In honor of my 100th day on the ice...I have made a list of 100 random thoughts on my Antarctic Experience.
As you can see via this graph, I'm almost done with my deployment. The Donut of Misery is an excel program that was written to measure how long one has to be down here. Pretty Hilarious, if you ask me. They also have a "Penguin Timer", but it doesn't look that cool on a blog.
I know it doesn't seem that I've been gone that long down here. But I have been on the Ice for officially 100 days. So Here is the list, enjoy!
1. EMS equipment terminology is regional. What they call one thing in the mid-west is completely different than on the East coast. Ie: "Hey could you pass me the Kansas board?"
2. Bring Sunglasses, make that several pairs. The sun never goes down, and sunburns on eyeballs suck. I've seen them.
3. When you get mail, it is like Christmas/your birthday/any other awesome holiday rolled into one. It just really is awesome.
4. The world isn't that big anymore. Thanks to the digital age, you can keep as well connected as you want with the outside world.
5. AFN is the worst place to get your news.
6. A blog is an awesome way to stay in touch with everyone, and saves so much time and really is the best way to document any trip.
7. Headphones are key, bring a couple of those. It really sucks to have an ipod with no headphones.
8. Training is key. There are days you want to be lazy, but an ounce a prevention is worth a pound of cure.
9. BUT, Having lazy days is fine, every so often...think of it as prevention towards being burned out.
10. Your time off is how you make it. Get out and do something. Do you really want to say that you spent your days off sleeping all day and watching tv? (One of my roommates did this, which blew my mind)
11. Eleven, a little over 1/4th of the Department, firefighters have left the ice this season early. Many on medi-vacs, some with family issues, a couple who got better job offers, and one because his job back home was in peril.
12. Bring a camera with you everywhere you go. You never know when you may see something cool.
13. There are some things that shouldn't be recorded...keep that in mind. You will know when you see it. And if you do record it, don't post it for the love of god on facebook.
14. The I-Drive is wicked fun, but don't post anything there you don't want Denver to see. Its just as viral as facebook if not worse. And everyone in the USAP program can see it (Palmer, Pole, Denver, McMurdo)
15. Southern is the best bar. Followed by the Coffee house and Galahgers in last place.
16. Southern is going to be non-smoking soon, so this will not matter. But if you go to Southern, remember it is a smoking bar...so put your clothes in a garbage bag if you don't want your room to smell.
17. 24 hour sunlight sucks at first, but then you learn to love it. You can always nap in your room.
18. Sleep deprivation sucks, so if it is affecting you...speak up. We lost 1 of our officers this season because of extreme sleep deprivation.
19. Bring a phone card down here, the ones they sell in the store are sucky. And when you buy a phone card read the fine print. Some cards really suck, like my buddy has to pay 3 minutes for every 1 minute he uses to call Denver...Crazy!
20. Be proactive. Some things you just need to go get.
21. Working in a corporate environment sucks. But like any system, learn to play and game...and you'll live
22. People might hate the Fire Department, but don't let that get to you. Just shake it off and try to put a positive face on everything you do. As Sam would say FTM-PTB
23. Acronyms and slogans are fun, especially when people don't know the true meaning. "Free The Penguins" or "FTG".
24. LC-130's have jets that can be mounted on the side of them so they can do really cool take offs in remote places of the continent.
25. The store has a limited amount of T shirts. If you see something cool, buy it. But also watch out, sometimes they put shitty stuff up before they put out good stuff. So use your best judgment.
26. You can always work as a contract firefighter anywhere else in the world. And yes, Iraq is great money...But at least in Antarctica you don't have to worry about penguins putting IED's around here.
27. Skua's are no joke. Seriously, I have built up a fear of walking outside with food.
28. Never warn anyone about an incoming SKUA attack, it is so much fun to watch it happen to the unsuspecting.
29. Lotion is key. This is the driest continent on earth. Same goes with dandruff shampoo too.
30. The Kiwis are a great people. They are very calm and down to earth. If you piss them off, you have done something wrong. (Somehow one of my roommates did this)
31. New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places I have been in the world. I would come back down here just to have a free trip to NZ.
