Reading — Test 22

Reading passage

Hi Marcus, I hope things are going well in Winnipeg. I wanted to tell you about a big decision I made last month: I signed up as a volunteer firefighter with our township's fire department. I know it sounds like a huge leap for someone who used to faint at the sight of a scraped knee, but hear me out. It started when a grass fire came within a few hundred metres of our neighbour's barn last spring. The volunteer crew from the township showed up within fifteen minutes, even though most of them had been pulled straight off their day jobs. Watching them work made me realize how much our small community depends on people who are willing to drop everything at a moment's notice. Since we don't have a paid, full-time department out here, the volunteers are really all that stands between us and disaster. So far, training has been three evenings a week for six weeks, plus one full Saturday session on ladder work and hose handling. It's more demanding than I expected. Two of the instructors have over twenty years of experience each, and they don't let you skip a single safety step, even in practice drills. My arms were sore for days after we practiced dragging charged hose lines across the training yard. The department covers all my equipment and gear, and I get a small annual stipend, though nobody does this for the money. What I didn't expect was how much I'd enjoy the camaraderie. We have a potluck after every training night, and half the crew has known each other since high school. My first real call is scheduled for next week, a controlled burn supervision out near the Fletcher farm. I'll let you know how it goes. Any advice from your volunteer days would be welcome. Take care, Danielle

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