Failure Leads to Fundemental

A time in my life that I had to face failure was my first year in the Philadelphia Fire Explorers. Before the start of my first year I felt like I was ready for anything to be thrown at me, until the academy actually started. I was the youngest from the rest of my peers within the program. I was 14 when I started and everyone else was 16 years old or older. So things I had difficulty with was PT (physical training) and some of the hands on training with the SCBA equipment (self contained breathing apparatus). So I then realized I had to adapt to this new environment.

First thing I started improving was PT within my platoon. In order for this I had to actually manage my own time and workout to get physically fit. Reason being the first day of PT was rough. I remember having to form up into our platoons for the first time which was pretty exciting at first. Then after we went over our platoons and numbers we falled out for PT. We had to get into formation in front of the Fire Tower which is five stories high and has a fire escape on the back. Our first drill was running all the way up with some equipment and all the way back down with our platoon which we were getting timed for. Now remind you I was not the most fit kid at fourteen, imagine a five foot and ten inch chunky kid that weighed one hundred and ninety pounds. So the drill was beginning to get hard for me. Yet I’m not the person to give up, so my fellow peers recognized that and supported me which pushed me pass my limits.

Therefor, I started running the track everyday after school for at least an hour to improve my endurance and stamina. By the middle of the program I improved drastically. From one hundred and ninety pounds I dropped to one hundred and seventy five pounds, which got me recognized by many high ranked officers. Yet I knew they still saw I needed practice with the equipment. Therefore, I had to ask even more help from my peers.

After all the extra training I went through by the end of the year I had everything packed down. Therefore, I had a chance to get a promotion in my first year, which barely anyone gets one there first year. Sadly I wasn't able to get promoted my first year, but my second year of the Philadelphia Fire Explorers I was promoted not once but twice to the rank of corporal. Which I was proud to take that position. So at the end of you second year I had over six state and nation wide certification that many people are unable to get. Which now takes me to my third year of the Explorers.