Career Mirror -- by Mark Sproxton

Illustration by Kathy Lycka

Pulling on his rubber dive suit, the aquatic rescue firefighter also has to concentrate; he's changing in the bush buggy that's pulling a boat en route to the call of a pre-teen drowning in the Bearspaw Reservoir. Pulling up to the water, a member of the rescue team gathers information from the witness who called about the incident. Other team members begin to unload the boat and quickly put on their air tanks and other dive gear to prepare for a rescue.

It has been about 15 minutes since the person was last seen going under the water leaving 75 minutes to prepare for rescue. If it takes much longer, the aquatic team will switch to recovery mode and will prepare to pull a dead body from the water. "Rescue mode is the first 90 minutes," said Barry Hoefling, senior firefighter and aquatic rescue team member. "Recovery is after that. It's all based on a 'last seen' scenario. It's very important we have witnesses as to what went under the water and where. The more exact we can locate where the person was seen (the better)."

Thankfully, this call turned out well, but it did put the rescuers to the test and called upon, perhaps, their most important attribute. "When children are involved it can get you going more," Hoefling said. "But we are laid back in a lot of ways. We can take a step back. Anything with kids is the toughest part of our job. You can see injury and death."

A unit from Station 21 responds to another fire call.

At the same time, however, the calls to water rescues, fires or accident scenes, also allow the 13-year veteran to experience a good side of the work. "When we show up at a call, people realize we're there to help them and they treat you well. It gives you a good feeling because you really want to help."

In part, it was that desire to help that drew the former tradesman to the firefighting career. "I was a welder before and I was in my 30s and decided it was time for a change," Hoefling explained. "A friend asked: 'Have you thought of the fire department?' And here I am." Drawing on his physical fitness, his post-secondary training in welding, and his experience with things mechanical helped him earn a spot with the department, he said.

"You have to be willing to learn," Hoefling said. "It's continuous education. As new technology and equipment comes up, we have to be trained on it." And it's those changes in technology, such as new chemical foams being developed to fight fires, where he has seen the biggest changes in the force over the last 13 years. "If you don't keep up, you won't be able to use the resources or handle (situations). Since I got on the job, it's been constant training. From the day I started to the day I leave, I will be training."

With the Calgary Fire Department, firefighters have the opportunity to receive training in many areas other than fire suppression. Hoefling works out of Station 21 in Silver Springs, one of three in the city that have water rescue units -- he's been a member of this special unit for 10 years. The department also allows some members to train for specialty areas such as high-angle rescue, heavy rescue, air rescue and even conduct public services such as blood pressure screening.

"I was a swimmer, but never dove until I started here," Hoefling said, adding the department designed a program, which included a swimming test, to determine who would be trained in water rescue. "You have to look at it like 'I know my interests are in that area and I should try for it if a position comes open." His abilities were obviously enough to earn a spot on the team and qualify for more training. "The keener you are, and the more you want to learn, the better firefighter you may be."

In his time with the department, Hoefling has noticed the newer recruits being hired with more and more advanced medical training. But that's only one part of criteria career planners should consider. "Learn as much as you can about as many things as you can," he said. "Some are taking courses like mountain climbing... getting training that could be required for this work. To do this job, the more things you have knowledge in, that will help."