The Promotion

I briefly eluded to something going on a few posts ago (…Oren testing at work…), so here is the good news up front: I got promoted! After a de facto 17 years of training, 6 weeks of intense studying, and three long days of testing; I finished high enough on the list to receive one of two promotions to Lieutenant with the fire department. The three days of testing coincided with the time that Dave and Mary Jo were here, so they had to be privy to my absence and high stress during the process. I have been serving in the role of Acting-Lieutenant for the last 2.5 years (loosely the same idea as a substitute teacher), but this is something entirely new and different.

9.5 years ago was when I promoted last to the Engineer position. Since then, I have had the opportunity to drive a couple of different engine companies, but have most recently been the driver of the ladder truck (quint) for the past 5 years. I have absolutely and nearly unequivocally loved the driver position, and it will certainly go down as some of the most fun that I will ever have in the fire service. But I am ready to move on and try something new – to be in charge and responsible for a crew of people as a Company Officer. I was transferred shifts (to A-shift) and was assigned a new crew of people…interestingly at the same station, so I get to stay on the ladder truck – which I am very excited about. It has been very weird to move lockers and rooms to the Lieutenant’s room, to change uniforms, to get a new badge, and to get a new front piece for my helmet; but I haven’t felt this motivated and excited about work in a really long time. It’s absolutely my honor to now serve with Jim, Jill, and Doug; and to be serving the citizens of Castle Rock in this new way. It will bring with it a lot more stuff (meetings, paperwork, etc), but I’m sure that all of it will be well worth the reward of being able to make a difference publicly and organizationally in this capacity.

I’ve already completed my first tour in the new role, with the new crew…and we’re off and running. There will be a promotional ceremony at some point in the next couple of months, as the department now get’s to honor a new Division Chief, two new Lieutenants, two new Engineers, and a new firefighter. There’s lots and lots of people that deserve a public thanks, especially Dad, Mom, Ahna, Ezra, Jeff, Scott, Brian, Matt, Cameron, Brett, Eric, Rich, Matt, George, Scott, Troy, Dave, CJ, and Joe (don’t worry, the duplicates are not duplicates).