I feel fortunate and blessed to have not only one job, but two that I feel passionate about and I truly enjoy going to work. Most of you know I have worked for the fire department for over 20 years and on my days off I am an instructor at the fire academy and it is this second job that inspired me to write.
Today at the college it was a “burn day” which is one of my favorite days to work. Now before I start to describe it, I want you to know from a safety standpoint, the students are in a controlled environment and their well being is at the forefront of all we do. The instructors are professionals who know their jobs well and can “watch” the students even in the environment I am about to describe; moreover, they have flashlights and other tools at their disposal.
The burn building is a 3 story structure made of concrete that has gas props in it that we heat up and the students complete hose evolutions inside that build their confidence, teamwork, and the skills they will need in the real world.
When we shut the doors on the burn building it is pitch black inside (just like in a real fire) except for the rooms where the fires are lit. We have instructors on each floor and we basically “babysit” the students to make sure they are safe and they are doing their tasks correctly. There are areas in the building that are hotter than others and it is one of these hot and dark spots where I sit and wait for the students to come upstairs when I am on one of the upper floors.
Imagine being in a room so dark you can’t tell the difference weather your eyes are open or closed. Add to this a heat that is beyond uncomfortable but not yet unbearable and you will start to get an idea of what I am talking about. Most of you have stood in front of a campfire or heater then had someone pull on your jeans so you felt the heat on your skin. This is what it is like, but all over. So think about it, a very hot, dark, uncomfortable place…sound familiar? Ever read about a place similar to what I am describing? That is what I like to contemplate for those few minutes I have from the time I enter the building to when the students enter the building and my focus shifts entirely to them. Just those few moments of being alone in a place that is blacker than night and hotter than anything I can describe to you accurately reminds me of things eternal.
A few classes back I was watching a particular student whom I could tell was struggling a little bit. I went over to check on him and asked him how he was doing. His response was a shout of “Captain, it’s hot as hell in here!” I calmly replied “Son this isn’t even close, but could you imagine an eternity of just this?” He muttered something about going to church on Sunday and I smiled and encouraged him to continue his evolution.
My point is only this, in a way I feel lucky because in my jobs I have had an opportunity to experience things that most of you hopefully never will. Even though I know it is nowhere close to what hell would actually be like, it’s enough for me to know that even though I enjoy crawling into these places here and now on my job, it’s not how I would care to spend eternity.
The best part is that none of us have to. You see, someone smarter than me had this plan all laid out and knew what it would take for us to avoid spending forever in something similar to what I described above. “For God so loved the world…”
- Mike Alsup