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.
Contents
Introduction
Part One: Into the Field
Getting Started
Down and Out
A Brave New World
Loss
Part-Timer
Training Day
Class #64
The Trauma Room
Hospital Rotations
A Rainy Sunday
The Test
Train Wreck
Life on an Ambulance
Alone in the Woods
Assaults
A Slow Saturday
Part Two: OFD
Rookie
First Night
Delivery
Man Down
Desperation
Suddenly
The Catch
The Infant
The Burning Room
Under the Camper
Death by Suicide
Special Effects
The Boy in the Road
Regulars
The Usual Spots
Missing
The Patient
The Intruder
Learning to Drive
Driving
In Charge
Mealtime
Training
Practical Jokes
Home
Part Three: Command
Learning
A Hole in the Floor
A New Direction
Training Division
Learning to Lead
A Fork in the Road
A Final Step
Returning to Shift
Part Four: And It All Came Crashing Down
The Call
Charges
A Gathering Storm
Verdict
Aftermath
Reporting for Duty
The Appeal
Turning to the Union
The Meeting
The Only Option
Farewell
Rachel K. Wentz retired from OFD in 2001 after eleven years of service and went on to complete a master’s and PhD in Anthropology from Florida State University. She is currently an archaeologist who specializes in the analysis of human remains and is Regional Director for the Florida Public Archaeology Network.
2014 Florida Authors & Publishers Association President's Award