32. Tui is the best New Zealand beer. CD Wards is the worst.
33. Station 2 is great and low key. But don't do more than 3 shifts out there.
34. Everyone brings their own experiences and training with them down here. Learn how to incorporate that in how YOU operate. Try to get out of the "Back home we do this..." mind set, it closes your mind and no one likes that phrase...because you aren't home. You are thousand of miles away, so have an open mind.
35. The laundry soap and bleach down here are super strong. Don't use to much or else you will be putting holes in your clothing.
36. Happy Camper rules, the classroom stuff sucks.
37. McMurdo is like college. Everyone down here uses facebook, gets drunk on the weekends, and the rumors are strong.
38. Scott Base and McMurdo get the same cargo shipment. But somehow Scott Base has more fresh beer and alcohol. I have now grown accustom to at least 1 year over the expiration date Guinness beer. Thank you McMurdo, no really thank you.
39. American Night at the Kiwi base is pretty fun, do that often. Its good to get off base.
40. Never ring any of the hanging bells in the firehouse or the bar. If you ring it you have to buy a drink for all those who have heard you ring said bell. But if you have to ring a bell, do it at the Kiwi base. Beer is $1 or $1.25 and mixed drinks are $2...so its not a big loss
41. Day sleepers ruin everyones fun. But they are part of the community down here.
42. Firefighters and scientists are the only personnel down here to engage and deal with penguins. That is why we are awesome.
43. Adiele penguins are the clowns of the penguin world.
44. No matter how intelligent you thinks your friends are...one will always tell you, "Hey watch out for polar bears!" And they are completely serious.
45. Midrats is the best meal. That is why it is so addicting.
46. All of the movie industries VHS's somehow made it to McMurdo's Video Store.
47. Nothing goes bad after it expires...I've had so many things down here that are past their expiration date down here that it doesn't phase me anymore.
48. Grizzly Man is a great comedy, even though it had no intentions on being one. And a staple of Station 2 movie watching.
49. After a while, you forget what real milk tastes like...and you start to love the McMurdo fake milk.
50. Frosty boy is the McMurdo equivalent to heroin. Plus it is the only ice cream down here.
51. Bring at least a laptop or book out to Station 2, or else you will be bored to death.
52. 25 degrees is T shirt weather. 15 degrees is long sleeves
53. Even though I'm surrounded by snow and ice, I still get excited when it snows.
54. Wind sucks, and it is everywhere. This provides much entertainment when you watch smokers try to light up outside.
55. The LC in LC-130 means it has ski's on it. KNOWLEDGE!
56. The bubble can provide hours of entertainment, if you pretend you are a WWII Gunner when the planes are landing and taking off. Or even with them just sitting on the runway.
57. After 7pm Saturday night, the Fire Department runs the show at the airfield...but remember there is always someone watching in the control tower.
58. Even though the chieftains look big and heavy, they get stuck in the unpacked snow the easiest.
59. Piston Bullies look cool, but riding in them sucks. Depending on the driver you may need to go to a chiropractor after the ride.
60. Always assume that Pegasis details will go longer than expected. Especially if you are doing the detail with Capt. Shields. If they say its going to be a quick 4 hour detail, it will really be 8 hours.
61. Its colder outside than in your fridge most of the time...this works out great with beverages that are better when served cold.
62. It is insulting to tip in New Zealand.
63. If you tip at Scott Base, that money is used to buy other kiwis beers.
64. Scott Base store has a better sense of humor than the McMurdo store. Jess and Dan know what I mean, I sent them something hilarious.
65. Don't expect to get a 5 on your evaluation...It's not because you don't deserve it, it is just that Raytheon likes to keep its cash rather than pay it out in bonuses.
66. Mogas and JP-8 are the two fuels we use down here.
67. It is rumored to takes around 2 gallons of fuel to bring 1 gallon of fuel down to the pole via LC-130.
68. The dome at the South Pole is being crushed by the ice around it. It has been evacuated and now is only used for food storage.
69. It is so cold at the pole, they don't have freezers. They just keep things outside.
70. The store sells cigarettes, and chew/dip/snuff. But not cigars.
71. Halloween is one of the craziest holidays down here.
72. 155 has false ceilings that can be accessed via the Janitor closet.
