Playing with the hose... Just kidding - they're actually truly working. =)

Learning how to use the water properly.

Practice, practice, practice!

Working hard!

Concentration.

Firefighting art. =) There's art in everything, you see?!

Tired out!

Fellow firefighters.

The car. (poor car. Ü)

Working hard!

Sawyer Class

One week at ALERT (I think it was the third or four week Joe was there...) was Chainsaw week. The men learned how to use chainsaws for disaster relief. You can read more about their Sawyer Class here, on the ALERT Blog. :)

Getting instructions.

Demonstration.
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That thing has got to be... like... three feet long! =)

The book.

Joe, of course, is right where the action is! (second from the left in this photo.)

A tree waits to be felled. =)

Staph Infection

Hey, everyone!

I'm just posting really quick to tell you that you can all keep Joe in your prayers, since he's got a staph infection. :( If he doesn't heal up within the next week, he won't be allowed to dive on the ERT dive trip, which he informed us was the highlight of ALERT's ERT. ;( So if you would just lift Joe up in your prayers, he sure would appreciate it! Also, if you have any ideas or suggestions on how to treat the infection, we'd be glad to hear them! Anything will help. ;) Thanks, and God bless your day!

High Angle Rescue

A few weeks ago, the men learned about High Angle Rescue. I already put some of the pictures on here (the ones found on the ALERT training blog) but here are some more that were sent to us from Joe. =) They include more of him, as some of his buddies were kind enough to take some snapshots of his activities. =)

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So without further ado... here are the pictures - notice that they are in no particular order... =)

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Joe's art... high angle rescue does make very good art, doesn't it? I think the silhouettes are the coolest.

I'm not exactly sure what they are doing here... but I believe this was after they got their "victim" onto the ground. I think they had to move him so far... to somewhere where he could "get taken care of." Wink, wink.

Joe and teammate.

Once more, my artistic brother proves that high angle rescue is a very interesting subject for the photographer!

Practicing.

Tired, Joe?

Coming down... down... down...

Self-portrait.

One of Joe's teammates.

Hovering? =)

Heyyy... this is fun! (Click on the picture to better see his expression... Ü)
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Lookin' down... wow... that's a long way!

Got to learn the ropes!

You want me to smile for the camera... again?

The High Angle Rescue Team! =) Come back later for more pictures! I've got some on Joe's firefighting class and also chainsaw class. :D

Joe Arrives (In Texas, That Is)

Hey, all! Today, one of Joe's camera's memory cards arrived! I downloaded all 267 pictures, and I'm going to upload... um, lots... of them in several installments. Here are the first few pictures. =)

Joe at the Dallas Airport. :)

Lots of bags!

I guess this is the Dallas Airport...? No kidding... :D

Around the Barracks

Here are some pictures of Joe and his quarters and his buddies. I think that date on the pictures said something about being on June 28... that would have been the day after he arrived in Texas. =)
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Norman, Zach, Joe, and Caleb. I believe these three are Joe's roommates.

What an immaculate closet! =0

Joe and Zach.

The study hall in general...

And Joe's desk in particular. =) So... this is where he studies every day! Now days it's a little more decked out in photos, drawings, and pictures from his loving girls at home! :D

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It's really true - that shirt is starched like that! Not to be worn sideways, I mean... it's so stiff it can probably stand by itself! =)
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Yeah, even ironing can be fun... =) Something tells me they're having way too much fun down there this time!

Joe's bed... the yellow one. =) Wait a minute, wait a minute! Is that a Coke can on his night stand?! No. Way. See what I was talking about? Way too much fun?!
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Come back tomorrow for the next installment of Joe's ALERT Adventures! :D