Horsemanship has improved my instructor skills, one of the key lessons is to be quick to praise, honor the effort and try, even if only slight improvement. Getting loud and assertive is the *last* option usually only if there’s a safety hazard

Lines laid, stretched & aerial up to the roof on the reported malfunctioning appliance.

Before the sun is up, recruit class is preforming save your own training, two driver classes, special ops new unit familiarization, annual training for companies getting set up & EMT training going on. Academy is a busy place every day

Personal Escape Kit refresher as part of annual training

FF Roberts a 17 year veteran (also a Navy veteran) assisting Probationary FF Henderson with folding the flag as sunset. Raising/lowering flag is one of the duties of probationers, but it takes two to fold it up & no senior member is above lending a hand

While not one of the DCFD, Joseph “Jay” Brennan RN, *always* took care of us at the hospital, was universally loved by crews and a bright spot on a long day. Touched countless lives, a ER nurse, USMC veteran & amazing man. Rest in Peace Jay, you were loved.

Morning saw checks

Not sure the call sign of president is not on board U.S. Marines flying by the tidal basin with cherry blossoms below

Just two of DCs proudest monuments hanging out. #stumpy #CherryBlossoms #dccherryblossom

1 of 2 probation exams with the Battalion Chief for the engine probationer today. Reflection of them, as well as the crew & officer of how prepared they have made their newest member for the skills evaluated.

Sunrise on Georgia Avenue

There’s good odds you’ll find me chained to Stumpy in protest soon, he’s a national treasure and should be protected at all costs. #savestumpy

Interesting view to watch students conducting annual skills refresher. As well as pulling long lines, flying standpipe, escape kit refresher, 45’ ladder & EVOC companies get to train with their entire crew to get on the same page.

Physical training doesn’t stop once you graduate, our academy is fortunate enough to have numerous resources from equipment to strength/nutrition training staff from O2x for off duty members to utilize

Good battalion+ of off duty DC firefighters yesterday in Loudon, VA for celebration of life for FF Brown.

Visiting an old friend and his crew. Brought dessert & my dog, everyone loves a shift getting to play with a dog & never visit a firehouse without bringing something for the crew.

Hallway ceiling outside the fire on Peabody St. entanglement hazards galore if fire had gotten out in the hallway. Have those cutters easy to access

Truck work is guess work. Educated guess work. “Approximately” is a key word in our vocabulary, known heights and distances, lengths we can reach with certain ladders etc. and you only get that education by doing the work and getting repetition in

Recruit accidentally got me in the nose while learning to climb in a window off a ladder “Sir you’re bleeding” “it happens, keep going”. mad I didn’t pull out the 80’s action classic “I ain’t got time to bleed” line.

The internet is full of highlight reels, don’t be afraid to show your bloopers too