73. Every dorm has a sauna inside it. It is rumored that some buildings have secret saunas inside them.
74. Traditionally one shift will be more militant than the other one at the firehouse.
75. Most of all the injuries have occurred on A shift, the more militant one. Co-incidence? I think not.
76. LC-130's never spend the night at the pole. They usually just drop off their cago and leave as soon as they can.
77. Bazlers and Twin Otters are the preferred method to transport anything to the field camps or to fly around the continent. Because they can land in more remote places than the LC-130s
78. Everything is considered a Haz-Mat down here. And must be treated as such.
79. There was a period of 1 hour where there were no fire trucks in service inside the McMurdo town due to mechanical issues. That was a couple months ago.
80. Tanker 3 is so old, the company that made it went out of business. It was left over form when the Navy ran the station.
81. Green jackets are Pole-ies, Red jackets and Carharts are for McMurdo Residents, and Orange Jackets are for Kiwis, and the Camo ones are the Airforce.
82. Cape Crozier trips are common in the beginning of the season, but take them as soon as you can...you never know when the sea-ice will be determined to be unsafe for travel.
83. A delta puts less pressure per square inch than a van or truck...that is less than half its size.
84. The Fire Department is one of the lowest paying jobs down here...but one of the most rewarding.
85. Neeves sucks as a uniform store. If it were up to me, the Antarctica FD would tell them to straighten up their act...or else we would take out 8 grand worth of business somewhere else.
86. I have been down here 100 days and have yet to be issued my assigned uniform. I'm wearing a hand me down T shirt...and a work shirt that I bought for myself. Free The penguins!
87. To be an EMT in MA is being on the lowest totem pole of Emergency Medicine. I wish I could do what the EMTs in Virginia and Colorado do back home in MA.
88. Make sure you volunteer to work in the Kitchen on the holidays. The DA's will love the extra help, and it is great PR for the Department. Plus it is the right thing to do.
89. The best meals are Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you get to have either of those holidays down at the pole, then you have won the Antarctican Jack-pot.
90. The oldest man who works here just turned 80 years old. His grandson works down here as well. The 80 year old man, did a search and rescue drill at the firehouse expo. He did it faster and better than people who were half his age.
91. I don't think Stella would let my grandfather come down here to work. But I do entertain that idea often.
92. "For the sake of all things Cajun; Please don't serve that gumbo again", That quote was on the comment board outside the Galley. And it is completely true, unfortunately they did serve that gumbo several times after that.
93. The Baker is the best person who works down here. I have yet to be displeased with anything that comes from them...I wish I could say the same thing from the rest of the kitchen staff.
94. On average, one has to make 3 pots of coffee for the firehouse just before shift change, between the time of 7:15-7:45. The average pot gets finished faster than it takes to brew it.
95. There have been more medi-vacs this year down here than there has been in the last 3 years of the program, I've been told.
96. McMurdo hospital isn't as big as they make it seem in the movie "8 Bellow". The entire hospital is just as big as the Mel-Wak ER, or maybe one section of MGH ER, or roughly the size of a McDonalds.
97. All the fire trucks have sirens, but no one uses them. It is mostly lights only response. There isn't a lot of traffic to be moved.
98. Hut 10 is also used as a make shift "prison" from time to time.
99. The Fire Department pretty much is the catch all for all strange jobs. But gets hardly as much credit as it deserves.
100. I only have 15 days left here, and while I do look forward to going home...I am going to miss this place.
I'm surprised how fast I filled out my 100 random thoughts about this place. And yes I was inspired by the that facebook note fad for this entry. But I think mine is cooler.
Once we got to the airfield, the celebration started. The airbus landed, and we decided to toast a successful end to a great season.
The best part about flying out on the airbus is not only the nice seats, but also the fact that that pilots fly differently than the C-17 crew. We were able to "buzz" a couple key areas around McMurdo. Since this was the last flight off the continent for the summer, we flew low over McMurdo, Ob. Hill and Mt. Erebus. Here are a couple photos from all of that. Cool?
Posts
