We learnt how to do full building searches, locate and drag out victims and also how to move through a building in a team of two with a water hose, searching and extinguishing at the same time. The heat we experienced was like nothing I have known before and that wasn’t even as hot as a true fire would be. You sweat, you slip, you stumble, you feel sick and exhausted, but somehow the job gets done.

Our biggest day began at 8am and ended a little after midnight. Quite frankly it was a day in hell, complete with the heat. It was a tough day, designed to stress us all and push us to breaking point and beyond. By about 9pm tempers were fraying, stress levels were up, fatigue was a major challenge and we all basically just wanted it to end. But the team stuck together and we all managed to survive.

Firefighters really are amazing people. Who the hell would want to do this for a living?

The best thing was watching our team come together and work as one. These 11 blokes and I literally have each others lives in our hands when we go south. It is so important that we are able to work together and communicate and get the job done with as little stress as is possible in an emergency. I think a huge bond of trust and brotherhood was formed over this week. Once again I am glad of the crew we have. The boys really are fabulous and we are all starting to become a little family.

As part of the course we also did a confine spaces component. I don’t even like elevators, let alone being sent down a small drain in the pitch black!