taken the driver's exam a couple of times, but this year he finally got promoted.
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| Scott; everyone's favorite. |
Family and friends were invited to central station for the promotion ceremony and celebration. The fire chief and other department heads were all there. The promotion ceremony recognized new hires, paramedic course graduates, as well as those promoted to driver and captain.
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| The fire chief. |
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| The fire department leadership. |
During the ceremony, a family member is invited to pin those being recognized with the badge associated with the new rank. Scott asked me to put his pin on his shirt.
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| I am still having a hard time getting used to that mustache. |
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| Yay! I didn't stick him with the pin. |
After the pinning ceremony, those newly hired were sworn in by the fire chief.
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| Some of them are sooo young! |
It was a very nice ceremony and the weather was perfect for being held in Central Station's open bays. After the ceremony, the department provided visitors with refreshments and an opportunity to look around the station, take pictures, and visit with one another.
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| Me with the two Ronalds. |
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| Becca and Seth came out to support Scott. |
We are all very proud of the profession Scott has chosen. In a couple of years he will be able to test for captain. But for now, we are really thankful his driving is a rewarding one.
As an added bonus in this post, here is a funny story. Seth was borrowing Ron's BMW and had driven it in from Gatesville. When he got to Temple, he noticed that there was a police cruiser following him. Eventually, the driver turned on the lights and pulled Seth over. Before he got out of the cruiser, he used his loud speaker to tell Seth to place his hands out of the window. By this time, Seth was freaked out so he did exactly what he was told. The officer approached the car and asked Seth who the owner of the car was. Seth said, "It's my Poppy's car!" (Who on Earth would know that Seth calls his grandfather, Poppy?!) Luckily, Seth corrected himself and said it was his grandfather's car. The officer asked Seth who his grandfather was and he told him. The officer then said, "My bad! Wrong car. You can go on your way." By the time Seth got to central station, he was able to laugh about the whole thing. We all find it pretty funny that Poppy has a thug car.
