In this Book

Let Burn: The Making and Breaking of a Firefighter/Paramedic

Book
Rachel K. Wentz
2013
Published by: Michigan State University Press
Funder: Big Ten Academic Alliance
Program: Big Ten Open Books
Collection: Gender and Sexuality Studies
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summary
In 1985, desiring a meaningful, high-paced career in public service, Rachel Wentz left her university studies to become a firefighter/paramedic. Only the eighth woman hired by the Orlando Fire Department, a highly competitive department steeped in tradition, Wentz excelled, completing an AS in Fire Science, a master’s in public administration, and numerous specialized training courses to prepare her for an administrative position within the department. Wentz spent eleven years with OFD, experiencing a career that was every bit as exciting and challenging as she had sought. A moving, candid, and eloquent memoir, Let Burn recounts her experiences as a firefighter/paramedic, during which time she witnessed aspects of life and death few people are privy to, experiences that shaped her as a professional and as a person. From the rigorous demands of training to the extraordinary calls Wentz responded to, Let Burn details the gratifying aspects of the field, but also demonstrates the precarious nature of the job: a heated altercation at the scene of an industrial fire leads to Wentz losing almost everything she’s worked for and the dramatic end of a storied career. In vivid detail, Let Burn provides a firsthand glimpse into the hidden world of firefighting and emergency medicine.

Table of Contents

open access

Cover Page

Copyright, Half Title Page

pp. i-ii

Title Page

pp. iii

Copyright Page

pp. iv

Dedication

pp. v-vi

Contents

pp. vii-x

Introduction

pp. 1-4

Part One. Into the Field

Getting Started

pp. 7-8

Down and Out

pp. 9-12

A Brave New World

pp. 13-16

Loss

pp. 17-18

Part-timer

pp. 19-20

Training Day

pp. 21-24

Class #64

pp. 25-30

The Trauma Room

pp. 31-34

Hospital Rotations

pp. 35-38

A Rainy Sunday

pp. 39-42

The Test

pp. 43-48

Train Wreck

pp. 49-52

Life on an Ambulance

pp. 53-56

Alone in the Woods

pp. 57-60

Assaults

pp. 61-64

A Slow Saturday

pp. 65-66

Part Two. OFD

Rookie

pp. 69-72

First Night

pp. 73-74

Delivery

pp. 75-76

Man Down

pp. 77-78

Desperation

pp. 79-80

Suddenly

pp. 81-82

The Catch

pp. 83-86

The Infant

pp. 87-90

The Burning Room

pp. 91-92

Under the Camper

pp. 93-96

Death by Suicide

pp. 97-100

Special Effects

pp. 101-104

The Boy in the Road

pp. 105-108

Regulars

pp. 109-112

The Usual Spots

pp. 113-116

Missing

pp. 117-120

The Patient

pp. 121-122

The Intruder

pp. 123-124

Learning to Drive

pp. 125-128

Driving

pp. 129-132

In Charge

pp. 133-136

Mealtime

pp. 137-138

Training

pp. 139-142

Practical Jokes

pp. 143-146

Home

pp. 147-150

Part Three. Command

Learning

pp. 153-158

A Hole in the Floor

pp. 159-164

A New Direction

pp. 165-168

Training Division

pp. 169-172

Learning to Lead

pp. 173-178

A Fork in the Road

pp. 179-182

A Final Step

pp. 183-190

Returning to Shift

pp. 191-196

Part Four. And It All Came Crashing Down

The Call

pp. 199-226

Charges

pp. 227-230

A Gathering Storm

pp. 231-236

Verdict

pp. 237-244

Aftermath

pp. 245-248

Reporting for Duty

pp. 249-252

The Appeal

pp. 253-256

Turning to the Union

pp. 257-260

The Meeting

pp. 261-266

The Only Option

pp. 267-270

Farewell

pp. 271-276
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